Forum - Newbies - Alpha tips

Elfdaughte

Advanced

4 years, 7 months ago by Elfdaughte

Hi everyone, thought it might be nice to share some strategies I've come up with for alphas. I struggled with them for a while, but these couple of points might help others with the same issues I was having.

Problem 1: elongated alphas/stretched patterns.
I was having this issue for AGES. Didn't matter what pattern I was doing, how tight my knots were, my pattern was always stretching because the knots were too big. Solution - change the base sting. I was using crochet cotton that looked about the same dimension as my embroidery floss. I switched to a smaller diameter crochet cotton - problem solved.

Problem 2 - losing track of which base string is next / missing strings out.
This one was actually kind of simple to fix, and makes for nicer looking ends too - I alternate colours of base strings. Using two colours in my base strings means I know I'm always working on green then white, for example, so I don't mix up my strings and miss one out.

Any other tips that you've come across while working on alphas?

amaze

Skiller

4 years, 7 months ago by amaze

Last triangle end warps! Solution;
Tie your knots SUPER tight. Make sure the first part of your knots is tight bc if it isnt the whole knot just falls apart.

allierae54

Bracelet King

4 years, 7 months ago by allierae54

Go slow to make sure that all of your knots are the exact same size

xojenz

Bracelet King

4 years, 7 months ago by xojenz

same here! my first alpha came out really good bc of the flat alpha technique, everyone tells you to make thee first knot super tight but I figured out that doesn't work for me, I pull it just enough tp where it doest clump up, and I also tape the bracelet down whenever I finish a few rows

amaze

Skiller

4 years, 7 months ago by amaze

Start off with only a few color changes and 10-12 strings.

Elfdaughte Advanced	4 years, 7 months ago by Elfdaughte Hi everyone, thought it might be nice to share some strategies I've come up with for alphas. I struggled with them for a while, but these couple of points might help others with the same issues I was having. Problem 1: elongated alphas/stretched patterns. I was having this issue for AGES. Didn't matter what pattern I was doing, how tight my knots were, my pattern was always stretching because the knots were too big. Solution - change the base sting. I was using crochet cotton that looked about the same dimension as my embroidery floss. I switched to a smaller diameter crochet cotton - problem solved. Problem 2 - losing track of which base string is next / missing strings out. This one was actually kind of simple to fix, and makes for nicer looking ends too - I alternate colours of base strings. Using two colours in my base strings means I know I'm always working on green then white, for example, so I don't mix up my strings and miss one out. Any other tips that you've come across while working on alphas?
amaze Skiller	4 years, 7 months ago by amaze Last triangle end warps! Solution; Tie your knots SUPER tight. Make sure the first part of your knots is tight bc if it isnt the whole knot just falls apart.
allierae54 Bracelet King	4 years, 7 months ago by allierae54 Go slow to make sure that all of your knots are the exact same size
xojenz Bracelet King	4 years, 7 months ago by xojenz same here! my first alpha came out really good bc of the flat alpha technique, everyone tells you to make thee first knot super tight but I figured out that doesn't work for me, I pull it just enough tp where it doest clump up, and I also tape the bracelet down whenever I finish a few rows
amaze Skiller	4 years, 7 months ago by amaze Start off with only a few color changes and 10-12 strings.

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Alpha tips