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Please note that this text is written in "chat format," although I've edited some of it out. Therefore, there are several conversational, rather than instructional, elements.
Note from Kim Linda Gelb was scheduled to guest teach this class. However, due to circumstances beyond her control, she was unable to attend. She had forwarded me her class notes and they were terrific. I was able to teach the class with no problems. Special thanks to Linda for helping out with this class! It worked out great! We would have had a great time if Linda were to make it. But, we understand that things happen. :-)
A Word of Caution This class teaches the technique of changing colors in afghan stitch (Tunisian Simple Stitch). A lot of people enjoy making "picture" afghans where you follow a graph, thereby forming a picture. A lot of these picture afghans are of trademarked or copyright-protected material.
Let's say that you find a cross-stitch pattern that you feel would make a lovely Tunisian picture afghan. Although you can take this cross-stitch pattern and crochet the afghan, you are not then the copyright owner of the image you have graphed out for crochet. That one is simple.
Now, let's take a trademarked sports logo. You have carefully and painstakingly graphed our your husband's favorite sports team's logo. You crochet a beautiful afghan for him. You take photos and share photos of this masterpiece with the world in your blog or online journal. This is perfectly acceptable. What is not legal is for you to provide to the world your graph or even the step-by-step instructions on how to make the afghan.
I read somewhere once that someone had a year's worth of work confiscated because they had used all Disney characters in their afghans and were attempting to sell them. A big no-no.
The bottom line here is that trademark laws and copyright laws are real. You can get into a lot of trouble breaking those laws. Recently, there have been a lot of lawsuits brought against infringers and, while only a select few are actually sued of the many who are actually breaking law, I'd hate for anyone of you to become one of those selected.
Kim> You should have three small balls of yarn and your afghan hook
Kim> You'll need to choose one of your balls of yarn and make a chain of 21
Kim> Okay, now, when you are doing a graph afghan (which is what the color changing is usually used for), you do not ever count the first loop as a stitch in the graph
Kim> For instance, if you have a graph of 20 boxes, you will make 21 chains
rane> the first loop = the one that's on the hook right now?
Kim> Yes
rane> ok
Kim> Although, in all of the other classes, I teach that as a stitch, you won't do that with a graph afghan. And, since Linda's notes are geared toward graph afghans, I will teach it that way
Kim> Okay, now using the same color, pull up all your loops as you would normally
Kim> You will have 21 loops on your hook
Kim> Now, you will close these stitches normally
Kim> Yarn over and pull through one loop for the first closing
Kim> Then, yarn over and pull through two loops for the remaining
Kim> You will end with one loop on your hook
Kim> Okay, here is the row with color changing
Kim> You are now working with Color 1
Kim> Pull up 5 loops in Color 1...you will have 6 loops on your hook
Kim> Then drop Color 1
Kim> Pick up Color 2
Kim> Leaving a tail of about 6 inches, pull up 10 loops in Color 2
Kim> Drop Color 2
Kim> Leaving a tail of about 6 inches, pull up 5 loops in Color 3
Kim> That should take you to the end
Kim> You will have 6 loops total of Color 1, 10 loops of Color 2 and 5 loops of Color 3
Kim> You'll need to use extra care on this next row....you've got strays strands of yarn hanging down and it makes it difficult to close stitches sometimes
Kim> Just remember that you can pull down on those strands to tighten it up when you get the stitch finished
rane> so we need to leave the tails hanging?
Kim> Yes
Kim> Okay, now, specific instructions for closing
Kim> Yarn over and pull through one loop with Color 3
Kim> Then, pull through 2 loops for each remaining of Color 3, until you end up with 2 colors on your hook
Kim> You will be closing 5 loops
Kim> When you get to the position of having 2 loops of color, you will:
Kim> Put Color 3 in the same hand as your hook to hold it in position
Kim> Grasp Color 2 and close the next loop
Kim> You can then drop Color 3
Kim> And, continue closing Color 2 loops (10 total)
Kim> Then, again put Color 2 in your hook hand once you have 2 colors of loops
Kim> Close the remaining 6 loops with Color 1
Kim> Linda has this special instruction about putting your yarn in your hook hand to twist the yarn in such a way so that there isn't a gap between color changes
rane> but I have yarn going everywhere
rane> are we supposed to transfer the ball of yarn to the other side when you're doing using it?
Kim> Yes'm......you'll definitely have yarn everywhere
Kim> It gets tangled and a big mess
rane> ok, and here I was feeling all sorry for myself :-D
Kim> As you're working with it, you'll need to move the balls of yarn around constantly
Fidgement> this is cool
Nina Jackson> using bobbins can sometimes help with the tangling
rane> !! brilliant
Stitchinpick> Actually, it is best to let them stay tangled and only untangle them every few rows. Just pull the yarn you need, and it works.
Kim> It's definitely a labor of love when doing a graph afghan
Nina Jackson> definitely
Kim> Yes, I let them get tangled until I simply can't stand it anymore then I untangle
Fidgement> the ones i've seen on the 'ville are really stunning
rane> yes! they're inspirational
rane> if I stop typing, it's because I've completely wound myself up in yarn and can't free my arms
Nina Jackson> LOL
Fidgement> we'll call 911 for you
rane> :-D I am among friends
Kim> Now, for the tips on graph afghans
Kim> Every square in a graph afghan represents a stitch
Kim> When working them in Tunisian, you will follow the rows in the same direction each row
Kim> You change colors as you go
Kim> It isn't recommended that you carry the yarn across more than 2 stitches
Kim> This means that, if you have a big block of color in one spot, then another big block in the same color in another spot, you'll need to start a new ball of yarn
Kim> This could mean that you end up with bobbins of 20 in order to get across an afghan that is only 3 colors
Kim> Truly!
rane> :-O
Kim> Yes, very messy
Kim> Now, when you try to find a beginner project, you'll need to look for one with big blocks of color
YarnBox> do you cut them
Kim> Yes, when I get finished with a block of color, I will cut the yarn, but you will see that you just carry it up when you work in blocks
Kim> For instance, if you continue on the piece you have started, you will have vertical stripes
Kim> And, never need to start a new ball
Kim> But, there will be lots of tangles
Kim> You just keep pulling up the yarn from the prior row
Kim> Anyone want to try that out to see how you carry the yarn up?
Kim> Anyone have any questions on bobbins?
Fidgement> yes, i'm already working on it
Nina Jackson> i am too
Kim> And, there is also something called butterfly bobbins which do not require a cardboard or plastic piece
nss> I missed where the color you're dropping needs to go when you pick up the new color
Kim> The dropped color should go to the back of your work
Kim> After the little "twist"
nss> I'm at the 2nd color change with 2 colors on hook old color ready to drop
Kim> Just put the color into your hook hand, then pull up on the next color from the row below and close the loop
Kim> At least it sounds like you're closing them??
Fidgement> yes, what are butterfly bobbins?
Fidgement> row 2 done
Kim> Another item I've never done, Fidge....LOL
Fidgement> Nina?
Nina Jackson> yes
Kim> Butterfly bobbins are where you wrap the yarn around your index and thumb several times
Kim> Then, you wrap the yarn around it loosely in the center and somehow attach it. Then, you can pull out the yarn as needed
Fidgement> oh, like a center pull skein
Kim> But, I strongly suggest you google it. hahahahaha
Kim> Seems like Carolyn Christmas's daughter posted a PDF tutorial on it in the Tunisian group's files
Nina Jackson> yep Kim's explanation is what I've seen on the net...I've not tried it though
Stitchinpick> I prefer center pull skeins to plastic bobbins wrapped in yarn.
Fidgement> on to row 3, its a tangled mess
Nina Jackson> 2nd row done too
nss> color 2 is still in the front and isn't going anywheredo I move the old stitch behind the next new stitch
Fidgement> yes, there a good instructions on the net too
rane> I just finished row 2 and I have to say that I'm quite impressed with myself :-)
Kim> When you twist, you need to make sure that you drop to the back, right Nina?
Stitchinpick> If it requires a small amount of yarn, I just let it dangle -- much easier too pull it up and through when untangling!
Kim> Quick tip!
Kim> If you need two balls of color and have only one skein....
Kim> Pull out a big chunk from the center of the skein, cut it off and now you have two
Nina Jackson> I either just wind up balls and put them in a ziploc or use bobbin or if I'm outlining I just use a long strand of yarn say about 3-5 yards and let it hang
rane> Are the bobbins fixed to anything (some kind of board) or do they just roll around like a ball of yarn would?
Stitchinpick> Yep Nina, learning to let the long strand dangle was the biggest tip I learned!
Kim> They just roll around and get tangled....that is their job :-)
Kim> I have to agree about the long strands....definitely easier to untangle
YarnBox> are there graphs on line
Kim> There are tons and tons and tons of graphs
Kim> And, if you need more, lots of people make graphs on the MoEZ yahoo group
rane> I found a great site that lets you upload an image file and it will convert it to a graph for you...for free!
rane> lilac something - let me check
rane> darklilac.com
YarnBox> thanks
Nina Jackson> yep thanks...I'll have to check that out
rane> mmm...I have been fiddling around and now I have a question
Kim> okay, shoot
rane> if I want to make a graduated line (instead of a vertical stripe) - do I start changing colors earlier/later when I am going from left to right or from right to left?
Kim> You start moving it over on the picking up loops portion
rane> okay, and then match the loop colors on the way back?
Kim> Yes, exactly, Rane
rane> great, thanks Kim
Fidgement> so you would move diagonally one stitch at a time?
Kim> Yes, exactly
Fidgement> great
