Whirlwind Book Tour for Tunisian Crochet Baby Blankets

Ah yes, the book tour, in which the author visits dozens of exciting cities, gives talks to adoring fans, has a publicist to take care of all logistics, has all travel expenses paid for by the publisher, and signs record numbers of books. Right? Not exactly, at least not for the authors of crochet titles. Although I'm not on tour myself, my book is enjoying an exciting journey to crochet bloggers all over the country. I'm honored that Tunisian Crochet Baby Blankets has made it into the blogs of these movers and shakers in the crochet world. Here's some of what they have had to say about the book. Read the full reviews at the links shown (remember that some of the giveaways may be finished by now):

I absolutely love this book!  I think that the patterns are all timeless baby patterns, and would work in a variety of colors, not just the ones shown.  Each pattern has photo help to help you understand each special stitch given, so you aren’t hunting on YouTube for video how to!  Patterns are easy to read and the designs are just gorgeous.  I wish I had this book when I was working on blankets for my 2 new great nephews earlier this year!--Karen Whooley, KarenWhooley.com

And from Tammy Hildebrand, VP of the CGOA:

If you haven't seen Sharon Silverman's new book yet, you're in for a treat! Eight beautiful Tunisian baby blankets including cables, ripples, stripes, bobbles and basket weave. There are four "easy" designs, three "intermediate" and one "intermediate plus". There is truly something for everyone. And what's really great is that there are also online technique videos available to help should you need them. -- Hot Lava Crochet

Here's what Eurona posted on her blog:

Another pleasant surprise in Tunisian Crochet Baby Blankets is a jaw-dropping stranded colorwork pattern for those of us who would like to take our stitching skills to the next level. --Hands in Delight

Kathryn Vercillo had this to say:

I was familiar with the basic look of Tunisian crochet before this but had no idea that it could be used to make such a variety of different patterns including popular crochet stitch patterns like the basketweave stitch. Bobbles, cables and ripples are also all included in these patterns, each with a slightly different look from their traditional appearance since they are done in Tunisian crochet. What a great unique gift for the baby who already has a lot of handcrafted items from others!--Crochet Concupiscence

No less a luminary than Gwen Blakley Kinsler, founder of the Crochet Guild of America, reviewed the book on her blog:

I love Tunisian crochet and I’ve been doing a lot of it lately. This beautiful book by Sharon Silverman gives me a few more items to put on my “to-do” list!--Crochet Queen

Marty Miller, Past President of CGOA and one of my inspirations--I took her class at the first crochet show I attended in Valley Forge, PA--did a thorough review. Here's some of her evaluation:

Sharon is one of the "stars" of Tunisian Crochet, and her newest book certainly shows that. Eight baby afghans, each one a different Tunisian technique, each one a different Tunisian stitch or combination of stitches....Then, this week, I brought the swatches to class, and showed my students. They all liked the Tunisian stitches with the variegated yarn better than the regular crochet stitches with variegated yarn. And then, I showed them the other afghans in the book – they all oohed and aahed over them, but the two afghans that they were really interested in crocheting were the ripple afghan on the cover, and the Tunisian Full Stitch afghan - Purple Garden.--Not Your Granny's Crochet

Here is the evaluation posted by Karen McKenna, I Hook Design. Karen also swatched several of the projects and includes pictures of her projects:

This has been a great experience expanding my crochet skills, who says you can't learn new techniques. Thanks Sharon and Leisure Arts for making it easy....

I highly recommend this book for beginners and experienced as well.  What I love about the blankets is if you make them a little larger they are all perfect as a throw for yourself.--I Hook Design

And just today, Jocelyn Sass from Cute Crochet Chat/Crochet Cafe posted her interview with me. She asked me how I got familiar with Tunisian:

I discovered Tunisian crochet in a stitch dictionary while I was designing projects for my first crochet title, Basic Crocheting: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started. I learned the basics from that book, then sought out other sources to extend my knowledge of the technique. It was really exciting to see the fabric that Tunisian crochet creates. I never liked projects with rivers of double crochet stitches—too loopy!—and Tunisian had a totally different look.--Cute Crochet Chat 

If you aren't regular readers of these blogs, I urge you to become one. It is refreshing to find thoughtful, experienced crocheters who share their experience so eloquently and generously.

More blog book tour stops are coming up later this month. Please check back here and on my Facebook page, Sharon Silverman Crochet, for information about those reviews and giveaways.

Maybe it's a good thing I'm not on the road myself. With the snow we've had this winter, I might not have been able to make it out of here!

I Break Patterns

Here are published errors I have found in the past several months: o          a stitch pattern in an Interweave book that says "rep from * across" even though there is no asterisk anywhere in the instructions for that row;

o          a stitch pattern in a different Interweave book that, when it says which rows to repeat, omits one of the rows that should be repeated, and perpetuates the error in the project that uses that stitch pattern;

o          very confusing instructions for a technique in Crochet! magazine;

o          in Interweave Crochet magazine, instructions that say the front of a sweater should be made the same as the back until it measures 5.5 (6.25, 7, 7.75, 8.5, 9.25) inches and then the neckline shaping should begin—which, unless you are built like Humpty-Dumpty, would put the neckline at your navel;

o          a project in a book from Stackpole Books in which the instructions go seriously wrong starting on Row 2.

Before I go on, let me address the question, "Haven't YOU ever made a mistake in a pattern?" Yes. I have made mistakes. Occasionally one has been published. For me, it is the worst feeling in the world. The sickening realization that I missed something, and that my mistake could make it difficult for a crocheter to succeed with my pattern, is horrible. My objective is for every crocheter to have a positive experience with my patterns. I want them to rely on me for correct, clear instructions 100% of the time. At the bottom of this post you will see my written re-dedication to this goal.

I also want to mention that there are some wonderful designers out there doing exquisite design with error-free patterns. My heartfelt thanks to them.

Let's get back to the errors above. A couple of them came to light when I was going through books to review; the rest surfaced when I was making projects just for fun and had trouble with the instructions. Believe me, I don't go looking for these things! Perhaps my background as a technical writer and writing instructor predisposes me to finding them. I also think that the fact I am not the world's best crocheter makes me less able to interpret what the designer means. I need to do what she says.

When I find what I think is a mistake, I always contact the designer to ask, "Am I reading this right?" In all of the above cases, the designers graciously acknowledged that there was an error.

What happened after that is very interesting. (These are not in any particular order. I'm not trying to call anyone out here; I just want to share my experience and start a discussion.) The authors' emotional reactions ranged from mortification to barely more than a shrug. Their practical responses also varied widely. One person put a correction on the Ravelry pattern link immediately. Another person wrote me a lengthy, helpful response to clear up confusing instructions, but those corrections have not been published anywhere that I can find (and the designer blamed the tech editor for the problems). When I checked with a third designer about whether the correction had been posted, she replied cheerfully, "I'm afraid not!" but she did want to make sure I understood how to do it correctly. As of today, the other errata have not been posted. I do not know whether the designers have contacted their publishers.

Is "Good Enough" Good Enough?

I have been turning this over in my mind. I'm bewildered and upset by the storm of errors and the seeming lack of accountability, but perhaps I am overreacting. I'm willing to consider that. Maybe the rest of you are thinking, "Get over it, Sharon! Mistakes happen, people figure them out, we publish a correction when it's cheap and easy...c'est la vie!" It would be nice to know how others feel. Am I on my own little island here? One possible explanation for my discomfort may simply be that my expectations are too high.

Something I learned from the excellent book Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most is that we all see ourselves a certain way. This identity colors our actions and interactions. For example, I see myself as "a meticulous pattern-writer who cares deeply about the people who make my projects." For me, a published mistake is embarrassing and totally inconsistent with that identity. Another designer may see herself as "a creative person who needs to crank out lots of patterns to support my children." That person may consider taking the time to check every row in every size excessive and ridiculous, since it is contrary to her mission and self-perception. Considering the time investment designers make compared to the amount we get paid, it would be hard for me to argue.

I would like to hear from publishers, whether it's book publishers, magazine publishers, or yarn companies that issue their own patterns. Is it possible that you have made a business decision to tolerate a certain percentage of errors since it would cost you more time and money to get perfect patterns? (I do understand how narrow profit margins are; anything that adds expense without increasing revenue isn't likely to be put in place, even it it improves quality. Perhaps the publishers' cost/quality equation is one we'll just have to live with.) What are the implications for future work when a designer makes an error? Are there designers you won't work with anymore because their work was too sloppy? Are there others you reward with frequent assignments because their patterns are done so well? And what if you, the publisher, have accidentally inserted an error during the editing process? Do you issue a correction and make sure people know it was not the designer's fault? Another question: Do knitting publications have a similar error rate?

Please understand that I get no joy from finding pattern mistakes. Anything that turns crocheters off is detrimental to the industry. Crocheters, please weigh in! Do you accept mistakes as par for the course and no big deal? Or do they drive you crazy? What do you do when you find one? Do you feel differently about errors if they appear in a pattern you paid for versus a free pattern?

Testing One, Two, Three

In the computer industry, a skilled code tester is highly valued. It is crucial that a program is put through its paces before it gets to the customer. Word spreads quickly about developers who provide smooth-running software and developers who create programs that are full of bugs. My husband is an awesome code breaker! Many times a colleague will send him a piece of code, swearing up and down that it is perfect and has been thoroughly tested. Five minutes later, Alan sends it back with a list of a dozen mistakes.

I wonder if there is a similar niche for me, maybe as a professional pattern tester for designers and publishers. I could combine my affinity for finding errors with the ability to do something about it in a way that increases pattern quality without ticking anyone off. All pattern testers are not created equal; super crocheters may, in fact, be the worst testers. They know what a pattern should look like, and they may compensate for any errors without even being aware they have done so. Perhaps the literal way I approach a pattern would make me uniquely suited for a "pattern-breaker" job. (Whether anyone would pay for the "Sharon Silverman Seal of Approval" remains to be seen.)

What I promise you now is that my own patterns will be thoroughly tested and edited. I will use tools like spreadsheets and schematics during the design process to help me write precise instructions, and will publish symbol charts and/or graphs when they are helpful. I will take advantage of all of the resources available (classes, books, conversations with other designers) to help me become a better designer and pattern-writer. If an error ever does get published—hey, I'm human—I will apologize, offer whatever pattern support is needed, issue a prompt correction, and make sure subsequent versions of the pattern have the update.

And if the time comes when my focus on quality makes it impossible for me to create patterns cost-effectively, I'll find something else to do.

Thank you for listening.

Book Review and a Giveaway, Crochet Wraps Every Which Way

Full disclosure: Author Tammy Hildebrand, current Vice President of the Crochet Guild of America, provided a glowing blurb for the back cover of my book, Crochet Scarves: Fabulous Fashions, Various Techniques. Crochet Wraps is published by Stackpole Books, with whom I have done five crochet titles (and a sixth in the works). That said, the purpose of this review—as in all my book reviews—is to give crocheters an objective, accurate assessment. Here we go! For starters, the book is beautiful. It has a nice clean look with a good balance of text, photos, and white space. The size and style of the typeface make it very easy to read. Color bars at the top of each page provide a subtle yet effective way of designating each project.

If a book can radiate joy and energy, Crochet Wraps does that. You can tell that Tammy loved all of the projects she made, and is excited to share them. It's a happy feeling to leaf through the pages and discover one gorgeous project after another.

Part of the book's appeal is its variety, not just in the size and shape of the eighteen finished garments but also in skill level, time needed to complete an item, and technique. It's always fun to learn something new, and Tammy gives crocheters a great opportunity to do that here. I have never attempted hairpin lace but it's been on my to-do list for a while. Crochet Wraps has given me the excuse I've been waiting for—I just ordered a hairpin lace loom. I had never thought about working hairpin lace in the round, and I can't wait to try Tammy's "You Are My Sunshine" pattern. Really stunning. The other patterns that drew my eye right away are "Midnight Azaleas," which puts a twist on motif crochet by adding a ripple edging, and "Chianti," done in broomstick lace.

I love Tammy's color choices. "Mystic Stars" fits right in with Pantone's 2014 designation of "Radiant Orchid" as the color of the year. There are blues, greens, purples, yellow, orange...black and white in "Shimmering Pearls"...soft colors and vibrant ones...autumn hues and spring palettes...and attractive color combinations. Equally impressive is the variety of textures, from light and lacy to warm and chunky.

With three patterns in each of six techniques (traditional, motifs, hairpin lace, broomstick lace, Tunisian, and double-ended), this book truly has something for everyone. Instructions in the back of the book, thoroughly illustrated with photos, provide excellent tutorials. It's helpful to have the visual index. (Kind of unusual, though, to have the items listed there in columns rather than rows. I'll have to ask Stackpole why they made that decision.) Tammy used yarn from eleven different sources, some of which I was not familiar with. I'll make it a point to check the websites for those companies, conveniently listed in the "Resources" section, and see if there are possibilities for my own designs.

As I do with all books I review, I tested some parts of a couple of patterns. The instructions for "Midnight Azaleas" were easy to follow. I didn't get as far as the finishing, but looking over the instructions for the Bottom Ripple I am pleased to see that Tammy tells us how many of each type of stitch we should have at the end of Row 1. That way crocheters can be sure to count the right thing without any confusion.

I was intrigued with the interesting look of "Cascading Rivers." A lot of my work has been in Tunisian crochet, and I hadn't seen a windowpane type of texture like this before. The one-shoulder poncho style interested me, too. I followed the instructions for Row 1 with no problem, but I ran into trouble starting with the return pass of Row 2. After puzzling over the instructions for a while, I contacted Tammy and she tried it out for me. It turns out that there are serious mistakes on Row 2 return and also later in the pattern. We were both disappointed to discover that. As a designer, I know the sinking feeling when a published mistake comes to light, especially if it has been edited and tested. Sadly, these things do happen. To her great credit, Tammy has acknowledged the errors and has made the corrections.

I told Tammy that if I published a review I would have to mention the problem, and I offered to not review the book at all. Tammy responded, "I don't want to sweep this under the rug. I want people to know that I will provide whatever pattern support they need so they can make this project!" That's a classy response to an unfortunate situation. Tammy and Stackpole are working together to create and issue errata, which I assume will appear on Tammy's website, FB page, and Ravelry page; and on Stackpole's website and FB page. Future editions will have the corrected information. (As long as they're going to this trouble, I hope that they will take the opportunity to include some technique photographs for how to work behind the previous row to do a Tdc 2 rows below—a picture or two of hook placement would be helpful.)

If you are interested in making this beautiful garment, make sure you obtain the corrected version of the pattern first.

My experience with "Clementine Shells," the beautiful Tunisian crochet wrap that appears on the cover, was much more positive. It worked up fast and the instructions were clear. It's interesting how two different ways of saying something can both be correct. Tammy says "Ch 4, draw through next 5 loops on hook" where I would say "Ch 3, yo, pull through 6 lps." The outcome is the same. In her version, it may be easier for a crocheter to count the 5 loops and stay properly positioned; in my version, the last two steps are combined so the hand motion is uninterrupted, but perhaps it is harder to see 6 loops easily.

I highly recommend Crochet Wraps Every Which Way to any crocheter looking for beautiful projects to make for herself or for gifts. Mother's Day isn't that far away!

You'll find new takes on traditional methods and may also be inspired to learn a new technique or two. Be aware that there are some flaws in the instructions, but don't let that stop you from enjoying this exciting addition to your crochet library.

Want to win a copy? Leave a comment here, and a winner will be chosen at random on Friday, January 24th. Make sure you check back here and on my FB page (Sharon Silverman Crochet)--I'll need your mailing address so you can receive your prize. (US addresses only.)

Crochet Wraps Every Which Way by Tammy Hildebrand. Paperback: 112 pages. Published by Stackpole Books, January 1, 2014. ISBN-10: 0811711838; ISBN-13: 978-0811711838

Purchase from Amazon here.

Blog Book Tour, Tunisian Crochet Baby Blankets

Tunisian Crochet Baby Blankets has gotten some nice reviews from crochet bloggers! Check out the words of Tammy Hildebrand at http://hotlavacrochet.blogspot.com/

Eurona (Hands in Delight) at http://handsindelight.com/

and Karen Whooley at

http://karenwhooley.com/2013/12/08/4-weeks-of-advent-book-review-and-giveaway-week-2/

(The giveaways are finished now, so please don't enter.) These work of these expert crafters and designers is worth becoming acquainted with if you aren't already. You'll probably find projects you want to add to your Pinterest boards right away! Thanks to all of them for taking the time to review the book. More book tour stops are coming up in January. Leisure Arts will be issuing the book in print form then, too, and it will be available from them and on Amazon.

In other news, I am just a week away from submitting my next book to Stackpole Books. All of the patterns are written and edited. Most of the photography is done; technique photos will be shot tomorrow. I have made faster progress on the symbol charts than I had feared. Right now my computer system isn't robust enough to handle the software with symbols, so I draw everything out by hand. The publisher has someone turn them into computer drawings. (I'll be upgrading my system in early 2014 and will purchase and start using the symbol program.) I'm very excited about the 23 projects in the book! As soon as I get the okay from Stackpole, I'll share more information with you. I'm also really looking forward to handing in the package and getting a break from the intensity of working toward a book deadline. Many things have been pushed to the back burner. Eager to pay attention to those!

It has been disconcerting to find many of my titles being pirated by illegal download sites. And I'm not the only one! Other designers are victims of these same schemes. We go after one, and another pops up. It's like whack-a-mole. I urge everyone to make sure that when you find a book you like available in electronic form, you make sure it is from a reputable seller before downloading it. Any entire books that are offered for free download (unless by the publisher for a special promotion) are probably stolen. Most legitimate sales sites offer patterns at what I consider very reasonable prices. For example, Tunisian Crochet Baby Blankets is sold by Leisure Arts at $7.99 for eight original patterns. $1 per pattern is a good deal! If you ever come across a suspicious site offering my stuff for free, please let me know.

I wish all of you a happy, healthy, fulfilling 2014! Thanks as always for your interest in my work.

New Book, Tunisian Crochet Baby Blankets!

It's a mystery no longer! I'm delighted to be able to tell you that one of the projects I've been working on has now been published by Leisure Arts: Tunisian Crochet Baby Blankets. Right now it's available as an e-book, with the print version expected in January. Here's the e-book link if you're interested: http://www.leisurearts.com/products/tunisian-crochet-baby-blankets-ebook.html This is my first title with Leisure Arts, and it has been a great experience so far. (Don't worry, I haven't abandoned my longtime publisher, Stackpole Books; we start shooting photos this week for our next crochet title!) LA just had me design the patterns, write them up, make the samples, and ship everything to them. They did the rest--tech editing, photography, adding videos.

The book has eight patterns.I chose techniques that I hope will appeal to a variety of crocheters, whether they are new to Tunisian or have already mastered the basics.  Here are some pictures:

A ninth pattern for a pink blanket, Heirloom Frame, will be released as a stand-alone in mid-December, and offered for free at first.I'll post the information once it is available. The book is going on tour (my books travel more than I do!), and will be visiting some top crochet bloggers in the next month or two. They're going to be offering giveaways. I'll keep you posted on all of that as we go along. If you haven't found me on FB yet, please join me there at Sharon Silverman Crochet. I've concluded that writing and distributing a newsletter is not feasible right now, so that's the best place to keep up.

Hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are feeling great!

Kim Guzman's Pattern Grading Course: A+

I recently completed Kim Guzman's online Crochetville course in pattern grading (sizing). It may turn out to be the best $30 training fee I have ever spent. For those of you who don't know Kim, she is a prolific designer and author. She has created a lot of Tunisian crochet patterns, and she maintains an active presence on Ravelry and Facebook. Kim's technique videos are available on YouTube--if you have a crochet question, check out her channel. She also moderates the Tunisian Crochet group on Yahoo. What I especially admire about Kim is the way she responds to questions. She is always gracious, even when the question is something that the person asking should be able to find out on her own. But she's not a pushover! If the question is beyond the bounds of the pattern, Kim will say so, and will suggest that the crocheter try XYZ to solve the problem.

My slight reluctance to design items like sweaters (for publication) has solely been due to the challenges in writing a pattern that has multiple sizes. I've done it, but it has been extremely time-consuming, and I've never been sure that I've gotten everything exactly right for every size. People don't scale up the same amount in each direction. Sometimes the change from S to M is not the same as from M to L. Not every design looks good on all sizes. Compromises have to be made when there is a stitch pattern that has to remain intact, even if that makes a row slightly more or less than the optimal width. Same with row counts: maybe it makes sense that a larger size has just one row more than the smaller size, but that throws off the pattern-writing because it's better to do rows in even numbers (especially with regular crochet, where you turn the work; Tunisian isn't as much of a problem). I've been tempted at times to write a separate pattern for every size, but that is tremendously inefficient especially from a printing standpoint. No publisher would go for that.

It's daunting. But I know I can get better at it, which is why I jumped at the chance to learn more.

The course included 16 videos--4-5 hours, I estimate. It started with a very basic tank top and then progressed to items with more complex shaping. First bit of learning: always draw a schematic! So helpful to have all of the dimensions laid out for every size. Second, the standards published by the Craft Yarn Council of America are just a starting point. Some things you have to figure out yourself. Ease, length, sleeve style are up to the designer. Also important, no matter how adept you are at grading, every pattern needs to be stitched up and tested (preferably in multiple sizes). Things sometimes look different on the hook than they do on paper. I discovered that when I tried to scale up sleeves. They were a comfortable circumference on the arm in the smallest size, but got way too loose in the larger sizes.

Anyway, back to the course itself. Kim went through how to use Excel or another type of spreadsheet to do calculations for you. Once you define the formulas for stitches and rows per inch, you can use those to calculate the numbers you need. The preliminary numbers, anyway. The designer still has to make decisions about whether those numbers make sense for the pattern.

The next step was to scale up the pattern for additional sizes. Kim showed how to lay out everything, row by row, for all sizes. She mentioned how useful this is when she gets a question about a pattern. Years later, she can return to the spreadsheet to see exactly what was specified. In the more complex patterns presented in the course (ones with additional shaping), it was very helpful to be part of Kim's thought process. For example, if she needed to decrease 12 stitches over 10 rows, how would she do it? What options did she consider?

Kim is exactly the kind of teacher I thought she would be, based on our previous correspondence: helpful, clear, thorough, and relaxed. She is very patient--a model of customer service. And she didn't erase the spots where she got stuck; she shared the mistake and showed where her thinking had been off, then she showed how to correct the error. The videos were good quality, and Kim fluidly moved different windows around so the students could see what she was referring to. Sometimes the audio was a little soft or blurred, especially when Kim was thinking out loud--even when my speaker volume was at 100%, there were a few spots where I had to strain to hear clearly.

The course did not teach pattern-writing, per se; a spreadsheet only provides a starting place for that. For example, where the shoulder straps on the sample tank top are, Kim did not write out the instructions for the second shoulder strap. That's something the designer would have to do.

I'm trying out the spreadsheet technique on a Tunisian sweater. So far, so good. My schematic contains every possible dimension you could ever want! On my spreadsheet, I did add many more notes in the text than Kim used. For each calculation, I noted whether it was rows or stitches. (Seems obvious, but having those notes is much easier than checking every time.) I also included reminders like "start neck shaping after this row", "decrease on the return pass," "number of stitches on front must match the back," as well as things like "Check total stitches to make sure it is an even number here." Anything that will help me when I turn the spreadsheet into an actual pattern.

The course was exactly what I was looking for, and exceeded my expectations for content and presentation. I was able to download the videos so I can return to them when I need a refresher. I am still getting used to Excel's quirks, and sometimes my lack of proficiency in grading was more from my inexperience with Excel than my inexperience grading.

I would love for Kim to teach a pattern-writing course that covers how to get from the spreadsheet to a published pattern. Just seeing how she manages the multi-page spreadsheet (does she print it out? if so, what size? does she tape the pages together?) would be helpful. If she isn't ready to run a formal class, I think it would be money well spent for me to hop on a plane to Arkansas and study at her side!