I remember a conversation with one of the executives at Jeanette Crews some years ago. We have been having some timiliness issues with a particular designer and and the “money” guy was a bit upset about the losses because we coule not get a pre-sold book to press. He asked in an outdoor voice, “Can’t we just scan it into something and get the instructions”. The three design professionals AND company CEO all said, in GREAT outdoor voices NO!!! Someone added “and best you get that thru your thick head once and for all”.
There is much more to pattern authoring than just the design of a motif, the choosing of a shape, and oh well the list goes on.
As often as not, I will get an email that makes it clear to me that something is not clear. Confused yet?
So many misunderstandings occur when Semantics meets Expectations
how does this relate to Symbol Crochet – Well, at the moment we have very few options, each has benefits BUT none of them can replace a Pattern Author or at least none in the the under $100 category includes the ability to WRITE/Author a Pattern –
And if I had time to research, I suspect it would in the uner $200 and in some cases features in the $2000 and up range.
Rather they CHART – create a graphic representation of a series of stitches to form a Motif.
The route of the chaos might be that while most professional designers understand that until they are ready to spend a LOT more money, many new to the business of design have not yet understood this and think at the programs in the $ 50.00 range are going to deliver.
For example, looking at the two I use/have used for CROCHET CHARTING
New England’s Software describes the purpose of SymbolCro as to provide computer aided drafting of circular and/or rectangular crochet patterns using symbols.
StitchWorks describes itself as software for creating symbol crochet charts that can be shared or published …
Neither says it is a pattern writer and frankly I don’t want them to be. When we are working on patterns for publications we have to be able to format as needed.
Are there “I Wish” features – sure – but we can all save ourselves a LOT of upset if we take the time to understand what we are buying and then make a decision if it meets our needs.
Life is just too dang short to waste any of it on unreasonable expectations.
Hmmm….. I wonder if the new versions of either SymbolCro or Stitchworks would allow me to create a schematics to fill in with a crochet chart. My crocs may never be the same
Pictures, sign language, and Symbols have been the timeless means to share everything from history to recipes.
Crochet Symbols are used in Charted Patterns. It is these Charted Patterns allow us to cross language barriers and enjoy the creativity of those with whom our only common language is the technique used in our craft.
And, I might have just said, “this has to wait for another day” until I read the 1850 Pattern monologue* Caution: Be Prepared For PSA‘s in this complimentary pattern “explanation”
Apparently Joan Silverton shares my sense of humor and her free crochet pattern verbiage can make me laugh out loud, – that rates a deeper look into the product born of her frustration with that 1850 and toher vintage crochet pattern.
Stealing an hour from the “To Be Done File” including perusing the on-line forum, it seemed that perhaps a Yahoo group would be a better way to share information about Symbol Crochet and thus spread its use
The never humble opinion, I was wrong about what I said “in the past” The SymblCro is a program deserves to grow. It just already does so many things I want/need from Crochet Software Design tool.
Fortunately, Joan freely admits the “manual” is not the easiest, once you begin to make some progress on that steep learning curve, it is easy to see the huge potential of this program. Since this is currently still a free program, it only get “free time” and we all know how life can happen.
Being the patient sort that I am (not), and with the clear understanding that with rare exception, we are all likely rookies where SymblCro is concerned, and with informal agreement from its author, we set up a Yahoo Group to Focus on SymbolCrochet.
The goal of SymbolCrochet is to create a place where both those who use and those who design using Symbols crochet can share information.
Along the way, we may be able to create the basis of references and cross references and perhaps even help Joan to incorporate a larger number of symbols “into the program” and well as a wish list of things we “wish it could do”
So here’s the skinny:
Although nothing can really substitute for good reference books…
Current Use or Knowledge of SymbolCrochet, the symbols or the software is not required,
Basic Crochet knowledge will be helpful – If you are just learning to crochet and want to use “written” instructions, there are many wonderful groups.
For General Crochet Help, I happily recommend Crochet Partners as one of the best resources for beginner to advance technique help or one of the more specialized groups like Carol Ventura’s group for her passion, Tapestry Crochet when you need very specific “help” Another of my favorites is Kim Guzman’s yahoo group for Tunisian Crochet
The mission of SymbolCrochet will be how to use Symbol Crochet to complete your crochet work using instructions written using crochet symbols instead of “just words”.
Secondarily, to help each other over the learning curve, so we can most effectively use Joan Silverton’s SymblCro software for design purposes –
And who knows, in the process we might even develop some new cross references either for this blog or my dreamed of Crochet section for the YARNandTHREAD.info Wiki
We are still working on unpacking the boxes and arranging the furniture, so please excuse our dust.
