A community for craftsters

I found this great intro guide to making fringes! I am taking an entrepreneurship class at art college right now and it's got me thinking about the cost of making things. If you have ever made art or crafts for sale, you're not alone in getting burned in shipping costs and more :\ I love knitting machines and have three of them. They bring the cost of production down a lot, but knitting and crochet are all labour.

I made one shawl that took 7.5hours, and, if I pay myself, minimum wage, would cost $115. I tried a different cast on and cast off method for a second shawl, ensured the needles were well-lubricated and the second one took me 5 hours. The actual knitting was three. Attaching a fringe took two hours. Someone on the Ultimate Knitting Machine group suggesting using pre-bought fringe and I like that idea. But, it also caused me to explore a few other ideas and I came across this concise guide with great pictures for adding fringe to your clothes and projects.

Start planning for 2021!

https://heavymetalknitting.com/

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Hi peeps, I'm excited to share this news. I already have two large and one small Addi knitting machines and I finally sprung for another hobbyist machine. The Ultimate Sweater Machine.

The Ultimate Sweater Machine is the one that got away. Years ago I could have bought one with a Michaels 50% off coupon, but it seemed large and unwieldy and I wasn't sure I had the space. Now I have the space and the need--this thing will come in handy for my classes too. I'm a fibre major and next year, or at least for fall, my classes will be online.

The reviews are mixed, but according to the Knitting for Profit blog, one needs just the right touch to work the machine. This has been my experience with the Addi machines and even a toy machine that I had. You'll have problems if you go too fast or hold the yarn too tight.

I saw a used one on Kijiji (like Craigslist) for $50 and it re-ignited my interested. $50 would be an absolute steal! However, the seller failed to mention if it still worked or had all the parts. They took a while to get back to me and it turns out that it has all the parts but they never confirmed that it worked. It seemed easier to go brand new. There were older knitting machines on FB Marketplace as well, but they were also "as is". Might as well spend the money once and do it right instead of having to wrangle parts.

Do you have a knitting machine?

I love Animal Crossing (and right now, who doesn't?). This artist combines electronics, Amiibos and deco to make adorable little AC sculptures.

x-posted to ac3ds_adult

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A post shared by 🌿The Original GameBoy Garden🌿 (wakuwakuisland) on Mar 18, 2020 at 8:29am PDT

I thought this was a neat idea - create a blanket based on the temperature for a random effect.

http://www.lionbrand.com/blog/a-year-in-yarn-how-to-knit-or-crochet-a-temperature-blanket

This video caught my eye because the thumbnail showed someone ironing toothbrushes. What? Oh, you wacky YouTubers!

I can't say how well some of the ideas work but it's a fascinating video to watch as an iron and wax paper quickly become a motif for the different ideas.

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Hi friends, here's the shawl that I was working on in October. I finished it up recently. The yarn is called Copenhagen and the colour is Shooting Star.

I made it on my Knifty Knitter knitting loom. I e-wrapped three stitches and then skipped a peg to make a ribbed pattern. This resulted in a neat cloud-like pattern on the back as well.

I have a lousy cold, but I was able to sit down and make some thank you cards. I wish I could have invited someone over, but I don't want to pass this germ around.

Fascinating article on the role of steganography - encoding secret messages - into knit objects during war time

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-wartime-spies-who-used-knitting-as-an-espionage-tool