# Crafters--whatcha makin'?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crafters-whatcha-makin/434487>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 22, 2008, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crafters-whatcha-makin/434487 "2008-01-22T10:51:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2008, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crafters-whatcha-makin/434487/41 "2008-01-23T18:09:41Z")

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[QUOTE=lizardling]  
Can someone console me and tell me that lace isn’t as scary as it looks?  
[/QUOTE]

Don’t worry, it isn’t. It’s just adding stitches with yarn overs and removing them with decreases. Here’s something simple to try from Barbara Walker’s _Treasury of Knitting Patterns_.

Get some yarn and a pair of knitting needles to fit it. I’d use regular, worsted weight yarn and size 7 or 8 needles  
Cast on 40 stitches or some multiple of 9 + 4.  
Purl the first row  
Knit 3, [make a yarn over, knit 2, slip-slip-knit, knit 2 together, knit 2, make a yarn over, then knit 1]. Repeat the bit between the braces three times more, then knit the last stitch.  
Purl the next row.  
Knit 2, [make a yarn over, knit 2, slip-slip-knit, knit 2 together, knit 2, make a yarn over, then knit 1]. Repeat the bit between the braces three times more, then knit the two last stitches.

Repeat these 4 rows a few times.

You’ve just made a swatch of Vine Lace, if I’ve transcribed this right.

Let me know how it works!

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**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crafters-whatcha-makin/434487/42 "2008-01-24T18:28:29Z")

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I’m finally finishing my knockdown Gothic archchair (bought new sander - yay!)

And I’m working on a steampunk Aether Aextraction Aengine and Clockwork Cogitation Contraption. With UV glowy Aether tubes and brass brain casing, respectively. I’m not joking - LARP props.

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**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crafters-whatcha-makin/434487/43 "2008-01-24T19:36:32Z")

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[QUOTE=MrDibble]  
With UV glowy Aether tubes and brass brain casing, respectively. I’m not joking - LARP props.  
[/QUOTE]

Very nice. I’ve been planning to make a cutout in the side of the cylinder housing my Helium-Neon tube so the purplish glow will be visible, but I may go with vents instead. That way I won’t have to fiddle with disguising the foam padding around the glass.

Mine isn’t even for a prop. I’ve just had it around for years in a crude black case with glyphs painted in red on the side (parenthetically translated as"Acme Little Giant Death Ray"). I just want to make it look neat, maybe put it in a case with a sign that says, “In case of air kraken attack, break glass.”

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