graph work + fulling -- suggestions on carrying colors?

[xantha]

I'm working on the early stages of planning a fulled messenger bag, not unlike the one in Hip To Crochet. I came up with a neat graphed pattern to use as a stripe. It uses three colors in a line for a short period (something like 3 st in one color, 3 st in another color, 3 st in a third color repeated).

 

I guess I have three methods I could use for this (if you know another, please let me know):

 

* cut lots of ends (10 changes per row, 2 ends each change, so 20 ends per row times 6 rows -> 120 ends to weave in)

* carry behind the pattern

* crochet over the yarn and carry it along.

 

That's all fine and good for a non-fulled item, but since I will be fulling this, there are issues with all three: <img border=0 src="http://img28.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/banghead.gif" />

 

* it's near impossible to weave in ends after fulling in my experience. If anyone has any suggestions here, let me know!

* carry behind and then fulling it will probably make it pucker where the ends are.

* crocheting over the ends will thicken up the area and since this is Lamb's Pride Bulky, it's already going to be... bulky.

 

I will be doing another swatch, but I was curious if anyone had any experience or suggestions!

 

My <a href="http://www.xantha.org/gallery/craft/DSC_0941" target="_new">first swatch</a> came out well, but I just did plain boring stripes. <img border=0 src="http://img28.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/ha.gif" />

 

Thanks in advance!

-jess

[threeolivemartini]

so why dont you weave your ends BEFORE you full it?

[xantha]

when you weave the ends in before fulling, it causes the fabric to bunch in the areas where you've weaved in the yarn, so it's recommended against doing that.

[threeolivemartini]

i have NEVER had that problem

[xantha]

Really? Have you used a bulky weight yarn?

 

I didn't have that problem with ww, but I have with bulky. Maybe I will try it on another swatch and see what happens.

 

Thanks 3olive!

[natalie058]

I've not had the bunching problem at all either!

 

Haven't used bulky but have used 2 strands of ww held together, no problems at all!

[MarvieN]

when I'm going to full I just crochet right over the ends, figure that the fulling will cause them to blend right in with the rest. It's worked so far and I've had no bunching nor can you tell where I did it.... dunno if that'll help you or not though.

[threeolivemartini]

i have not had any bunching problems at all and i have used a wide range of yarns.. been on a roll lately with this ..LOL .. making a hat and bag as we speak...

[Guest SamplerLady]

Although not using bulky yarns, I've been tieing square knots and leaving about 3-4 inch tails. The fulling process secures the yarns so it won't unravel. After fulling I just clip the ends close to the fabric. Yes, there is a little bump, but.....it seems no matter what is done for this situation there will be some kind of "imperfection."

 

"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong."

Joseph Chilton Pierce