"Tips & How To -- What to Buy When You're Just Learning to Knit or Crochet"

Visit www.lionbrand.com to Read this Great Intro for Newbies!

Revisited -- "Fabulous Find -- "Crochet Slang" -- The Crochet Crowd"

"The Crochet Crowd" is a fabulous resource for crocheters. The site offers advice, tutorials, patterns, projects, challenges, a newsletter, inspiration and more.  TCC can be found at www.thecrochetcrowd.com and on Facebook.

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Most crocheters are familiar with the “Abbreviation Guides” published with most patterns.  “Slang,” however, is omitted from the guides.  “The Crochet Crowd” compiled the following guide to “Crochet Slang” in their “Keeping Up with the Crowd! A Hooker’s Journal.”  Some of these terms are just plain fun …

C2C -- Corner to Corner (A crochet stitch pattern.)

De-Stash -- Cleaning out your “Stash” of yarn of the stuff you had to have but will never use

Free Hand -- Crocheting something without a pattern

Frogging -- “Rippit, Rippit, Rippit!”  Rip it out baby!  For whatever reason you find yourself undoing your hard work, it is the art of Frogging.

Hooker -- A term of endearment for a crocheter.  One who “hooks” for enjoyment or compensation.

HOTH -- Hot Off the Hook

Stash -- Your collection of yarn, most often stashed in nooks and crannies around the house.

UFO -- Un-Finished Object

WIP -- Work in Progress

Yarn Bomb -- The art of crochet graffiti where an object or place is taken over with crochet art. 

"Knitting -- The Master Plan -- Back to Square One ..."

Credit: "Tangled"
craftsfromthecwtch.co.uk

I had my suspicions ... there must be a special way to hold the knitting needles while working.  I was sure the left hand needed to feed the loops to the right. The right hand, the heavy lifter, must somehow keep tension on the feeder yarn while completing each stitch.  If I was ever going to speed up the knitting process I needed to discover and learn this technique. 

Well, according to a vintage 1975 "Learn How Book," some fingers go one place and other fingers go another.  The booklet provides a detailed description of "what to do with the right hand" and "what to do with the left hand."  I knew it.

Credit: learn2knit.co.uk

The left hand is straightforward ... hold the first stitch lightly by the index finger near the tip of the needle.  Here comes the tricky part ... in the right hand, hold the needle between the thumb and index finger then place the yarn "over the first finger, under the second, over the third, and under the fourth."  This placement facilitates adjusting the yarn to maintain tension and obtain "the best results." The challenge is to keep the right hand's fingers wrapped according to plan while maintaining tension on the yarn and knitting each stitch.

Whoops!  I've created my own way of holding the needle and yarn ... time to learn the correct way to knit.

Credit: keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk

I'm going to explore "YouTube" to see if I can find some video of the correct position and movement of each hand. Then it's going to be "practice, practice, practice" until I master these movements. It's back to "Square One!"

P.S.  I found an insightful article for beginning knitters, "Some Beginner Tips (or "Things I hadn't thought about before Learning to Knit")" 

www.craftsfromthecwtch.co.uk/2012/08/some-beginner-tips-or-things-i-hadnt.html


The highlights from the article:

1) Be prepared to make mistakes,

2) Knitting shouldn't be a headache,

3) Get (at bit of) the right kit,

4) Find a Mentor,

5) It's not a race, and

6) It's addictive.  

Take the time to read this entertaining article!

"Time ... -- Carl Sandburg"

Credits:

Image:  stupendoustidbits.wordpress.com

Quote: "Daily Gratitude"

"Crochet -- 65+ FREE "Sensational Shawl & Scarf' Patterns -- CrochetStreet.com"

FREE Pattern Roundup ~ Click Here!

This collection of FREE Crochet Patterns Includes ...

 5 Beautiful, Lightweight Scarves and Shawls by Simply Collectible

 20 Free Crochet Patterns Link Blast: Shoulder Lace compiled by Kim Guzman

12 Free Sensational Shawl crochet patterns by Simply Collectible

23 Beautiful Lacy Shawl Crochet Patterns compiled by The Steady Hand Blog

7 Free and Beautiful Rectangle Light Wraps crochet patterns  byJessieatHome.com

"Featured Website -- Lion Brand Yarns"

Lion Brand Yarns Website "Visit the Lion Brand Yarns Website to discover ...

6,828 free knitting patterns, free crochet patterns and free craft patterns, with new ones published weekly. free instructions to help you learn to knit or learn to crochet, free yarn-themed e-cards and other goodies, the Charity Connection where you can search for knitting and crochet-oriented charities, the Directory of Knitting and Crochet Clubs where you can find friends who share your interests, a free gallery where you can upload and share your projects with others a free weekly e-mail newsletter that is packed with free patterns, tips, contests and features. inspirational essays and useful articles to help you take your knitting and crocheting to the next level. And much, much more!"

"All About Yarn Weights ... by Herrschners"

All About Yarn Weights ... by Herrschners

When you talk about a yarn’s “weight,” it has little to do with how heavy a yarn is but rather how thick a strand of the yarn is. When purchasing yarn online, from a catalog, or in a store, check the product description or the yarn label for the weight. (Most yarn companies use the standard yarn weight symbols.) The weight is not only a good indicator of how thick the yarn will be—important to know if you are purchasing through a catalog or online—but it also gives you an idea of what you can make with that yarn.

0—Lace (Fingering, Size 10 Crochet Thread) Lace yarn or thread is very thin and often used to give a lacy appearance to shawls and doilies.

1—Super Fine (Sock, Fingering, Baby) Super fine yarn is lightweight and typically used for baby items, sock patterns, or shawls. Lacy items often fall under this category, as this type of yarn works best for creating delicate pieces.

2—Fine (Sport, Baby) Sport weight yarn works best for items such as socks, wraps, heirloom sweaters, and other delicate accessories. It is also used for lightweight afghans.

3—Light (DK, Light Worsted) Slightly heavier than a fine weight yarn, this weight is used for items such as garments and heavier baby items.

4—Medium (Worsted, Afghan, Aran) Worsted weight yarn is the most frequently used. It is easy to work with (making it great for beginners), approximately double the weight of DK or sport yarn, and ideal for working up afghans.

5—Bulky (Chunky, Craft, Rug) Bulky yarn is about twice as thick as worsted weight. It usually works up quickly when using large needles/hooks, and it’s great to use when making sweaters, scarves, rugs, and throws.

6—Super Bulky (Roving) Super bulky yarn is a thick yarn that works up quickly. It is most commonly used for cowls, scarves, and hats.

7—Jumbo (Roving) Jumbo yarn is the thickest yarn weight, added in 2014 to classify the super thick yarns that began to appear on the market. Jumbo yarns are great for arm knitting and work up quickly.

The wonderful thing about yarn weights is that they allow you to customize your projects. If your pattern calls for a specific yarn but you prefer another brand, fiber content, or color, you can substitute another yarn of the same weight. You can even change the look of your project by using a different yarn weight to suit your style. Just make sure you take the time to create a gauge swatch following the pattern to see how the stitches will look in the different weight and to ensure the project will turn out the size you want.

"Tuesday; April 26, 2016"

Credit:  Lion Brand Yarns -- "Lion Design 2016" Catalog

Design ... Texture ... Color!

Available NOW!  The 2016 Lion Brand Catalog of Yarns

Visit www.lionbrand.com to view the entire collection

and browse over 6,500 FREE patterns

Request the New 2016 Catalog by Calling

Customer Service 1.800.661.7551

"Resource -- Crochet -- Nine FREE 'Prayer/Comfort Shawl Patterns"

Marciana Lace Prayer Shawl

Nine FREE crochet patterns for "Prayer" or "Comfort" Shawls can be found on The Crochet Crowd's site. 

Visit http://thecrochetcrowd.com/9-free-prayer-shawl-patterns/ to view the patterns.

EXCERPT:

1. "Prayer Shawl -- this sample is made with Bernat Satin which is a lovely yarn to work with for your crocheted projects.
   
   
2. Amazing Grace Prayer Shawl -- pretty rectangle shaped one with a nice edging on the short side.
   
   
3. The Power of the Prayer Shawl -- do take the time to read the symbolism in this piece, it’s beautiful.
   
   
4. Stashbuster Blarf  blanket + scarf = blarf. -- This is a great one to use up those smaller balls you have in your stash.
   
   
5. Seraphina’s Shawl -- a photo tutorial will make this lovely wing-like shawl easy.
   
   
6. The Lydia Shawl  -- a simple pattern that would be awesome in slow-color changing yarns.
   
   
7. One Skein Summer Wrap --  work this up with a Caron One Pounder for a quick gift.
   
   
8. Marciana Lace Prayer Shawl -- beautiful color combo worked on the horizontal of this rectangle shawl.
   
   
9. Linked Shell Shawl -- my own shawl made for my chilly office, but I will be making this again to donate to the local prayer shawl ministry."

"Fabulous Find -- 'Mikey; April 12th 2016 -- It's all about Charity"

The FREE April 12th, 2016 issue of "Mikey," published by "The Crochet Crowd," is now available.  This issue focuses on "Charity" ... the benefits, the love and the joys.  Links are provided to a wealth of free patterns and instructional videos. Visit "Mikey" to download your copy of this publication.

"Fabulous Find -- FREE Patterns -- The Crochet Crowd"

The Crochet Crowd provides FREE crochet patterns in a wide variety of categories.   In addition, there is a “Knitting” category for the knitters in the group.  This treasure trove of patterns is a “must see.”   Come explore!

v Accessories / Misc

v Adult Clothing

v Afghan Patterns

v Amigurumi

v Baby

v Baby Booties

v Bags & Purses

v Books, eBooks & Reviews

v Borders

v Corner to Corner (C2C) Designs

v Cowls

v Crafts

v Crochet Graph Letters

v Flowers

v Granny Squares

v Hats & Gloves

v Headbands

v Holiday & Special Occasions

v Home Decor Ideas

v Jewelry Making

v Knitting Patterns

v Newsletters with Free Patterns

v Pets

v Pillows

v Scarves

v Sequence Textured Stitches

v Shawls

v Snowflakes

v Toddler + Bigger Kids

v Tunisian Crochet

v Waves, Zig Zags & Chevrons

v Weaving Loom Free Patterns

v Wraps

"Resource -- Afghan Sizes Reference Table"

Afghan Sizes

SOURCE:  www.planetshoup.com/easy/tips/afghsize.shtml

"A handy reference from information collected over the years from the internet, various publications, patterns, first hand knowledge, etc.

The sizes given are intended to just cover the top of the intended item or recipient, plus a couple of inches extra. You'll need to make it larger be adding extra squares on three of the four sides, or go up a size, to allow extra for hanging over the side, tucking in, etc.

I've also added a quick reference for the number of knitted or crocheted squares in the most common sizes for each size afghan. Where the number of squares does not work out exactly, the number given will make a slightly larger item than given under Measurements. In brackets is the arrangement of the squares, ie 48 (6x8) means that particular size takes 48 squares, and they should be assembled 6 columns across (in width) by 8 rows down (in length).

Note: The bed sizes are based on Canadian measurements. Elsewhere in the world, they may be somewhat different."

The Most Common Afghan Sizes and How Many Squares They Take

Item and Actual Size in Inches	Afghan Measurements in Inches	Number of 6x6 in (15x15cm) Squares Needed	Number of 8x8 in (20x20cm) Squares Needed	Number of 12x12 in (30x30cm) Squares Needed
Preemie / Pet	15-24 square	9 (3x3) OR 16 (4x4)	8 (2x2) OR 9 (3x3)	4 (2x2)
Isolette (Hospital) / Large Pet	36 square	36 (6x6)	25 (5x5)	9 (3x3)
Bassinet 14x33	16 x 36	18 (3x6)	10 (2x5)	N/A
Cradle 18x36	20 x 36	24 (4x6)	15 (3x5)	6 (2x3)
Crib 27x52	30 x 54	45 (5x9)	28 (4x7)	15 (3x5)
Toddler / Lapghan (Wheelchair)	36 x 48	48 (6x8)	30 (5x6)	12 (3x4)
Child	42 x 48	56 (7x8)	36 (6x6)	16 (4x4)
Twin Bed / Adult 39x75	48 x 78	104 (8x13)	60 (6x10)	28 (4x7)
Long Twin Bed 39x80	48 x 84	112 (8x14)	66 (6x11)	28 (4x7)
3/4 Size Bed 48x75	54 x 78	117 (9x13)	70 (7x10)	35 (5x7)
Double Bed / Large Adult 54x75	60 x 78	130 (10x13)	80 (8x10)	35 (5x7)
Long Double Bed 54x80	60 x 84	140 (10x14)	88 (8x11)	35 (5x7)
Queen Bed 60x80	66 x 84	154 (11x14)	99 (9x11)	42 (6x7)
King Bed 76x80	80 x 84	196 (14x14)	110 (10x11)	49 (7x7)

• If finished size of your squares does not quite work out, you can adjust the overall finished size of the afghan by adding / selecting an appropriate border, or by changing the method used to join the squares together.