Stitchboard Admin message #47
Re: Tunisian gauge
October 13, 2013 at 5:00:40 PM  (in response to BetwixtTheStitch message #1)
 
Sherry,

You could try the hardware store...it couldn't hurt!    This one has a pet section.  For a while, they carried Frontline, then stopped...huge mistake, as they started carrying it again less than a year later.     Duh, I could have told them it was a mistake!  They weren't going to sell those spray-on brands...most of the people I know would never use that stuff.

The Greenies are a little more recent for them.  It's not just the Pill Pockets...they also have dental treats and other stuff, too, I'm sure.  Our girl loves the dental treats.  I just checked on the price of the Pill Pockets, because I couldn't remember...ouch, $6.29 when they're not on sale.  The vet's office charges $5.50, IIRC, though that may have gone up a bit...but not as high as $6, IIRC.  (Obviously, we don't buy them often...last time we did was when we were trying to get her to take those $5-something heartworm treats!)

There's a vet's office that's closer and they charge something like $10...for the same thing!    And that's the feline version..I bet the canine version costs more. 

Your daughter's chihuahua sounds so sweet!    I'm so glad you think she'll be a little more cooperative about trying on the hat.    Yeah, pets are such a mixed bag...the things you think they'll like, they hate (like the two-story condo we bought for our furdaughter...she'll sit on top of it, but that's it...she won't even stick her head in it ), and the things you think they'll hate, they like.  LOL, go figure!

Though it is what keeps them interesting, don't you think?  Always keep your humans guessing. 

I'm glad your son found what he enjoys...especially these days, it's good just to have a job, never mind something one likes! 

I have the same screw loose...I can't stand knots and tangles in yarn!  I can't work with yarn all knotted. 

Tunisian...I still don't have a double-ended hook, sigh...but what I do have is a sweatshirt that someone hemmed up to make it a crop top.  I got it at a garage sale...all I've ever done is wear it underneath sweatshirts during the winter.  It's otherwise pretty useless.    Sorry, I'm not going out in public in the fall with my midriff hanging out!

I decided to pull loops through that dumb hem, like a towel topper on a towel, and then TKS down until it's a size I like.  Once I get there, I'm seriously thinking of picking up the loops with a smaller circular knitting needle and doing a couple of inches of ribbing.

Since sweatshirts are generally poly/cotton blends, I figure acrylic should be fine.  The extra thickness of the TKS is why I want to do this in TKS, to make it extra warm.  I'll work from side to side from the one hem, then see about perhaps pulling a last stitich through on either side.  Not sure how that's going to work.    Or maybe just sc/sl st down the sides.  Yeah, I think that's what I need to do.  Work, say, the front, pull up a last row of loops on the bottom, put them on a piece of yarn or knitting needle or holder, then work the back, sc or sl st each completed row together as the back is worked (so there are the same number of rows for both pieces...LOL, I have a tendency to otherwise mess that up), then pull a last row of loops, put all of them on a circular knitting needle, and knit the ribbing.

Sound confusing?  LOL, that's what I think!  Um, did I mention I have a screw loose? 

I'm also still planning on working on that headband.    I haven't forgotten...but I want to jump in with both feet now that I have yarn for that the messed-up sweatshirt...LOL, jumping in with both feet first, so the headband will be child's play! 

What are you going to make with the TDS?  That's a very attractive stitch.  Some of the Tunisian stitches are prettier than others, IMO.  I think it's TSS that I find meh...could take it or leave it...but I think TDS would be wonderful for an afghan or wearable item. 

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Stitchboard Admin message #50
Re: Tunisian gauge
October 14, 2013 at 4:43:33 PM  (in response to BetwixtTheStitch message #3)
 
Sherry,

I really don't think a little bit of "people food" is bad here and there...though we're hesitant now only because of the intestinal problems.  It was no fun to scoop the litter box multiple times and clean up poop in the hall and wash blankets every day.  So for now, at least, no "people food" treats.  OTOH, no pooping problems...LOL, so there really is a plus! 

Also, it's kind of fun to give her the "right" food that she really loves.  We were feeding her dry (vet's advice) and now (vet's advice) we give her the canned stuff she adores.  So it's not a terrible trade-off...even though my husband still wants to give her little "people food" treats...but he's been pretty strict, because the memory of cleaning up endless poop (and the stink of it!) is quite traumatic! 

It's so much fun to figure out their little personalities!    LOL, I wish I'd gotten a picture of her yesterday in her daddy's arms.  She rolled over on her back and had her two front paws sticking up in the air.  Squeeeeeeee!

Question: am I correct that chi ears kind of stick up like cat ears?  I'm wondering on the hat if you think it will work to make something that goes around the ears, then meets to slip under the chin.    That's the main thing I've been westling with, or the dumb old pattern would be done by now! 

Oh, yeah, if I was a teenager (not that I was doing this as a teenager!), I might be more open to exposing my midriff.  But during the summer/warmer weather, not during the winter, and definitely not now!

I've been kind of assuming whoever mutilated the shirt to make it a crop top had a screw loose , but now I'm thinking perhaps they really, really didn't plan it...maybe the bottom of the shirt got horribly stained or ripped or something.  Either way, it doesn't matter...it's just crying for a nice TKS, though!    Glad you concur on how to work those side seams.  Sc or sl st will depend on how wide the sides are.  If they're too wide (because I can't get close enough to the edges of the seams), then it will be sc.  Otherwise, sl sti.

Kind of nice to wing it, isn't it? 

I think working a lacy stitch in Tunisian will make an incredible sweater!  Conventional is so meh...I haven't seen anything in lacy Tunisian, either, so GFI!    Who wants to do same old, same old?  There are so many plain, boring sweaters out there.  Bleah.

Remember those "shaker sweaters," as I think they're called?  Kind of look like knitted ribbing or something?

I remember thinking years ago, "I could make one of those," which was immediately followed by, "Um, why?!  Those sweaters are a dime a dozen...why waste good yarn making something I can get for $10 with no labor involved?!"  LOL, sometimes good yarn logic comes to the rescue. 

You're doing exactly what I would do...just fudging the length and doing a lot of measuring.    For me, it really depends on the pattern...if it would look good with more row repeats, then I'd simply follow gauge for the width and work to measurements alone on the height (even it was necessary to go a bit "over" to finish a pattern repeat, usually an extra half inch or so shouldn't make a sweater too long).  A lot of patterns are that way, after all...saying to work in sc or whatever "until piece measures 18 inches."  I usually take that as artistic license to play with it.    As long as the gauge matches up stitch(width)-wise, I don't worry too much about the length, when a pattern says to go X number of inches or whatever.  Measure, measure, measure...that's the key!

An L hook...hmm, don't know that I have one!  Must get!  I saw an N hook at Walmart, so you can bet that's on my list of "things to buy."  Understand, I don't need one...but I want to have all possible sizes!

Years ago, I didn't know there was a P hook.  I had a pattern that called for one.  I went out and found a yarn shop and bought two of those suckers.  I think I still have only one.    Well, at least I've got one!  I think it was a Bernat brand back then (early '80s ).  Has its own plastic carrying case, too. 

Yeah, if you're going to go TSS, IMO, then you may as well just go plain sc or something.    Like those old "shaker sweaters," bland and too plain.  Nicer to mix it up. 

I think the TDS would be wonderful for when a post crochet won't work out.  I started a project with post crochet...and it looked really nice...but like you said, it's not great for plain, flat work.  Seemed to be an awful lot of yarn for such a small item, too!    I was playing with something kitchen-y, as well...didn't seem worth it.  Abandoned for now, until I find a better use. 

Isn't it fantastic how versatile Tunisian is?  Back when I first experimented with it, I never thought I would love it so much!  It works up in lace, can look like knitting (but much warmer!), can be used for cables, as you proved so nicely...it's the technique that launched a thousand...stitches! 

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Stitchboard Admin message #52
Re: Tunisian gauge
October 15, 2013 at 6:15:14 PM  (in response to BetwixtTheStitch message #6)
 
Sherry,

UGH, I totally agree with you about the "pet food."  They put crap in many of those foods, crap like corn.  Now, someone who works in the veterinary field told me corn isn't bad for them...but the whole point is, it shouldn't be the most prevalent ingredient!  I complained to one company after trying their food for our girl...yuck, the first ingredient was corn!  I was wondering why our poor daughter was crying to us like she was starving when she had a full bowl of food...no wonder!    I felt like a terrible fur-mommy.    If she'd eaten a lot, she probably still didn't feel like she had a full tummy. 

That's why we now check the labels of everything we buy.  Sometimes we're there for half an hour, while my husband reads the labels and we get new food.  He calculates everything out...checks the moisture, fat content, etc, and figures the carbs, too.

So now we're sure what we're giving her is decent...expensive, but decent.

Awww, your poor sweetie...did you find out what she was allergic to? 

It's so hard with pets...they can't tell you what's wrong (and I don't know about dogs, but cats won't tell you...poor things don't want to be vulnerable), and trying to figure out anything is extremely difficult.  We know our girl itches from something...but it's not fleas, since she doesn't go out and we treat her for fleas...and it's not seafood, since she hasn't had that in any of her food for months now...who knows?!

I was thinking of chaining around the ears.    If the chains go around them, on either side of the ear, then meet, the little pointy part could sit right in between both ears.  It's not huge.  I'm also thinking of perhaps then trying that elastic sl st between the bottoms of the two ear holes, if that makes sense?  Someone suggested using elastic, but my fear is that it could be too tight.    I asked a friend who has an adorable pic of one of her foster kitties wearing reindeer antlers...she said it was fastened with Velcro...I'm sure I don't have to tell you about what Velcro does to yarn, sigh.    So maybe the elastic sl st...and hopefully, it's elastic enough! 

Oh, yeah, why not unravel knit garments?!    So with you there!    Question: what did you do when it wasn't a continuous knit item?  How did you manage with all of those ends?

That's the one thing I hate about buying something in the store...it's rare that an item is continuously knit...more likely knit by a machine as one straight piece, then cut and seamed. 

What a waste of perfectly good yarn, don't you think?!  I know wool sweaters can be cut and fulled...but not cotton or acrylic or whatever.

I don't like plastic for hooks or needles.  I had to settle for plastic knitting needles several months ago because it was all I could get cheaply in a pinch in a certain size, and I fought with the stupid things the entire time. 

I haven't tried wood or bamboo or anything...I've only used plastic and I guess aluminum.  Now, in the larger hooks (and knitting needles), all I could ever get were the plastic.  Size Q & S, I think?  (IIRC, the size Q and perhaps the size S bit it in the flood.  I did dry off one large hook and then washed it in vinegar or something, but the bottom piece fell off and I couldn't get it to stay on.  )

Post crochet is perfect for toys and hats...I entirely agree there!    I bet those hats are the warmest and wonderful for those bitter cold winters.  I haven't seen Iron Man or War Machine, but I've seen those bearded hats...too cool!    Do you have any pics?

I'm so glad you still have your hooks and didn't have to invest in new ones!  That really helps...I'm so angry that now I have to invest in an entirely new set of pretty much everything.    IMO, Tunisian is one of those things that is unfortunately easily forgotten (neglected is perhaps a better word?) in favor of other techniques, until discovered again.  I usually go off on tangents, working on patterns (such as the candy corn costume) and then frequently after I finish whatever it is/was, I'm onto something else and Tunisian is a distant memory.    Then I return to it and think, "Why did I forget about this?!  It's so great!"

"In love"...yes...that's the perfect characterization...I'm in love with Tunisian!  (Hmm, I hope my husband won't get jealous! )

I completely agree with you about sizing.  It all needs to be customized for every garment.  You're right that a bust of a certain size doesn't mean the waist and hips follow...I have a pretty decent amount of boobage, but I thankfully don't tend to be big in the waist and hips (even though I weigh more than I'd like, sigh).  Like you said in a previous message...measure, measure, measure!  (Which also leads to a lot of frogging.)  Either that or...what a concept...only make things like scarves!    LOL!  Not. 

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Stitchboard Admin message #54
Re: Tunisian gauge
October 16, 2013 at 8:08:09 PM  (in response to BetwixtTheStitch message #8)
 
Sherry,

UGH, corn!  There are some veggies that are fine to put in with pet food...I've never believed corn should be one of them.    The problem is that veggies are usually added to pet food for humans to feel comfortable with it.  Fail!  It should be based on the critter and what's right for their diet.

I know someone who has a muntjac deer furchild.  She has to keep him out of the cats' food!  He's an herbivore, of course.  He doesn't understand that the cat food is not his treat!

OTOH, there was a story in someplace like Australia, about people who brought a very sick, underweight kitty to the vet...and the vet discovered they'd been feeding the poor kitty only veggies!    Unbelievably, they did not remove the pet from the people's care.  Instead, they sent the people home with the kitty and some meat to feed it.  I hope they learned and that it wasn't a mistake to send them home with the poor critter!

Honestly, if you're going to want a pet that eats veggies, don't get a cat or dog!  Get a rabbit or something.  Geeze.

Onions, garlic, chocolate, caffeine, etc, are all terrible for dogs and cats.  (Raisins, too!)  I never knew that...not that we've ever tried to give any of it to our girl!  I wonder if my childhood kitties ever had bad stuff like that, though. 

How cool that you reused the wool from the skirt!  If it was too small and you couldn't use it anymore, why not?!

It's really not worth it to unravel stuff...but then (caveat)...wool is so expensive, I might be tempted if I had something I really liked, particularly if it didn't fit anymore.

I'm not surprised about wood, bamboo, etc, splitting.  Not to sound paranoid, but it kind of makes me wonder if part of the selling point isn't that the items will ultimately have to be replaced?  I don't know, as I haven't specifically used the wood or bamboo, but I do know that metal (aluminum?) hooks and needles from years ago are pretty decent...except for the ones that went through the flood, they've lasted quite well. 

I hope you'll post pics of the results with your sweater!  It sounds amazing! 

You're so inventive!    I love how you took a still picture of a hat from a movie and made it out of crochet!  Can't wait to see those pics when you can get them!

LOL, scarves, shawls, headbands, bookmarks, stuffed animals, etc...all "safe" items, no fitting/measuring required! 

Oh, man, don't get me started on clothing sizes!    Particularly women's clothing.  Talk about a blatant fail! 

Pants, for example: Men choose their pants based on waist and inseam.  Couldn't be more clear.

That way, you can't have (for instance) a 34 inch waistband if a pair of pants is labeled 38.

Women's sizes?  All over the place! 

I can buy a size 8, and in one manufacturer's pants it may be way big, while in another, it may be way small.  There's no standardization whatsoever.

Every single pair of pants, every skirt, every blouse, whatever it is, has to be tried on first.  What's a size small could be too small or it could be way big.  And I still have yet to figure out "slim fit," "relaxed fit," etc.  A size should be a size, and that's it.  If you want to make something to fit a slim waist, manufacturers...here's an idea...make it that size and be done with it...don't make it a size X "slim fit"!  That makes no sense.

I've strugged all of my life to find sizes that fit. 

For years, I wore a size 3 in pants.  It was comfortable.

I then didn't buy pants for a number of years.  The ones I had worked just fine, but then they started wearing out.

I went out to the store and grabbed size 3.  Too big!  The sizes had changed...and they didn't just change, they'd changed drastically.  Size 3 was...I don't even know what size it was.  Whatever it was turned out to be way big.

Then I couldn't find anything that fit.  I finally gave up and wore kids' clothes for a while...unfortunately, I gained a little weight from there and had to go back to women's sizes. 

After yo-yoing up and down, I arrived back at what was a (new) women's size 4.  Still bigger than my old size 3, but whatever.  I knew if I went for a certain size and brand, size 4 petite, I would get something that would work fairly well.

Then one day I bought a pair of my size 4 petites and the fit had changed.  It was the most uncomfortable pair of pants I'd ever purchased.  I wore them one day and went back to something that was old and wearing out. 

I'm wearing a slightly bigger size than a 4 now, but even so, I'm wearing pants that are one size larger than what I need, because the size I should wear is way too uncomfortable.

I have to wear belts to wear pants to get something that fits fairly well.

Who makes up women's sizes?  Have they ever met a real woman?  Because honestly, I don't think so! 

Sorry...rant over.

It's too bad crocheted pants aren't the rage, huh?! 

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Stitchboard Admin message #56
Re: Tunisian gauge
October 17, 2013 at 11:00:50 PM  (in response to BetwixtTheStitch message #10)
 
Sherry,

That's exactly what I'm thinking...the poor kitty's people must have been vegans and probably really objected to a pet who eats, gasp, meat.    That's why I think they should have chosen a different pet, one like a rabbit, one that wouldn't eat meat.  Getting a cat was a bad decision for them!

Ugh, who would know grapes and raisins are bad for dogs/cats?!    I never tried to feed any to my childhood kitties, but I also wouldn't have known how dangerous they were.

You're so right about expensive electronics.  They're made to crap out.  Everything is.  Businesses want you spending money.  Heaven forbid you should have a phone or something that will last for years and years. 

I've noticed major crochet hook/knitting needle brands haven't changed much over the years.  At least something is staying the same!    The packaging has somewhat changed...my crochet hook set that was in a plastic package is now in a cardboard thing.  (That was a fairly recent purchase, maybe about 5+ years ago.)  I don't even know if my steel hook set is available anymore.  I bought it on clearance from (of all places) a Sears that was discontinuing their craft section (about 30 years ago!).  It was a nice vinyl case with the hooks each having their own spot, arranged by number.

Let me know how you fare with the bamboo!  I'm kind of afraid of trying them. 

Wow, your grandma was in the ILGWU?  How cool!

Yeah, none of that is made here anymore.    Our culture is crappy and disposable, we produce nothing, everyone else does our work...it makes no sense.  It actually costs us more for the "cheaply" produced garments made overseas...but I somehow doubt that stuff will ever come back again.  And you're right, that is when the sizes became wonky.  Any manufacturer can slap any size they want on something, and nobody can say boo about it...we have little say in the matter.  We can't walk around without clothing, so like it or not, we have to buy it. 

Sounds like you've found a great solution with the polyester stretch pants!  I like to wear jeans...sigh, so I struggle with them.    Maybe someday I'll give in and go for the polyester...but I really, really love denim jeans!

How wonderful that you like the sweater and are going to make one for yourself, and perhaps for others for the holidays!    I hope you'll take some pics! 

I'm still working on the candy corn cap.  Just winging it.  Still not sure if it will have enough stretch, but I suppose that's the beauty of being able to tear things out! 

And hopefully my husband won't get into too much trouble for making her wear it! 

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Stitchboard Admin message #58
Re: Tunisian gauge
October 18, 2013 at 3:07:00 PM  (in response to BetwixtTheStitch message #12)
 
Sherry,

Hahahahahahaha!  I never saw your misspelling of Christmas!    It's so easy to make mistakes when in a hurry.

Oh, yeah, who wants to chance yarn snagging on a bamboo hook?    I'm sure when you first try it, it would be fine, but then what happens as your hook gets older?  That's when you're going to experience problems.  Is it really worth it? 

Oooh, I love the purple Simply Soft!  Purple is one of my favorite colors, and I adore the softness of Simply Soft!

I really like the colors they have available in Sugar 'n Cream.  The self-striping yarns are sooooooooooo pretty!  When I used to get the Sunday paper from a certain area, I'd check the Michael's ads, and when they had their $1 or $1.25/skein sale on the Sugar 'n Cream, I'd buy it, because then no coupon was needed to get a great deal!

Spa cloths and bath mitts are a fantastic idea for gifts!  Hmm, maybe once I do the dishcloth thing I'll try that for holiday gifts.  Thanks for the great idea! 

The main reason I'm so into dishcloths these days is twofold; one, I really, really despise the way sponges start stinking within a week or two of starting a new one...they're so expensive, one would think they'd last a lot longer, but nooooooooooooo, they just start stinking almost right away.    Two, I like the idea of something I can throw into the washer with a load of laundry.  The dishcloths won't take up a lot of space, either, so I can throw them in with clothing, blankets, whatever!  You can't do that with sponges.  They start stinking and that's it...they have to be replaced.  I imagine (as I haven't tried this) they would likely deteriorate if thrown into the washer.  LOL, I'm not going to try it, as I don't want to be pulling bits of sponge off of clean clothes!

I've read that you can disinfect sponges in the microwave, so I suppose that's another option...but then, why not just make something nice that won't break down over time?

I'm soooooooo envious of your JoAnn's!  Ours doesn't have a lot of selection.  There are about two facing short shelves with yarn, a couple of end caps, and then a half short shelf (the other half has things like hooks and needles).  Matter of fact, I was looking for a certain size of straight knitting needle a few months ago, couldn't find it, and the last time I was in JoAnn's I found a bunch of other needles...by the sewing machines.  Who would think to look there? 

So they don't have much. 

Awwwwww, thank your granddaughter for me!  I hope her sweetie won't mind...furbabies can be so funny about things.  (Ours has yet to figure out that the stream running in her fountain is water.  She can't smell it, so she's perplexed as to what it is!)

LOL, sigh, most of crochet (or other crafts) is probably ripping stuff out.    No other way to tell than to try, though!  You can't know if something works unless you try.

Times like those I wish it were possible to have a crochet machine, like a knitting machine!  Let the machine do it! 

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Stitchboard Admin message #60
Re: Tunisian gauge
October 19, 2013 at 5:24:34 PM  (in response to BetwixtTheStitch message #14)
 
Sherry,

With color, it's so hard to get out of our comfort zone, isn't it?  I do exactly the same thing when I buy beads.  I love the bright electric blues, purples and bright pinks, especially when they're iridescent.  Also love the iridescent black & iridescent white.  So when I go to the bead store, my first inclination is to buy those colors.  There are colors which, if I'm not specifically looking for them, will never occur to me to buy.    Totally out of my comfort zone!

Dishcloths are so much nicer...my favorite part is being able to throw them in the washer & dryer with a load of laundry...no muss, no fuss, they won't fall apart and they won't start stinking.

When I recently made coasters for a wedding gift, the first one I made was pitiful.  It was before I'd decided to join them with a sl st, and the join had been sewn, so it looked terrible and had holes where it shouldn't.  Oh, and it was too big for a coaster.

I never tore it out, though, just put it aside...new dishcloth!    I fixed the problems with it, sewed the one hole near the center closed (not even sure what happened there...probably something from joining it with sewing) and it works perfectly fine as a dishcloth.

This is why I don't often tear things out.  I'll only do that when I'm short of something I need or there's really nothing that can be done with the item.

I bet the purple and sage combo is gorgeous!    What a lovely gift to have an entire set of spa cloths...and then a loopy mitt, plus a matching back-washing cloth with handles would be fantastic! 

Will you be making the loops with chs for the mitt?  (Is there really any other way to make loops, LOL?)

So glad you made a dishcloth yesterday!    I love dischloths because they're so small and take relatively little time.  And no measuring!    Seems like a win, regardless. 

Oooh, wouldn't that be soooooooooo cool to open a yarn shop?!  I'd love to open either a yarn or a bead shop...but know better than that.  We had both our LYS and LBS close within the past few years, so nobody can make it these days.  And both were located in a college town, smack in the middle of the busy downtown area, so they had access to a lot of students who you would think would at least keep them in business...but they still couldn't make it. 

It's too hard in this economy. 

I don't know about Hobby Lobby, but our Michael's is much better than JoAnn's when it comes to yarn.  (Not so with things like hooks and needles, apparently, sigh, but at least they did have one afghan hook when JoAnn's had none!)  Walmart used to be pretty good, but then the redo of the department has replaced much of the yarns with fabrics, and I don't know what they're thinking with the $4+ specialty yarns that I doubt anyone will ever buy.  And the RH acrylic is down to such minimal colors now.    They haven't even had plain black acrylic in stock for weeks now...I had to buy it from JoAnn's "on sale," where it cost 50 cents more.

Wouldn't that be fantastic, to plug the numbers into a machine and have it crochet something to specifications?  But I wonder...

Would it be something that would really satisfy us?  Or would it (more realistically) take away from the whole experience of making something?    Guessing the latter...

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