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GFTC
Permanent Resident
USA
6331 Posts |
 Posted - 01/02/2006 : 9:20:40 PM
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OK, so maybe not rules, but how about some suggestions?
1. All knitting books containing patterns, reference material, and charts should be spiral bound so you don't need 2 bricks to hold it open while you knit.
2. All ball bands on yarn sold in American yarn shops should contain info as to yardage, gauge with suggested needle size, and weight written in English (see Noro Transitions or Kochoran for the worst transgressions). This includes yarn from small private companies who often give needle size OR gauge but not both.
3. Ball bands should be printed with a small blank square where LYS can put a price sticker without covering any needed info.
4. All patterns should give the gauge of the recommended yarn for stockinette stitch in addition to the gauge of the lace or cable pattern. This info would make it much easier when you want to substitute yarn.
5. All published knitting patterns that contain stitch patterns that came out of any of Barbara Walker's Treasuries should admit it and give her credit.
6. The home phone #, cell phone #, or email address of the pattern author should be on the pattern for at least the first printing so we can call w/questions, LOL.
Please feel free to add to the list.
GFTC of NYC |
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Atavistic
Permanent Resident
6604 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 9:22:51 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by GFTC
6. The home phone #, cell phone #, or email address of the pattern author should be on the pattern for at least the first printing so we can call w/questions, LOL.
And the phone will automatically figure out the knitting skill level and willingness of the knitter to try to look up basic things like SSK or K2tog before sending the call through to the designer. That way the designer gets her sleep when the knitter simply refuses to get a decent reference book. 
Amanda
"Is that my Not-Mine Sweater? Whoever gets that Not-Mine Sweater is very lucky." |
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Atavistic
Permanent Resident
6604 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 9:31:41 PM
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And if the designer's phone number were there, KR would be skipped.
Amanda
"Is that my Not-Mine Sweater? Whoever gets that Not-Mine Sweater is very lucky." |
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GFTC
Permanent Resident
USA
6331 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 9:40:54 PM
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#6 was really not meant to be taken seriously but to illustrate the frustration that comes about with the errata that sometimes shows up in the first printing of a pattern.
GFTC of NYC |
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Atavistic
Permanent Resident
6604 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 10:28:12 PM
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[Edit: This part made sense when GFTC's post said that she had a feeling I was a designer with an unlisted number.]
I do have a pattern at Chiagu.com, and another coming out soon, and my number's unlisted, but that's because I'm a teacher and don't want my kids calling me at home or finding out where I live! [:00]Ha ha!
I know it was not to be taken seriously, I thought my little devil horn face back showed that I was joking, too.
Guess not. 
Oh well. 
Amanda
PS. Maybe now I've used enough emoticons to get my point across? 
"Is that my Not-Mine Sweater? Whoever gets that Not-Mine Sweater is very lucky." |
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Milinda
Permanent Resident
USA
3816 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 11:02:12 PM
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Amanda, [:00][:00][:00][:00][:00]!
M L
Others may ask, "What's in your wallet?" But I ask, "What's on your needles?" |
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azknitter
Honorary Angel
5539 Posts |
Posted - 01/02/2006 : 11:59:30 PM
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Go Amanda! *snort*
Trish |
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azknitter
Honorary Angel
5539 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2006 : 12:10:25 AM
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OK, my "new rule" would be...anytime a stranger in the yarn aisle of the local craft store or LYS makes a snotty remark about the quality of yarn chosen by the knitter in question........they should be met with an equal snotty remark such as...."Do you pay my bills?", "Are you offering to buy my yarn?", "Says who?", "Don't you have something to do?" or even..."OK dear, you choose my yarn, and I'll choose yours!"
Really, it's time to stop caring about being polite to people ill-mannered enough to say something like that you.
Trish |
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GrandmaHatter
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
440 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2006 : 12:39:23 AM
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Ok, I have one- all yarn skeined yarn shall have two clearly distinguishable ends, thereby eliminating the regularly occuring "skein disembowelment" brought on by the relentless pursuit of a hidden yarn end.
Kristin
www.kristingoedert.com |
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Jane
SustaYning Member
USA
4298 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2006 : 04:24:19 AM
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Good list, GFTC! I can't add a thing, especially after Kristin posted my remaining pet peeve. Well, actually, knots are a big one. I know knots happen, but don't yarn companies have any kind of quality control? One or two is acceptable, depending on the yardage, but more? Throw it in the irregulars bin, I beg you!
Jane
Blog: Not Plain Jane
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Boogie
Permanent Resident
USA
3073 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2006 : 06:13:14 AM
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I'd like all circular needles to be stamped with the size they are. I don't care if it's US size or MM measurements. I just want something to designate the size so I don't have to check all the time.
amy
http://theboogerblog.blogspot.com
http://www.spunkyhats.com |
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RoseByAny
Permanent Resident
USA
12598 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2006 : 06:24:12 AM
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They should be engraved, Boogie, near the join, so that on the offhand chance we don't knit wearing gloves, the oils in our hands wouldn't wipe those stamps off....
"Choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense, and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable."
http://RoseByAny.BlogSpot.Com |
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fmarrs
Guardian angel
USA
9776 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2006 : 06:59:31 AM
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I agree with all except #5. Barbara Walker did not design all the patterns in her books. She collected them from a variety of sources. Just because a stitch pattern appears in her book does not mean that the designer got it from there and the majority of them are in the public domain. Most of my own designing comes from my memory of stitch designs. I have been designing over 40 years but first saw Barbara Walker's books less than 10 years ago. That factoid amazes even me.
fran
http://www.geocities.com/martian_mischief/ |
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Shalee
Permanent Resident
USA
2026 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2006 : 07:27:08 AM
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Like Jane said - knots are a real pain. I just finished a skein of Debbie Bliss and there was a knot just 10" from the end. Now that, to me, is just downright stupid.
Sharon in NW PA
I always wanted my own library but I didn't realize it would be all knitting books!
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RoseByAny
Permanent Resident
USA
12598 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2006 : 07:36:05 AM
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And akin to what Amanda was saying, let's remember that it's not the designer's job to teach you to knit. E-mails to a designer about SSK or PSSO or whatever basic techniques are not cool. E-mails saying "if I do this like you say, than this doesn't happen, is there a typo or am I misunderstanding" are.
I remember recently someone designed a small item, and was begged by bloggers to post the pattern. She didn't remember everything she'd done, so posted a rough version of what she remembered (free). I saw that being slammed as poor design a few weeks later. Why was it poor design? Because you couldn't figure it out to begin with? Does she have to actually knit it FOR you?
"Choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense, and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable."
http://RoseByAny.BlogSpot.Com |
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of troy
Permanent Resident
USA
2474 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2006 : 07:57:46 AM
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5. All published knitting patterns that contain stitch patterns that came out of any of Barbara Walker's Treasuries should admit it and give her credit.
For what? Barbara just took pattern out of documents in the public domain, AND from patterns she found in CURRENT (at the time) magazines, and other sources. She did not create these patterns. She collected and editted.
There are very few "new stitch patterns" (i know one of mine is a new one, (it has a K4tog--a some what rare direction,) BUT as soon as i publish it, it becomes common propery(public domain).
I CAN NOT copyright recipes or stitch patterns. (check the copyright laws) (nor can you, nor can Barbara Walker.)
Barbara is a great editor, and made a great collection, but she didn't 'invent' those stitches. She just made an organized methodical collection.
while i have seen her books, i don't own them. I might very well design with a stitch pattern in one of her books, but i wouldn't have a clue as to what she calls it, or numbers it. there are many other (just as valid) stitch collections out there. and these have many of the same patterns, (with different names/numbers.)
(on needles now? a top down sweater, with a leaf/petal pattern, semi lacy, with all the increases hidden in the pattern. (Its not a raglan sleeve, its a circular yoke)
the pattern? out of my head--Well elements (leaf/petal shape are pretty conventional) but placement (and increases) are all one of kind. this is a new design. (not another copy of the previous 'petal' yoke sweater you can find in my photogallery)
Barbara Walker, might well have designed, but her(stitch collection) books are a fine example of collecting and EDITTING. She acknowledges help, but she doesn't credit every source in her book, so why should people be required to credit her?
See my photo albums, (edit-NO PASSWORD REQUIRED) http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v299/oftroy/ |
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GFTC
Permanent Resident
USA
6331 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2006 : 09:05:45 AM
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And yet it's interesting how many designers and editors credit Barbara Walker in patterns and books that have actually been published and sold.
For example in Scarf Style the Midwest Moonlight scarf is said to be "based on the Tilting Block Pattern in Barbara Walker's Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns."
Another example is Sunset Mosaic Socks by Ann Woodbury, published in Heel and Toes Gazette crediting "Barbara Walker's Mosaic Knittingp.65."
A third example is found in the Knitting Pattern-a-Day Calendar 2005, Bead Stitch Anklets (April 16&17). "These lacey socks are based on a pattern from a Barbara Walker Treasury called Bead Stitch."
GFTC of NYC |
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sparkleplenty
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
484 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2006 : 09:13:33 AM
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I agree there should be contact info for the designer so questions about a problem with the pattern can be answered. In all my decorative painting magazines, the designers give contact information. Sometimes it's a snail mail address, but at least it there. In my mind it seems like it creates ownership of your pattern and maybe it would help prevent so much of the errata that I see in the magazines. This is a huge pet peeve of mine since I made a sweater for my Mom for Christmas, and I encountered major errata in the pattern. I haven't heard back from the magazine yet.
One other rule, there should always, always be a clear picture of the finished work and a schematic (if it's a garment).
sparkleplenty
http://sarah.teamradicus.com/art.htm
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If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.
~Mahatma Gandhi |
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RachelKnitter
Permanent Resident
USA
2995 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2006 : 09:17:28 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by GFTC
1. All knitting books containing patterns, reference material, and charts should be spiral bound so you don't need 2 bricks to hold it open while you knit.
What a nightmare that would be for bookstores. We hate books that don't have spines, because nobody ever buys them. No one takes the time to pull the book without a printed spine off of the shelf to see what the title is. And you, dear customer, may think you want that, but believe you me, instead what will happen is a huge drop in knitting book sales, and a resultant drop in knitting book publishing, and well, nobody wants that, do they???
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You are about to be told one more time that you are America’s most valuable natural resource. Have you seen what they do to valuable natural resources? -Utah Phillips, addressing a group of young people
Poetry reading group: http://crazylanea.typepad.com/eating_poetry/ |
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GFTC
Permanent Resident
USA
6331 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2006 : 09:25:41 AM
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The new books seem to be spiral bound within a regular cover such as Vogue Knitting Quick Reference, Knitting Vintage Socks, & The Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques. You do not know they are spiral until you actually open the book and they really are a pleasure to use.
GFTC of NYC |
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RachelKnitter
Permanent Resident
USA
2995 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2006 : 09:28:01 AM
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Good point. Okay, I'll accept that...
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You are about to be told one more time that you are America’s most valuable natural resource. Have you seen what they do to valuable natural resources? -Utah Phillips, addressing a group of young people
Poetry reading group: http://crazylanea.typepad.com/eating_poetry/ |
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