So, I am delighted that the Tech Wizards at b5 have now set  up all kinds of forums for us.

Photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

There is now a forum

for crafty folk- so

the friends of

Hankering for Yarn

can now connect

directly to each other

and to me

and to other folks

who read and write for b5 media.

It’s easy to post questions and chat with other yarn-o-philes.

See the ‘Community’ tab at the top of the page?

Click that.

Then, when you see ‘Crafting’ pop up, click it.

Feel free to respond to any of the topics that are already up, or start your own conversation.

Share what you are working on, thinking about, wondering about….. that’s what forums are for!

Of course, I still love getting your comments right on the  Hankering for Yarn page!

I will get back to you as soon as possible, whether you’ve posted a comment, or jumped into the forum.

Either way, I LOVE hearing what you have to say -  Hankering for Yarn is all about our mutual love of the yarnie life, so please share the yarn love! 

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

10 Reasons to Photograph Your Quilts
Mary Emma at Quilting and Patchwork lists ten reasons for preserving your quilts with photographs…this can apply to other crafts, too.

Doll Festival for Girl’s Day
March 3 was Girl’s Day in Japan. It’s time for little girls to be celebrated and wished good health, and all good things. Traditionally a gorgeous display of heirloom dolls is arranged for the Doll Festival that accompanies Girls Day. Noreen has her own way of celebrating Doll Festival….

Help for left handed crafters
Are you a lefty who has problems with embroidery patterns? Check out this tutorial of basic embroidery stitches – made specifically for left handed embroiderers.

How to Rescue Family Heritage Photos
Eileen just completed a photo restoration class and made an exciting discovery in the process.

Layers Upon Layers
All this month, Cyndi will be featuring book artists and book making projects!

Providing Bird Nesting Materials
The best materials to provide, plus a creative way to house them.

(image source: Noreen Crone-Findlay. Copyright, not to be used without permission)

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

This blog features a neverending stream of pattern swatches from Barbara Walker’s treasuries, all submitted by knitters who want to share how a particular pattern looks in living color (since many of the photos in the treasuries are in black-and-white). There are guidelines to sharing a swatch, so be sure to read all of the posted information if you want to get involved.

The site is well-organized to help you select a swatch to view, depending on what you’re looking for, especially if you want to design something yourself. While the patterns are not posted (either you already have a collection of the treasuries or you might be interested in what to expect before you buy), you can get some inspiration and a wealth of ideas.

It’s a good site for anyone looking for patterns to incorporate into their own designs or anyone who wants to see just why Barbara Walker continues to be such a huge name in knitting.

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

Here are some great holiday-related posts from this past week around b5media’s Lifestyle channel. In case you’re looking for other cool blogs to check out (whether artsy, crafty, all about home, etc.), read on:

Kettle & Cup asks if Starbucks Limited Edition is worth $26 a pound. (I love coffee, so it’s tough for me to say no!)

All Holiday Cafe spills the beans on what happens when kids make their own gingerbread house kits (what happens is cuteness)

Jewelry and Beading has a neat post on how to make rosary beads

Tangled Thread shares how she made her own Christmas ornaments and sewed sequins on for finishing

And She Knows Parties shows us how to recreate peppermint candy shops – What’s so nice about this one is how you can customize it to make it uniquely yours

Image: Photos.com

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

Light is a big factor in taking great pictures, but you can’t always rely on natural sunlight. What if you have a rainy week? What if you don’t get home to take photos until it’s dark?

I found this tutorial on how to take detailed photos of your knitting. It shows you how to make a lightbox and how to use your camera to your best advantage. With a little time, patience and practice, you can dramatically improve how your pictures appear. Which in turn may make your blog more popular and memorable.  

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

While there was some buzzing that Ravelry led to the demise of some craft blogs, that may have happened to some bloggers anyway. Blogging is still evolving, after all. What Ravelry did kill for me was my knitting journal.

A few years back, I bought this nifty little journal and I treated it like my knitting diary of sorts. I recorded what I wanted to work on, what I was working on and the yarn I used, needle size, yarn care, whether I liked the yarn, etc.

Hmmm….all things you can now do at Ravelry…but with pictures!

Needless to say, my knitting journal is gathering dust on my bookshelf. Sorry, journal, but Ravelry makes it so easy to record this same information (the only thing I can’t do is tape my ball band and yarn sample to it) as well as share it. 

Post from: Hankering for Yarn