Hairpin Lace Questions

[Noahsmom]

Ok, a few of questions ...

 

1) When the pattern states to make a strip 200 loops in length, do you count only the loops down one side (of the middle stitches) or do you count the loops on both sides? In one way there would actually be 200 loops, the other way 400 loops (total).

 

2) Do you take the loops off as you go (they start to get bunched all together on the loom after awhile)? Or do you leave them on the loom until the strip is finished?

 

3) What do you do with the strips once you take them off to start a new strip? Mine seem to be getting all tangled and such. I was thinking about buying several looms and just leaving the strips on them until I'm ready to take them all off and join them. Anyone else do this?

 

4) How in the world do you block something like this with a billion loops? Are you supposed to block it?

[JCB]

Check oout the tutorials here:

http://www.stitchdiva.com/custom.aspx?id=73

It will answer a lot of your questions. I particularly like her hint about running some string along the edges of the loom.

 

You only count one side of the loops. It helps with your sanity if, after you've counted every 50 loops, you put a little marker, so you don't have to keep counting the same loops over and over.

 

If you are making really long strips, when the loom gets too crowded you can slide the bottom off, slide some of the loops off (NOT all of them, though), and roll them up and tie them with twist ties or a rubber band. That string comes in handy to keep the loops from getting all tangled and out of place.

 

I've never blocked anything I've made on a hairpin loom... I wouldn't want to flatten the loops. But... maybe in some situations you would block.. I just haven't done it.

 

Joan

[Noahsmom]

Oh, thank you, thank you! This was great. I had seen several "tutorials" when I did a google but nothing that addressed my questions. This was perfect!