February 28, 2007

Magnets and Crochet

I love toys and I love to crochet, but I was unhappy with what you can do with them (toys) or maybe it would be better said that I was unhappy with what you can't do with a crochet toy. I've added wheels to make cars rollhttp://donnascrochetdesigns.com/page190.html (car) and http://donnascrochetdesigns.com/page202.html (wagon)--very elememtary stuff there--and I've done inside-outs. Inside-out toys are toys that are one thing, turn the entire piece inside out and they are another. http://donnascrochetdesigns.com/page193.html (hippo into a lion)and http://donnascrochetdesigns.com/page110.html (Easter egg into a bunny-one of a series). Now I'm incorporating magnets, but they have given me a bit of a problem.

I’ve tried several different brands of magnet and have found that the craft magnets found in most craft stores are not strong enough for this project. You need a magnet that can attract through two layers of crochet material and still stick to one another.

The best I’ve found is HM or House-Mates Hardware 3\4” disc magnets. I have found them at both Home Depot and Lowe’s in the screw\nut\bolt isle. Normally I resist giving such exact information as products change and businesses change what they carry, but in this insistence I think it’s best because what it easily found in most craft stores will not work in this project. You need a magnet that is strong enough to make that same magnet next to it flip to the correct pole (positive they come together, negative sides they repel) and stick together.

I hope this little bit of information has proved helpful. I know I for one can't wait for my next crochet\magnet project !

http://www.donnascrochetdesigns.com/

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