HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: perkins@tc3.fi.ameslab.gov (Leslie S. Perkins)
Subject: Re: Need x-stitch hints
Keywords: needles, rust, gold
Organization: Iowa State University
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 19:09:57 GMT

In article <1993Jan27.065914.29533@epas.toronto.edu> dschlow@epas.utoronto.ca (Deborah Schlow) writes:
>
>I have been reading a lot of British needlework and cross-stitch
>magazines in the past six weeks. A VERY expensive habit that I picked
>up over Christmas break. They all advertise 24 carat gold needles,
>both #24 and #26. The asking price is usually about 6 pounds sterling
>for three. The obvious advantage to these needles is that they would
>not rust. Has anyone seen an ad for such needles in American or
>Canadian magazines, or have you seen them in your stores? I would like
>to get some. I have no objection to ordering them from England, except
>that it is kind of a hassle. Any information would be gratefully appreciated.
>
>Deborah
>
    Deborah,

Sorry to burst your bubble but I have purchased gold needles locally and
all of them have turned.  I do not know to what the manufacturers are 
plating the 24 karat gold but my needles tend to be "stripped" after about
4 months of constant use.  And once these are stripped, the inevitable 
rusting sets in.

Has anyone else had luck (or lack thereof) with gold-plated needles?

Leslie
-- 
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Leslie S. Perkins       Iowa State University - Department of Chemistry
402 Wilhelm Hall        Ames Laboratory - DOE
ISU                     perkins@iastate.edu
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles
From: lsc@ssd.intel.com (Linda Cline)
Subject: Computerized loom (Compu-Marche)
Organization: Supercomputer Systems Divison, Intel Corp.
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 19:53:46 GMT

	I just read that the Fiberworks software has loom control for
a loom called Compu-Marche (as well as some other looms with which
I'm familiar).  I've never heard of the Compu-Marche.  Can anyone
tell me who makes this loom?  

	thanks,
	linda
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in
the same place.  If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at
least twice as fast as that!"	
                                        Lewis Carroll
Linda Cline                             Through the Looking Glass
Intel Supercomputer Systems Division 
email: lsc@ssd.intel.com
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
From: glink@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Gary Link)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles
Subject: Re: Need x-stitch hints
Date: 27 Jan 93 03:39:16 GMT
Article-I.D.: usenet.C1Hu5G.K5r
Organization: Indiana University


 Liz Stokes gives a lovely bit of X-stitch history...

The concept of COUNTED cross-stitch is later, mostly in the latter part
of the 17th c, when decorative designs other than blackwork that are
worked on an even ground become popular.  The first real major use of
cross-stitch as we know it is in samplers, and the like..some bed
hangings.

The lovely bits that Mary Stuart, the Queen of Scots did while in
captivity in England still exist and can be seen in many books on
cross-stitch, but the cross-stitches that made up the design are not
exactly like what we do today as counted cross-stitch.  The biggest
difference is the fact that modern cross-stitch is worked on an even
ground..a fabric woven to be used for cross-stitch with a regular weave,
and a particular number of threads to the inch.  Older examples are
worked without a regular grid to maintain the geometric precision that
makes reproducing a charted pattern so easy (figuratively).

Hope this helps.  
Susanna Richardson
on her SO's account
e-mail always welcome
glink@silver.ucs.indiana.edu
From: jdoak@lab4.smcm.edu (Jennifer L. Doak)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles
Subject: basic, easy, crochet...
Date: 25 Jan 93 00:49:14 GMT


I love my counted-cross stitch, and have done a little needlepoint, a  
little plastic canvas (which I don't really like, by the way...but that's  
a personal thing), and a very little bead-work, but I am interested in  
learning how to crochet and knit.  I thought maybe I'd start out with  
crochet....but I have some trouble with spatial relations (yet somehow I  
figure out how to do the things I want to do, it just takes me a long  
time) so I was wondering if someone could reccomend a good book that would  
be a foundation in crochet that explains it in very easy to read and  
understand directions?  Any ideas?

Thanks,

jen

jdoak@oyster.smcm.edu
From: vln@icpsr.umich.edu (Victoria Neff)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles
Subject: PieceWork
Date: 28 Jan 1993 15:42:52 GMT
Organization: Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research
NNTP-Posting-Host: tdis.icpsr.umich.edu

Ok, here's the phone number and address for Interweave Press, publishers
of the new _PieceWork_ magazine, as well as several other magazines and
many wonderful books.  

They will be happy to send you a catalog, by the way.  Their newest
catalog is the thickest yet, and has several books on the law for
artists/crafters that I hadn't seen before, as well as the usual MANY
on weaving, spinning, dyeing, basketry, and herbs.

  Interweave Press
  201 East Fourth St.
  Loveland, CO  80537

  (303) 669-7672  8-5 Mountain time

(I have no connection with Interweave except as a satisfied customer....)

Xref: sparky rec.crafts.textiles:2649 rec.crafts.misc:1002 alt.sewing:3862
From: wrr3118@tamsun.tamu.edu (Rick Russell)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles,rec.crafts.misc,alt.sewing
Subject: Mail-Order Source For Unique Stuffed Animals?
Date: 23 Jan 1993 21:27:00 -0600
Organization: Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: tamsun.tamu.edu

Hi there. I'd like to know if there are any mail order sources for
high-quality stuffed animals or stuffed animal patterns.

My wife and I collect stuffed animals, you see, and her birthday is
coming up and I'd like to obtain something fairly unique. We've
already combed through the local toy and department stores, and we've
got a veritable zoo of interesting animals. Unfortunately local
sources have begun to run low... I'm fairly handy with a sewing
machine, so if there are any sources for unique stuffed animal
patterns, I'd like to know about them as well.

Anyway, if you'd be kind enough to send an address to me for any mail
order place you know of, I would greatly appreciate it. In addition, I
would be happy to summarize all responses into a list and post it to
all the craft/sewing related groups. If you have any opinions about
service, quality, turnaround time, or cost effectiveness, I would
appreciate those as well and I will happily include them in the
summary.

[ As a side note, here's a list of all the stuffed animals we've found so far:

Lots of bears
2 owls
1 vulture
4 whales (1 great and 3 porpoise-related)
3 dolphins
2 dragons
1 snake
4 pinnipeds (sea lion, 2 seals, walrus)
2 dragons
1 buffalo
2 elephants
2 dogs
1 raccoon
1 panda
1 turtle
1 pig
1 shark
1 penguin
3 poisonous tree frogs (!) ]

Thanks for your time!




-- 
#      Rick Russell | TAMU Meteorology | wrr3118@tamsun.tamu.edu       # 
#     "Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I'll claw ya, tomorrow!                     #
#      It's only a litter box away!"               - Bill the Cat      #
From: dancer@drycas.club.cc.cmu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles
Subject: Re: Re:Easy crochet etc.
Date: 28 Jan 93 13:16:17 -0500
Organization: Carnegie Mellon Computer Club

In article <93025.170111LMACC@CUNYVM.BITNET>, LMACC@CUNYVM.BITNET (Len Alshan)
writes:
> Maggie Righetti's 'Crocheting In Plain English' gets my vote for one of the
> best all aroound crochet books.  Simple explanations, good diagrams, guides
> you into working from symbols (the easiest way) and goes beyond the basics.

Sigh, I have to strongly disagree with you here.

In my opinion, Righetti is a knitter, not a crocheter and this book has some
very incorrect statements about crochet.

Most notably:

1. Her emphatic insistance on how to hold the hook. 

Hold the hook however it is comfortable. You do not HAVE to hold a 
crochet hook any special way. (just like you don't HAVE to hold knitting 
needles a certain way and the fact that there is no _right_ way to do 
these crafts if _your_ way comes out the way you intended.)

2. Her misunderstanding of the slip stitch and the fact that you should 
   "Never make a slip stitch where you will have to go back into it again 
    for you will pay the devil trying to force an opening in it."

It is true that if you tightly pull a slip stich (or ANY stitch for
that matter) you will have a hard time going back into it, however saying 
never is way too strong. I know of many patterns that you have to work 
into a slip stitch.


IMO she should have stayed with her specialty, Knitting.

---*---*---*---*---*---*---*---*---*---*---*---*---*---*---*---*---*---*---
Dream Dancer                               dancer@drycas.club.cc.cmu.edu
aka                                        dancer@acm.rpi.edu
Martha Underwood                           Natural Stitches a new
                                           Pittsburgh Needlework Shop
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles
Subject: >> Program for WEAVING designs <<
From: ksmith@eagle.wesleyan.edu
Date: 25 Jan 93 14:49:32 EST
Organization: Wesleyan University


WANTED:  weaving design program, preferably SHAREWARE

does anyone know of a SHAREWARE program (meaning, i can get it off a bulletin
board using FTP, and it's free) that helps in designing weave patterns on
multiple harness looms?

i'd like to enter in stringing (and tie-up?) and weaving patterns and have the
computer show me what the resulting design would look like.


please send responses to:

KSMITH@EAGLE.WESLEYAN.EDU

(if that fails, send to kim smith c/o nikolaus haus at PHILABS!NRH@UUNET.UU.NET)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles
From: mbalbes@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Mark J Balbes)
Subject: Re: Need x-stitch hints
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 15:11:36 GMT

In article <1993Jan26.084806.21780@newstand.syr.edu> jareed@rodan.acs.syr.EDU (Judith Ann Reed) writes:
>* How do you deal with patterns that need a stitch or three of a color in 
>widely varied places? Do you try to do all of one color in a fairly diverse
>* Do you work in straight rows across the pattern, in one direction, or do you
I try to follow the color patterns, not straignt lines.  When starting 
a piece I won't jump more than about 1 cm on the back without tying off,
but later on, when there's more to weave under on the back, I'll go an inch
or so and weave under along the way.  Never tie knots, always weave under 
other stitches.  You can avoid 1/2 of the weaving (if you're stitching with 
an even number of threads) by using the folding and threading method to begin
each new piece of floss. 

>* Do you have techniques to make it easier to find your spot on the pattern?
I prefer color patterns, so xeroxing doesn't work.  Also, if you want
to use it again (or if you make a mistake and have to go back), having
a marked up pattern is bad.  I use line-a-timers - colored plastic strips
that stick to the pattern by static electricity; or I put a metal board
behind the pattern and use the line-a-timer magnets.  Most cross-stitch
stores have both of these.

>* What kind of needles do your recommend? Do you ever put the fabric in a hoop,
I use a hoop for small pieces, and a scroll frame with giraffe stand for
large ones.  I just about use a new needle for each project.

>* What treatment do you give the work when it is done, as far as cleaning,
I hand wash it with dishwashing soap (woolite will bleed the colors),
then roll it up in a towel to get out most of the water, and finish by
ironing it.  I frame them with or without glass, in frames, hoops, wheaton
boxes, or whatever seems appropriate.  If it's not under glass, USE SCOTCHGARD!

>* What about using metallic filaments? 
I read that if you put one piece of regular floss in with the balger,
it's much easier to work with and you don't mess up the effect.

>What books are good...
I haven't found any really good books.  Most advanced patterns will
have some instructions with them. And of cource, Practice, Practice, Practice.

Lisa

-- 

% This came directly from a computer and is not to be doubted or disbeleived. %
  	Lisa Balbes	Osiris Consultants    balbes@osiris.rti.org  
 2229B Hedgerow Rd, Columbus, OH 43220  (614)442-9850 (voice) 614-451-5860(FAX)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles
From: fred@cc.ysu.edu (Fred Ullom)
Subject: Need info on knitting machines
Organization: Youngstown State/Youngstown Free-Net
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 13:01:08 GMT

Hi Kids:-)

I'm a weaver as many of you know and today I would like some information on
knitting machines.

I would like to make some handwoven "sweatshirt" type garments. To give it
the real sweatshirt look, and make finishing easy with a serger, I would like
to make knitted cuff bands, waist bands, and neck bands. I've looked at the
stuff you can buy ready made at the fabric store but it just doesn't make it.
I would like the bands made out of the same yarn the body of the garment is
made of.

SO... since I don't knit, I'm looking for suggestions and information about
small simple automatic knitting machines (makes, price ranges, speed).   
Specifically, the need would be an automatic knitter that can make cloth 1/2"
to 6" wide. It would need to be able to handle yarn of small guage - 
"fingering" weight and smaller.

I know nothing of this subject so any info you have would be appreciated.

Thanks,
-Fred
Fred@unix1.cc.ysu.edu




-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------        
Fred S. Ullom                                                                   
Handweaver of tartan cloth, scarves, and sashes
tacon019@ysub.ysu.edu                                                           
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles
From: zkym02@orl.amoco.com (Keerthi Y. McIntosh)
Subject: Quilting Bee ...  need help
Reply-To: zkym02@orl.amoco.com
Organization: Amoco
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 14:07:55 GMT


Fellow netter,	


I am almost finished piecing my quilt top and it looks great ( I can't wait to see

on my bed!)  A friend and I thought it would be fun to have a quilting bee to 

do the quilting.  Have any of you had a quilting bee?  How many people do I need?

It is an Amish quilt and will need quite a bit of quilting.  Not many of my friends

quilt... is it okay to teach them the same day?  I am prepared not to have the

perfect stitch (I think?)  How long does a quilting bee go?  All day?  I know

it is partly work, partly fun, and partly socializing and that sounds good.

But what are good foods to serve and what are bad?  


We do have the following:

a) a quilt top, batting (thin poly), a backing

b) a quilt frame ( my husband is going to make me one )

c) a nice large well lit room

d) about 4 people ( I might be able to think of a few more)

e) an approximate date ( a weekend between Mardi Gras and Easter)


ANY information, suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated!

E-mail or the net is fine.... I promise to post a summary


Keerthi
zkym02@orl.amoco.com
From: martini@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (ok)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles
Subject: Re: Icelandic wool plus lace equals ?
Date: 27 Jan 1993 20:39:31 GMT
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX
NNTP-Posting-Host: dewey.cc.utexas.edu

speaking of lace and hand spun threads...

I recently saw & snagged The Mentor, a little magazine from 1917, one topic 
per magazine.  One of the four that I got was on Lace & Lace Making.. some of
the pictures of lace were like confections..  It's all in black and white,
but then, colored lace would seem sort of strange to me.. most interesting 
stuff!

sheilagh
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles
From: ron.parker@uttsbbs.uucp (Ron Parker)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles
Subject: Re: knitting camp!
Date: 24 Jan 93 08:57:00 GMT
Reply-To: ron.parker@uttsbbs.uucp (Ron Parker)
Organization: The Transfer Station BBS, Danville, CA - 510-837-4610/837-5591


   On Date: 19 Jan 1993 16:16:47 GMT vln@icpsr.umich.edu (Victoria
       Neff) wrote:

VN.> Is anyone else interested in knitting lace?  What have you made?

VN.I'm interested in this question, too.  I'm a spinner and knitter.  I haven't
VN.knit any lace, but I'm interested in seeing how fine I can spin (haven't
VN.really pushed myself lately), and I'm assuming some sort of lace is the
VN.logical end result.  However -- I'm not a lace person.  I won't wear it.

VN.So -- what else do you do with lace?  I suppose I could just frame it.... :-)

My wife makes lace strips about an inch wide and 5-6 inches long to try
out patterns then uses them or gives them away as book placemarkers.  In
a colored, fine yarn they are terrific.

Ron Parker
ron.parker%uttsbbs%boo@pacbell.com
---
 . QWiKerNet 0.69 . Fibernet BBS Henning, Mn 218-583-4337
                                                                                                                         
----
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| The Transfer Station BBS (510) 837-4610 & 837-5591 (V.32bis both lines)|
| Danville, California, USA. 400+ MB Files & FREE public Internet Access |
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From: vln@icpsr.umich.edu (Victoria Neff)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles
Subject: Re: Icelandic wool plus lace equals ?
Date: 27 Jan 1993 21:00:31 GMT
Organization: Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research
NNTP-Posting-Host: tdis.icpsr.umich.edu

In article <1993Jan27.161542.1@kean.ucs.mun.ca> ddeacon@kean.ucs.mun.ca writes:
>Hello to everyone from sunny Newfoundland.  I've been following the 
>discussion on wool types, knitting lace etc. and the combination of topics 
>plus the fact that one poster is from Iceland reminded me that I've got 
>several large skeins of *very* fine Icelandic homespun that have been 
>crying out to be knitted up for the past ten years!!!!

There are lots of knitting books that have patterns, including lace
patterns.  My favorites are Barbara Walker's _Treasury of Knitting Patterns_
and _Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns_.  You can knit a swatch
in any lace pattern, decide how wide your shawl or scarf should be, and
knit away!  She also has lots of lace edging patterns....

Elizabeth Zimmermann has a pattern for a circular shawl in _Knitter's
Almanac_, and for a more rectangular shawl -- her Pi Are Square shawl --
in one of her other books (either _Knitting Around_ or _Knitter's
Workshop_). 

With a shawl that's worked from the center out, you don't really
care about gauge, because you just stop whenever you want!

Don't be afraid to just jump in and see what happens!

Enjoy!
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles
From: beckwith%asylum.cs.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Lisa Letellier)
Subject: Sewing machine recommendations
Date: 26 Jan 93 12:23:48 MST
Organization: University of Utah Computer Science
Distribution: rec.crafts.textiles



Well, the subject line pretty much says it all.  I'm looking for sewing
machine recommendations for my mother.  I currently have a Viking (I'm
not sure what model it is) and I like it, but my mom was wondering
what other brands are out there that are reasonably priced (not over
$1000) and are good for normal to heavy sewing. (By heavy sewing I mean
through heavy materials and tough materials -- especially those used
for backpacking equipment--cordura, gore-tex, etc.)  Email or post 
responses.  If this is located in an faq somewhere, please email where
I might find it.  Thanks!!

Lisa

beckwith@cs.utah.edu
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles
From: jill@cray.com (Jill McAllister)
Subject: plaited rib
Keywords: knitting, ribbing
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 22 Jan 93 14:54:10 CST

I am working on my knitted vest (discussed previously), and am still on the
ribbing at the bottom.  It is a kind of ribbing I'd never done (or even
heard of) before.  It's called plaited rib, and I was wondering if anyone
else had ever done it.  Instead of sticking your righthand needle through
the front of the loop, you stick it through the back (pictures are the
only real way to understand this), and then you wrap your yarn around
the needle in the opposite direction from the way you usually do; and
this is for both the knits and the purls.  Then on the even-numbered
rows, you knit and purl as you normally do.  Well, round 1 (on circular
needles) took me AN HOUR!  I couldn't believe it!  (I'm not a very fast
knitter, so I'm sure a good knitter could do it in a lot less time.)
So after I lay down on the couch to recover for awhile, I started the
second round, figuring that would go like lightening.  Not quite, since
the way you do the odd-numbered rounds makes the loops pretty tight on
the even-numbered rounds.  The 3rd round (backwards knitting and purling
again) took only about 40-45 minutes instead of an hour, so I'm hoping
to see a speed-up throughout the ribbing.  Why go through all this?
Well, it makes a really cool-looking ribbing--in alternate rows, the
loops are twisted to the left in one row and the right in the next.
It really does look plaited!  Has anyone else used this?  What did
you think of it?  Do you think the finished product is worth all the
extra work?


Jill McAllister
                    *******************************************************
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*PRACTICE RANDOM KINDNESS AND SENSELESS ACTS OF BEAUTY*
Programmer/Analyst  *******************************************************
Cray Research, Inc.     (612) 683-5866
Eagan, Minnesota        e-mail: jill@cray.com
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles
From: ilaine@panix.com (Liz Stokes)
Subject: Re: Need x-stitch hints
Organization: Panix Public Access Internet & Unix, NYC
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 16:56:59 GMT

In article <1993Jan26.084806.21780@newstand.syr.edu> jareed@rodan.acs.syr.EDU (Judith Ann Reed) writes:

>* How old is counted x-stitch as a craft? Is it fairly recent? If not, how
>did long-ago stitchers do things? What fabrics did they use, what did they
>do with their finished pieces, etc? Was it used on clothing and household
>items?                                        

	I don't know exactly how old it is, but it was very popular in the
16th century. _The Needlework of Mary, Queen of Scots_ has lots of plates 
of her work and things that are attributed to her, she was extremely fond
of counted cross stitch - in silk on linen canvas. Pictures like we do now
weren't so popular - geometrics and stylized flowers mostly for furnishings
and pillows. The patterns could be highly symbolic though - part rebus and 
part iconography - people in the 16th century were very fond of this type
of mind game.
	-Liz


-- 
Liz Stokes         | 	Ilaine's E-Z Garb Workshop
Ilaine de Cameron  | 	We're going to try an experiment now. Instead of using
                   | 	a loom, we're going to wind all the yarn into balls
ilaine@panix.com   |    and adopt an infinite number of kittens...
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.textiles