Sorting and Storing Yarn

Today's Tip: This is another measuring tip. If you stretch out your arms, for most people, finger tip to finger tip is equal to your height. Not sure I'm right? Most people are familiar with DaVinci's picture, Vitruvian Man (ok, I didn't know the name of it before now, but I was familiar with the picture). Look at the picture to the right, there is a square inside the circle. The man's arm span goes across the square, and the height is head to toe in the same square.

How do you organize your yarn? First of all, I use a combination of clear plastic bags, and storage bins. I leave the bags with at least a little opening, so that any moisture doesn't get trapped in the bag. Putting the yarn in clear containers helps me to remember what I have and makes it easier to find things if I want a particular yarn.

My sorting system is one that reflects the way I use yarn. Another method may work better for you. I have all cotton threads and yarns in one bag/bin. Anything with wool in it is also sorted out; although I can work with wool I can't wear it, so I like to keep it separate. Some yarns I separate by their weight - worsted, bulky, and sock weight in different bags. However, I also separate out "novelty" yarns - one bag for ladder and ribbon yarns, and another for fuzzy/furry and sparkly yarns.

Additionally, I organize my projects. I have one bin of unfinished projects. There are bags that need linings, buttons to be sewn on, and ends to pull in. I often finish the knitting or crocheting but don't have the tools handy to do the finishing. Other times I take out the items I need for finishing and take care of several projects.

One bin holds things I have posted on my Etsy site - AlysaMerle.Etsy.com. There are items that I have taken pictures of, but have not posted yet. I keep them handy so that I can make accurate descriptions in my listings. Also, I have bags holding things that are completed which have not been photographed. Finally, there are plenty of projects in progress - on my couch, and in various bags. I just purchased some medium sized clear plastic boxes, to hold things I am working on in the living room - so the cats can't get into them!

Do you have ideas about storing and sorting yarns? I'd love to hear your suggestions!

Lowell Folk Festival

Today's Tip: A nail clipper works as a simple tool for snipping yarn and threads. Sometimes you don't want to use scissors. Perhaps you are worried about little hands being injured, or you don't want a scissors poking through your bag. Although some scissors are allowed on airplanes now, you may prefer to play it safe and take a nail clipper (see http://www.airsafe.com/danger.htm). And, if you need a scissors and don't have one with you, it's more likely that someone else will have a nail clipper than a scissors.

Yesterday, I spent most of the day attending the Lowell Folk Festival. It features folk music, ethnic foods, and crafts demonstrations. All the performances are free, and there are many food stations run by non-profit groups. There are events going on in There were also children's activities and local businesses and museums had sidewalk sales and information.

The craft area featured demonstrations by expert artists from Massachusetts. Since I am most interested in crafts involving fiber, my favorite was rug hooker Jeanne Fallier.

She doesn't just hook flat rugs. Above is a picture of a hooked turkey!

There were two kinds of basket artists featured as well. Milt Lafond's, New England Pounded Ash Basketry:
and Aquinnah Wampanoag Twined Basketry by Julia Marden:

Other crafts included Puerto Rican Vejigante Masks, Wildfowl Decoys, Ship's Wheels, Puerto Rican Santos Carvings, Polish Pysanki, Quill Work and Native Regalia, Wooden Boats, Metalsmithing, Hand-Carved Signs, Sheet Metal Workers, Chinese Seal Carving and Calligraphy, and Cambodian Ceramics.

But the best thing of all was seeing so many people enjoying themselves. All of downtown was blocked off to traffic and it felt like a huge neighborhood party!

The Folk Festival ends today, Sunday, July 27. It is an annual event, generally held the the 2nd or 3rd weekend in July.

Enjoy the Process

Today's Tip: Remember to enjoy the journey. Sometimes we forget to enjoy the process because we are focusing on the product. Whatever craft you do, slow down and enjoy it.

How do you choose a yarn to work with? Find a yarn that you love. If you don't love it you may find that you don't want to work on the project.

If you are new to knitting or crocheting, however, I suggest that you choose a yarn that is not fuzzy or furry. It can be difficult to work with and it's hard to see your stitches if a mistake is made. It can also be difficult to undo. There are many lovely and soft yarns that are not fuzzy or furry. Pick one that feels good to you, in a color that you like.

The yarn you love may be a bit more expensive than other yarns. Some may consider it an extravagance, but I think about how many hours of pleasure it will give me. Not only will I enjoy making something, there is a product at the end that you can keep or give to someone else. Think about other things you spend money on. For example, eating out is enjoyable, but when it's over what do you have? What do you spend for a few hours at the movies?

On the other hand, there is a wide range of prices for nice yarns, and there are some reasonable ones. I have found that Lion Brand has a lot of yarns that I like and are not too expensive. Another brand I like is Patons. And don't forget to shop at sales, and use the coupons that some stores provide. Once you know what yarn you like, there on online stores that you can purchase from. There are often more colors available on line, stores don't always have room to stock every color.

So, find a yarn you love - and enjoy using it! If you find yourself rushing, remember the words of Simon and Garfunkel - "slow down, you move too fast".

Projects In The Works

Today's Tip: At the risk of sounding like a parent, today's tip is to wash your hands. This should be the first step, before you start working on any project involving fibers and/or textiles. Even if your hands look clean, there are oils on your skin that can transfer to your creations.

I'm still in the middle of several projects, but I'm working on finishing a few.

This is a scarf that I've been working on for a while. It takes more focus than some of my projects so I leave at home to work on. It's a little hard to see, but it's a knit 3, purl 3 pattern in which the stitches move 1 place each row. I have to check it on each row; on one side the stripe is moving to the right, but when I turn it to work the next row the stripe is going towards the left. It makes an interesting texture that looks good with this solid color yarn. Once I get the row started, it's an easy pattern to follow.























These cute little piggies are being connected to make a child's scarf. I have the crocheting done, and just need to finish the embroidered features. I'm also thinking of making one into a kippah - then it'll be a kosher pig!















I call these "Tiny Treasure Pouches". I've been making them to send to another Etsy crafter who asked for cards and promos to put in gift bags at a show. I'm going to put a wrapped candy in each one. I'm thinking of putting some in my store - they would makee good stocking stuffers, small gifts, or promos. They can hold a lucky penny or a special stone or charm. A tooth would fit in it for those expecting the tooth fairy to come. And, I'm getting to use up the little leftover balls of yarn I have collected!

A thunder storm just swept through here. Inanna is afraid of thunder, and was hiding in a box. I know she's happy that it's over.

Kippot Made With Very Special Crochet Cot

Today's Tip: Some crochet patterns have you place a marker and then move it several times. This is especially true for motifs that start in the center, such as granny squares and doilies. I have found that it is easy to use a bobby pin, paper clip, or safety pin. They are inexpensive, I can usually find one ;), they are easy to move, and I'm not upset if I lose one! If you want something nicer for yourself or for a gift, there are artists at Etsy who make them. I found them with a search for "crochet, marker, not knit". You can also find lots of lovely stitch markers for knitting. Markers for knitting generally slip on the needle and get passed between needles as you work. Crochet markers need to be hooked onto the piece you are making and moved with each row or round.

I recently received some lovely crochet thread from Snappish on Etsy. Check out her shop at http://www.Snappish.etsy.com

It is hand-dyed #10 crochet cotton, also referred to as bedspread cotton.

These are the 3 skeins that I received. The pink and purple is "Pizzaz" colorway, the blue and white is "Flax" colorway, and the blue and pink skein is the "Alyssa" colorway. I couldn't resist getting that one (even though it is spelled wrong!). Each skein has 300 yards - enough to make several small projects.

The first thing I made was a kippah (yarmulke) from Pizzaz:

Even though it still needs to be blocked/shaped, you can see how lovely it is. There is plenty of thread left. I am making some bun covers for dancers, and more kippot, including some with more openwork.

I love making kippot, especially for women. Some are completely designed by me, and others start with a pattern for a doily or another crochet motif . I have also made some large ones that are appropriate for men which will be posted my store shortly.

I welcome custom orders! Kippot can be made in many colors, sizes, and patterns. It is fun to have to match different outfits. They make great presents, especially for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah ceremony. Wouldn't it be lovely to have matching kippot for everyone in a wedding party, or in the family of someone celbrating a Bar or Bat Mitzvah? Kippot can be made to match the color scheme chosen for the event. Feel free to contact me for information or to order your own one-of-a-kind kippah.

Knitting as Therapy

Do you find knitting to be therapeutic? I know I do. This morning I had a Doctor's appointment and I purposely brought a soft, furry yarn, and needles to make a scarf. Texture can really make a difference. Also, the yarn is so nice, no special pattern is needed, and garter stitch will look good.

Just after we started talking, the Dr. suggested I finish the row and then I could put it down. And I said "No, I can't". In response to her quizzical look, I said that I needed it to keep me calm and to fidget out my nervousness. I was knitting furiously as I said it. She let me continue, thank goodness.

I got a package from KnitPicks today - I'm such a yarn hog!


You can see the yarns in this picture. KnitPicks has great yarns and great sales! It's almost impossible for me to resist. Their descriptions are wonderful, and I've liked everything I've received from them. I also love their podcasts (I'll review podcasts in other posts).

But, it gets even better - all books were 40% off.
If there's anything I like as much as getting new yarn, it's getting new books. As you can see, I mostly bought books that have stitches and motifs in them. I plan to incorporate the designs in new items to make and sell. I have lots of ideas for things to make, and I love trying out new patterns.

Today's Tip - Do you ever need a ruler or tape measure, but there aren't any to be found? Sometime when you do have a measuring device, use it to measure parts of your hand. I know that each joint of my thumb is 1 inch. My full hand span - pinky to thumb - is about 8 inches, and from pinky to pointer is about 5 inches. Even though it is not totally precise, I find this to be very useful information. For many items, exact measurement is not necessary. Knit and crochet items always have some stretch to them, so "about" is good enough for many items - such as hats, bags, and scarves. If you're making something that needs more precise measurement, you can use your hand to check if you're almost there, if it's time to get out that ruler.

30 years ago - Etsy Treasury

Yea! I did it! After a lot of failed tries, I was able to load a page from Etsy!

This is an Etsy Treasury I created this week. July 16 was out 30th anniversary, and this treasury is to commemorate it.

So, what do these images mean? Well, my dh is Gary, and his hobby is marine biology. He had fish in his dorm room when we met. I'm Alysa, and this was the only image that had my name in it, spelled correctly. Actually I was surprised to find it at all. The wedding topper is obvious. We met in Boston, Gary went to MIT and I went to BU, thus the various images of Boston. One of our early dates was to a Boston Concert. The year was 1978. On our honeymoon, we took a bunch of pictures of baby ducks, which seemed pretty funny when we looked at them later. Gary was from Long Island, my parents lived in New Jersey and that's where we got married. Our song at our wedding was "I Love You Just The Way You Are" by Billy Joel. And finally, St. John in the US Virgin Islands is our favorite vacation place (oh, and the photograph was taken by our daughter)

Today's Tip: When you need to sew pieces of crocheted or knitted work together, use round toothpicks instead of pins. They hold it together nicely and don't get lost in the fabric.

Taming my yarn and projects

Today's Tip - A travel toothbrush holder is useful for holding crochet hooks and double pointed needles. Use it at home, or put it in your project bag so you can easily find your needles.

In case you're wondering, the gorgeous creature pictured here is our cat, Inanna. She is named after the Sumerian goddess of Love and War, and Queen of the heavens and earth.

I just spent over an hour untangling the projects and yarn on and around my couch. To help keep future tangles down, I put rubber bands around all the balls of yarn. I also have to actually finish a few projects. I found about 10 things that I have started. I keep on getting new ideas or seeing a new yarn I want to work with. Then I put one thing aside and start another. I sometimes have to make a deal with myself to finish at least 2 projects before I'm allowed to start another.

But there ARE some good reasons for having so many projects ;) First of all I have some crochet projects and some knit projects. That way if my hands get tired, or I get bored with one, I can do the other. Then there are some projects with big needles and some with small needles; and there are simple projects and more complex projects. There are also some projects that are more portable than others, so they're easier to carry around. This way I have something for different moods and situations. (Note: I'm good at making excuses). Now, if I could just get myself to stop buying yarn...

My New Blog

Sometimes you have to hold your nose, shut your eyes, and jump!

I'm just beginning to learn about this blogging thing, but if I wait until I understand the details I might never get it done. I'll learn as I go.

Knitting tip - When you are working with circular needles and a lot of stitches, work one row before you join. It is much easier to get all the twists out, and you can make a stitch to close the little gap when you sew the ends in.

Check out my Etsy Store at AlysaMerle.Etsy.com

I started my Etsy store about 6 months ago. I now have 80 items listed. I have a lot more things finished, and I'll be adding them gradually over the next few months.