October 18th, 2011 at 00:01 am » Comments (1)

One of the often asked questions is how long to make a scarf.

One answer is “until you run out of yarn” but that is not really helpful
If you know the adult who will be receiving the scarf, then either a scarf as long as they are tall for a scarf that will generally fall about 1/2 way between waist and neck

Keep in mind that I personally like long scarves (sharing the lover of long flowing scarves with Isadore Duncan) – I prefer to use height plus 18in ( 45cm) for a scarf that falls at the waist or slightly longer.

I also find this works well for children, giving adequate length to tie the scarf and a bit of length for use as they grow taller.

If you don’t know the details of the recipient (as often happens with charity projects) I suggest 72in-180cm – may not fall to the waist but should be long enough to go around the neck at least once and still fill in the neck of a coat or jacket.

For a Fashion scarf, 45in/110cm would be a minimum, but I think at least 48in/122cm is better

If you plan to use the currently trendy noose style, then you may want to make your scarf at least 60in-150cm.

Last but not least, remember, a shawl is really just wide scarf although I think the minimum for an adult should be at least 60in/150cm.

I use these lengths for all techniques – Crochet, Knit or Handwoven.

Enjoy The Making

Wheat

March 22nd, 2011 at 12:11 pm » Comments (1)

Okay, YES I am now selling yarn in our on-line store. And this is, to a VERY small degree related to that… but, it is more about getting your feedback – who knows if I will ever find the time to implement it.

One of the challenges for those new to design is the availability of yarn “other than” using your 40% coupons at JoAnn’s Michael’s etc.

Sure there is eBay and if you have enough street cred to have built a relationship with a particular yarn distributor.

As the economy has tightened, so have the ability of the non-Chain yarn distributors to provide yarns for sampling. In fact, maybe 90% of the time I actually buy sample skeins at retail.

From another seat at this table, retailers often have a problem with odd skeins from dye lots they can no longer match. (I have this constantly increasing box from where someone purchased 8 or 9 skeins and am left with only one of a dye lot.)

Then there is the problem not quite salable as new from returns, or torn labels or slightly underweight because someone thought it would okay to use a few yards from the skein to finish a project and then return it or other instances that cause me to refrain from selling at full price.

Additionally, for those whose only access to yarn is “on-line” how do we are today’s retailers respond to the need of the Yarn users who want to try “Yarn Shop Yarns” but still would like to obtain sample skeins to interview the yarns before committing to a major purchase.

I know this will not be quite as easy at it seems “to keep up” but I am wondering if it is something even worth doing because of the investment of time and energy required.

“your thoughts”

Wheat

who is STILL in search of an independent toe-up crocheted sock
pattern that can be used “for promotional purchases” – The pattern
author will get paid but the consumer will get the pattern with the
purchase of certain yarns.

January 26th, 2009 at 10:12 am » Comments (1)

P.I.G.S. or Projects In Grocery Sacks, are an inevitable part of the Creative Crocheter life style, from childhood to the age of wisdom and beyond.

After all, we all can get “tired” of a project or even if we just ascribe to the “there needs to be at least three P.I.P. s – Projects in Progress

So how does this effect “so many hooks”. easy,

By the mid-1950′s I had already”discovered” that not all crochet hooks are created alike. Yes, even then a G was not necessarily a G,

Add to that my early sense of organization not only included keeping the Pattern leaflet with the in progress P.I.G., but the “hook used” with that project.

Why, you ask, can’t you just look at the pattern and use the same size hook. Well the problem with that is because again, even then, I did not think Crocheted garments needed to resemble suits of armour. Secondly, I have never been able to ‘write in a book’ and pattern leaflets constituted books in my warped brain. Copious notes on sheets of loose leaf paper, but nary a mark on the pattern itself.

My father once commented late in his life that he thought the reason I was good at writing/editing patterns so almost anyone could do them, was because I seemed to have spent my entire life writing out my own version of my favorite patterns, including any changes.

At some point (teen years) I decided that it would save me hours of frustration (and allow me to have P.I.G.S that did not end up in the trash because I could not remember the added details) if I bought a hook at the same time I purchased the pattern and yarn… or was absolutely sure the likely size hook was “free in my sewing box”. Admittedly it took me a bit longer to realize that since I seem to prefer using a hook at least 1mm larger than the pattern stated, that is what I should buy.

Once I figured that one out, so began a nearly life long habit of carrying around any “hooks not in use” or more accurately “not buried in P.I.G.S”

Later in life it meant that I had “a supply” that could be used for teaching the “next generation” or even just introducing mine to the satisfaction of crochet.

Does this make me rather “A.R.” probably those with the proper degree will say yes,

And, yes, this penchant for assembling all that the project requires “in one place” before beginning does carry over into other handwork as well.

I just say, No, it makes me efficient in getting started and eventually finishing…

What’s your excuse?

February 7th, 2008 at 00:16 am » Comments (6)

Ever since finding the Pony Double Ended Crochet hooks, about two years ago, I have been using experimenting with them for knitting – thinking this might be good for kids (and grown ups) to help in learning knit techniques. When I started tripping over reference to Portuguese Knitting and its use of crochet hooks, naturally I got curious but then and now, there just never are enough hours in the day to “research”.

Recently Abby wrote about Andean spinning and that reminded me of how often I wished I could ask her Dad, Ed Franquemont about this. He was such a fountain of historical information – usually with good data to back it up.

Well, the last few weeks, it seems I am on something of a tear attempting to find more info about “Portuguese Knitting” which seems to share some technique with the Andean poeples as well.

What I have been able to find “so far”, mostly surmised from YouTube Videos, vagure memories of watching Ed Franquemont showing some “Incan” knitting and pictures in a few books, is that some how yarn is tension either by wearing the skein like a necklace, or using a pin on one’s shoulder. (See the picture of Andrea Wong here

Thus the yarn is between you and the work “most of the time”. And the yarn is manipulated to form the stitches, using your thumb in a seemingly very efficient manner. BTW, if you are a “visual” learner, then you may just find that the YouTubes with the voice over being in Portuguese to be the most helpful/clear.

Although many have suggested Andean & Portuguese are the same, so far only “Portuguese” knitting seems to use crochet hooks and at least one of the more esoteric suppliers of fiber art tools, sells these needles – hook on one end, point on the other in a limited variety of sizes, in sets of four or five per size – suggesting use for in the round type project.

I have been told that

Andrea Wong’s Video is an excellent resource, but unhappily it will not play in any of our machines.

Several have suggested I might find more information in the out of print book, Andean Folk Knitting: Traditions and Techniques from Peru and Bolivia. by Cynthia Gravelle Lecount, ISBN: 0932394078, but so far I have not been able to find an affordable copy and/or library that has it.

I was able to find lots of sources for Marasha Lewandowski’s

Andean Folk Knits: Great Designs…

So Abby, (or anyone else) I’d love to hear from you – Or should I just resign myself, accept I can knit with crochet hooks and will never know the history