Unpinning Pinterest

Normally on Wednesdays I like to share a video tutorial I’ve made, but this week it didn’t work out – my videographer/husband had to do actual paid work! The nerve! Oh well, maybe next week. In the meantime, I thought I’d try something new!

Those of you on Pinterest are aware of “pinning” – and love it or hate it, it’s chock full of new ideas. Whether it’s crafts, recipes, decor, or just things that make you laugh, there’s a pin for that. There’s an overwhelming amount of stuff to sift through: some good, some bad. And Pinterest has certainly stirred up enough controversy to turn some people off altogether.

And even if you do pin like mad, who has time to directly visit all the sites you’ve pinned? There’s a joke that pinners are too busy pinning to “do” – something I know I can be guilty of too. So with all that in mind, I thought that today I’d bring you direct links to some of the best things I’ve found via Pinterest! Bypass the boards, and check out these great sites and ideas!

1. The Raglan Sweater Calculator: If you’ve ever wanted to make your own, simple, custom sweater, this is a fantastic tool. Why stick to “standard” sizing when you can have something that fits you perfectly? Pick a yarn stitch pattern, make a gauge swatch, and plug your numbers into the calculator at the bottom of the page, and you’ll be knitting or crocheting in no time.
2. Color Theory Quick Reference Poster: Picking colors for a project comes naturally for some, but some of us find ourselves standing in the yarn aisle or hardware store, arms full of skeins and paint chips, asking every passerby, “Do these work together?” I know what I like, but I’ve often found myself wishing I knew a lot more about Color Theory. I made this poster my laptop wallpaper, and if I ever get a real studio, I’ll print it out and hang it on the wall!
3. Tutorial: Make Your Own Labels: I looked into ordering labels for moogly commissioned products a while back, and yowza – not at those prices! These tutorial shows you how to make your own labels cheaply and easily, and they look fantastic!
4. Zipper Tutorial: The Purl Bee shows you, step by step, how to sew a zipper into a knit or crochet garment. And she makes it look so easy!
5. Charted Motifs: This page is in… some other language. Polish? Czech? I have no idea, but I do know that if you can read charts, and you like motifs, there’s a treasure trove here just waiting for you!
6. Broomstick Lace without the Broom: This site is in Russian (I think), but the photos in this tutorial require no explanation. Brilliant! One of those ideas you kick yourself for not thinking of first. Scroll down and there are even charts showing you how to use this technique in a variety of stitch patterns.
7. Embroidered Edges: Another Purl Bee tutorial, this one is meant to show you how to add a simple embroidered edge to fabric with thread, and offers several different patterns. But why stop there? This is the prefect way to get an edge ready for some special crochet work.
8. Broomstick Lace in the Round: Brilliant! I tried to figure this out myself, but just about broke my brain. This tutorial lays it out so simply. I can’t wait to use this technique myself!
9. The Amazing Flat Crochet Seam: There are never too many stitch patterns, too many squares, too many joining methods! I feel like ways to join squares deserves an entire post of it’s own, but I’d have to keep updating it as I find new ones! This one is simple, elegant, and easy as can be.
10. Turkish Flat Bead Crochet: Somewhere in my crafty journey I took a (short) detour into bead jewelry. It was fun, but as always, the pull of the yarn was too strong. This makes me want to go bead shopping again! Gorgeous!

So what do you think? Whether you use Pinterest or not, did you like this post? It was fun to share my favorite pinned links this way, and if you all enjoy it, I think it could become a regular feature here on moogly. Give me some feedback in the comments!

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