Writing on the Internet

I haven't posted here in a while because I've been busy doing writing for several internet sites. I'm trying out some things to see if I can earn enough to help with college and stay at home at the same time.

One of the sites I like writing for is Associated Content. I've written a number of personal finance articles as well as articles on a variety of other topics. I'm working on a few Lesson Plans/Unit Study Guides based on individual movies and books. So far I've written one for the musical Oklahoma! and The Call of the Wild by Jack London. They should be published soon. I'm hoping that I might someday be able to collect them in a book.

I am also writing on a site called The Examiner. The Examiner is organized by major cities, and then people are chosen to be the Examiner for that city in a particular subject. So, I am the Boston Knitting Examiner. All my articles about knitting from now on will go on this site. I plan to do reviews on Mondays - books, stores, websites, etc.; How-tos on Tuesdays - patterns, techniques, suggestions; announcements of local events on Thursdays, and miscellaneous on the weekends. I may do more articles as well. It's really fun to have a focus, and it's giving me an excuse to go to events and knitting stores!

The first site I started writing for was Helium because I have a good friend who has been involved with the site and recommended it. I have been disappointed with some of their policies, but I've written 30 articles there. You can look at my articles. There are a variety of of articles there including some education/homeschooling, some finance, and a few book reviews.

There were so many times my mother would say "You should write an article about that". I'm finally taking the time now, and I'm really enjoying it.

Making Things for My Family and Myself

I have been making so many things to sell, that I haven't worked much on anything for myself or for my family. This week I got back to some of those things.

My youngest daughter left for a trip to Senegal this week - yes, the one who had her appendix out! At her request, I made her this water bottle carrier. It is made from Whole Foods bags crocheted while holding a strand of cotton yarn alongside. The plarn is waterproof and provides cushioning, and the cotton is absorbent in case the water bottle sweats or spills.

Today I took out some of the needlepoint projects I had sitting on a shelf. There were a few that look like they are completed, I'm not sure why they were still in bags with their threads. I made this one a while ago. I used a handpainted canvas, and added some personalization to the bottom edge. Ghe music staff ix a signature, the notes on it are ABD.

Another one I completed is pictured below. I remember that when I finished it I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it. I was thinking of maybe incorporating it into a tote bag.
Here is one that I started and didn't complete:

This is the one I chose to work on today. I love how soothing needlepoint can be. I started this one over 5 years ago!:

A Walk Around My Neighborhood

Field Testing Crafts

One effective marketing technique is to wear or use what you make. So I finally crocheted myself a purse out of plarn. See these previous posts to learn more about plarn:

Plarn
Working With Plarn
Plarn Fun!

First I sewed a bandanna into a lining and then I made the bag to fit the lining, which was then sewed to the top of the bag. Here is a picture of the finished bag:

The face of the bag is about 10 x 10 inches and it is 2 inches deep. The strap is a circular tube which I designed - it is strong and comfortable to wear. I stretch it as I work with it so it doesn't stretch any more as you use it.

Daily use of a bag that I made proved to be more than a good marketing technique. I found several which I can now correct in other bags. Firstly, ends that I had tucked in started to peek out:

I'm going to try some craft glue on it and see if that holds them in.

Lining the bag was something new for me. Most of the bags I have made so far are unlined so they can let damp contents breathe. However, for a purse I wanted a lining so that small things won't fall out.

One mistake I made was to crochet the bag a little bit bigger than the lining, thus the lining didn't quite fit. More significantly, putting a non-stretchy material inside a stretchy bag caused problems:

Yesterday I bought some light tan jersey fabric from JoAnn's to use as a lining. In addition, I purchased some broadcloth which looks good on both sides. I have cut the fabric to make into pockets, one will fit my iPod and/or cell phone and the other is a bit wider to hold keys and pens. I'll get out the sewing machine soon and I'll post the "after" pictures.

Appendicitis and Reversible Knit Stitch Patterns

What a week! My daughter's changing Facebook status tells the story:

Sunday: Heather is 17 years old.
Monday evening: Heather is going to the emergency room
Tuesday morning: Heather has appendicitis

Tuesday evening: Heather has no appendix

We got home Wednesday evening, she's sore and tired, but recovering. I'm tired, and also recovering. Following are pictures of my "appendicitis scarf". I started it in the emergency room, and finished it Wednesday morning.

I like working with patterns that include multiples of 3. I find I can count the stitches in my head and still focus on other things like conversations or TV. It also makes it easy to tell if you have the right number of stitches in the row, if you drop or add a stitch the pattern won't work.

When my husband and other daughter came to visit, the first thing I asked for was more yarn! Here is the second scarf I started to work on:

When I make scarves and afghans, I like them to look good on both sides. In the many books of stitch patterns I own, there are none that show how both sides of a stitch looks. Maybe I'll write a book featuring stitches that look good on both sides, along with photographs. Just one of the many projects to do in my spare time.

The two stitches I used for these scarves are relatively easy to do. For the one in the first picture I used a size 6 needle, and dk weight yarn, but this will work with any size yarn and the appropriate sized needles for the yarn weight. I cast on 21 stitches, and it is about 4.5 inches wide. Here is the stitch pattern for the first one:

Multiple of 6 stitches, plus 3

For every row: Slip the first st as if to purl; k2 *p3, k3; repeat from * to end.

The second scarf ends up looking sort of like a sideways rib stitch. I used a size 6 needle, and 2 strands of fingering weight yarn. With 24 stitches cast on it is 4.5 inches wide.

Following is the stitch pattern.

Cast on desired number of stitches

Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: Knit

Repeat these 3 rows for pattern.
Note: to make a smooth edge, slip the first stitch of each row.

Happy knitting!

Plarn Fun!

After discussing plarn creations with people on Etsy, I decided to play a bit with colors and shapes. I used patterns for crocheted motifs. The two in the following picture are just the centers of motifs. I'm thinking of using these to make magnets, pins or key chains. Giving these out will give people a chance to see and feel what plarn is like.

The motif in the next picture is already being incorporated into a bag. The bottom of the bag is crocheted with orange plarn, and so far I'm using mostly white plarn to surround it.

These next squares are the same granny square type pattern. The multicolored one was made from a the bag surrounding a case of Bounty Paper Towels! I haven't decided how to use these yet.

Here are two more. I may attach these to same plainer bags that I have made to dress them up a bit

Working with PLARN

I've been making and working with plarn (PLastic yARN) for a while now and have found that many people have questions about how to use it. In an earlier post I discussed how I make the plarn.

After much experimentation, including many mishaps, I have learned a lot. At first, thinking that I would get more out of the bags, I cut the bags into a width of 3/4 inches. Eventually I found that 1 inch worked best. The wider width seemed to fill up the spaces better.

In choosing a hook and a stitch, think about what you are making. A beach or gym bag works well with a larger needle (up to size M or P), and with double crochet. I like working with a size K for tote bags and I use single crochet at least for the first and last few inches. I have also found that plastic crochet hooks are a little bit easier to work with than metal, although I have used both. The picture below is a closeup of a bag that was made using single crochet.

Working with plarn can be hard on the wrists. I have found several ways to make it easier. Making a point of crocheting looser than I usually do helps a lot. I also hold the plarn looser than regular yarn. For most crochet I weave the yarn in and out of the 4 fingers of my left hand, but with plarn I just have it flow over my index finger. When I started I thought that putting lotion on my hands would help the plarn slide easier. I have since found that keeping my hands and needle dry works best. These things work for me, you may find other ways work best for you.

Another question involves how to wash items made with plarn. They can be machine washed, but make sure you don't put it in the dryer! I made a kitchen mat for a friend of mine, and she said that soaking it in a dilute vinegar and water solution left it looking like new. The vinegar would also serve to disinfect the product.

Isn't plarn stiff and crunchy? Different kinds of bags work up differently. Bags like newspaper sleeves, and some grocery bags work up quite soft and cushy. I was told that the floor mat was extremely comfortable and everyone in the family liked to stand on it. In addition,it doesn't collect dirt, an advantage for my friend who is allergic to dust mites. Other bags can be more crunchy, but they still work well in bags and other creations.

What can you make with plarn? I like making bags made with it, and I think it is especially good to carry damp items, the bags are waterproof but the crochet lets the moisture out. When combined with a cotton yarn, I've used plarn to make coasters, and I'm currently working on a water bottle carrier. I once made a kippah/yarmulke! Plarn makes a great dish scrubby, the openings hold the soap but it isn't absorbent so it doesn't collect and hold onto bacteria. I've been using one made out of soft bags so I use it for things that don't need real scrubbing. I plan to try one made of bags that are a bit more scratchy. My plarn soap dish also works well.

Stitches other than single and double crochet can be used with plarn. Remember that everything is bigger so some stitches will leave holes that are quite big. Also, don't try to pull the yarn snug when starting and finishing like you might with yarn, the plastic can stretch and break. I have found that the plarn fluffs out after crocheting with it, so don't be too concerned if it seems thin.

For grocery bags that make loops which are connected, rolling them into a ball works fine, but don't roll it too tightly. It has a tendency to unwind easily so I put a covered elastic around the balls after they're wound. When I cut bags into strips, I like to roll it flat onto a piece of cardboard. This keeps it from twisting. These strips can also be too small and slippery to stay in a ball. I cut a slot in the cardboard to put the end in so it stays put. I have recently started measuring these strips before I wind it, then writing the length on the cardboard, and also where they come from. It can be fun to tell people what the plarn was before you made it into something. The following picture is not photographed well, but it will let you see what I am talking about.

That's it for now. If I remember more tips I'll post them. Any questions? Contact me and I'll do what I can to help.