The Power of Women
I’m leaving tomorrow, a few days than earlier than originally planned, for the Tori Spelling/Knitty Gritty Special shoot/Knit.1 interview. This may not be the best plan I’ve ever had since we’re having our post-elopement reception a week from this Saturday and we’re still not finished thrifting for plates, the kids don’t have their outfits (why is it so flippin’ hard to find little kid short-sleeved button downs in gray or black?!), I don’t have my shoes, random rental stuff still needs to be confirmed, etc., etc., etc. However…When one gets invited to do something great for charity with a bunch of smart, strong, successful women, one does not turn it down.
This Saturday, Hollywood for Habitat for Humanity will be holding their annual all-female build called, “Power Women, Power Tools”. I’m so excited!
I’ve wanted to do something for Habitat for a long time, but just haven’t made it happen. And no, I don’t have any experience building…but I’m crafty, so that has to count for something, right? 😉 Adrienne (co-owner with her husband Billie Joe, of Adeline Records) is co-hosting the event and was kind enough to include me. Her family has done a lot of work for the organization in post-Katrina New Orleans and she’s now apparently got the building bug. She even bought her own hammer and, upon my coaxing, has purchases pink tool belts! I’ll wear mine proudly. 🙂 I love it when women use their powers for good!
Speaking of the power of women, I think I mentioned/thanked you all in a previous post for making Knitty Gritty the #1 searched for term on the DIY Network site. Clearly, a little knitting show doesn’t garner more viewers than say, a home improvement or automotive show, but you all have proven to be way more tenacious than others are about searching out info on a subject you’re passionate about. There’s great strength in that. Unfortunately, the voice of Knitty Gritty’s mostly female viewership (or any of the other DIY craft shows, for that matter) has not rang through as clear when it comes to ratings. Nielsen has shown that the network’s audience is overwhelmingly male’s who watch Fix-it shows. That said, although KG is still strong for them in the genre they’ve found that re-runs do just as well for them as new shows so we won’t be going into production this year. It will still be on 5 days a week but at least for 2007, the majority of the shows will be re-runs. I’m very curious about how Nielsen box recipients are chosen and how accurate ratings are in this technological age when people are DVRing or often, watching at least parts of shows on the internet. Do men monopolize TV ratings power, or do women have as much ad revenue influence there as we do on-line? I suppose, there’s only one way to find out. If you’re a woman with a Nielsen box in the house and you enjoy Knitty Gritty, Craft Lab, Uncommon Threads, etc., then you can help ensure new episodes of the shows for 2008! Tune in and tune in often. Thank ya, kindly.
Keeping with the theme of today’s post, I blatantly copied Jennifer Perkins’ (one of my favorite powerful women) brilliant idea for the wedding terrarium she made for our friend Susann, and made my own at a floral arranging class I took last night. I couldn’t bring myself to do a traditional, silk flower arrangement but this my friends, was right up my alley!
Unlike Jennifer’s version, these succulents are fake and will likely survive my black thumb and, of course, I had to paint the bride and groom’s hair red. This baby will be prominently displayed on the buffet table at our party. Viva las tacky decor!
xo,
Vickie
I can’t wait to read the Tori interview. I am sure it will be great. Hope you have a good time building. I hate, hate, HATE that there won’t be any new production this year. When will the new ones listed show? The last I looked, they didn’t have air dates. Good luck this week
monica
Howdy 🙂 I just recently GOT cable and I have been enthralled with Knitty Gritty! Sad to hear there won’t be new shows…although at this point, all the shows are new to me 😛
I just wanted to let you know about how the Nielsen boxes work (My ex-wife worked for them). Basically, it’s all done by geography and neighborhood density. They actually are interested in particular houses, as much as particular types of people. She would often tell me that they were looking for a house with a single mom with 2 or more kids in a particular zip code…or a married couple over 60…or whatever the demographic was they needed…but it couldn’t be just anyone that fit that bill…it had to be in a certain neighborhood and a certain street. I don’t know all the details, but it seemed like it was pretty persnickety how they had to find people for which to install boxes.
Long live Knitty Gritty!
Vickie,
I’m so upset that Knitty Gritty will not produce new shows for the 2007 season. I personally am going to write the DIY network and kindly protest. I think others should as well. I wish my knitting friends and I had a Nielsen box. I absolutely adore your wedding terrarium. I have a friend who is having a baby. Maybe I will blatantly copy with a slight twist and make a cute Baby terrarium.
we got called last week to do a nielson ratings thing in July. I’ll make sure to let them know that I watch your show daily!
That Nielson thing and not shooting new episodes burns my tailfeathers! I upgraded my satellite for the express purpose of being able to DVR Knitty Gritty and I know I have a lot of episodes to catch up on, but if they aren’t making new episodes… Grrrr, shame on them. I’m going to start DVR-ing the other shows you mentioned and check them out.
That stinks :(. Luckily for me I am a relatively new knitter and haven’t seen most of the shows…
I’ve never met a man who watches DIY.
Honestly, only the hard core KG watcher will feel it. There’s 8 seasons of the show produced that they cycle through at all times so the odds are that at least *some* of the episodes will always be new to most people.
Jennifer–That would rock. Thanks!!
Cheryl–Thanks for the support 🙂 You should totally make a baby terrarium! I’m thinking about making a dinosaur or superhero version for my boys and a band-related version for my husband. 🙂
Createrix–Thanks for the Nielsen scoop!
Aww….and here I was all excited for when the new shows were coming. I don’t even get DIY, I get them Mon/Wed/Fri on HGTV which I DVR to watch later. Very, very sad. Joining up with that letter-writing campaign!
So cool about Habitat.
Love the terrarium! I’m all about the quirky stuff at weddings/receptions/afterparties/etc instead of the same ole same ole.
HI! I record your show everyday and watch each episode even if I have seen it before. (cept maybe that spinning your own yarn show.)I too, will voice my opinion on DIY that I love your show and do want to see some new episodes. Keep up the most excellent work! You rock!
OK this news has bummed my morning I won’t lie. I have seen every episode some two and three times, even watch it on HGTV when its one (which over here is at 6am).DIY always seems to cater to the home improvement shows I mean if you miss a show say in the afternoon you can catch it on the same day late at night. Except they don’t do that with the craft shows.Its like they think the only crafty women are stay at home moms and the elderly. Which is so not true.I remember they use to show KG on Sunday afternoons at 3:30. Then stopped. Hello.. crafty women( and men) would like some of craft style shows on the weekends? So writing to the DIY network and have my friend do the same. Have a great time.
Too bad about the production lag. At least I haven’t seen some of the shows that have been running lately. I DVR KG every day! If I ever am asked to do Neilsen I will tell them about KG.
Can’t wait for the issue of Knit1 with the Tori Spelling interview. What month is it going to be pubished?
K.S.
I’m SO SAD and upset to read that Knitty Gritty won’t be in production for 2008. I find it ridiculous that they base a show on Nielsen ratings, which when reading how they pick people, is a little biased.
My television is always on either HGTV or DIY during the day, as I watch all of the shows you mentioned. I wish I had a box!
Hope your time out here in Southern California goes well. That’s great what you’ll be doing for Habitat. Have a great time!
Susan in So. Cal.
Grrr face…I’m a hard core KG fan, but I must admit there are some episodes that I watched and was like “Hey I’m going to make that some time.” Maybe it will re-inspire me 🙂 By the way…I’m making the Lana & Clark Ascot tomorrow because I just saw it on the Celebrity episode. I know it’s been on your website, but at that time I was like Picot Edging…ha! It really looks easy. So once I get it done, you could see if it was worthy enough to put on your website 🙂 (Please let it me worthy 🙂 ) I finished a pair of the fluffy cuff mittens that were on your show, I’m posting them tomorrow on my website. 🙂
PS: Viva las tacky, tambien 🙂 Ole
I guess I am a hard core Knitty Gritty viewer. There is not one episode that has aired that I have not seen, and all of my favorites are saved on my DVR. My kids always complain that my knitty gritty’s take up too much hard drive space LOL I wish I had a Nielson box, my tv stays on DIY and HGTV. And while my dh does enjoy the home improvement shows, I am the main viewer. I am also going to try writing DIY and beg for more new shows, can’t hurt : )
I am so sad to hear that your show will no longer be produced. They do not have the DIY network in my area and I have been writing my cable network to add it just so I could see your show. They ran episodes on HGTV this winter. Is there a chance they might do that again? Also, would it help to flood the network with sad letters to keep you running? Are there plans to produce DVDs for those of us that have not seen all of the episodes.
I would also love to purchase a pink toolbelt of my own. Will they be selling them for charity?
Ironscrapper- I have never met a man sho would watch DIY either.
Love your blog!
vickie, i just sent a nastygram to DIY about not having new episodes. the only reason i watch DIY is for your show. I’ve gotten some great patterns and ideas, and i’ve even bought things like stitch markers, needles, etc because i saw them on the show. Also, KG has barely scratched the surface of all things knitty – for example, will there be a show featuring the mason/dixon girls? I also started watching creative juice, stylelicious and b. original becos of KG.
i’m also going to tell my knitting group about no new shows – they love your show as much as i do and this won’t make them very happy!
thanks for letting me vent!
I’m a longtime knitter and a longtime “Knitty Gritty” watcher. I think I’ve seen all the shows, many of them several times, and I enjoy them each time. It seems that in each show there’s a little tip that I didn’t know and that I find useful.
But, ooh, I’d like some new shows! I’m writing DIY right now.
Monica: Series 500, 600 and 700 are shown on HGTV, MWF at 6 or 7 am which totally doesn’t work for me. I like my daily afternoon fix. Will DIY every get to show those seasons, Vicki?
HA! Very cute centerpiece…my husband and i both have red hair, too.
Ya poop guess that means Craft Lab is in trouble too.
I am so proud of you and your terrarium, can’t wait to see it up close and personal this weekend. Better quit raining.
I know this is an old entry but I have a teeny question. I watch KG when it’s actually on whenever I can, but I rely on my DVR to catch all the episodes. I have my settings to record only the new ones, and the last couple of new(?) episodes have been on around 6AM (my local time)–Vickie, I LOVE Knitty Gritty, but I’m not sure I LOVE my alarm clock that much!
Seriously… this is saddness to my eyes to have to read there will be no more new shows! I think I might tear up! I love new shows ( and the reruns too.)
Can we start some kind of writing campaign via email to DIY and their owners for you to keep KG on the air with new shows–love the reruns but I look forward to new shows and information you provide.
oh no!! what can i/we do to help? do you think a q&a for my craft column would help? man, i was just bragging at how finally the networks were airing cool crafty programming! email me offline and let’s chat, maybe by phone. rescue 911 in action!!! viva la knitty gritty and craft lab, and all the other shows!!!
OH!!! and congrats on your wedding, i’m so happy for you!!!!
love,
kathy 🙂
Thanks everyone for your nice comments. I just want to clarify that the show is not permanently out of production, just on hiatus until next year–and hey, at least we’re shooting a cool, 1 hour special that’ll air in February!
As far as the writing campaign goes well, it couldn’t hurt but honestly, I’m not sure advertisers look past Nielsens on something like this.
Meredith–yeah, if you’re watching on HGTV, KG’s on at the crack of dawn. I think it’s on a more reasonable hour on DIY. HTH!