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[Kwyjibo]

I also love the magic hole.

(countdown to out of context post... 5.... 4... 3...)

[va-vacious]

I've used the magic circle a few times, and really like it. However, I always have to look it up before using it! (It's like casting on in knitting- I've done it, can't remember how, have to re-learn each time) But it works like a champ when I've done amigrumis.

My tension is pretty tight-- in this most recent piece I'm working hard to have it looser. I hate having seams, so I usually work flat pieces. Not on the table though, that would be awkward for me!

How do y'all weave ends in? If it's where I'm changing color, I stitch right over it, or incorporate it into the stitches I'm making. The very last end I will messily have follow stitches, and then twist in to the existing crochet. It's ugly, but it seems to work. It's worked well enough that several blankets I've made which have been washed, are still in one piece.

[Kwyjibo]

The best way I've found to do the magic circle is to just think of it like you're doing a slip knot, whatever your preferred method is do that, and just don't pull it tight.  Work your stitches directly into the ring of the slip knot.  I've seen lots of people do it and they make it WAY more complicated than it needs to be.  Just make sure to leave a tail and knot it to your piece on the inside a couple of times instead of crocheting over the tail, otherwise it will come open eventually.

We use a tapestry needle and weave the end through perpendicular to the work (so like, up towards the first round of a hat from the bottom) but that only works if you have enough space with the same color.  If you have to do it parallel to your work because you've changed colors then we weave it through, but you have to go back and forth a couple of times, not all in one direction.  So like for a hat, I'll leave a longish tail, maybe 6-8 inches and I'll use the needle to weave it through the last row, maybe an inch and a half to two inches then I'll go back through the other way making sure to go past the seam, so just a tad longer than I went through the first direction, then turn it again and do another inch and a half or two.  Make sense?

I also just crochet over the tail if all I'm doing is changing color.  I've never seen anybody do knots or anything to secure a color change but I have to wonder how strong that really is.  Haven't had anything come apart yet at a color change so it must work.

[Juliana]

For weaving in-

On Knit and Crochet Today, the show, not the mag, they basically said that you can take a tapestry needle, thread your yarn back and forth a few times through a stich to make a knot, then just weave that in for a bit

That's how I do it, because I'm all lazy like that

I TRY to do it the way you said Ella, when I'm switching colors.  I usually get nervous that it's going to look weird or that it will just be wonky though, and end up going back and changing it.  I'd love to be confident in my stiching over/around or whatever though.

I do think that the tighter your tension, the more visible your seam. I  think that is why mine are harder to see.  There are other rules or...um, magics about this, but I do think it helps.


There's a guy named Mikey on you tube that's has TONS of great tutorials.

[va-vacious]

I'm making Ella some Star Wars amigrumi for Christmas (yes, the one that just happened), and found the most incredible yarn for C3PO. It's Vanna's Glamour, and is gold and has sparkles. Can't wait to use it!

The patterns that I am using are here:etsy My gauge is all screwed up, and they are giant sized, but still super cute.

AND I finally found safety eyes in a store and don't have to purchase online. woo hoo!

[Jen]

I went to Michael's on Saturday to pick up a picture I had framed (wow that is expensive!  ) and of course was immediately drawn to the yarn aisle. As I was strolling down, I saw one of the pattern books from Lion Brand next to Vanna's choice yarn on making amigrumi animals and had to buy it plus some yarn to make an animal. I made the elephant first (well, I still have three legs to do) and I think my gauge was way too tight because he isn't the size he should be, unless they measured from the tail extended to the tip of his trunk. I think on the next one I try, I will use the next hook size up.

I was super excited by this project though because I would really like to feel more comfortable working in rounds and this was the first project where almost all of my rows were the correct count the first time. Might be time to make another winter hat and scarf combo with some of the new yarn I picked up. 

Also, for Christmas, Mark bought me the Crochet Stitch Bible. Man there are some awesome stitches in there that I can't wait to try!!

[Kwyjibo]

I went to Michael's on Saturday to pick up a picture I had framed (wow that is expensive!  )

Hope you had one of the coupons they have in the paper every week.

If you want to get used to working in rounds make some hats.  I think that would be easier to pick up since the scale is so much larger.

[Jen]

I went to Michael's on Saturday to pick up a picture I had framed (wow that is expensive!  )

Hope you had one of the coupons they have in the paper every week.

If you want to get used to working in rounds make some hats.  I think that would be easier to pick up since the scale is so much larger.

Yes, 60% off.

I have made two hats and need to make another due to the fact that I have a problem covering my ears in the two that I made previously. Good idea!

Oh, I meant to comment about the safety eyes yesterday: I went to two different Michaels and also to Hobby Lobby only to realize I just need to hit up Joann's when I need sewing stuff.

[va-vacious]

Yes to Joanne's! I don't even try the other places any more. The nearest Michael's is 30+ minutes away, and has a terrible yarn selection. It's maybe 1/8th of what my JoAnn's has. And Joann's is the only place I've ever found safety eyes.

[Kwyjibo]

Do you have a Hobby Lobby or AC Moore VV?  Our HL has a tremendous selection of yarn, and their house brand, creatively named "I Love This Yarn" is super nice to work with.  We do not have AC Moore but the ones I've been to in NC have a nice selection.

None of our hobby shops have safety eyes, I've looked, and we have one of the JoAnn super stores.  I didn't have a pressing need for them so it's been okay but if I ever did need them I'd have to go online, or just do french knots or something.

[Zafer Kaya]

I don't think you can beat Jo-Ann unless you go online, and sometimes not even then.  Their selection is pretty huge and their prices are good.  Also they have way more basic components that you can actually use.  Michael's is more like... craft-y.  Or kitschy, really.  In a bad way.  Like if it's Christmas, they'll have like fake mistletoe and holly and crazy Christmas fabrics and other cheesy stuff to use for crafts projects.  Then you can't find red thread. 

[Kwyjibo]

JoAnn is actually pretty hit or miss in our market.  It's gotten better, they've opened several larger versions of their stores, which do indeed fulfill almost any crafting need you can think of... but there are only like three of those stores.  The rest of them are hole in the wall, old school fabric stores that have given up a lot of their fabric selection in order to fit in all of the cheesy kitschy Flower Factory type crap that you mention.  So they're basically fabric stores, but not very good ones and the rest of their crafting stuff is comparable to what you'd find in a couple of aisles at Wal-Mart.

The Michaels stores around here are pretty much comparable to the big JoAnn stores as far as craft supplies... and they're all that big and well stocked.  But they don't have any fabric or sewing supplies and their yarn selection blows (still better than 98% of the JoAnn stores here though).

[Zafer Kaya]

huh.  The Jo-Ann store we have here is large, bright, shiny and new in a busy semi-upscale strip mall.  The Michaels are dirty, broken-down looking things in abandoned strip malls that have been there for 30 years.  There is one by the airport that is semi-okay.  Every other one I've ever been in is awful.

I despise Michaels and refuse to go in.  Last time I was in C-Ville, my sister insisted we go in to Michaels for some stupid reason.  She doesn't do any crafts or anything she just "always wanted to go."  The first thing we saw was a some impaired in some way lady fall down the escalator.  Then some crazy middle-aged lady rammed her cart right into my knee.  Seriously everyone in there was mentally ill.  I will go to Ben Franklin in a pinch, but I'm never going to Michaels again.

Jo-Ann never has the real hip designer fabrics, I buy that stuff off eBay.  But their supplies are good and sometimes you just need like some blue or whatever.  I'm not Zooey Deschanel, not everything has to be in some sassyquirky Amy Butler print.

[Kwyjibo]

The JoAnn you describe is like the larger ones we have here, but like I said, there are only like three of them.  The typical JoAnn here is much like you describe Michaels.  Michaels is that way too, run down, strip mall places that are poorly arranged with tiny aisles etc.  Atmosphere wise you've hit the nail on the head, they suck, but the selection isn't bad and the prices are on par with JoAnn.

We also have no outlet for higher end fabrics.  There is a place that sells high end quilting fabric that is way out of the way but not fashion fabrics (I don't know anybody that sews clothes anymore).  They have a second shop nearby with upholstery fabrics but I've never been there.

[Jen]

I went to the new(ish) Joann in Deerfield (the one in Loveland that closed when the Deerfield store opened was the dumpy hole-in-the-wall type) but I could seriously drop money in the newer one (the super sized version). The Michael's I went to was also a newer one in Liberty Township and it already seemed on the dingy side. Clean but eh...not as shiny as Joann.

I am pretty particular when it comes to yarn. By that I mean I typically fork over the extra money for 100% wool or cotton or even organic. Not a fan of the acrylic stuff...I know it is probably stupid but something about putting plastic on my body just doesn't jive. I used Vanna's choice for my amigurumi and for that type of project, I am ok but if I am going to make a blanket or scarf, I want all natural.