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February 13th, 2012 at 12:12 pm »
Comments (2)Most importantly, maybe you have not been color trained, but if you look at a combination, made a small swatch and LIKE THE RESULT – then the rules be damned -
CAVEAT: I do not currently sell any of the products mentioned, but I probably should since they are so personally helpful – That changes, I will edit this Tiplet
Must be something in the air, the same day a question comes up in Tunisian Crochet, I also get two emails asking me about learning aids.
There are so many excellent color references books and tools out there, but these are the ones, I like today.
Useful to “have in hand” the “Creative Color Wheel”
It is described (and with a bit of practice really does work much more effectively than a basic color wheel) as “a tool for designers in all artistic mediums to help create color combinations and to understand color relationships… Helps organize colors to make choices and combinations easier… ”
Although I AM going to have to get them to include Crocheters and Kumihimists (braider) into the list of “artists”
Now if you want an insight into just how restrained my importance of swatching really is, I can be… another product those who are as wacky as I can be (I prefer wacky to a diagnosis of AR) is their Create-A-Wheel
An uncolored color wheel ready for you to paint your own favorite colors. A practical, hands-on, tool for teaching … color relationships. Although designed for use by painters, I have been know to make a larger copy of this and then glue yarns and fabrics to it until I find the combination that make me happy.
Because of the first can be just as useful when made last…
maybe you have not been color trained, but if you look at a combination, made a small swatch and LIKE THE RESULT – then the rules be damned
Enjoy the Making
Wheat
December 26th, 2011 at 00:01 am »
Comments (1)
Kim Guzman the well known Tunisian Crochet Designer is planning a CAL (Crochet-A-Long) based on a vintage Tunisian Men’s Glove Pattern
Kim started planning this CAL after some discussion in the Yahoo Group for Tunisian Crochet Kim co-owns with aRNIE Grabowski, while it is a good pattern, but some of the language is a bit “old school” so can cause some difficulty for today’s crochet enthusiast.
Kim has announced that she will be conducting the crochet-along in the CrochetKimCAL. If you are already a member of that YahooGroup, you need do nothing. If you are not a member and would like to participate, you will need to visit the link and request membership.
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Knowing one of the “Gotcha’s” for vintage patterns is they were written (as are many today) in support of a specific yarn and yarns come and go so it is sometimes not easy to “get the details quickly. With this in mind, using an early (7th ) and the current (53rd) editions of Valuable Knitting Information to get the necessary yarn details.
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This vintage pattern wants
Bear Brand Win-Sport yarn
Sport Weight with 235 yards,
Pattern Gauge is 7 STI
(28 across 10cm/4 in)
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What concerns me is that the same pattern gauge the yarn label give for “knitting gauge”. It is true Tunisian is somewhat heavier than knitting, although not as much as standard crochet. I think swatching will be a definite requirement even with a perfectly matched yarn and possibly even fulling the swatch to be sure the fabric is acceptable.
Another reason to swatch is the pattern suggests an E (US Size) hook. D & E have changed over the years so for vintage patterns I compared the chart of the covers of the 7th and 53rd editions VKI (which are the same) as well as my own Hook Chart If, as the knitting gauge suggests, a 3.5mm is needed, then, depending on when and where your hook was made, it might be considered either a D or an E. (the CYC places this as a D, but Clover, Pony and Boye and Bates all suggest this as an E)
Still, ultimately the BearBrand Win-Sport drops nicely into the CYC No 1 – Fingering Yarn Category – near the top but within range in my own Yarn Label Reference Chart
My plan to swatch using 
Arucania’s Ranco – a sock yarn Although a bit heavier with a knit gauge of 6 STI, it should not be all that difficult to adjust a bit. I will likely use similar concepts as those shown in the WikiHow WikiHow for sizing
If these get done, then I think it will be fun to also make a cowl to keep my neck and shoulders warn while computing, who knows maybe even matching socks – maybe even in time for next winter
But first the search for the “perfect hook” for this project.
Peace of the Season
Wheat
October 24th, 2011 at 12:01 pm »
Comments (0)If the purpose of your signature is to help increase traffic,
Then DO NOT ASSUME that just “www” is enough.
Many email readers need you to includ
“http://”
So that the link appears “clickable”
Wheat
read: Wheat Wrote WHAT !!! http://www.WheatCarr.com
shop: ItsAllJustString http://www.ItsAllJustString.com
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
October 14th, 2011 at 09:35 am »
Comments (1)Many of us with on-line businesses are often tempted to rely on our suppliers “hosting” product pictures.
Among the lessons I have learned the hard way –
The problem comes when they move or disco that product and suddenly you have products with no image, but taking up space in your inventory.
It may take some time, but it would be in your own self interest to build your own library of images – EVEN if it is just dragging the image to a file for that supplier/product on the machine you use primarily for preparing info for the web.
