Lion Brand also offers the "Instant Stitch Software". It's a four-CD-ROM set designed to help knitters and crocheters create custom patterns.
Also try to search on Download.com and Shareware.com:
http://www.download.com
http://www.shareware.com
Q: Where
can I purchase yarn or crochet thread?
A: Please visit Crochet at About.com, they have a
large list of the yarn retailers on the web (click on the "Yarn" link at the
bottom of their Net links list).
As for crochet thread, please visit the Coats and Clark web site. This is
probably the biggest retailer of crochet thread in the country.
Q: How
do I starch my project?
A: Please visit Crochet Memories,
this page contains some excellent starching techniques and recipes.
Q: How
do I frame doilies?
A: Sorry to say, but I'm not an expert on framing
doilies :)
1. Here is a helpful message board about
framing. Filet crochet is at the bottom of the page, but you may post a new message over
there and probably get some good advice.
2. Also, please visit my Crochet
Message Board and post a message, you may get some tips over there.
3. Alternatively, you may consult with your local
frame shop, you'll probably get the most professional advice over there.
About this site
Q: Can
I order the "hard" copy of your patterns?
A: Sorry, no. The printing and shipping cost is
too high and I'm not practicing it any more. No exceptions.
Q: Do you sell patterns separately?
A: Sorry, no.
Q: Why
are the pictures so small and can't be enlarged?
A: We have to face the truth - filet crochet is
very specific, and sometimes you don't even need a pattern or scheme to guess the pattern!
All you need is just a photo which is big enough.
These small thumbnails are good enough to give you an idea of what you get, and the
members, of course, will get an enlarged view.
Q:
Why there are no "regular" crochet patterns on this site?
A: This site is dedicated to filet crochet.
There are hundreds of general crochet sites on the web, and not very many filet sites. I
want to show others this beautiful technique, and let my colleagues with general crochet
sites provide you with other kinds of patterns. We are all contributing to crochet art in
our own ways. I thought about adding not-filet patterns to my site, and maybe I will
sometime, but even if I do, it will still be crochet lace. I love all crochet
items, but afghans or clothes are just not my "specialization"!
Q: Copyright questions about patterns vs finished
items.
A: Many of you (especially those who plan on
becoming a member) ask if it's OK if you sell the finished items made out of my patterns.
My answer is - Yes! This is what you should keep in mind:
ALL patterns on the web, as well as those in
printed press, are copyrighted. You MAY NOT distribute them in any way (neither for free, nor
for profit). This is not only against the rules of some site (including mine), but also
against the law. But with finished items it's a different story. Finished items made out
of some patterns are not copyrighted, it's your work and you may sell it, give it away as
a gift etc...
What the buyers should keep in mind though, is
that you MAY NOT buy a finished item, figure out the pattern that it was made from and
start distributing that pattern. This is illegal. That's why a seller should always attach
a label or disclose in any other way that this handmade item was done from a copyrighted
pattern of this or that designer or company.
Q: May I post your free patterns on my site?
A: No, you may not. But you are very welcome to
place a link to my page.
Troubleshooting
Q: The pattern scheme (not a html page) wont
print correctly!
A: This happens when you try to print a wide
scheme right out of your browser. Most browsers wont print correctly images that are too
wide! On another hand, I don't really want to make them smaller, as smaller schemes are
harder to read, and some people have poor vision. That's why I always encourage you TO
SAVE the wide schemes first to your computer, and than print it out of any image program,
NOT directly from your browser.
After you save a scheme to your computer, re-open
it in any image program you have on your machine (like Paint Brush, or Paint Shop Pro, or
MGI PhotoSuite, or Adobe PhotoShop). Then you may resize the pattern until
it fits into one page. Some programs have that function done automatically, some not,
please refer to your program's documentation. Or, alternatively, the image programs can
print the scheme into 2 pages (which browsers wont do!): right and left side separately.
This way the scheme will remain big and easier to read.
Q: The part of html page (not a pattern scheme) is cut off on the right
side.
A: Some browsers don't display tables correctly.
I can't possibly preview my site in all existing browsers and operating systems. For
example, I can only guess how my pages look like on Mac as I use Windows! And I don't have
AOL or Web TV browser. Once again, this problem is CAUSED BY YOUR BROWSER. Please refer to
its documentation or on-line help to find out how to solve this problem.
Please note: the tables are part of any web page
design. But Members area (for simplicity) doesn't use tables.
Q: The page (not
a pattern scheme) looks fine, but when I print it the right side is cut off.
A: This problem is caused by your margins
settings. Please go to File --> Page Setup.
Decrease the size of right margin (for example, if the default setting is 0.75"
change it to 0.50", if it's 0.50" - change to 0.25"). Keep decreasing until
the page prints correctly.
Q: I've saved the page to my computer, and when I opened it I couldn't
see any pictures.
A: When you save the page to your computer, you
actually save only text, as the pictures on the web pages are not inserted, they are just
links to these images. When you open the saved page, the links are broken. You have to
save the pictures separately. To save the picture, right-click on it and choose "Save
picture as..." in MSIE or "Save image as..." in Netscape. Then save it to
your computer. After this you can view it in your favorite Paint or Image program.
