Weekend Whoopin' - Can we discuss the flag?

I am a Girl Scout, a veteran and the daughter of a veteran who is twice a past commander of an American Legion post.  Working with the Legion, Dad was part of a team that went to the local grammar schools every year on Flag Day to do a presentation about the history of the U.S flag and how to take care of it.  At these events as they do throughout the year (along with the VFW) they collected flags that needed to be correctly destroyed.  The children were given cards printed with the key points of the Flag Code.

What does this have to do with yarn crafting.  Recently on various online crochet groups I follow on social media have included links to patterns and photos of the final product of the Stars & Stripes. Every time I see these things I fight my urge to post this rant.  Now I am going to post it here.

Let's start with using the flag as a bed covering, pillows or clothing:

"d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery."

I have seen these patterns used as afghans, bedspreads and pillows.  This is disrespecting the flag.  There are no laws that one would be arrested for doing this.  However, understand that this is not showing any reverence for the flag.  It is not an act of patriotism.

Second is photographs of the finished projects.  I have seen far too many photos of these flags spread out on the floor.  If there is one thing I have always known, the flag should not touch the ground and if it does it should be destroyed.

"(b) The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise."

So dear crocheters.  Although many of your works are impeccable and gorgeous, you really need to go verse yourself on the U.S. Flag Code.  Thank you

Trick & Tricks Tuesday - invest in your craft

Just the other day, it dawned on me that just about everyone starts a new venture wrong.  It's understandable how that happens but it makes me wonder how many people get frustrated and walk away.  Here's the "normal" thought process:  "Today I think I would like to try my hand at cooking, sewing, baseball, skateboarding, knitting...."  You get the picture.  Most any of these ventures require the purchase of something(s) to start.  Cooking?  You need food, a pan, a knife, dishes.  Even going to the gym requires the clothing or a bag to get it there...oh! and the gym.

This is where the train goes off the tracks though.  "Will I like it?  Hmmm.  Maybe not.  So let me invest the minimal amount of money in case I don't dig this."  So you go to Target and buy a cheap set of knives and a non-stick frying pan.  The knives chew up the tomato so much that it ends up in the blender for sauce.  The pan gets scratched up in the dishwasher and is now useless.  Or you go to Dots for a "sports bra", t-shirt and yoga shorts and sign up for the cheapest gym in town.  There's no qualified trainers to show you the right to use the equipment and your cute little neon pink and green outfit falls apart in the wash.  See where I'm going here?

Listen, even when my Gran' taught me to crochet she was kind of guilty of the same thing.  Admittedly part of her problem was the very tiny allowance my grandfather gave her and he didn't allow her to work so she kept Grant's in business for years and had a stash full of Wintuk.  Now I will say that the woman worked miracles with that acrylic nightmare but...  Years later when I decided to buy a few hooks and some "yarn" and give crochet another chance, my budget was also very limited as was my knowledge of where to purchase these things other than Wal-Mart or the crap store...I mean craft store.  I loaded up on Susan Bates hooks and Red Heart Super Saver.  When I decided to try to take a stab at knitting again, I grabbed a couple of pairs of Boye needles probably at Frank's or Wally World.

I'm not saying that large chain craft stores are evil.  I am saying that if you do start there keep some of these things in mind.

• If you have chosen crochet as your new endeavor move down the wall from the smooth aluminum hooks and take a look at Clover or even Crochet Dude .  I know the latter is a division of Boye but these are a step up.  Nice soft, easy to hold handles and the hooks have enough point to easily slide into a stitch and the metal is very smooth so they do actually slide.  I learned that Susan Bates aluminum hooks have a weird shape to the hook that makes it difficult to work stitches and the metal has a finish that grabs the yarn.
• Knitting needles?  Yes, I have a number of pairs of old Boye needles and have the same anti-slide issues with those that I had with Susan Bates hooks.  I also cheaped out on my first set of interchangeable circulars and got the plastic Knitters Prides.  The good thing is that, even though I'm out $35, I have extra cables, wrenches and caps.  After my LYS sold me two sizes of the KP birch short tips, I just invested $60 in the full set of long tips with cables and love them.  I also have two pairs of Nova Platina chrome-plated straight needles (10") and plan on purchasing more. (I admit I am currently using the size 4 acrylic tips as I can "bend" then a little. The birch tips don't and the points are blunter).
• Things you can skimp on?  Stitch markers, tapestry needles, totes and stitch holders.  
• FIBER!!  Red Heart can hunt me down but I'm puttin' it out there...Super Saver sucks.  It stiff, scratches and splits too easily.  I am embarrassed to say that I have actually used it to make wearables.  DON'T MAKE THAT MISTAKE!  I have a floppy beanie I made a year ago.  I have washed it at least 5 times and it still doesn't flop.  This yarn is virtually impossible to learn with whether you are trying knit it or crochet it.  Once you have an good hook or pair of needles, at least grab the Red Heart Soft or With Love.  My preference would be Lion Brand Heartland or Vanna's Choice.  Start with worsted weight (I'll blog about yarn weight another day.  Just ask the clerk for help with that) and start with a light color.

Once you have one or two hooks/pairs of needles then find some easy patterns on Ravelry or Pinterest.  This is where you can save money. There are thousands of legitimately free patterns out there. What finally got me to stick with knitting was a pattern I had found on Ravelry called "Emergency Hat".  Initially I was going to ask my daughter to make me one but then I decided to see if I could make it (after doing a great YT tutorial for a simple dishcloth that included increases and decreases).  I am now addicted to Emergency Hat and have made three so far with various methods of the drawstrings.  If a pattern is frustrating...Stop!.  Crochet Rookies - DO NOT START WITH GRANNY SQUARES! (I have a whole other post coming about those inventions of the crochet devil).  Weaving in ends is the worst part of either of these crafts and Grannies will leave you with a million ends to weave and very few places to weave them.

In closing, try to put away a little extra money for a few more weeks before heading out to the crap store to arm yourself for yarn battle.  Or, look for yard sales or online people who are destashing or selling off old tools.  Be careful.  There a tons of the hooks, needles and yarns that I have warned against up for sale.  I've given in to the fact that I am stuck with this stuff and honestly, I don't want pawn it off on someone else.  Just invest in even just a little higher quality so that you don't get easily disappointed and think you can't do this.  I'm not saying everyone has a talent for either craft but how many still think they can't cook because they had bad tools and/or bad food to start with?  And if you discover this is really not for you, back to the eBay/yard sale thing, you can sell good equipment and good fiber.  

See you back here on Friday for the end of the week free-for-all.

K.I.S.S.

Yes, we all know this acronym and it gets used for just about everything in life.  For yarn crafting, to me, it means taking a breath, counting to 10 and understanding that you’re not going to make a sweater or some fancy lacework right out of the gate.  Indeed, those are the photos or things you saw on the street are what brought you here but the basics are necessary.

First projects should be small-ish.  Diving in with a scarf...well my first one literally took me years to finish - I don't recommend it. Face it.  Miles of knit-knit-knit or single-crochet, single crochet gets boring really fast.  So find a simple dishcloth or coaster or potholder pattern.  You’ll finish in a week in between regular life things like work and kids.  You’ll learn something about gauge and getting it close to right, tension, starting, finishing, maybe some increase/decrease and maybe even a border.  Where I started for knitting was with American Knitter’s - How to knit for beginners lesson 1  Despite the nail-situation, this lady was a great first teacher-person for me and I still use that dishcloth.  For crochet?  Well here’s a cute little change purse  Search YouTube for a tutorial that works for you to teach you the starting moves - slip stitch, chain and single crochet.  I do apologize that I did come back into the craft still remembering those skills so I have not used any online tutorials for those.

Share you first projects in the comments section.  Getting validation will motivate you to make more.  On next Tuesday’s “Tricks and Tips” I’ll talk about tools and beginner yarn.  Have a great weekend.

Please. She. Apologies for the late post. Apparently Blogger's scheduler isn't working.

Welcome

I am a 59 year old, single-mom of two adult kids who was originally taught to knit and crochet by my paternal grandmother many many moons ago.  However, other things became more interesting and I set it all aside for decades.  When I first picked up a skein of yarn again, I was in my 40's and remembered crochet the best.  However, I didn't last long because Granny was gone and YouTube wasn't around yet.  Splitting yarn and things not coming out at all like what they were supposed to had me putting a big basket away and ignoring it until early in the Spring of 2014 when my daughter decided to teach herself to knit.  So I gave crochet another try and this time?  It worked!

All of us newbies/rookies/beginners who can even basically find our way around the net have found blogs, YouTube channels, Raverly groups, etc. that have those wonderful teacher people.  You know them;  they talk in a soothing voice, they go slow, they have lots of photos or they make very helpful videos.  We need them.  I go to them a lot.  I'm not them!  Don't expect any in-depth tutorials or original designer patterns.  Like I said, I've only been crocheting for about 15 months this time around and just retaught myself to knit about 8 months ago.  I have figured out how to make little mods to someone else's patterns but I'm nowhere near designing my own and I'm not a patient person when it comes to teaching.

Who I am is the person who's just like you...still having to learn things as I go, taking it sometimes two-steps-at-a-time and having to go back and start over.  I let my eyes get bigger than my skills and try to make things that I'm not ready for.  "Frog" has become a much-used term now in my vocabulary.  What I am going to try to be is the sidebar to all the great teacher people.  To share advice that I've learned on the fly.  I'm not afraid to say things.  I will tell you about yarn, tools, notions, etc. that suck!  I'll tell you why I found one teacher person easier to follow than a another.

Oh, by the way, I am in the Northeastern part of the U.S.  so you won't learn much about yarn shops in Ohio or Stitch & Bitches in Oregon.  I don't know if there are other national craft/fabric store chains other than Joann, Michael's and A.C. Moore*.   I'm sorry.  Maybe someday I will be able to travel more but for now I can tell you about those things in CT, NY, NJ, MA, VT and NH.

Come by from time to time.  Add you thoughts, experiences., advice freely because I am convinced there are many of us out there.  I am going to try to post "Tricks & Tips Tuesdays" and "Free-for-All Fridays".

Tip for this Tuesday:  Come back on Friday. :)

Thanks for stopping by.



*Hobby Lobby is intentionally not listed.  The company will never be included on this blog for personal reasons.