"Hey We Crochet" crochet group

Hey We Crochet Facebook crochet group
 
I started the day off normal enough... 

Declutter my desk area, always a must after finishing one project and before starting a new one. Well at least it is for me, not everyone is nuts like me. While I was doing that I was also browsing Facebook. 

I ran across an interesting post in a group page for designers talking about group pages that let you self promote. I started doing some searches of crochet groups, unfortunately so many look fun to be in but don't allow self promotion. 

Mostly this rule is because some people post their stuff everyday and sometimes multiple times a day, ruining it for the rest. I get it but boy can it be frustrating. Say I want to post a pic of my work, as a designer, it is of course going to be something I created with my own pattern. Other members of the group ask where can they get the pattern. Guess what! You are not allowed to post the link because that would be self promoting, it can get very aggravating. 

I know if this bugs me and other designers as well, then there needs to be a fix.

Suddenly I remembered my sister had opened a crochet page awhile back (turns out "awhile back" was actually 8 yrs ago! LOL!), I hadn't thought of her group in such a long time I had actually forgotten about it to tell the truth. Last I saw, she and I were the only members.

I looked it up. It said the page had been archived because the admin left, I was the only member left and did I want to reactivate the page and be the admin. 

I thought "well here is my chance to have a group that can be fun and allows limited self promotion." I really didn't have to think on it too long, I knew almost immediately it was time to do it.

I do hope you will join us over at Hey We Crochet

Happy Crocheting 

What to know about tails...

 

Tails? What are they and how I use them.

No we wont be talking about doggy tails, even though they are super cute.

A tail in pattern language is the beginning yarn or the ending yarn.

How do I use it? In amigurumi there are several ways I use tails.

Beginning tail...

1) first and foremost I use it to knot the beginning tail secure so there is no way the circle will come loose.

2) When I make a magic circle, I typically have a beginning tail of 5 inches but depending on what I am making, I may choose to add extra length to it and use it as stuffing. Like say the fingers on the Christmas Thief or the tail on a monkey. Small things that are no bigger than a pencil benefit from just using the yarn tail as stuffing, rather than trying to stuff with fiber fil and having the stitches stretch and then having white stuffing show through. Yuck! Nobody wants to see that.

3) lets say I am making the bottom of a foot with chain stitches that are worked in the round, I know to leave a bit extra tail for sewing and stuffing. For me the ends tend to have a hole in them from having 4 stitches in one chain. This will drive me nuts, so I fix it with a few stitches with the beginning tail to close the gap a little. Then I lay the extra remaining tail over the chain line and tack it down with either stuffing or a drop of fabric glue. 

4) leaving an extra long beginning sewing tail. Typically used for sewing when a ending tail is not available, is in the wrong spot for where you need it or extra pieces are being added.

Ending tail...

1) most often than not the ending tail will be used for sewing the entire piece to another piece. Like sewing the opening or ending of a leg to a body.

2) it may also be used as a sewing tail for sewing gaps, in between pieces such as when putting two or more pieces together to make one piece like a hand.

3) I may use the ending tail to weave the last stitches closed  or just weave the tail through some stitches to secure it.

One thing I definitely don't do is cut the tail shorter than 2 inches unless absolutely necessary.

Hope this helps. Happy crocheting!

Size will vary...

"Size will vary based on hook size, materials and crochet style."

When you see this line, does it mean anything to you?

I can't stress how much this is true. 

I get pictures and messages sent to me all the time of how their item came out much bigger than what is indicated on the pattern. To the point that I might need to add to all the patterns that I crochet very tight (but I don't feel that I do) cause my 9 inch item seems to be most peoples 11 inch item. Even if you used exactly the same yarn, exactly the same hook size, your style of crochet may be a lot looser than mine. I have even had my testers who use smaller hooks come out with larger results. I have to say sometimes it baffles me how but of course I know just one factor can change the results. 

The best I can do is give a gauge to follow. If you want the item to be as close to the size indicated, then following the gauge is your best option. To do this you may need to adjust your hook size to accommodate the materials your using and/or your personal crochet style.

Feeling stuck...

Some days are spent with the yarn in my hand waiting for something to come to me, like Frankie sitting there with a blank canvas and a paintbrush just waiting for the brush to take over and do something, some times all you get are two eyes.

I have had soo many of those days throughout my career as a crochet designer. But after it hasn't happened in awhile you tend to forget till... wham it happens. 

I have tried several times to get my brain going on a project and I literally end up with a ball that wont take the form I am trying to achieve. 

It's a reality check. I am not a master artesian of yarn by any means but when the patterns just flow forth with ease, I guess I tend to get a big head about it. 

Then sets in the frustration cause seriously this shouldn't be that complicated but for some reason it is messing with me. 

Best thing to do is walk away, find something else to do while you process what might be going wrong. This usually helps me clear my head and also keeps me from scrapping the whole project completely. But that is not to say I haven't ever totally given up on a project cause believe me, I have. 

I humbly admit there are some ideas in my head that I truly don't have enough knowledge to make it happen. Maybe someday but not anytime soon. A goal to look forward to.

I hope if you are feeling stuck that this will help you to know it happens to everyone.

Happy Crocheting!

 

Plans for 2021

 

Well as most of us know... plans can change at anytime but I like having a plan anyway.

Do you schedule your days, weeks, months?

I admit sometimes have so much going on, I have even scheduled my day down by hours.

Thankfully I don't have my whole year planned out, YET! Haha. I laugh cause I know in just a few months the schedule will be bursting at the seams.

Things on the list for this coming year...

Aliens

Swans

Penguin pillow cover

Diaper baby Kangaroo

Finish up a doll

Thanksgiving pilgrims

Dino monster truck

and soo soo many more...

I see a lot of holiday patterns getting done this year.

I truly hope I can get it all scheduled well and completed.

I want to wish you all a happy year ahead with lots of finished projects!

Happy crocheting!