Mini Maxi

Have you ever thought about what scale you like to work at? By scale, I mean how many stitches/rows/twists per inch are found in a piece. I've noticed that fiber folks often end up gravitating toward a specific scale in their work, a sort of comfort zone. You know what I mean. There are the lace shawl knitters and the chunky bumpy hat knitters. Threadies (i.e. people who crochet with fine cottons) and afghan crocheters. Precision cobweb spinners and bold textured art spinners.

I've thought about my own scale for a while now. In 2003 I taught charkha spinning at SOAR and had some examples of my cotton threads laid out for class display. Another spinning teacher came by and remarked that I work really fine and tight. And my first thought was, "No, no, I'm teaching rug hooking this weekend! I work big and fat!" It was a defensive reaction that I am still puzzling over. (Why did I get upset when pegged as a fine thread spinner?) But ever since then, I've been paying attention to scale, both my own and that of other fiber artists.

(Click any of these images if you want to see close up.)

My conclusion is that I have a wide comfort zone when it comes to scale. I indeed do rug hooking, using bulky rug yarns and getting about 24 loops per square inch. I also do punch needle work, which is exactly the same technique, only done with tiny needles and a couple strands of embroidery floss. I'm guessing it's around 200 loops per square inch.

I've done some crazy tiny crochet. I occasionally edge handkerchiefs using needle-like crochet hooks* (0.50mm) and size 60 or 80 crochet cotton. (Think of sewing thread only more tightly spun.)

I also started a project to make crocheted patchwork bracelets with slightly larger hooks and single strands of silk and rayon thread. I'll admit this one was crazy-making, even for me. I managed to produce piles of little bright squares of varying colors, but haven't yet found a way to sew them together that produces nice clean edges. (You should have seen the nearly invisible silk thread I was using to sew them, and the specialized minute sewing needles I ordered online.) This bracelet project is still on hold. I haven't given up, but I'm pondering a different approach to joining the squares.

Contrast that to my current project -- a thermal blanket for my bed, made from worsted weight kitchen cotton. I'm using a size J hook. (That's 6.0mm, or about 50 times bigger than my thread crochet hooks if you calculate by area.) I'm estimating that it'll take about 8 lbs. of yarn to make it the desired size of 80x90 inches. I'm using a very simple double crochet stitch, with waffle holes big enough to stick fingertips through.

(You couldn't see a coin if I put it against the afghan for scale, so there's Ziggy --my yarn-hungry black cat-- as a model. And yes, after my 10 years of blogging, he still insists on sitting on my projects while I do them.)

After two weeks of intermittent work, the blanket is almost done and it is enormous! It makes me look immensely productive too, doesn't it? But it's not much work than any of my other pieces. There are about one-third the number of stitches in a row of this afghan as there are in the edging. (It's just a lot heavier to hold in my lap!)

I don't really have any conclusions about why I like such a wide range of scales. I find mini and maxi projects equally challenging and equally enjoyable. I mainly just switch the strength of my magnifying glasses between them.

*I nearly had all my carry-on luggage confiscated by airport security last summer because my little case of thread crochet hooks looked like hypodermic needles to the x-ray machine. I had to show the security agent the lace handkerchief packed in the same plastic bag to show him how they were used and why I wasn't a drug dealer. The guy shook his head as he closed the case, saying, "You could do brain surgery with those hooks."

Comments

[Elizabeth]

I tend to drift towards the mini end of all my crafts. I've never decided if that's a good thing or not.

[Amy]

hmmmm....interesting question. Weaving: 12-60 epi Spinning: 2-ply = laceweight, 3-ply = fingering to DK Beading: seed beads! Knitting: nothing heavier that worsted weight, prefer sport/DK for sweaters, and lace for, well, lace.

Guess that means I'm camping out in the mini-ish end. Thanks for giving me that perspective.

[June]

Hi, Ziggy! Long time no see!