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Help a Reader: Sewing and Crochet Queries

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Every now and then, everyone could use a helping hand.  Ready to lend your assistance?   Below you’ll find a few readers in need.  If you feel you can help or have any suggestions, please post your answer in the comments. Please try to supply instructions and/or links.

Sharon asks,
Is it difficult to move a front zipper to the back in a womens’ pants pattern?

Rochelle asks,
My mother has a 25 inch doll (head to toe) that sits in a rocking chair and I would like to make it a dress. How do I know what size to make for it. I have seen some nice patterns in knitting and crochet but not for a 25 inch doll. Can you help?

Bonnie asks,
I am attempting to find a tool that is used to pull the thread from braid to braid as I construct a braided rug. Using a needle and thread is a very slow and sometimes painful way of attaching the braids to each other and I recall that there is another method of doing this. Will appreciate any information that is available.

Help a Reader: Afghan Identification

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Every now and then, everyone could use a helping hand.  Ready to lend your assistance?   Below you’ll find a few readers in need.  If you feel you can help or have any suggestions, please post your answer in the comments. Please try to supply instructions and/or links.

Paulette asks,
How does one finish tulle hems?

Doris asks,
Here is a photo of an afghan my granddaughter sent to me. She said she found it in a magazine, but doesn’t remember which one. I have searched many crochet pattern sites, including sellers on E-bay to no avail.  Does anyone know how to make this?

Sherry asks,
I am a frog freak!! How do I make the Frog Crochet Cocoon, Hat & Booties for an adult? I have no idea how to do something like that! Would love to  have one for ME!!

Penny asks,
I have been looking forever for an old crocheted afghan pattern called Indian Paintbrush. You use Mexican yarn by Red Heart and then other jewel colors of your choice.  It can be done in either single or double crochet.  Do you have any ideas?  Thanks.

Help a Reader: Pouf Scrubby Scarves and Peanuts Sweaters

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Every now and then, everyone could use a helping hand.  Ready to lend your assistance?   Below you’ll find a few readers in need.  If you feel you can help or have any suggestions, please post your answer in the comments. Please try to supply instructions and/or links.

Pat asks,
Would you have any ideas or patterns for making scarves out of a pouf scrubby–the ones you buy made out of nylon netting for showering?

Anita asks,
Many years ago the local Catholic School made lap robes from a loom they constructed from wood and nails and they used a shuttle and wove the yarn with a fisherman’s knot. You would loop the yarn around the nails and after it was knotted you would cut around the end loops to make fringe.  This was very quick and easy and you could utilize much of your leftover yarns.  I honestly don’t know if it was something the nuns made up, but I haven’t been able to find the instructions I was given and have had no luck on the internet.

Ann asks,
I would like to find a quilt pattern called “Indian Teepee.” I have looked everywhere but no luck.

Irene asks,
Does anyone have a pattern for a Peanuts Charlie Brown sweater?  I have two grandsons and knit a sweater each year for them, and I want to make a Charlie Brown sweater with the black zigzag.

Help a Reader: Knitting Conversions

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Every now and then, everyone could use a helping hand.  Ready to lend your assistance?   Below you’ll find a few readers in need.  If you feel you can help or have any suggestions, please post your answer in the comments. Please try to supply instructions and/or links.

Carolyn asks,
Do you have any how-tos for doll glasses–wire rims no glass?

Toni asks,
I want to make a sweater for myself, but I’m only 5’2″ tall, and the instructions say it is for a woman who is 5’6″ tall! Can you help me figure out how to taper this sweater for my shorter height?

Pamela asks,
I love the loom patterns for slippers but don’t have a loom. Is there a conversion available to use to knit them by hand?

Help a Reader: Alien Crochet Hooks

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Every now and then, everyone could use a helping hand.  Ready to lend your assistance?   Below you’ll find a few readers in need.  If you feel you can help or have any suggestions, please post your answer in the comments. Please try to supply instructions and/or links.

Barbara asks,
About 35 years ago I made a “Patchwork dog” stuffed animal. I think it was done with the afghan stitch. I can’t find the pattern but I can’t be the only one that ever did it. Please, can you help?

Jane asks,
Years ago I made brown bag pins; got the idea from Aleen’s Creative Living show. I have not been able to find the directions to this project. I remember it required 3 layers of brown paper bag, but not the rest.

Lois asks,
We have a mystery in our group that we need answered.   Someone gave us a crochet hook that is very unusual. It’s ‘v’ shaped – about 6″ on each side of the ‘v’.  on each tip of the ‘v’ is an out-facing c. hook. It is a metal hook, and has NOT been bent into a ‘v’ — looks almost new, and there are NO wrinkles at the curve, suggesting that it’s been bent to the ‘v’ shape. Can you possibly tell us what it is and what it’s used for?

Help a Reader: Afghan Conundrums

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Every now and then, everyone could use a helping hand.  Ready to lend your assistance?   Below you’ll find a few readers in need.  If you feel you can help or have any suggestions, please post your answer in the comments. Please try to supply instructions and/or links.

Cyndi asks,
I’m making an afghan and want to know how you keep it from getting fuzzy while you’re turning and moving it all the time. Any info will help!

Jean asks,
I am looking for a crochet afghan pattern that has a football team on it–not in granny squares. It is done with a graph paper design. Can somebody help me?

Colleen asks,
Can you please direct me to where I can buy patterns for crochet blankets that are made with 2-inch squares that, when put together, make a picture (i.e. duck, dog etc)? I have only a handful of these patterns and would like to make something different for my granddaughter. Thank you so very much!

Help a Reader: How to Enlarge Crochet Caps?

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Every now and then, everyone could use a helping hand.  Ready to lend your assistance?   Below you’ll find a few readers in need.  If you feel you can help or have any suggestions, please post your answer in the comments. Please try to supply instructions and/or links.

Gwen asks,
I am looking for a crocheted boot pattern with a Fireman’s symbol. Can anyone help me?

Pat asks,
Could you tell me how to enlarge a crochet boy’s size cap to an adult size?

Donna asks,
Looking for pattern to crochet a southern belle dress on pillowcases.  Can you help me?”

Help a Reader: Pattern Troubles and Recycling Socks

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Every now and then, everyone could use a helping hand.  Ready to lend your assistance?   Below you’ll find a few readers in need.  If you feel you can help or have any suggestions, please post your answer in the comments. Please try to supply instructions and/or links.

Betty asks,
Hi does anyone have a pattern for Granny Square Christmas Stockings ?? My mother had them made for us when we were younger.

Gretchen asks,
I had a filet crochet pattern “book” from the late 1940’s that had 48 filet crochet patterns, one for  each of the state flowers.  It has a red cover.  I can’t find my copy and was wondering if you knew somewhere I might be able to purchase one?  Thanks for your help.

Betty asks,
Does anyone have a way to recycle men’s wool socks that have holes in the heels.  My husband and son both wear them so I have lots of castoffs.  They are washable.

Help A Reader: Motorcycles and Teddy Bears

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Every now and then, everyone could use a helping hand.  Ready to lend your assistance?   Below you’ll find a few readers in need.  If you feel you can help or have any suggestions, please post your answer in the comments. Please try to supply instructions and/or links. Have fun! =)

P. Collingwood asks,
I am hoping you can help me locate something I need. I need fingerless or 1/2 finger support gloves with a leather shield for the area between the fourth finger and the thumb. The need is to protect an extremely sensitive inner surface on a partially amputated thumb in order to be able to tolerate using knitting needles.  If you do not have such an item, do you have any ideas on where I could look to try to find one? So far my craft store, craft catalog, and internet searches have not turned up anything except the possibility of bicycle gloves. they look too stiff to do handwork.  Thanks for any help you can give.

Gale asks,
I am trying to find a pattern for cross-stitch on gingham. I found a website that has free charts in this but they are not in English.   I was wondering if anyone else could help me out?  I am also trying to find a pattern for a Teddy Bear vacuum cleaner cover or any vacuum cleaner cover pattern.

Eva asks,
I am looking for a motorbike pattern either filet or afghan, preferably not a Harley Davidson pattern. Can you please help me?

Help A Reader: Cluster Afghans and Thrift Store Treasures

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It’s time to help each other out!  This week’s Help a Reader post features questions about lost directions for a no-knitting machine and a pineapple tablecloth pattern.  Can you help?  If you feel you can help or have any suggestions, please post your answer in the comments. Please try to supply instructions and/or links. Have fun! =)

Lue Heacock asks,

I am trying to find a 60″ round, pineapple design tablecloth. I was wondering if you knew of anyone that had that pattern?

Vivian asks,

I am having trouble trying to make the cluster in an afghan pattern. In the pattern it says yarn over hook draw up a loop.  How do you do this?  It goes on, yarn over hook and draw through 2 loops on hook 3 times. Can you help me by giving me a picture of this stitch?

Debbie asks,

Hopeful someone may have heard or know about this.  It is called Heir-loom a 2″ square loom with retractable pegs- refered to as no knitting no crocheting.  Made by Hallmark Homecraft Somerville, Massachusetts 1971.  Apparently there also were books made with patterns. Found this at a thrift store and want to try it but have no directions.  Thank you for your help.

Crochet

Jewelry

Knitting

Paper

Sewing

Thrifty