[Nfb-krafters-korner] Thoughts On Hooking Rugs: Was Re: VI/Blind and crafting

[Pam Drake]

I should have replied to this message before the last.  Cutting 
anything straight and to size is difficult for me.  I don't mind 
paying for pre-cut packages but of course this is a personal choice.    .

It's a shame the Guild no longer produces their craft books.  They 
were very well done and I'm sure many people learned a lot from them.



At 08:57 PM 1/11/2011, Greg wrote:
>The Guild for the Blind has no clue how to get the book now. I 
>contacted them earlier and they checked with different people.
>
>The limp canvas sounds like a piece that somebody had used and torn 
>out not being careful to take out gently. If we plan ahead, most 
>stores can have someone to help gather colors for labeling 
>especially if we have the labels made already and a device can be 
>made to cut the yarn yourself.
>
>Greg
>
>-----Original Message----- From: Pam Drake
>Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 10:53 PM
>To: List for blind crafters and artists
>Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Thoughts On Hooking Rugs: Was Re: 
>VI/Blind and crafting
>
>Hello, All!
>
>I have just joined this list.  I thought the following information
>might be of help to those interested in latch hooking.
>
>It has been several years now but I have done, and truly enjoyed rug
>hooking.  I have an old copy of "Row Upon Row", which, as Lauren
>says, was done by Marie Porter at the Catholic Guild For The Blind in
>Chicago.  The name was later shortened to Guild For The Blind.
>
>I Googled and visited the site and found no reference to any Braille
>publications.  I also read that they will be moving in February of this year.
>
>Below is the contact information including current and new street
>addresses.  The phone will remain the same.  You might want to
>contact them to see whether or not their Braille and craft books are
>still available for purchase through them.  If not, it sounds as
>though the book mentioned below may well be the same one.
>
>As for buying and sorting yarns, it has been a while.  I bought
>individual packages of pre-cut yarn in my desired colors.  I put
>small Braille labels with the name of each color and put them inside
>zippered food storage bags.  I went to a yarn shop rather than a
>large chain store, and asked the clerks to hand me the
>various       packets which I then put into the bags with appropriate
>Brailled color name slips.  Perhaps not the most efficient method for
>today's faster-paced commerce, but it worked well at the time and
>might still be a good idea if buying at a small shop with Staff
>willing to take the time to identify the colors.
>
>I made several projects but was put off by a disappointing incident
>which probably shouldn't have bothered me, but was frustrating enough
>to do so.
>
>The last time I bought yarn for a particular pattern the clerks
>offered to give me a piece of canvas, though I was perfectly willing
>to pay.  The canvas was limp; and I was too inexperienced to realize
>that, being so limp, the canvas did not stand up well to my less than
>smooth strokes of the hook.  The holes became misshapen.  AS I worked
>it became harder and harder to locate the individual squares, and
>attempts to properly align the stitches resulted in snags that caused
>larger and larger holes.  It got so bad I grew tired of fighting; and
>ended up setting the work aside, never to touch again.
>
>I have moved a couple of times since then and the last time I looked
>for my poor rug I could not find it.  I have thought of ripping out
>the stitches and starting over but have yet to do so.
>
>I would advise anyone wishing to do latch hook projects not to make
>the mistake I made.  Make sure the canvas you use is stiff enough to
>hold your hook as you draw it through the holes.
>
>As for me, perhaps through the list I will be inspired to find the
>pattern again and start over.
>
>The Guild For The Blind can be contacted at:
>
>Guild for the Blind
>180 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1700
>Chicago, IL 60601
>tel:  312 236 8569
>fax: 312 236 8128
>
>Their physical address will change to:
>65 E. Wacker Place, Suite 1010.
>Chicago, IL 60601
>
>
>
>I hope this info will be of help to someone.
>
>Pam Drake