Then you do what????    This page will contain small tips which will help you make a higher quality item or an explanation of a new stitch. 

Come again???    We will also list materials we've found work well with our designs....  Or explain a difficult stitch or set of directions.

How's that working for ya???  We will also print customer suggestions here, so you can share your suggestions through our e-mail address. 

YarnArts Pro-tips 

#1.  The Eyes Have It: If surrounded with yarn lids, the eyes are the one place you can use commercial plastic parts without detracting from the completely handmade quality of your crocheted items.  Plastic eyes have a life-like sparkle that is difficult to reproduce in yarn.  Use 10-12 mm for Beau; 15mm for Bonnie or Buster.  Insert "shank/back clamp" before stuffing. 

#2.  Hot Stuffin' :  Unless instructed, Do Not overstuff and stretch the stitches.  This eliminates the detail and shaping that are crocheted into our YarnArts patterns.  If you have too little stuffing, such as in a hand or fingers, or if you want to adjust the shape of an item, poke additional small tufts of stuffing between stitches with the back of your crochet hook.  Readjust stuffing in the same way (ex. in cheek areas) by pushing or pulling the stuffing with your hook (through the open stitch space) until you are satisfied with the shape. 

#3.  Grand Finales:  When asked to "end off" and join another color of yarn, slip stitch in the last stitch made and then end off.  Slip stitch in this same stitch with the new color and then follow your pattern with the new color in the next stitch.  This joins the first color before ending off and begins the new color with a joining stitch preventing a jaggered look to the color change.  This also gives a smooth ending when completing a piece of work.  Always end off this way when the next round is a "in Back Loop Only (BLO) or In Front Loop Only (FLO)" round.  DO NOT count sl sts in number of sts in Rnd. 

#4.  Crafty Coiffures:  When working with yarn hairstyles, try blending several shades of one color to achieve more natural haighlights.  Wrap all shades of yarn (at the same time) on a piece of cardboard until enough layers are built up.  Cut yarn along one edge with scissors.  Latch hook the mixed colors to head or stitch thru center of yarn lengths on a sewing machine and stitch or hot glue the mixed lengths to head.  On a doll like Nicole try mixing light yellow, bright yellow and light gold to get the natural varigated look of blonde hair.  Only your haridresser will know for sure!

#5.  Soft yarns for clothing but stiffer yarns for soft-sculpture:  Inexpensive common department store yarns are often the best purchase for soft-sculpture crochet.  These stiffer yarns hold the crochet shape better than soft clothing yarns.  Because our patterns have the shape crocheted right into the stitches, you don't want to lose it by using a soft yarn that won't hold up to the wear and tear of child's play.  We have machine washed many of our original dolls which were put through years of a child's rough loving.  

If you have any difficulty purchasing patterns from our website: please e-mail us at yarnarts@msn.com with a list of patterns you would like to purchase, your full name and shipping address.  We will send you a PayPal invoice which allows payment even if you don't have a PayPal account.