View entire thread: new to group
Posted by Leah on Tue Oct 10, 2006 12:19 PM    Post subject: Re: new to group



Hi again Judy, [quote:2e0ce02c50]Leah, Thanks..I am sure I was going to fast..I have had my machine 10 years too. But
is has been in the box, waiting for me to retire..I haven't messed with it this year..Been hand knitting and
crocheting..But I haven't given up.. Thanks again, [/quote:2e0ce02c50] NP! I just hope I gave some useful advice. I
really do enjoy my machine now that I've learned some maintenance tricks and hope that others do the same. You will be
able to knit faster with it once the carriage gets a little wear on the sticky spots. I know exactly where my USM
carriage sticks now and why, and I was considering using an emery board to lightly file that edge, but just working it
across the bed has made that part loosen up enough I don't think it will be necessary now. I did use the emery board on
the mold spots on a set of cheap Luxite crochet hooks because they were catching on the yarn, and I didn't have any
sandpaper available, so I used the rough side of the nail file then the fine to smooth all those hooks, which I use when
going out in public, so I don't risk losing any of my better hooks. I also hand knit (flat and circular) and crochet,
and I think each method of crafting has it's own charms and uses. Leah

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View entire thread: new to group
Posted by Judy P on Tue Oct 10, 2006 1:52 AM    Post subject: Re: new to group

Leah, Thanks..I am sure I was going to fast..I have had my machine 10 years too. But is has been in the box, waiting for
me to retire..I haven't messed with it this year..Been hand knitting and crocheting..But I haven't given up.. Thanks
again, judy

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View entire thread: new to group
Posted by Russ Gordon on Mon Oct 09, 2006 1:13 AM    Post subject: Re: new to group

Leah From a Knitting Newbe too, I certainly appreciated your "ultra" assistance with your response to
Pauline. However, I have two questions that I have searched everywhere for. I purchased an "almost new"
machine and am curious regarding needles, about every fifth needle is sorta stiff, or, not as loose as the rest;
although this does not seem to affect movement of the carriage. Nothing in the manual mentions this, which makes me
wonder if it is normal to others. Should all the needles move in the same smoothness? A circle of Wax was included, and
directions show where to apply it. But, I don't know how to get the wax where the needles go into and through the KP.
The hunk of wax is too large to rub it into the small canal. I've sort of shaved it into the particular areas of
concern. Thanks for any assistance. "Leah" <fenton@nowayamigivingitout.com> wrote in message
news:la5ii2hs2kacrvv4bn2dcvpj7dm17nabqo@4ax.com... [quote:2efb3beaca]On Sat, 7 Oct 2006 22:38:28 -0400, judyp2@webtv.net
(Judy P) wrote: Hi Pauline, I have a sweater machine too..Haven't made any thing on it yet.. What I have tried, has
ended up on the floor... I hand knit and crochet.. Judy It sounds to me like you might be in too much of a hurry when
using your machine. I've had an ISM for over 10 years, and the USM carriage for 3-4 years now. New knitters I've
helped with their ISM/USM have dropped work most often because they were in too much of a hurry to get the row done and
end up with dropped stitches because pushing the carriage too fast makes needles jump out of alignment ahead of it, so
they don't knit right, and the work can drop as a result. If your work drops really early after you cast on, it could
be that your hem didn't drop down properly after the first row, causing the knitting to bunch up and then drop. Try
tugging very gently on the hem after you knit the first row to make sure it's hanging freely under the machine,
especially if you did a closed edge cast on, because R1 tends to be quite tight when doing an E wrap. Another problem
Bond newbies have is that they either pull the yarn up too tight at the beginning of the row or not tight enough, so
side edge stitches don't knit right and can drop. You want it snug, but don't yank the yarn too hard. Another issue
that Bond claims with their new higher tech plastic is that the USM no longer needs to be waxed for use. I don't know
if they've even put that into their instructions, but as a seasoned ISM user, I can tell you that when trying out my USM
KP and carriage, I found that it definitely needed to be waxed. Get an unscented 100% paraffin white wax candle. It
should be unscented because essential oils used to scent them can stain your yarn, same with a dyes to make a colored
candle. You can find the little white unscented tea lights in almost any store. Pull it out of the metal tray and wax
the area where the needles go into and through the KP. If your carriage is jamming on the retaining bar rail at the
front, wax those joints before beginning each large project (say after each sweater). I also wax the back of the
machine where the carriage hooks in on the top of the joints and at the backs of the joints to help the carriage slide
more freely. With continued use, your bed and carriage will loosen up a little bit and be overall easier to use, but if
you find it getting stiff to work again (and noisier than you remembered it being), try waxing it again, especially if
you let the machine sit a couple of months between projects. Another issue new Bonders have is they are either holding
the carriage to the bed too tightly or not tightly enough. You want the carriage to glide freely, but not bounce. It's
also very important to make sure there is no tension on the yarn. Pull out enough yarn to complete your carriage pass,
and if you run out, stop the carriage and pull out enough. I usually pull out enough for 2 rows, then repeat. Some
Bonders use a fishing tool called a line stripper to quickly pull lengths of yarn for knitting out and have it shot into
a basket before working, so they don't have to stop and pull out more yarn while knitting. If you try and use it
straight out of a center pull skein, it results in tight rows, which can result in dropped work. If you are dropping
stitches on the same 1-2 needles, then it's quite possible that in man handling your machine, you bent one or more
needles, so it's not knitting properly, and the work will drop in approximately the same place consistently, so check
for bent needles if you're dropping in the same area. Also, check your hem. If you don't have a ravel cord and are
just using the thin elastic that comes with the machine, you might have nicked your hem, which can cause dropped
stitches, as can outright cutting through it. Also check to make sure your weights are distributed evenly in the hem.
If the hem leans down on one side, it can cause stitches to lift on the other side of the bed and eventually fall off.
Also, and I've done this myself, check the instructions to see you are putting the hem on right. Until I got used to
it, I dropped my work, because the hem wasn't hung on the machine right. For more hints and tips using the ISM/USM, you
can visit Steph Thornton's page here: http://www.stephthornton.co.uk/knitting/bond/list/listhint.htm It has a lot of
goofy patterns offered for free (and one quite annoying poster who is obsessed with using multiple dots instead of
proper punctuation), but there is also a ton of helpful hints and tips, like using a crochet hook to "latch
up" the rib instead of that really annoying hooked "latchet" tool. I use a G or H hook to do up worsted
weight rib, I or J for bulky, and E or F for baby/sport/DK. Another terrific site for Bond techniques and tools you can
make yourself is found at Heidi's Knitting Room, just don't let the glaring RED background get to you LOL:
http://www.heidisknittingroom.ourfamily.com/ I hope that helps, because once you get used to your machine, it really
cuts down on the boring stocking stitch sections of knitting. FWIW, I made 3 adult hats very slowly with my USM carriage
before it loosened up, meaning the sharp edges of the plastic started to wear down from use so the carriage moves more
smoothly across the bed, so working the back of an adult sweater should do it, or do several experimental swatches 50
stitches by 50 rows with stripes, lace, fair isle, intarsia, and cables, which can be made into pillows or sewn together
into an afghan, which might be easier for you to handle than the frustration of dropping half of the back of an adult
sweater off the machine. Leah[/quote:2efb3beaca]

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View entire thread: new to group
Posted by Leah on Sun Oct 08, 2006 4:49 PM    Post subject: Re: new to group

On Sat, 7 Oct 2006 22:38:28 -0400, judyp2@webtv.net (Judy P) wrote: [quote:a13b0cf615]Hi Pauline, I have a sweater
machine too..Haven't made any thing on it yet.. What I have tried, has ended up on the floor... I hand knit and
crochet.. [/quote:a13b0cf615] Judy It sounds to me like you might be in too much of a hurry when using your machine.
I've had an ISM for over 10 years, and the USM carriage for 3-4 years now. New knitters I've helped with their ISM/USM
have dropped work most often because they were in too much of a hurry to get the row done and end up with dropped
stitches because pushing the carriage too fast makes needles jump out of alignment ahead of it, so they don't knit
right, and the work can drop as a result. If your work drops really early after you cast on, it could be that your hem
didn't drop down properly after the first row, causing the knitting to bunch up and then drop. Try tugging very gently
on the hem after you knit the first row to make sure it's hanging freely under the machine, especially if you did a
closed edge cast on, because R1 tends to be quite tight when doing an E wrap. Another problem Bond newbies have is
that they either pull the yarn up too tight at the beginning of the row or not tight enough, so side edge stitches don't
knit right and can drop. You want it snug, but don't yank the yarn too hard. Another issue that Bond claims with
their new higher tech plastic is that the USM no longer needs to be waxed for use. I don't know if they've even put
that into their instructions, but as a seasoned ISM user, I can tell you that when trying out my USM KP and carriage, I
found that it definitely needed to be waxed. Get an unscented 100% paraffin white wax candle. It should be unscented
because essential oils used to scent them can stain your yarn, same with a dyes to make a colored candle. You can find
the little white unscented tea lights in almost any store. Pull it out of the metal tray and wax the area where the
needles go into and through the KP. If your carriage is jamming on the retaining bar rail at the front, wax those
joints before beginning each large project (say after each sweater). I also wax the back of the machine where the
carriage hooks in on the top of the joints and at the backs of the joints to help the carriage slide more freely. With
continued use, your bed and carriage will loosen up a little bit and be overall easier to use, but if you find it
getting stiff to work again (and noisier than you remembered it being), try waxing it again, especially if you let the
machine sit a couple of months between projects. Another issue new Bonders have is they are either holding the
carriage to the bed too tightly or not tightly enough. You want the carriage to glide freely, but not bounce. It's
also very important to make sure there is no tension on the yarn. Pull out enough yarn to complete your carriage pass,
and if you run out, stop the carriage and pull out enough. I usually pull out enough for 2 rows, then repeat. Some
Bonders use a fishing tool called a line stripper to quickly pull lengths of yarn for knitting out and have it shot into
a basket before working, so they don't have to stop and pull out more yarn while knitting. If you try and use it
straight out of a center pull skein, it results in tight rows, which can result in dropped work. If you are dropping
stitches on the same 1-2 needles, then it's quite possible that in man handling your machine, you bent one or more
needles, so it's not knitting properly, and the work will drop in approximately the same place consistently, so check
for bent needles if you're dropping in the same area. Also, check your hem. If you don't have a ravel cord and are
just using the thin elastic that comes with the machine, you might have nicked your hem, which can cause dropped
stitches, as can outright cutting through it. Also check to make sure your weights are distributed evenly in the hem.
If the hem leans down on one side, it can cause stitches to lift on the other side of the bed and eventually fall off.
Also, and I've done this myself, check the instructions to see you are putting the hem on right. Until I got used to
it, I dropped my work, because the hem wasn't hung on the machine right. For more hints and tips using the ISM/USM,
you can visit Steph Thornton's page here: http://www.stephthornton.co.uk/knitting/bond/list/listhint.htm It has a
lot of goofy patterns offered for free (and one quite annoying poster who is obsessed with using multiple dots instead
of proper punctuation), but there is also a ton of helpful hints and tips, like using a crochet hook to "latch
up" the rib instead of that really annoying hooked "latchet" tool. I use a G or H hook to do up worsted
weight rib, I or J for bulky, and E or F for baby/sport/DK. Another terrific site for Bond techniques and tools you
can make yourself is found at Heidi's Knitting Room, just don't let the glaring RED background get to you LOL:
http://www.heidisknittingroom.ourfamily.com/ I hope that helps, because once you get used to your machine, it really
cuts down on the boring stocking stitch sections of knitting. FWIW, I made 3 adult hats very slowly with my USM carriage
before it loosened up, meaning the sharp edges of the plastic started to wear down from use so the carriage moves more
smoothly across the bed, so working the back of an adult sweater should do it, or do several experimental swatches 50
stitches by 50 rows with stripes, lace, fair isle, intarsia, and cables, which can be made into pillows or sewn together
into an afghan, which might be easier for you to handle than the frustration of dropping half of the back of an adult
sweater off the machine. Leah

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View entire thread: Stitches East 2006
Posted by Shillelagh on Wed Nov 08, 2006 5:11 PM    Post subject: Re: Stitches East 2006

"DA" <noone@nowhere.com> wrote in message news:keCdnQLsrqRiUszYnZ2dnUVZ_ridnZ2d@giganews.com...
[quote:00ee82d40c]Did anyone else attend Stitches this year? Of the 15 that I have attended, this one was the best. So
much great yarn, it was hard to resist temptation. 10 hanks of hand dyed cashmere, two hanks of hand dyed angora, enough
Prism Wild Stuff for two sweaters and a couple of bags of Berroco yarns managed to follow me home, along with a stack of
books and patterns. It is nice to see what fellow knitters are doing. DA [/quote:00ee82d40c] Oh drool........... I'd
really like to go to a Stitches West, just because it's somewhere warm. Your purchases sound wonderful and I wish you
many days of feeling them up, and then knitting them (laugh). As an aside - the weather here today stinks. It's grey,
dreary and rainy, everything is brown and ugly, and it's getting to me. I think I'm going to go back to bed and pull
the covers over my head. But on the bright side - one of my knitting groups is meeting tonight in a book store, so I'm
really looking forward to it pulling me out of my purple funk (smile). Shelagh

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View entire thread: Seems you all oversleep from Haloween ?????
Posted by Mirjam Bruck-Cohen on Mon Nov 06, 2006 6:18 AM    Post subject: Re: Stitches East, was seems you all oversleep from Haloween

THANK You TAMAR for taking me with you on this little tour ,,, mirjam [quote:b3fcf4d27c]In article
<454d70a4.2847640@ar.news.verio.net>, Mirjam Bruck-Cohen <mirjam@actcom.co.il> wrote: Tell us about the
Stitches East Tamar ? What was the Main craft shown ??? Knitting! I spend my time in the merchant area, helping my
friend (and shopping) so I didn't take any classes. Relatively few booths weren't entirely about knitting. One booth
offered massages (by appointment), and another booth was selling massage equipment. One had triangular weaving looms,
there were two jewelers, some had spinning materials (roving, batts), some sold spinning wheels and spindles, EuroSteam
irons, buttons, pins to fasten shawls with - but mostly it was yarn, books, and needles and crochet hooks of all kinds.
There was also a booth of knitting machines that people could try out. I over-spent as usual, but almost everything I
bought was on my wish list before I went. At Sandy Terp's booth I found books on lace knitting, including Miller's
_Heirloom Lace_ - not cheap, but also not easy to find where you can leaf through and really see what is inside. I
decided I'm too rough with my needles to get the beautiful cobalt blue glass circular needles, but I found the 10-inch
long birchwood Brittany dpns I've been looking for. Newton's Yarn was there (all the way from Anaheim, CA) with their
usual amazing bargains on overstock yarn, for example, cashmerino for $7.00 for hanks of 3 or 4 ounces each (minimum
purchase 5 skeins) in glorious pure colors. Webs (from Massachusetts) had their usual very large area. From other
vendors I got local-area naturally-brown wool (from Virginia, which is local compared to California), Regia for
$2.48/ball, and a bag of sock yarn for 75% off. And a set of blocking wires, in case I ever finish any lace that needs
to be blocked. (The Orenburg lace booth was selling completed shawls and stoles as well as cobweb yarn, but I still
have dreams of making my own.) The merchant space was slightly cool, which made it comfortable for people who were
wearing their beautiful hand-crafted sweaters, waistcoats, and shawls. =Tamar[/quote:b3fcf4d27c]

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View entire thread: Seems you all oversleep from Haloween ?????
Posted by Midwest poster on Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:32 PM    Post subject: Re: Stitches East, was seems you all oversleep from Haloween

Thanks for the excellent report. Reading it was the next best thing to having been there. -- Jan in MN
"Richard Eney" <dicconf@radix.net> wrote in message news:12kqe97kc1sea1c@corp.supernews.com...
[quote:18b31153a4]Knitting! I spend my time in the merchant area, helping my friend (and shopping) so I didn't take any
classes. Relatively few booths weren't entirely about knitting. One booth offered massages (by appointment), and another
booth was selling massage equipment. One had triangular weaving looms, there were two jewelers, some had spinning
materials (roving, batts), some sold spinning wheels and spindles, EuroSteam irons, buttons, pins to fasten shawls with
- but mostly it was yarn, books, and needles and crochet hooks of all kinds. There was also a booth of knitting machines
that people could try out. I over-spent as usual, but almost everything I bought was on my wish list before I went. At
Sandy Terp's booth I found books on lace knitting, including Miller's _Heirloom Lace_ - not cheap, but also not easy to
find where you can leaf through and really see what is inside. I decided I'm too rough with my needles to get the
beautiful cobalt blue glass circular needles, but I found the 10-inch long birchwood Brittany dpns I've been looking
for. Newton's Yarn was there (all the way from Anaheim, CA) with their usual amazing bargains on overstock yarn, for
example, cashmerino for $7.00 for hanks of 3 or 4 ounces each (minimum purchase 5 skeins) in glorious pure colors. Webs
(from Massachusetts) had their usual very large area. From other vendors I got local-area naturally-brown wool (from
Virginia, which is local compared to California), Regia for $2.48/ball, and a bag of sock yarn for 75% off. And a set of
blocking wires, in case I ever finish any lace that needs to be blocked. (The Orenburg lace booth was selling completed
shawls and stoles as well as cobweb yarn, but I still have dreams of making my own.) The merchant space was slightly
cool, which made it comfortable for people who were wearing their beautiful hand-crafted sweaters, waistcoats, and
shawls. =Tamar[/quote:18b31153a4]

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View entire thread: Seems you all oversleep from Haloween ?????
Posted by Richard Eney on Sun Nov 05, 2006 2:06 AM    Post subject: Re: Stitches East, was seems you all oversleep from Haloween

In article <454d70a4.2847640@ar.news.verio.net>, Mirjam Bruck-Cohen <mirjam@actcom.co.il> wrote:
[quote:27cc00073d]Tell us about the Stitches East Tamar ? What was the Main craft shown ??? [/quote:27cc00073d]
Knitting! I spend my time in the merchant area, helping my friend (and shopping) so I didn't take any classes.
Relatively few booths weren't entirely about knitting. One booth offered massages (by appointment), and another booth
was selling massage equipment. One had triangular weaving looms, there were two jewelers, some had spinning materials
(roving, batts), some sold spinning wheels and spindles, EuroSteam irons, buttons, pins to fasten shawls with - but
mostly it was yarn, books, and needles and crochet hooks of all kinds. There was also a booth of knitting machines
that people could try out. I over-spent as usual, but almost everything I bought was on my wish list before I went.
At Sandy Terp's booth I found books on lace knitting, including Miller's _Heirloom Lace_ - not cheap, but also not easy
to find where you can leaf through and really see what is inside. I decided I'm too rough with my needles to get the
beautiful cobalt blue glass circular needles, but I found the 10-inch long birchwood Brittany dpns I've been looking
for. Newton's Yarn was there (all the way from Anaheim, CA) with their usual amazing bargains on overstock yarn, for
example, cashmerino for $7.00 for hanks of 3 or 4 ounces each (minimum purchase 5 skeins) in glorious pure colors.
Webs (from Massachusetts) had their usual very large area. From other vendors I got local-area naturally-brown wool
(from Virginia, which is local compared to California), Regia for $2.48/ball, and a bag of sock yarn for 75% off. And
a set of blocking wires, in case I ever finish any lace that needs to be blocked. (The Orenburg lace booth was selling
completed shawls and stoles as well as cobweb yarn, but I still have dreams of making my own.) The merchant space was
slightly cool, which made it comfortable for people who were wearing their beautiful hand-crafted sweaters,
waistcoats, and shawls. =Tamar

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View entire thread: It's been posted before but...
Posted by Leah on Thu Oct 19, 2006 2:04 PM    Post subject: Re: It's been posted before but...

Carol, [quote:a6be376776]Can I get the pattern for the Harry Potter Scarf please? Thanks a bunch, [/quote:a6be376776]
Did you mean the machine knit pattern I'm hosting on my site for the Prisoner/Goblet scarf and hat? If so, it's here:
http://www.angelfire.com/space2/swcharts/poahatscarf.html If you don't want it for MKing, you can always make it by
hand, just work in stocking stitch on 2 needles, or work it round on a circular or DPNs to avoid seaming, because if
your gauge is close, you'll get the same results size wise, about 6 inches across and 6.5 feet long when folded double
and seamed. I don't have a picture of a finished scarf yet, but I'll post it when it's available. Ends are still being
woven in right now on my scarf, as I'm having a rather busy week, but am still testing the patterns myself. If you want
something closer to what's seen in the movies, very wide, and extremely overly long for everyday wear IMO, check out:
http://www.atypicallyknit.com/ The gal there has hand knit versions of both the original movie scarf styles, the even
striped version, and the newer "trapped bar" version that my friend made up her pattern for. If you want to
HK the hat on my site, work it in stocking stitch, and for a beanie, make 20 rows of rib (the MK brim is folded up
double, so don't do 40 rows rib unless you want to fold the rib up for a watchcap type brim), and then work the rest of
the rows in stocking stitch, following the color changes for a POA style watchcap hat. If I were to HK the hat, I'd go
for the alternate shaping directions on my site, since I think the gradual decreases make the top gather look better.
You could do the brim like the MK version, just mark row 40 and then kitchener them together after, or even pick up the
sts from row 1 while knitting row 40 and K2 tog to form the doubled brim. Leah

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View entire thread: Organization Using 100% Wool Yarn
Posted by Jackie on Wed Oct 18, 2006 3:39 PM    Post subject: Re: Organization Using 100% Wool Yarn

Linda F wrote: [quote:6a1768d645]I am looking for a charitable organization which can use 100% wool yarn. We have a
large quantity of this we'd like to donate to a group which can make use of it. Suggestions please! Thanks!
[/quote:6a1768d645] Please check out the website of Warmwoolies.org! I have been knitting for this group since last
February, and have gotten more and more involved as I see what a terrific charity it is. We knit WOOL vests, sweaters,
hats and felted booties and send them to children in some of the poorest, coldest places -- our current list includes
orphanages in Russian and Kazhakhstan, street children in Mongolia, and the Rosebud and Pine Ridge reservations in South
Dakota, which are about the poorest communities in the United States. Kimberly, the director of Warm Woolies, is
currently on her annual trip to the reservations, where she is delivering approximately 1500 pieces of hand-knit
clothing. Our total goal for 2006 is 5000 pieces. One thing that I love about Warmwoolies is that it provides yarn,
needles and instruction to several knitting groups in nursing homes and retirement homes, giving these elderly people a
terrific opportunity to accomplishing something really useful. If you want to send us your wool yarn, I can guarantee
it will be put to good use! --Jackie Hoffman (see Aug. and Sept. "pattern of th month" on the warmwoolies
website -- that's me!)

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View entire thread: Teaching Knitting or Crochet to Children
Posted by Leah on Wed Oct 11, 2006 2:18 PM    Post subject: Re: Teaching Knitting or Crochet to Children

Hi Padishar, [quote:8f0b7c1dee]I am working in a school for behavior disordered children and I would love to teach
them either knitting or crocheting or ? These children have attention disorders along with some serious psychological
issues. However, they are very interested in watching me crochet/knit and I have been asked many times to teach them.
[/quote:8f0b7c1dee] I learned to crochet first, and I still feel working 1 hook compared to 2 or more needles easier.
But, if you use knitting looms, you can show 1-2 kids how to use them at a time, while the others watch and learn, and
then they can have their turn. I agree with smaller projects to keep their interest and give the satisfaction of
finishing an item in a short amount of time. Scarves may be simple to make, but they can be quite time consuming! I
don't know what advice to give about DVD versus books or diagrams off the net, but if you go with diagrams off the net,
the Craft Yarn Council has a learn how section with diagrams you can print off, which is helpful if you need schematics
to teach left-handed crafters. http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/ The only other thing I can offer is to make sure that
you give them all a light colored yarn to start with. Dark colors are more "hip", but I think all beginners
need light colored yarn so they can see what they're doing, and when people I teach protest the color choice, I explain
it's to make it easier for them to learn, and they can switch to darker yarns once they know where the hooks or needles
go. Also, it would be wise to avoid all fancy yarns, i.e. no eyelash, slubbed, or nubbed yarns. I'd even avoid Lion
Brand Homespun because of its texture, again for the same reason, it's harder to see where a hook or needle will go.
If you were really ambitious about the project, you could teach them how to make their own knitting needles out of
hardwood dowel rods, inexpensive to get from the hardware store. Other items needed are: Hacksaw, sandpaper in varying
grits, say 60, 100, and 150 grits, small bottle of linseed oil, shop towels, and a piece of 100% paraffin wax candle
that is white and unscented, as oils and dyes used to scent and color candles can stain your yarn. Also helpful is a
hand crank pencil sharpener, found in most classrooms. Measure out the length of the needles on the dowel and mark a
pencil line all the way around. Saw with the hacksaw by going partway through on one side, then turning and repeating
for a more even cut. Once the needle blanks are cut, stick them in the pencil sharpener and grind them down to almost
pencil points, but leave them still a little square on the tip. Get the roughest sandpaper and finish shaping the tip
and sand the rest of the needle with rougher to finer sandpaper until it's as smooth as you want it. When both needles
are done this way, blow off any sawdust, then take a SMALL amount of linseed oil on a shop towel and rub the length of
the needle. Let the needles sit overnight, so they absorb the linseed oil. Wipe them again the next day if they are
still a little damp from overuse of oil. The oil polishes them, bringing out the color of the hardwood and also helps
smooth the wood. My red oak hooks and needles took on a much more reddish sheen after applying oil. My last step
before knitting was to take the candle and rub it on the tip of the needle and partly down the shaft so the yarn won't
catch on any leftover rough spots, and I had a pair of knitting needles in about an hour total time, not counting
letting them soak in the oil overnight. It could make learning to knit more fun for them if they made their own
needles, and it won't cost you an arm and a leg to outfit each of them with a set of needles. I used a 1/4 inch dowel
and got about a size 10.5 needle according to my needle sizer. Crochet hooks are much harder to hand carve, so I
wouldn't recommend trying to teach the kids to make their own hooks if you decide to teach them to crochet. Susan Bates
Luxite hooks are really cheap, but catch on the yarn. You'll probably need an emery board (nail file) for them. There
are mold marks near the tips that catch the yarn, so use the orange side of the emery board to smooth those down first,
then the fine white side of the emery to finish smoothing. Leah

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View entire thread: Knitting/Crocheting from unspun wool
Posted by Stella Fenley on Mon Oct 02, 2006 11:04 PM    Post subject: Re: Knitting/Crocheting from unspun wool

have you tried just plain vaseline to moisturize your hands. Stella "Jenn" <pleiaden@gmail.com> wrote
in message news:1159809790.506175.107660@c28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com... [quote:4170a5dd8f]Hi Ladies. I am mostly a
lurker in this realm, but I have been crocheting for 16+ years and knitting (Self taught) for almost a year now. I
picked up this month's (actually November's) Crochet! magazine and it had a nice article on crocheting from unspun wool.
So I go to the local Farmer's Market for the first time over this weekend there is a YARN BOOTH. All local hand dyed
yarns, most spun already, but some 'Fluffs' as she called them. I made a beeline for a bright as the sun yellow one.
So my question is does any one here knit or crochet from unspun wool and just how hard is it? I do have a hand spindle
that was a wedding present from three years ago along with some undyed natural wool, but I am not brave enough to use it
without major instruction (which doesn't appear to exist in my area). So if push came to shove I could spin it, but I'm
not excited about using this yarn for that test. One other question - I HAVE a huge problem with dry hands (don't let
me touch silk or microfiber - it gets caught) mostly because I wash them regularly due to working with yarn on a regular
basis (and I cross stitch) and I don't want to get anything on the fibers. Can you recommend anything other than udder
cream? Thank you, Jenn in CA FYI for those interested the yarn is from a shop called Royale Hare in Santa Rosa CA.
[/quote:4170a5dd8f]

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View entire thread: Knitting/Crocheting from unspun wool
Posted by Jenn on Mon Oct 02, 2006 6:23 PM    Post subject: Knitting/Crocheting from unspun wool

Hi Ladies. I am mostly a lurker in this realm, but I have been crocheting for 16+ years and knitting (Self taught) for
almost a year now. I picked up this month's (actually November's) Crochet! magazine and it had a nice article on
crocheting from unspun wool. So I go to the local Farmer's Market for the first time over this weekend there is a YARN
BOOTH. All local hand dyed yarns, most spun already, but some 'Fluffs' as she called them. I made a beeline for a
bright as the sun yellow one. So my question is does any one here knit or crochet from unspun wool and just how hard is
it? I do have a hand spindle that was a wedding present from three years ago along with some undyed natural wool, but I
am not brave enough to use it without major instruction (which doesn't appear to exist in my area). So if push came to
shove I could spin it, but I'm not excited about using this yarn for that test. One other question - I HAVE a huge
problem with dry hands (don't let me touch silk or microfiber - it gets caught) mostly because I wash them regularly due
to working with yarn on a regular basis (and I cross stitch) and I don't want to get anything on the fibers. Can you
recommend anything other than udder cream? Thank you, Jenn in CA FYI for those interested the yarn is from a shop
called Royale Hare in Santa Rosa CA.

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View entire thread: sore hands
Posted by BB on Sat Sep 30, 2006 4:44 PM    Post subject: Re: sore hands

[quote:8d33620537]Hi Ladies, I am new to the group. I work in technical support (so lots of typing) and I've been
knitting for several years. Lately my hands have become very sore, so much that I've had to stop. Do any of you have
suggestions to aleviate the soreness? I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks so much! Emma's Mom
[/quote:8d33620537] I use lightweight bamboo needles whenever possible (if only I could instantly restock my supply
with all bamboo...<sigh> ). I used to like working with all cotton. Then I worked with some nice, soft merino
wool. I now hate working with cotton. The type of yarn makes a huge difference on my hand pain level. I love the way
cotton looks and feels though, so I have to have something else to work on at the same time so I don't overdo with the
cotton. I had previously avoided using small needles and small guage yarns, erroneously thinking it would be more
painful. I discovered using tiny circulars with tiny yarn the easiest thing of all for my hands. There is almost no
weight of the project to cause stress on them. Now that the weather is cooling off here, I need to make an effort to
keep my hands warm enough. So I understand how washing dishes may help :) Welcome to the group! BB

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View entire thread: sore hands
Posted by YarnWright on Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:46 PM    Post subject: Re: sore hands

On 29 Sep 2006 11:33:12 -0700, Emma's Mom spun a fine yarn [quote:b2357c93f4]Hi Ladies, I am new to the group. I work
in technical support (so lots of typing) and I've been knitting for several years. Lately my hands have become very
sore, so much that I've had to stop. Do any of you have suggestions to aleviate the soreness? I would appreciate any
suggestions. Thanks so much! Emma's Mom [/quote:b2357c93f4] 1. although I AM one of the 'ladies' here, there *are*
gentlement here as well. 2. size of needles, as per some unenlightended suggestions have nothing to do with sore hands,
it's tension, tension, tension!... do you knit English/American? If so, sugeest taking up Continental/German style. 3.
Straight needles, aluminum needles are terrible hand offenders... switch to circs whenever possible, and use natural
materials for both your needles and your fibre. 4. frequent breaks, and doing hand excercises can assist. 5. Doing a
load of dishes helps a LOT. I know it sounds sexist, but it's true... (long story, which I don't have the time or
inclination to tell at this moment. JM2C, Noreen -- I am not young enough to know everything.
http://www.lulu.com/content/292418 - - - - - --- avast! AV: Outbound message clean. Virus Database (VPS): 0639-4,
09/29/2006 Tested: 9/30/2006 6:46:29 AM avast! - (c) 1988-2006 http://www.avast.com

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View entire thread: You won't believe this
Posted by Mirjam Bruck-Cohen on Sun Oct 01, 2006 4:25 PM    Post subject: Re: You won't believe this

Circulars are a Kniter`s friend in many ways . mirjam rph.org> wrote: [quote:73bb830437]Yes, circulars do protect
you from that silly gesture! Mirjam Bruck-Cohen wrote: Spampot ?? i had to giggle,[excuse me], never happened with the
circulars , but did happen with the DPs,,, mirjam Heh heh...oh yes. Does anyone else do what I have been trying to
stop myself from doing when knitting in the round w/DPNs? You end up holding both a full needle and the newly emptied
needle in your left hand, grab the end of what you are positive is the newly emptied one, yank it out of your left hand
with a flourish, and find that you have two empty needles, and a handful of dropped stitches? dawn wrote: I, too saw
the light needle, I can see it all now, Ican see the stich but not the pattern, I move to needle to read the pattern,
sooooooooooooomany stitches sliding off the needle, I know this could happen to me LOL spampot wrote: Anyone here
get The Stitchery catalogue? I haven't embroidered for decades, and I was just about to toss the catalogue in the
recycling when I turned it over and on the back was "Knit Lite." Lighted knitting needles. Yes!! For a mere
$15.95, you can own a pair of plastic needles (sizes 6, 8, 9, 10, 10.5, 11, 13, or 15), 18 inches long, with LED tips
that use G3-A batteries to make them glow! Imagine how annoyed the people sitting next to you in the theater or the
cinema will be as your tips flash back and forth! I HAVE to get a pair for my knitting SIL. www.thestitchery.com, item
T66-546. [/quote:73bb830437]

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View entire thread: You won't believe this
Posted by Christine in Kent, Garden on Sun Oct 01, 2006 3:23 PM    Post subject: Re: You won't believe this

Speaking from UK, where almost all dpns come in sets of 4, I've found that I'm quite likely to have the stitches
crammed on to the needles and lose them off the end, and of course, I frequently grab the wrong one as Spampot said.
I'd do pretty much anything to avoid that!! Oh and I find the "ladders" are easier to avoid with 2 circs or
ML Love & higs Christine "spampot" <spampot@orph.org> wrote in message
news:GbKdnSxwYLxjqILYnZ2dnUVZ_oadnZ2d@giganews.com... [quote:60cf8f31f7]You know, I tried casting on that Lithuanian
sock (44 sts) with two circs and just could not get it to the point where I could join it into a circle; 44 sts was just
too little to hold on the needle part of the circs. I probably wasn't doing it right, but I happened across a set of
DPNs of the right size & switched to them. That sock requires 4, not 5 DPNs, so that the top of the sock and the
gusset parts are on separate needles, which makes it easier to keep track of the color pattern, but you have to be extra
careful with that triangle shape to tighten the sts where the knitting goes from one needle to the next. Christine in
Kent, Garden of England wrote: Oh! so all the time, so much so that I stopped using dpns & started knitting tubes of
any kind either on 2 circulars or Magic Loop. So much less easy to drop, pull off stitches or lose needles (which is a
favourite pastime!) Love & higs Christine "spampot" <spampot@orph.org> wrote in message
news:xe6dncuHifaJX4PYnZ2dnUVZ_sSdnZ2d@giganews.com... Heh heh...oh yes. Does anyone else do what I have been trying to
stop myself from doing when knitting in the round w/DPNs? You end up holding both a full needle and the newly emptied
needle in your left hand, grab the end of what you are positive is the newly emptied one, yank it out of your left hand
with a flourish, and find that you have two empty needles, and a handful of dropped stitches? dawn wrote: I, too saw
the light needle, I can see it all now, Ican see the stich but not the pattern, I move to needle to read the pattern,
sooooooooooooomany stitches sliding off the needle, I know this could happen to me LOL spampot wrote: Anyone here
get The Stitchery catalogue? I haven't embroidered for decades, and I was just about to toss the catalogue in the
recycling when I turned it over and on the back was "Knit Lite." Lighted knitting needles. Yes!! For a mere
$15.95, you can own a pair of plastic needles (sizes 6, 8, 9, 10, 10.5, 11, 13, or 15), 18 inches long, with LED tips
that use G3-A batteries to make them glow! Imagine how annoyed the people sitting next to you in the theater or the
cinema will be as your tips flash back and forth! I HAVE to get a pair for my knitting SIL. www.thestitchery.com, item
T66-546. [/quote:60cf8f31f7]

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View entire thread: You won't believe this
Posted by spampot on Sun Oct 01, 2006 3:16 PM    Post subject: Re: You won't believe this

Yes, circulars do protect you from that silly gesture! Mirjam Bruck-Cohen wrote: [quote:5e25678459]Spampot ?? i had to
giggle,[excuse me], never happened with the circulars , but did happen with the DPs,,, mirjam Heh heh...oh yes. Does
anyone else do what I have been trying to stop myself from doing when knitting in the round w/DPNs? You end up holding
both a full needle and the newly emptied needle in your left hand, grab the end of what you are positive is the newly
emptied one, yank it out of your left hand with a flourish, and find that you have two empty needles, and a handful of
dropped stitches? dawn wrote: I, too saw the light needle, I can see it all now, Ican see the stich but not the
pattern, I move to needle to read the pattern, sooooooooooooomany stitches sliding off the needle, I know this could
happen to me LOL spampot wrote: Anyone here get The Stitchery catalogue? I haven't embroidered for decades, and I
was just about to toss the catalogue in the recycling when I turned it over and on the back was "Knit Lite."
Lighted knitting needles. Yes!! For a mere $15.95, you can own a pair of plastic needles (sizes 6, 8, 9, 10, 10.5, 11,
13, or 15), 18 inches long, with LED tips that use G3-A batteries to make them glow! Imagine how annoyed the people
sitting next to you in the theater or the cinema will be as your tips flash back and forth! I HAVE to get a pair for my
knitting SIL. www.thestitchery.com, item T66-546. [/quote:5e25678459]

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View entire thread: You won't believe this
Posted by Mirjam Bruck-Cohen on Sun Oct 01, 2006 6:17 AM    Post subject: Re: You won't believe this

Spampot ?? i had to giggle,[excuse me], never happened with the circulars , but did happen with the DPs,,, mirjam
[quote:6afef1d627]Heh heh...oh yes. Does anyone else do what I have been trying to stop myself from doing when knitting
in the round w/DPNs? You end up holding both a full needle and the newly emptied needle in your left hand, grab the end
of what you are positive is the newly emptied one, yank it out of your left hand with a flourish, and find that you have
two empty needles, and a handful of dropped stitches? dawn wrote: I, too saw the light needle, I can see it all now,
Ican see the stich but not the pattern, I move to needle to read the pattern, sooooooooooooomany stitches sliding off
the needle, I know this could happen to me LOL spampot wrote: Anyone here get The Stitchery catalogue? I haven't
embroidered for decades, and I was just about to toss the catalogue in the recycling when I turned it over and on the
back was "Knit Lite." Lighted knitting needles. Yes!! For a mere $15.95, you can own a pair of plastic
needles (sizes 6, 8, 9, 10, 10.5, 11, 13, or 15), 18 inches long, with LED tips that use G3-A batteries to make them
glow! Imagine how annoyed the people sitting next to you in the theater or the cinema will be as your tips flash back
and forth! I HAVE to get a pair for my knitting SIL. www.thestitchery.com, item T66-546. [/quote:6afef1d627]

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View entire thread: You won't believe this
Posted by spampot on Sun Oct 01, 2006 4:28 AM    Post subject: Re: You won't believe this

You know, I tried casting on that Lithuanian sock (44 sts) with two circs and just could not get it to the point where
I could join it into a circle; 44 sts was just too little to hold on the needle part of the circs. I probably wasn't
doing it right, but I happened across a set of DPNs of the right size & switched to them. That sock requires 4,
not 5 DPNs, so that the top of the sock and the gusset parts are on separate needles, which makes it easier to keep
track of the color pattern, but you have to be extra careful with that triangle shape to tighten the sts where the
knitting goes from one needle to the next. Christine in Kent, Garden of England wrote: [quote:42f5639a11]Oh! so all
the time, so much so that I stopped using dpns & started knitting tubes of any kind either on 2 circulars or Magic
Loop. So much less easy to drop, pull off stitches or lose needles (which is a favourite pastime!) Love & higs
Christine "spampot" <spampot@orph.org> wrote in message
news:xe6dncuHifaJX4PYnZ2dnUVZ_sSdnZ2d@giganews.com... Heh heh...oh yes. Does anyone else do what I have been trying to
stop myself from doing when knitting in the round w/DPNs? You end up holding both a full needle and the newly emptied
needle in your left hand, grab the end of what you are positive is the newly emptied one, yank it out of your left hand
with a flourish, and find that you have two empty needles, and a handful of dropped stitches? dawn wrote: I, too saw
the light needle, I can see it all now, Ican see the stich but not the pattern, I move to needle to read the pattern,
sooooooooooooomany stitches sliding off the needle, I know this could happen to me LOL spampot wrote: Anyone here
get The Stitchery catalogue? I haven't embroidered for decades, and I was just about to toss the catalogue in the
recycling when I turned it over and on the back was "Knit Lite." Lighted knitting needles. Yes!! For a mere
$15.95, you can own a pair of plastic needles (sizes 6, 8, 9, 10, 10.5, 11, 13, or 15), 18 inches long, with LED tips
that use G3-A batteries to make them glow! Imagine how annoyed the people sitting next to you in the theater or the
cinema will be as your tips flash back and forth! I HAVE to get a pair for my knitting SIL. www.thestitchery.com, item
T66-546. [/quote:42f5639a11]

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View entire thread: You won't believe this
Posted by Christine in Kent, Garden on Sun Oct 01, 2006 12:46 AM    Post subject: Re: You won't believe this

Oh! so all the time, so much so that I stopped using dpns & started knitting tubes of any kind either on 2
circulars or Magic Loop. So much less easy to drop, pull off stitches or lose needles (which is a favourite pastime!)
Love & higs Christine "spampot" <spampot@orph.org> wrote in message
news:xe6dncuHifaJX4PYnZ2dnUVZ_sSdnZ2d@giganews.com... [quote:ffd39dea43]Heh heh...oh yes. Does anyone else do what I
have been trying to stop myself from doing when knitting in the round w/DPNs? You end up holding both a full needle and
the newly emptied needle in your left hand, grab the end of what you are positive is the newly emptied one, yank it out
of your left hand with a flourish, and find that you have two empty needles, and a handful of dropped stitches? dawn
wrote: I, too saw the light needle, I can see it all now, Ican see the stich but not the pattern, I move to needle to
read the pattern, sooooooooooooomany stitches sliding off the needle, I know this could happen to me LOL spampot
wrote: Anyone here get The Stitchery catalogue? I haven't embroidered for decades, and I was just about to toss the
catalogue in the recycling when I turned it over and on the back was "Knit Lite." Lighted knitting needles.
Yes!! For a mere $15.95, you can own a pair of plastic needles (sizes 6, 8, 9, 10, 10.5, 11, 13, or 15), 18 inches
long, with LED tips that use G3-A batteries to make them glow! Imagine how annoyed the people sitting next to you in
the theater or the cinema will be as your tips flash back and forth! I HAVE to get a pair for my knitting SIL.
www.thestitchery.com, item T66-546. [/quote:ffd39dea43]

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View entire thread: You won't believe this
Posted by spampot on Sat Sep 30, 2006 8:14 PM    Post subject: Re: You won't believe this

Heh heh...oh yes. Does anyone else do what I have been trying to stop myself from doing when knitting in the round
w/DPNs? You end up holding both a full needle and the newly emptied needle in your left hand, grab the end of what
you are positive is the newly emptied one, yank it out of your left hand with a flourish, and find that you have two
empty needles, and a handful of dropped stitches? dawn wrote: [quote:dffe228800]I, too saw the light needle, I can see
it all now, Ican see the stich but not the pattern, I move to needle to read the pattern, sooooooooooooomany stitches
sliding off the needle, I know this could happen to me LOL spampot wrote: Anyone here get The Stitchery catalogue? I
haven't embroidered for decades, and I was just about to toss the catalogue in the recycling when I turned it over and
on the back was "Knit Lite." Lighted knitting needles. Yes!! For a mere $15.95, you can own a pair of
plastic needles (sizes 6, 8, 9, 10, 10.5, 11, 13, or 15), 18 inches long, with LED tips that use G3-A batteries to make
them glow! Imagine how annoyed the people sitting next to you in the theater or the cinema will be as your tips flash
back and forth! I HAVE to get a pair for my knitting SIL. www.thestitchery.com, item T66-546. [/quote:dffe228800]

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View entire thread: SIGH (entirely on topic)
Posted by ellice on Thu Nov 02, 2006 2:07 PM    Post subject: Re: SIGH (entirely on topic)

On 11/1/06 11:54 AM, "LizardGumbo" <elizabeth@bubbleseffervescentdesigns.com> wrote:
[quote:e22857c6b0]In reading this whole thread, one thing strikes me as ironic: We hear tales of shop after shop after
shop closing and going away. Yet-- I have three fairly conveniently located to me that have been there for YEARS. The
third changes hands every 20 years or so (yes, it's that old) when someone wants to retire. A fourth that had been a
long-time B&M went internet, but the scuttlebutt is just that she wanted to semi-retire. Can't blame anybody for
that. Why is it that the three I can go to stay in business year after year (one does major framing, one does minor,
and the other does none) and everybody else's are closing? [/quote:e22857c6b0] A good question. [quote:e22857c6b0]
Business savvy? Business practices? Customer service? Market base? [/quote:e22857c6b0] I'd bet it's all of those, and
something else in the business practice area - what is the profit margin they're willing, able to live with? Are their
buildings owned space or leased, and what are the leases like? And you left off: Location? Around here, when my friend
was getting ready to move her shop, which has been in business over 25 years - she had a terrible time finding a
location that didn't have an much too high for a needlework shop kind of rent. A lot of the newer strips, cute little
shopping areas that you'd think would be perfect - are looking for either high rentals, or they want "chain"
type shops or both. Going into some cute old re-done house is nice - but then there are sometimes zoning issues. In
this case, she found a place in a park of min-warehouse spaces - with some other businesses. And changed the loading
door to a big glass wall. It's a difficult business - this instance, like some others - the excellent framing service
allows for the needlework business to exist. She does more in the framing (as in has bigger inventory, does chops,
building of frames) in the shop than some of the other LNS that also frame. Some of those don't do as much of the frame
manufacturing - they order in the moldings from the distributor pre-assembled, but still stretch, mount, etc. Customer
service is a big thing, and loyalty. There are a lot of customers who follow my friend for their framing. And where
you feel welcome in the shop. Inventory is another issue. Some of the distributors require pretty sizable minimum
orders. And what you carry for threads/yarn - an entire line is a big investment. How much teaching you can do - which
is a little supplement - more so because people will then shop - not so much on the class profit margin. Speaking with
several of the LNS owners - they're not too happy about folks like Kreinik selling on their website direct to consumer.
The shop may have a minimum $50 order - that's a lot of metallics - yet Kreinik sells directly, with no minimum, and has
sales on the website. Some companies will offer promos to the shops - usually at a show - like free shipping or buy
xxx, get yyy. Interestingly, a lot of customers seem to think that if they shop at one store, they can't go to some
other because the owners will get mad. But, at lest in this area most of the shops are in a regional retailers
association, which really became more active about 5 years ago - and it's more a mutual aid. Each of the shops has its
own personality - so they're actually good about referring around. One shop has tons and tons of threads, and NP -
another a lot of silks, XS, & some crewel, another lots of XS, some NP, framing and artsy stuff, another lots of XS,
some NP and lots of fabrics, with some framing. Different lines of threads - and they'll talk about how things are
selling, how different distributors, thread suppliers are, etc. One other thing that we don't usually think about -
who's selling where. When some of the local designers, or someone who makes tools/accessories wants a local shop to
carry their stuff - the shop - if the quality is there - will usually do so. But, again - the shop is putting money
into carrying inventory now. We've seen these seem local designers then selling directly - at retail - at guild
meetings. So, the result - why should a shop invest if you're going to sell directly to the shop's customer base? In
one instance - a designer (with a somewhat prickly personality), very talented stitcher (amazingly neat) was doing this.
The owner of one of the LNS (a very well known person in the needlework retail industry) espied said designer en-route
into her shop, and very loudly greeted her with "OH, Look - it's MMMMMMM - that designer who sells her stuff on any
street corner!" And then said, "no, I'm not buying any more of your charts" . Said designer, was quite
perturbed by this (and this is a woman with a temper). So, the LNS owner that also does her framing had to finally sit
her down and explain that the local shops were pretty unhappy that she was out there actively selling her stuff directly
to the stitchers - several guild chapter meetings - so how were they supposed to sell their inventory?
[quote:e22857c6b0]Man, I wish I was an ink stain on their books and a fly on the wall of their salesfloor so I could see
what was going on there. [/quote:e22857c6b0] Honestly, I think a lot comes down to traffic, trying to get new customers
and keeping the established ones coming back. Customers tend to gravitate to calling one shop their primary - the one
they go to stitch night at, feel the most bond or whatever. And, how much can you afford to invest to really stock,
being smart about your inventory, treating business like a business versus a hobby (and there are some shops which are
clearly in the hobby thinkng area still - one locally - changed owners, locale, and they have a lot of stuff - including
lines that the established shops have decided not to carry because they were difficult to sell - but you have to learn
what works). [quote:e22857c6b0](And I'm convinced this town could use another actual full-service shop, since one
specializes in primitive/samplers/folk and have chocked themselves full to bursting with knitting; one carries all the
usual suspects, and the last is a needlepoint shop who's seen the light regarding the fact that cross stitchers have
money too.) [/quote:e22857c6b0] Again, while most shops carry some of both - it's hard and expensive to carry equal
amounts. Shops that specialize in NP will have a lot of specialty threads in sizes that Xser don't use. But, it's good
to carry at least some of the other. There are NP shops that only carry NP. Just where you are, what the customer base
will support. And, it is true that web businesses have hurt the brick and mortar shops. The physical shops have had teo
rethink their strategies so that you will shop there. No one can stay in business just on charts - but if people are
running everywhere else to get their fabric, or their other supplies - it's hard for the shop to stay solvent. Hence,
many shops sell their floss at very close to cost - it's important to have it on hand, so.... As a designer, if you've
joined TNNA or INRG and go to a show, or read the members newsletters - you'd see some of this discussion. It's
interesting. Personally, my thought is it's the rare shop owner who's getting "rich" . Most that I know love
doing this, and that's why their shops are successful, and many of them have other jobs/careers - or ways to keep the
shop going. Just my long more than 2 cents worth, ellice

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View entire thread: OT-Cheryl and Ellice
Posted by ellice on Fri Oct 27, 2006 2:24 PM    Post subject: Re: OT-Cheryl and Ellice

On 10/26/06 5:05 PM, "Donna" <needlearts@gmail.com> wrote: [quote:f750045f92]Sounds like you're living
a real life Project Runway. [/quote:f750045f92] LOL - it does feel that way. I've been a little disappointed with this
class, but they let a couple of students in that likely shouldn't be taking this class. They should just be doing the
"bridge" class - on how to use a custom sloper (fit garment/pattern) to fit a commercial pattern (make the
alterations to the commercial one so it fits perfectly). In this class it's about implementing an original design - how
to draft the pattern starting with the basic fit one. We've had to spend too much time explaining really simple
basics, and listening to the 2 wacky women - ok, only 1 is really wacky - the other differently wacky - who keep
interrupting with irrelevant stories, or the like. Last night the instructor came over and whispered "Ellice - I
really missed you last week - just to talk to" . Anyhow - I learned something really neat. I had about 4 sketches,
and we liked 2 of them a lot. Then I pulled out the last issue of THREADS - which has an amazing Devore velvet top on
the rear cover - kind of deep V neck, and a ruched empire waist. So, I re-sketched and decided to do a waistband that
is lower in the back, and then curves around and up - not quite empire, but with the ruching, which will then fall to
lightly skim/float (not pregnancy big) down to the high hip. (hips big - don't want to expand out - I do better in
cropped, shorter jackets, etc) Anyhow - I was thinking of a sleeve that would be a bit asymetric - and voila - teacher
asked if I knew about "hanging sleeves" - HUH? My brilliant answer. Turns out, its a sleeve that basically
encircles the arm at the top, but is open such that it's only on the back side - somewhere from up on your bicep, or at
the elbow - or however you design it. Very interesting - so I made some 1/4 scale patterns, and played with them - and
it's a little bit Renaissance looking - very cool - and will drape differently depending on the placement of the true
bias vs straight of grain. Of course now I have an excuse to go use today's 30% off at G-street - I'm going to try and
find some nice, soft velvet (drapey) for this, else maybe a silk. It's going to be a "dress-up" top (don't
think I want to do a long dress, though it's possible). Last night - and I was at the bigger G-Street (not the one
nearer the new house) all I could quickly find was $40-$50/yd velvet - and even at 30% I'm not doing that - since I'm
going to end up estimating the fabric. [quote:f750045f92] And for all you fans, you've got to visit the Project Rungay
blog. I can't believe I first found out about this blog from Newsweek of all places.
http://www.projectrungay.blogspot.com Nothing like men with a fine appreciation of a well-placed embroidery detail....
[/quote:f750045f92] Oh, so true. Gives you some hope for all our SOs and DHs. There is however a backlash- at times
now it appears that DH has paid attention - as opposed to the glazed over look he usually gets when I talk about some of
this stuff. Last week he joined me on the B-day Scarlet Thread jaunt - and actually was talking stock and threads with
one of the owners. Then he suddenly looked up and said "Oh, my G_D ... I know about this ....AAAAGGGHHHH" and
all of us women laughed. OTOH, he also noted on one of my samplers that the blackwork area - which was off by 1 thread
- was off and not up to my "usual standards" - so I pulled it and redid. Same piece - there's a double row of
4-sided stitch, and he wasn't sure if it was all pulled exactly the same....Argh. I told him it was fine and when the
piece is stretched for framing or bellpull it will be just fine. [quote:f750045f92] Donna in Virginia
[/quote:f750045f92] Ellice - also in Virgina [quote:f750045f92] ellice wrote: On 10/26/06 7:55 AM, "Donna"
<needlearts@gmail.com> wrote: Cheryl Isaak wrote: It's not listed on her site or on Amazon or Barnes and
Noble..... Sigh Amazon does have a slot for "Temeraire" (hard cover). I purposely didn't read the
"preview" chapter at the end of #3. No sense getting myself worked up. It's kind of like waiting for the
next go round in the Song of Ice and Fire series. Song of Fire and Ice. Ah. The good thing is when the last book was
delayed and delayed and delayed again, it was because he being forced to split it into two books. So the next book was
nearly halfway written when A Feast For Crows was published. I read his blog on livejournal. My kids are huge fans and
talk about Martin's characters like they are real people (sometimes to my husband's confusion...) Donna in Virginia
Doesn't everyone? FWIW - I wasn't worried about being forgotten by anybody - Tegan ;^) And am a little slack on
getting to the PO with some promised stuff heading to NH myself. Been busy sewing - with the machine for a change.
Anyhow - I have sewing "design" class tonight, and am way, way, behind - so I'm going to drag myself to the
other room, and then out to the truck which has my big roll of drafting paper, and come back in, and take over the dr
table and try to finish drafting this stupid pattern so I can make the muslin, so I can fit in on self, so I can then
redraw the pattern so I can then bring the correct, real, pattern pieces to class so I can whip up some stupid, or not
so stupid, design for an interesting top, so that if I'm lucky I can then get that muslin laid out. Sure, I can get the
first muslin made and fitted by 5 or so. No problem, HAH. Well, at least the machine is working well. I did pretty
much finish my knitting needle case - which I decided to dash off and then turned into a auilted back, with a strip-
pieced flap, and, well, of course it's more complicated than it should've been. But, on this topic - I made some
needlebooks out of the left over atrip pieces. They're kind of cute - little quiltied outers, and inside, a piece of
cotton batting backed on fabric - the needles will go into the batting. So, when Cheryl gets hers - she can say if she
likes it - I'm thinking of refining and then adding this to the fob collection for when I finallyhave the business
selling some pieces. And the website re-up, and my new stupid Loudoun county business licesnse in hand (waiting on the
permit from the Homeowners Asso). Now - back to the previously interrupted chat.... ellice [/quote:f750045f92]

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View entire thread: OT-Cheryl and Ellice
Posted by Donna on Thu Oct 26, 2006 10:05 PM    Post subject: Re: OT-Cheryl and Ellice

Sounds like you're living a real life Project Runway. And for all you fans, you've got to visit the Project Rungay
blog. I can't believe I first found out about this blog from Newsweek of all places.
http://www.projectrungay.blogspot.com Nothing like men with a fine appreciation of a well-placed embroidery detail....
Donna in Virginia ellice wrote: [quote:7c1b71768a]On 10/26/06 7:55 AM, "Donna" <needlearts@gmail.com>
wrote: Cheryl Isaak wrote: It's not listed on her site or on Amazon or Barnes and Noble..... Sigh Amazon does have a
slot for "Temeraire" (hard cover). I purposely didn't read the "preview" chapter at the end of #3.
No sense getting myself worked up. It's kind of like waiting for the next go round in the Song of Ice and Fire series.
Song of Fire and Ice. Ah. The good thing is when the last book was delayed and delayed and delayed again, it was because
he being forced to split it into two books. So the next book was nearly halfway written when A Feast For Crows was
published. I read his blog on livejournal. My kids are huge fans and talk about Martin's characters like they are real
people (sometimes to my husband's confusion...) Donna in Virginia Doesn't everyone? FWIW - I wasn't worried about
being forgotten by anybody - Tegan ;^) And am a little slack on getting to the PO with some promised stuff heading to
NH myself. Been busy sewing - with the machine for a change. Anyhow - I have sewing "design" class tonight,
and am way, way, behind - so I'm going to drag myself to the other room, and then out to the truck which has my big roll
of drafting paper, and come back in, and take over the dr table and try to finish drafting this stupid pattern so I can
make the muslin, so I can fit in on self, so I can then redraw the pattern so I can then bring the correct, real,
pattern pieces to class so I can whip up some stupid, or not so stupid, design for an interesting top, so that if I'm
lucky I can then get that muslin laid out. Sure, I can get the first muslin made and fitted by 5 or so. No problem,
HAH. Well, at least the machine is working well. I did pretty much finish my knitting needle case - which I decided to
dash off and then turned into a auilted back, with a strip-pieced flap, and, well, of course it's more complicated than
it should've been. But, on this topic - I made some needlebooks out of the left over atrip pieces. They're kind of
cute - little quiltied outers, and inside, a piece of cotton batting backed on fabric - the needles will go into the
batting. So, when Cheryl gets hers - she can say if she likes it - I'm thinking of refining and then adding this to the
fob collection for when I finallyhave the business selling some pieces. And the website re-up, and my new stupid
Loudoun county business licesnse in hand (waiting on the permit from the Homeowners Asso). Now - back to the previously
interrupted chat.... ellice[/quote:7c1b71768a]

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View entire thread: OT-Cheryl and Ellice
Posted by ellice on Thu Oct 26, 2006 3:56 PM    Post subject: Re: OT-Cheryl and Ellice

On 10/26/06 7:55 AM, "Donna" <needlearts@gmail.com> wrote: [quote:2626664a76] Cheryl Isaak wrote: It's
not listed on her site or on Amazon or Barnes and Noble..... Sigh Amazon does have a slot for "Temeraire"
(hard cover). I purposely didn't read the "preview" chapter at the end of #3. No sense getting myself worked
up. It's kind of like waiting for the next go round in the Song of Ice and Fire series. Song of Fire and Ice. Ah.
The good thing is when the last book was delayed and delayed and delayed again, it was because he being forced to split
it into two books. So the next book was nearly halfway written when A Feast For Crows was published. I read his blog on
livejournal. My kids are huge fans and talk about Martin's characters like they are real people (sometimes to my
husband's confusion...) Donna in Virginia Doesn't everyone?[/quote:2626664a76] FWIW - I wasn't worried about being
forgotten by anybody - Tegan ;^) And am a little slack on getting to the PO with some promised stuff heading to NH
myself. Been busy sewing - with the machine for a change. Anyhow - I have sewing "design" class tonight, and
am way, way, behind - so I'm going to drag myself to the other room, and then out to the truck which has my big roll of
drafting paper, and come back in, and take over the dr table and try to finish drafting this stupid pattern so I can
make the muslin, so I can fit in on self, so I can then redraw the pattern so I can then bring the correct, real,
pattern pieces to class so I can whip up some stupid, or not so stupid, design for an interesting top, so that if I'm
lucky I can then get that muslin laid out. Sure, I can get the first muslin made and fitted by 5 or so. No problem,
HAH. Well, at least the machine is working well. I did pretty much finish my knitting needle case - which I decided to
dash off and then turned into a auilted back, with a strip-pieced flap, and, well, of course it's more complicated than
it should've been. But, on this topic - I made some needlebooks out of the left over atrip pieces. They're kind of
cute - little quiltied outers, and inside, a piece of cotton batting backed on fabric - the needles will go into the
batting. So, when Cheryl gets hers - she can say if she likes it - I'm thinking of refining and then adding this to the
fob collection for when I finallyhave the business selling some pieces. And the website re-up, and my new stupid
Loudoun county business licesnse in hand (waiting on the permit from the Homeowners Asso). Now - back to the previously
interrupted chat.... ellice

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View entire thread: Little Happy Dance, sort of....
Posted by ellice on Thu Oct 26, 2006 4:24 PM    Post subject: Re: Little Happy Dance, sort of....

On 10/24/06 10:35 AM, "Susan Hartman" <susan@dirtylinen.com> wrote: [quote:45b294776d]This isn't a
happy dance about finishing a project (which would be a BIG HD), but rather a "happy feet" moment about a
reunion. As do most of you, I have waaaay to many projects in my rotation. And others pop up - an ornament for so-and-
so, a bookmark for so-and-so, this design just "called" me, etc. - so I put aside the big sampler I'm doing
for myself for months at a time. And *finally* I finished the other project I had a deadline for, and promised myself
I'd pick up my big silk/linen "for ME" piece. Isn't that a glorious feeling? Playing with color and texture -
it's almost hedonistic - and it's all FOR ME, both the pleasure of playing *and* the eventual result. So I've spent the
past two nights luxuriating in it! [/quote:45b294776d] You're so right. And having seen some of your big projects -
they are big and gorgeous. [quote:45b294776d]And knowing it won't last - it's a big piece, and I won't stick with it
all the way to the end without interspersing other pieces - makes this little patch all the more pleasurable, and in a
week or two I'll pick up the next piece and lay this one aside, with some anticipation of capturing this wonderful
feeling again! [/quote:45b294776d] What a great description. [quote:45b294776d]So do any of you have a
"dessert" piece like this? The one that's the cherry on top? [/quote:45b294776d] Of course we do - note the
"we" - 'cuase I'm sure I'm not the only other one. I have a big NP project with lots of different threads
& sitches that I work on then it goes away for a while, then rotates back out. But, I feel that way about 2 not
huge samplers that I'm doing - just because. Well, one is for DH - but I love looking at the nice silks. I did just
buy a little bit ago another Indigo Rose smapler - "The Acorn Sampler" - I can honestly say - that will be a
dessert piece - because it's a good size, and, well, going to be just because I want to do all those lovely stitches and
play with some nice silk. And I definitely have some knitting project that is huge, and with amazing yarns - that DH
doesn't even know about - I bought a throw kit of Colinette yarns - scrumptious hand-dyes - ribbons, mohair, silky
stuff, and chenilles - when my LKS had their annual sale. IT was irresitible at 30% off, and, well, but, I have to
finish some other stuff first then I can start it! But, now as soon as I finish the Summer Garden - possibly tonight or
tomorrow - I'll be working on some goofey present for one of the crazy DSILs "scooba Dooba" by Raise the Roof
- which is a do it, get it done, play with the nice floss by just get it done kind of piece. Then back to the next
dessert. Like that term - maybe I'll stitch in lieu of food dessert - the Weight Watchers thing.... Thanks for the
visual & tactile description, Sue. Ellice

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View entire thread: Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed....
Posted by Lucille on Fri Oct 27, 2006 9:54 PM    Post subject: Re: Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed....

"Olwyn Mary" <Olwynmary@aol.com> wrote in message news:4542626c$0$12182$88260bb3@free.teranews.com...
[quote:fd0a51c306]Karen C - California wrote: Whew! The x-rays were finally read and there's no fracture. Which means
no cast impeding the knitting/stitching here at Santa's Workshop! Thanks to everyone who prayed up "just a
sprain". It still hurts where the wrist bone connects to the thumb bone, but I can slap SalonPas patches on that
(unless one of you medical types has a better recommendation?) Good news indeed!! (Expensive, no doubt, but worth the
price!!) I'm not a medical type, but I do have a weak ankle left over from a very severe sprain years ago, and it goes
out again at the slightest provocation. I now keep an ankle brace - sort of a pre-made Ace-type bandage - on hand, and
use it when needed. You might want to investigate your drugstore for a wrist brace to support it until it heals
properly. Olwyn Mary in New Orleans. -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
[/quote:fd0a51c306] I too have a problem with my right wrist. I have DeQuervain's Tenosynovits, which in plain
English is tendinitis in the wrist, with the pain being mostly on the side of wrist where it meets the thumb. Whenever
it starts to flare up, I wear either the simple kind of brace you can buy in a drugstore or, if it is really bad, I
wear the clunky cast that was fitted to my wrist for a while and give it a rest. I've learned to not let it slow me
down too much and how to live with it. Lucille >

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View entire thread: Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed....
Posted by Olwyn Mary on Fri Oct 27, 2006 9:43 PM    Post subject: Re: Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed....

Karen C - California wrote: [quote:7485d9d052]Whew! The x-rays were finally read and there's no fracture. Which means
no cast impeding the knitting/stitching here at Santa's Workshop! Thanks to everyone who prayed up "just a
sprain". It still hurts where the wrist bone connects to the thumb bone, but I can slap SalonPas patches on that
(unless one of you medical types has a better recommendation?) [/quote:7485d9d052] Good news indeed!! (Expensive, no
doubt, but worth the price!!) I'm not a medical type, but I do have a weak ankle left over from a very severe sprain
years ago, and it goes out again at the slightest provocation. I now keep an ankle brace - sort of a pre-made Ace-type
bandage - on hand, and use it when needed. You might want to investigate your drugstore for a wrist brace to support
it until it heals properly. Olwyn Mary in New Orleans. -- Posted via a free Usenet account from
http://www.teranews.com

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View entire thread: Just a Little S.E.X.
Posted by ellice on Wed Sep 27, 2006 10:14 PM    Post subject: Re: Just a Little S.E.X.

On 9/27/06 4:50 PM, "Joan E." <joan_erickson@und.nodak.edu> wrote: [quote:e3983eb656] ellice wrote:
Well, it wouldn't be cheaper for the project. But, if you're going to use silks - well, then you'd have more. The
project pack has a lot of 1 yd cuts, and a 2 2-yd cuts, plus the 7yd skein of white. snip IME, the VS Accessory packs
definitely have enough material. And, you have what you need in one place. So, economically - the initial lay-out would
likely be a little less - the overall cost is a bit more per yard. Maybe what I'll do, since she has the supply lists
on her site, is see how many colors are used in all 4 designs. Buying whole skeins might be cheaper in the long run, if
they're going to be used more than once. If I bought all 4 designs and thread-packs it comes to over $125. Yikes!
'Course, that doesn't mean I have to buy them all at once...IF I decide to get them all, that is. [/quote:e3983eb656] I
was just sitting here reading the pattern carefully. It's not much of any of the threads that you need. Except the
Waterlilies Evergreen. As you can tell, I'm a stasher with my threads. At this point, with all the overdyes and silks
I've been acquiring - even the LNS owner just looks at me and says "don't buy the overdyes - just check your stash
- you must have something" . As long as I keep track of where things are, then buying the skeins works for me.
[quote:e3983eb656]It does have enough to do the little freebie "bloom" which is really sweet. Yes, I've
printed the pattern for that from her site, too. I imagine it will be included with the full design, though.
[/quote:e3983eb656] Not with the design - at least not on the chart I bought. Just has the pretty picture and tells you
to go to the site to print it out. I've now done an enlarged copy off my printer, and read the chart (okay - so I'm
kind of anal - goes with the engineer thing). And, being an idiot - it took me 5 readings to see that band 4 is
"Double Herringbone Hemstitch" . Because I couldn't figure out the double v's in the chart. But, on the VS
website there is an animation of the Herringbone Hemstitch - call this a "duh" moment. [quote:e3983eb656]
Agree with you - I do like the spring, and kind of the Autumn - but not really the winter one. I think it's the
background color (which I don't care for). I think I'd rather do it on a bluer fabric [/quote:e3983eb656] Sounds like a
plan. [quote:e3983eb656] Has anyone done these on other colors of fabric? I looked at doing them on a hand dye but
decided that it wouldn't look right, with all the colors, and the cutwork section. So, I'm doing it in pale, sky blue.
I have a leftover chunk of Robin Egg Blue (?) that I'm using for Fairy Grandmother that might work for it. It's at home
but I *think* it's from the Crossed Wing handpainted collection. [/quote:e3983eb656] There are some yummy fabrics there.
I think what I have is the Wichelt Ice Blue or Baby Boy blue - it's fairly light. [quote:e3983eb656] And the shop only
had the darker green which looked piyyyecky (technical term). I always like technical terms! LOL [/quote:e3983eb656]
LOL - me too. [quote:e3983eb656] I think we'll be able to have our own little cyber stitch along at this rate. So happy
to be an enabler instead of enabled for a change :^) I might even be able to join you ... if you wait about 6 months
until I have my other projects done!!! [/quote:e3983eb656] ROFLMAO - when I think about the 6 projects I've got in the
hopper right now - not to mention the knitting stuff. I may not wait on this - as it's the tiniest project I have and
am itching to start immediately - but you know I'll be doing something else. I found in the stash - the Crystal Waters
from the 4 elements series - have the fabric, the thread - all set to go...eventually. [quote:e3983eb656] Thanks for all
your help and the links, Ellice! Gives me more to think about. You're welcome for the links - don't know how helpful,
but I try. Thanks[/quote:e3983eb656] for showing us the pix of what you've finished. I'm going to finish sorting out
this thread now. I hope. ellice

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View entire thread: Hi everyone-I have a question about getting rid of stash
Posted by LizardGumbo on Sat Sep 09, 2006 2:17 AM    Post subject: Re: Hi everyone-I have a question about getting rid of stash

Brenda Lewis wrote: [quote:483ddb09e2]I don't know that needlework stuff is re-selling well anywhere because we are,
sadly, out of vogue right now. Wait, sadly? No, DEFIANTLY! [/quote:483ddb09e2] At this point in time and to my great
selfishness, I believe this is a good thing. Actually, I think most cycles are good things. It gives time to
regroup, refocus, and redirect one's efforts in his chosen art/craft. On the other hand, hand-dyers of both fabrics
and fibers are springing up everywhere and there is demand for a greater variety of charts than I've ever seen before.
I think what we are witnessing is the a) dying of brick and mortar stores for reasons we've discussed before
(including, but not limited to, crappy service and crappy hours), b) turning of brick and mortar needle-pulling-thread
stores into knitting and crocheting stores--just cause it's "in vogue" right now, and c) the devaluation of
the long-term craftsman for the short-term. When this discussion came up on another board, a lady named Sisu posted
this essay in response to the idea that people want "quick crafts" and stitching just isn't that. It (and
its followup email) really touched me, and she said I could share her words: [quote:483ddb09e2]I think it because we
have become an 'instant gratification' society in the US. In the time it takes to stitch even a small piece, you could
knit a purse, scarf, even a sweater. You could fill an entire scrapbook, and make endless numbers of beaded baubles.
People like fast crafts. I have a neighbor who is a very talented painter. She thinks taking 2 days for one painting is
a long time. When she saw some of my pieces and asked me how long they took, I thought she was going to choke when I
told her that an hour a day would get it done in 2 years. She said she would never get into a craft that took that long,
and I think that is the increasing mentality among busy soccer moms and babysitting grandma's. No time, no time, no
time. Me personally, I believe in doing something lasting. Look how many antique samplers and things there are from the
1800's and even the 1700's. And that was before we knew about acids and such. Imagine how long our well cared for pieces
may last. Much longer than a sweater or a scrap book page I believe. And with greater value. Sisu [/quote:483ddb09e2]
and its email followup: [quote:483ddb09e2]I want to leave a legacy for my children and their children and many more
down the road that I will never know. My family is horribly short[/quote:483ddb09e2] lived (my father died at 42, my
mother at 56) and I was in my 30's before I had my first child, so there is a good chance I may never see my
grandchildren. But I want to leave them something that speaks of my time, my life, and my love. Something my hands
created. Something that may speak to them of patience and determination, that shows them that perseverance is the
road to success. It may do none of that. They may look at it and say "It's nice, but just not my style".
But I can hope. How many of us stitchers have looked at an antique sampler and wondered about the girl or woman who
stitched it? Looked at the year and tried to picture the clothing she may have worn. Was her hair up? Did she wear a
bonnet? Was she the daughter of a farmer, a merchant, a priest? Did she enjoy her stitching or was it a chore, simply
a task to be completed? Were her mistakes a sign of carelessness or a sign or stitching by the too dim light of an
oil lantern? [quote:483ddb09e2] I want my descendants to wonder about me. Call it vanity, or maybe a desire for
immortality. Perhaps it is selfish. But I want them to think, to wonder, to feel connected to the past and to me. One
last point. Neither of my parents created anything lasting, besides their children of course. They had no hobbies
other than drinking. I have nothing that speaks of who they were as a person. I think that is what makes me desire to
leave something. I know when I die, my parents will be forgotten. Just another branch that the storms of time broke
from the family tree, leaving no trace other than a scar. I intend to attach my branch firmly. In threads of many
colors and with row upon row of tiny little x's. Sisu [/quote:483ddb09e2] In my recent venture I've had occasion to
cross paths with some older ladies who are needlepointers from way before I was born, who shared with me some of the
history behind it and some reasons for the contempt I had been feeling from needlepointers as being "only a cross
stitcher." It was an interesting history. But needlepoint is alive and thriving here in the US, and there are
shops that cater to the needlepointer, so I don't see any reason to weep for seemingly being out of favor (I know you
didn't, Brenda--but I've seen it elsewhere!). Now, I have a dual-pronged purpose to opening up shop (right now with
charts and later with a shop). One is to make money doing what I love (stitching and crunching numbers) and not being
a slave to my keyboard (medical transcription) anymore. The second is to be on the crest of the new wave of brick and
mortar stores that do what the current ones (you know, the ones I gripe about constantly) don't. I refuse to believe
that an economy with as many people spending as much money on leisure activities as they do is in any danger of being
suddenly unable to support needlework. /rant And that was my little philosophical needlework nonsense for the day.
Back to the grind. -- Elizabeth Pop the bubbles to reply. Website: http://www.effervescentdesigns.com WIP:
http://www.effervescentdesigns.com/wip.htm Work to date: http://www.effervescentdesigns.com/portfolio.htm

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View entire thread: Thanks for all the welcome
Posted by Debra on Wed Nov 08, 2006 4:23 AM    Post subject: Re: Thanks for all the welcome

On 7 Nov 2006 11:41:32 -0800, "redrose" <redrose_920@yahoo.com> wrote: [quote:0e709051a1]thanks so much
for your warm welcome!...my head is kinda swimming with all the questions..LOL..but let me try to answer..I only started
quilting in September...I have done just about any craft you can name..but somehow quilting really motivates me...all
that fabric! I have always loved texiles..I still take knitting with me on the train to work..and I love my power tools
:-)..woodworking is a close second to quilting..right now I am taking a class in quilting..and am working on a sampler
quilt..I now have 7 blocks..and am also learning to hand quilt..don't have much of a stash yet..I went to my first
Quilt Show/Convention last month at the San Mateo Convention Center in CA..I live in the SF Bay area..so I did buy some
fat quarters..also joined a fabric of the month club online..craftconn.com..nothing to take a pic of yet, unless you
want to see my blocks..I don't know how to put pics on here so that is something else to learn. not sure of what kind
of quilting yet..just want to learn right now..I will tell you lining up points on a triangle is not easy for me
yet...but a regular nine patch is too boring..am finishing the house block this week..the class lets out for 2 months so
will try to get some other stuff done during that time..right now am just trying to keep up with the class Chocolate??
not sure what my favorite is... I look forward to talking more with you all..you truly sound like great people..but then
I guess you could say that about all the people I have met in my new hobby.. well if i don't get back to work and focus
on my job instead of more quilting..won't have the money for all that wonderful fabric...take care all..and any advice
you can give this newbee would be welcom [/quote:0e709051a1] Yes it would be good to see your blocks, many of the people
here let us see theirs before the quilt top is made. You can join Web Shots, Yahoo, or another free picture website and
post your pictures online, then let us all know where they are. Have you tried applique yet? There are a lot of
methods of applique so you will probably be able find one you enjoy doing. So far I haven't found a method that I don't
like, but I haven't tried them all yet. One of the good things about applique is that I don't have to worry about points
all coming out perfect. It's fun too. Debra in VA See my quilts at http://community.webshots.com/user/debplayshere

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View entire thread: Thanks for all the welcome
Posted by Cats on Wed Nov 08, 2006 1:43 AM    Post subject: Re: Thanks for all the welcome

Waving "hello" from Downunder in Australia. Welcome to the wonderful world of quilting. -- Cheryl &
the Cats in OZ o o o o o o ( > Y < ) ( > Y < ) ( > Y < )
Enness Boofhead Donut http://community.webshots.com/user/witchofthewest catsatararatATyahooDOTcomDOTau
"redrose" <redrose_920@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1162928492.429996.244330@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com... : thanks so much for your warm welcome!...my head is kinda
swimming with : all the questions..LOL..but let me try to answer..I only started : quilting in September...I have done
just about any craft you can : name..but somehow quilting really motivates me...all that fabric! I : have always
loved texiles..I still take knitting with me on the train : to work..and I love my power tools :-)..woodworking is a
close second : to quilting..right now I am taking a class in quilting..and am working : on a sampler quilt..I now have
7 blocks..and am also learning to hand : quilt..don't have much of a stash yet..I went to my first Quilt :
Show/Convention last month at the San Mateo Convention Center in CA..I : live in the SF Bay area..so I did buy some
fat quarters..also joined a : fabric of the month club online..craftconn.com..nothing to take a pic : of yet, unless
you want to see my blocks..I don't know how to put pics : on here so that is something else to learn. : not sure of
what kind of quilting yet..just want to learn right now..I : will tell you lining up points on a triangle is not easy
for me : yet...but a regular nine patch is too boring..am finishing the house : block this week..the class lets out for
2 months so will try to get : some other stuff done during that time..right now am just trying to : keep up with the
class : Chocolate?? not sure what my favorite is... : I look forward to talking more with you all..you truly sound
like great : people..but then I guess you could say that about all the people I have : met in my new hobby.. : well if
i don't get back to work and focus on my job instead of more : quilting..won't have the money for all that wonderful
fabric...take : care all..and any advice you can give this newbee would be welcom :

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View entire thread: Thanks for all the welcome
Posted by redrose on Tue Nov 07, 2006 9:56 PM    Post subject: Re: Thanks for all the welcome

Hi!..glad to meet someone in the Bay Area here..I have heard of the Patchwork Cat in my class..to be honest I am so new
I have not been to a quilt shop yet..I have been getting my stuff from JoAnn's in San Lorenzo..but I am looking forward
to going to a quilt shop..I really loved the quilt fest in San Mateo.. Laurie G. wrote: [quote:98aa3d5b59]Hi! I replied
in your other post but noticed you are in SF Bay Area! Me too!!!!! What is your favorite quilt shop? I am near Benicia
so my favorite is the Patchwork Cat. Laurie G. in sunny CA "redrose" <redrose_920@yahoo.com> wrote in
message news:1162928492.429996.244330@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com... thanks so much for your warm welcome!...my head is
kinda swimming with all the questions..LOL..but let me try to answer..I only started quilting in September...I have done
just about any craft you can name..but somehow quilting really motivates me...all that fabric! I have always loved
texiles..I still take knitting with me on the train to work..and I love my power tools :-)..woodworking is a close
second to quilting..right now I am taking a class in quilting..and am working on a sampler quilt..I now have 7
blocks..and am also learning to hand quilt..don't have much of a stash yet..I went to my first Quilt Show/Convention
last month at the San Mateo Convention Center in CA..I live in the SF Bay area..so I did buy some fat quarters..also
joined a fabric of the month club online..craftconn.com..nothing to take a pic of yet, unless you want to see my
blocks..I don't know how to put pics on here so that is something else to learn. not sure of what kind of quilting
yet..just want to learn right now..I will tell you lining up points on a triangle is not easy for me yet...but a regular
nine patch is too boring..am finishing the house block this week..the class lets out for 2 months so will try to get
some other stuff done during that time..right now am just trying to keep up with the class Chocolate?? not sure what my
favorite is... I look forward to talking more with you all..you truly sound like great people..but then I guess you
could say that about all the people I have met in my new hobby.. well if i don't get back to work and focus on my job
instead of more quilting..won't have the money for all that wonderful fabric...take care all..and any advice you can
give this newbee would be welcom [/quote:98aa3d5b59]

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View entire thread: Thanks for all the welcome
Posted by Laurie G. on Tue Nov 07, 2006 8:55 PM    Post subject: Re: Thanks for all the welcome

Hi! I replied in your other post but noticed you are in SF Bay Area! Me too!!!!! What is your favorite quilt shop? I am
near Benicia so my favorite is the Patchwork Cat. Laurie G. in sunny CA "redrose"
<redrose_920@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:1162928492.429996.244330@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...
[quote:13603dfc3d]thanks so much for your warm welcome!...my head is kinda swimming with all the questions..LOL..but let
me try to answer..I only started quilting in September...I have done just about any craft you can name..but somehow
quilting really motivates me...all that fabric! I have always loved texiles..I still take knitting with me on the train
to work..and I love my power tools :-)..woodworking is a close second to quilting..right now I am taking a class in
quilting..and am working on a sampler quilt..I now have 7 blocks..and am also learning to hand quilt..don't have much
of a stash yet..I went to my first Quilt Show/Convention last month at the San Mateo Convention Center in CA..I live in
the SF Bay area..so I did buy some fat quarters..also joined a fabric of the month club online..craftconn.com..nothing
to take a pic of yet, unless you want to see my blocks..I don't know how to put pics on here so that is something else
to learn. not sure of what kind of quilting yet..just want to learn right now..I will tell you lining up points on a
triangle is not easy for me yet...but a regular nine patch is too boring..am finishing the house block this week..the
class lets out for 2 months so will try to get some other stuff done during that time..right now am just trying to keep
up with the class Chocolate?? not sure what my favorite is... I look forward to talking more with you all..you truly
sound like great people..but then I guess you could say that about all the people I have met in my new hobby.. well if i
don't get back to work and focus on my job instead of more quilting..won't have the money for all that wonderful
fabric...take care all..and any advice you can give this newbee would be welcom [/quote:13603dfc3d]

back to top


View entire thread: Thanks for all the welcome
Posted by redrose on Tue Nov 07, 2006 8:41 PM    Post subject: Thanks for all the welcome

thanks so much for your warm welcome!...my head is kinda swimming with all the questions..LOL..but let me try to
answer..I only started quilting in September...I have done just about any craft you can name..but somehow quilting
really motivates me...all that fabric! I have always loved texiles..I still take knitting with me on the train to
work..and I love my power tools :-)..woodworking is a close second to quilting..right now I am taking a class in
quilting..and am working on a sampler quilt..I now have 7 blocks..and am also learning to hand quilt..don't have much
of a stash yet..I went to my first Quilt Show/Convention last month at the San Mateo Convention Center in CA..I live in
the SF Bay area..so I did buy some fat quarters..also joined a fabric of the month club online..craftconn.com..nothing
to take a pic of yet, unless you want to see my blocks..I don't know how to put pics on here so that is something else
to learn. not sure of what kind of quilting yet..just want to learn right now..I will tell you lining up points on a
triangle is not easy for me yet...but a regular nine patch is too boring..am finishing the house block this week..the
class lets out for 2 months so will try to get some other stuff done during that time..right now am just trying to keep
up with the class Chocolate?? not sure what my favorite is... I look forward to talking more with you all..you truly
sound like great people..but then I guess you could say that about all the people I have met in my new hobby.. well if i
don't get back to work and focus on my job instead of more quilting..won't have the money for all that wonderful
fabric...take care all..and any advice you can give this newbee would be welcom

back to top


View entire thread: OT: surgery, suggestions please and sorry so long
Posted by Cats on Thu Oct 26, 2006 3:40 AM    Post subject: Re: surgery, suggestions please and sorry so long

As one who has BTDT (or most of it anyway) my quick advice is - Do what you HAVE to in the way of cleaning (going
into even minor surgery exhausted and stressed is not a good idea) Get a simple handsewing project for your recovery
time. Placemats are my favourite for this, or even knitting. Keep the "dream" project for when you feel
recovered and want to reward yourself with the joy of setting out on your big new quilting adventure. Don't assume
that you will be laid up for months recovering, just take one day at a time. You could be back and better than ever
much quicker than you thought - there is no way to be sure. Good luck on the medical front, for both surgery and eye
prescriptions! -- Cheryl & the Cats in OZ o o o o o o ( > Y < ) ( > Y
< ) ( > Y < ) Enness Boofhead Donut http://community.webshots.com/user/witchofthewest
catsatararatATyahooDOTcomDOTau <Jacqueline quilter at mountain-breeze dot com> wrote in message
news:4b50k21tm9590vfbk2rplnm4qor8sh0nvp@4ax.com... : You all know how badly I have wanted to start my quilting
experience : and it seems things keep getting in the way. I have had a zillions : designs and material in mind and
finally settled on the design which : was the one I asked about a week or so ago, called brick road, only I : am going
to do it in squares and so I guess mine will be called : something else. I am going to do it in the chocolat by 3
sisters I : think it is made by Moda, anyway I have the squares I bought charm : packs and jolly packs and that kind of
things to do it and ordered the : material for the borders, binding and backing, yesterday morning. I : was just so
excited. I was going to make a post about it all last : night and go too upset to do so. I got the squares all laid
out and : lined up and sewed my first two and of course they were not even so I : ripped them out and realized that the
fabric was hard for me to see. I : knew I needed new glasses but the doctor refuses to make me any until : the
pressure in my eyes stabilizes again. I had surgery in Jan and : March of this year for the glaucoma but it hasn't
worked and pressures : are back to the 30's and in one month my vision changed drastically in : my right eye. That's
just a long side note, surgery is this: : : Almost a year ago, Dec. 10, 2005, I fell down our basement steps, :
backwards; was lucky to survive it but I did with only injury to my : right leg/knee/foot. The pain in my knee has
been terrible, so : finally my doctor sends me to an orthopedic and I know they decided by : MRI and mainly by the way
my leg moves that I have torn cartilage in : my knee, actually the MRI only showed a very tiny tear, but since it :
did not improve with PT and meds, etc., he now wants to do surgery and : I am having it on Nov. 10th. I am so
disappointed, I knew this could : happen but was hoping and praying it wouldn't. So my question is : this, I know
that it will probably be after Christmas before I can sew : again at my machine, maybe, if I heal well, it won't be
that long but : I am over weight and I know it will be slower because of that, plus I : am an insulin dependant
diabetic, which will also slow down healing. : I have so much to do to prepare for this surgery that I am thinking of
: putting this quilt that I have drawn out, figured all the necessary : things for, laid out and every thing, away
until the first of the : year. The reason being I doubt that I will be able to see to do hand : quilting, and I was
planning on doing everything by machine, and I : also think my eye sight is one reason I am not able to line up the :
fabrics correctly, so maybe also need to wait until he will write me a : new script for glasses. :( I am so hurt and
disappointed over this. : Also, remember I am just now learning, did a small quilt and it was so : off that I finally
gave up on it. : : Now what can I do while I am recovering from this? Am I making the : right decision to put this up
and wait. I have waited for this for 12 : years now and am still waiting. I have to get my house cleaned really :
well before I have this surgery and I mean really, really, clean and I : have to cook up a bunch of meals for Dad and
me and then I have to : make sure everything is washed in the house, I mean all the clothes : and sheets and towels
and that kind of thing, I normally only do this : once a month or so and never do I have everything washed at one
time. : I also figure I may as well go on and do my Christmas tree, : decorations and wrap presents before hand, just
in case recovery : takes longer than I plan. BTW, my sewing machine sets where the tree : does so it would have to
come down or be moved to the middle of the : floor anyway. : : I guess I need suggestions, encouragement and a little
push because I : am just plain down and out. I knew this was why I had been depressed : and stuff lately but I will be
glad to get it over with so that this : pain will finally go away. Maybe on my one year anniversary of my : fall it
will be OK. I mean it will be 11 months since the fall when : they do the surgery. I know it is minor surgery and day
surgery at : that but I am the caregiver for my dad and I need to be able to do : things for him too. : : Sorry so
long! : : Jacqueline in Kentucky : if replied to privately please do so at : quilter @ mountain-breeze dot com

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View entire thread: my design for our guild challenge
Posted by ellice on Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:30 PM    Post subject: Re: my design for our guild challenge

On 10/23/06 8:48 AM, "kratersge" <kratersge@cox.net> wrote: [quote:9520b56705]I spent about 6 straight
hours saturday designing my quilt for our guild challenge "Sunshine and Sunflowers". I positively LOVE this
design, and I'm also thrilled with how I ended up converting this portrait for hand applique. Maybe this posting will
save someone else some time doing applique portraits. The design is a portrait of my toddler sitting in a lake au
natural with sunflowers ghosted over her a la Katie Masopust. I'm going to use the natural color in the photo; pretty
muted; creamy skin tones and rippling water in the background. [/quote:9520b56705] All I can say is it sounds really
lovely. And is inspiring. I've been on & off planning a quilt for my horsey niece - since she was 13 - now is
going to be 16 in January. Wanted to base it on some photos I took in KY (there for a needlework seminar), and a
portrait of her . The bulk of this has inspired me to pull out the sketches, and start working on it again. No
Sunflowers - but definitely in the fields. But your idea sounds really gorgeous. [quote:9520b56705]I tried using EQ5
to trace over it in both easy draw and patch draw. Gave up. Then I started in manipulating the picture with Adobe Photo
Elements. That's the ticket. I eventually found the perfect tool -- "Cutout". There were several
adjustments; but the key was the "levels". I picked 5, which gave me exactly 5 gradations of darkness. The
image is still very faithful to my beautiful little girl, quite practical for hand applique, and I still have some
levels left to go lightest/darkest for the ghost layer. If you wanted to do fusible raw-edge; you could use more levels
and more intricate edges; but for this photo, 5 seems to be just fine. [/quote:9520b56705] Thanks for the Photoshop
hint. I have a MAC graphics workstation, and use Illustrator a lot for design stuff (I do NP canvases). But, I hadn't
gotten my brain around splitting up the horse photos, and her portraits well enough - and the hand thing - well - it
works - but... [quote:9520b56705]Then I put the picture in Printmaster and made it 3x3 pieces of paper big; and
printed it on 9 sheets. I've been playing around with how to transfer the picture. First I tried putting freezer paper
over top of print out; but only the lines between the lightest and darkest areas show up. Then I tried used dressmakers
tracing paper to transfer onto freezer paper placed beneath it. But I think the BEST way is to use the transfer paper
to put it directly onto fabric. Why bother user freezer paper at all? Why did it take me this long to start using
tracing paper? I was reminded of that idea because of re-watching the Dily Fronks episode of Simply Quilts on wrought
iron gate applique. [/quote:9520b56705] Great episode. Sometimes the most straightforward thing is the last thing we
think off. [quote:9520b56705] But the real question is when I can get to work sewing it. My promise to myself is to
have 1 hand project and 1 machine project at a time. I'm quite a way from finishing the hand quilting on a big stack n
whach -- free form victorian feathers throughout. Can I resist? The challenge deadline is May 1. I think if I'm not
done with the Stack n Whack by new years; I may have to postpone it so I can have time to finish this challenge. susan
kraterfield see my quilts: members.cox.net/kratersge [/quote:9520b56705] LOL - I have some kind of rule - like how many
fine count needlework projects, at least one larger count (28 ct linen) and smaller project, and a couple of knitting
projects, and one easy quilting project, and then something seriuos. It's time to start the serious one, again. For
this reason - I only machine quilt - I just can't stand the thought of adding to the handwork. And, I do have some
garment sewing happening, and that includes hand-work. Then we won't talk about the rest of life. It just seems
natural to have projects that require different attention, energy, eyesight to work on at the same time. Thanks for
sharing, Ellice in NoVa

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View entire thread: That's it for me...not OT..or is it?
Posted by Butterflywings on Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:02 PM    Post subject: Re: That's it for me...not OT..or is it?

Can you be seen by a Occupational Therapist? She gave me med wrist braces, (soft for day) hand braces, hard finger
brace for Trigger Finger (REALLY HELPED:), and HARD braces to wear at night where you can NOT close your hand into a
fist...and a soft night elbow brace. I am NOT in constant pain in my hands and wrists now and have gotten back to a
lil machine sewing (see note on finishing all Poiple LC squares:) yes it took TIME and yes I had to follow orders even
had OT for a few weeks and may have it again after I've seen the 'Pain Dr' next week to start strengthening
exercises. You didn't get there 'overnight' and it wont heal overnight. Can you get a 'talking thingy for your compie
--course you will have to be 'alone' until the compie really knows your voice.but it does help. that also takes time
to learn how to do but you can do it:) Some days ICE helps and some days HEAT helps and some days NUTTIN helps...and
now the pain is so much easier than before that it all was worth the trial and tribulations until we found the right
braces... It will never be totally gone as I have Fibro also....and that is another story unto itself. Get a
timer....set it for so many minutes (I started with 10) and take a break.and go back to work again. Hopefully, your
employer would rather you have short breaks and still be able to work than not work at all....just let him know what
you are doing and why.....maybe a Dr's note is in order here? HTH Butterfly (and some days you just 'cry' with
frustration--they even trying taping it from wrist to elbow) "FiederEls in NL" <Els@FiederEls.nl>
wrote in message news:ee6s0b$rmu$1@news5.zwoll1.ov.home.nl... [quote:b3b9ac16d5]Kate Dicey <kate@diceyhome.free-
online.co.uk> wrote in news:4506ecfc$0$2690$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net: FiederEls in NL wrote: Today i
have been told by my doctor that i have a bad case of RSI.. As i am a hand quilter it means, among other big no-no's (
it affects my work in a big way too), that i have to give up quilting.. Not that i've been quilting much lately because
of the pain but still.... (very big sigh) I hope you don't mind me keeping on lurking in this NG and sometimes put my 2
cents in because.. well..uhm.... i kind of like y'all... (looking at the floor and *blushing* ) FiederEls Hey - you
can still contribute! And a little while from now you may find that a small amount of gentle quilting does you no harm.
I have RSI in my right wrist from writing school reports in the old days of them being all hand written on 4 layer
carbons... Grr! After I rested it for a year or two, I found sewing WAS possible. I just have to take it carefully
and rest the wrist if it plays me up. It's been NOT preventing me sewing for 20 years! :) Rest it now, splint it if
you have to for a while, and see how