So you want to have a skien of yarn... Part 4

These were great articles. This one is where I read the article (the following is just discussion on that article) http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall04/FEATcolor.html
And this really boosted my self-esteem and prompted me to design my own lace (it looked like crap when I was done blocking it) http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall04/FEATmaniacs.html
So...proper breeding techniques for anyone who wants their yarn to win first prize at the show
:-)
This article, http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall04/FEATcolor.html, is a great article for anyone who wants to have a design that is pleasing to the eye, not just those working with yarns and textiles.
So...a quick recap and points that I thought were worth writing over many times:
Hues-there are theoretically thousands of hues, since they all blend to the one next to them
Value-the amount of black or white in a particular hue. Shade is something with more black than white and Tint is something with more white than black.
Saturation, a.k.a. Chroma-how bright something is, or it's grayness. A hue plus gray is called a tone. The intensity of a color is the saturation, as well. Awesome.
A subtle color scheme using one color in various hues is called an analogous color scheme. A subtle color scheme using value is called a monochromatic color scheme, as is a subtle color scheme using saturation.
An exciting color scheme using hue is very bright, makes me feel like waking up, and might have to colors and their complements. An exciting color scheme using value has a sort of fade in/fade out thing going. An exciting color scheme using saturation looks like, at least in this particular design, lights on a ship deck inn the fog.
Advancing and receding colors pop or move into the design. I quote, "Advancing colors, the ones that pop, tend to be warm (hue), light (value), and intense (saturation). Receding colors tend to be cool (hue), dark (value), and neutral (saturation). " Remember that when you want to highlight a particular bit of design or darken the background just a little bit.

Coming up next on So you want to have a skien of yarn...: how to train, get to know, and have a good relationship with AND be able to predict what your yarn will act like and do for the rest of it's life in just a few hours! Coming up next.

WHOOPS! THIS ACCIDENTALLY PUBLISHED BEFORE THE ONE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW! rEAD THE ABOVE ARTICLE (PART 3) FIRST, PLEASE!

So you want to have a skien of yarn... Part 3

First off, I would like to create a link to my website, www.emeraldmist01.50megs.com. Jolly good.
Next: Imagine the following.
You have a beautiful skien of yarn that was given to you/just pulled out of your stash. However, it has NO tag. No papers, either, saying how to properly care for it and what size needles to use. If you were a weaver, it wouldn't bother you, but you are a [knitter/crochter/giver of yarn to people who do the aforementioned] and you need to know. You want to make it into a beautiful [insert handmade item here], but it HAS NO TAG. What are you going to do? What are you going to DO??!!!!! The world spins around you, echoing What are you going to do?
That's easy. Simply go to this website [http://www.cs.oswego.edu/~ebozak/knit/esb-patterns/yarn-size.html], where I myself got the information, or read a simplified version below.

Knit a swatch (sorry all who crochet out there). Now, measure.
If it is....stitches to 4 inches, you should use...size needles (US) and it is called...
8+ 00-2 Ultrafine (lace or baby)
6-8 2-4 Fine (fingering wieght)
5.5-6 4-6 Light (sport wieght)
5.5 5-7 Medium (DK wieght)
4-5 This is my favorite type 7-9 Heavy (worsted wieght)
3-4 10-11 Bulky
2-3 13-15 Very Bulky

This will help you figure out what type of breed you have. My favorite is purebreed or 3/4+ acrylic worsted. However, I may be biased, seeing as how I learned to knit on this fabulous blue yarn with ever-changing shades, from dark mountain lake blue to pale silver-white blue. It was gorgeous.

Coming up next: color variations and combining them for a pleasing affect, a.k.a. manipulating color BWA HA HA HA HA!

So you want to have a skein of yarn...Part 2

In this installment of "So you want to have a skein of yarn...," I will discuss different yarn breeds. Coloration can rarely be used to identify yarn breeds, as all breeds come in many colors. Without further ado, here are some of the many yarn breeds, if purebreed:

• Wool
• Acrylic
• Silk
• Polyester
• Cotton
• Ingeo (made from corn) (IT MIGHT BE SPELLED Igneo)
• Nylon
• Chenille
• Viscose
• Lycra
• Angora (a type of wool from rabbits)
• Polyamide
• Mohair
• Merino
• Rayon

Of course, there are mixtures of these. Popular ones include angora, rayon, and nylon. My personal favorite type is acrylic (I learned to knit with it). When you choose to cross-breed these, remember to be careful! Some are non-compatible.

Coming up next in So you want to have a skein of yarn...:
Yarn weights
I lost the tag--What needle size should I use? and what size is this yarn?
HOW TO TELL WHAT SIZE YARN YOU HAVE!

So you want to have a skien of yarn...

So you have taken up knitting, crocheting, weaving, etc! I offer you my congratulations. However, you will need to know how to properly care for your yarn. How do I do this, you ask? It's easy. Just follow the instructions written here.

Step one: Buying the yarn
Some places specialize in yarn, knitting and crocheting, but most places where one can buy yarn are also craft or fabric stores. I personally would check places like 99cents store, Big Lots, and Walmart. They often have cheaper yarn. Sometimes, stores have sales on yarn. There was recently a $1 a skien sale at a local Big Lots. Though the selection was small, there were several of each type. After you have paid for your yarn, carefully place it in a plastic bag. Paper bags are not good for most yarns. Place it on a seat in your car (the floor is a very bad, intimidating place) or have someone hold it if there are not enough seats.

Step two: Initial care
Yarn likes to have a sense of belonging. Therefore, it should be kept close by during the first few hours and not shown other yarn. (Some yarns are naturally leery or suspicious of each other.) Carry it with you. Eat with it in your lap. Name it. Make it happy or it could snarl and snag later on when you try to use it.

Step three: Housing
Yarns, unlike most pets, do not make a large mess on their own when properly groomed, etc. Therfore, you can keep your yarn in a basket or box, or whatever else you find suitable. I personally keep my yarn under my bed in my room so that it feels a sense of belonging in a large, fine mesh box with other yarns for company and a few knitting and crocheting books and patterns to eat and some beads and ribbons to play with. After a few days, yarn becomes attached to other skiens and will attempt to tangle with that yarn in hopes of staying nearby that yarn. One must be gentle, but firm and untangle them.

Step four: Grooming
Most stores will sell the yarn in an oblong wrapped skien, which is perfectly fine. I, however, prefer a spherical or cubical cut. Do achieve this look, simply wind some yarn around your fingers, wind some yarn around that perpendicular to the original winding. Continue until all yarn is wound.

Step five: Breeding
carefully cast on or prepare your loom. Create something. I prefer scarves and mittens, as well as the occaisonal blanket square.

Note: sometimes your yarn will 'run away' to dark, secluded areas, such as your closet, drawers, boxes buried under more boxes. To ensure you have all of your yarn, simply clean your house every3-6 months, searching out the nooks and crannys. Prepare to be surprised where your yarn ran off to!

Note: If you knit and the yarn and needles dissappear, check places where you knit: in between the sofa cushions, behind cabinets or bookshelves, in between the car seats or the glove compartment. If you knit wherever you are, check purses, backpacks, etc. Yarn likes to go new places, see new things. To prevent this, take your yarn with you in the car and let it look out the windows, maybe even let it feel the wind in it's fibers?

I hope that this guide has helped you decide to buy a skien of yarn or to care for your yarn.
It's been a pleasure.
Emeraldmist01