Well-Raveled Words

One of my favorite things about learning a new hobby, whether it's music or a craft, is all the lingo.  As soon as I hear or read a new phrase, my brain latches onto it like a...well, I'll think of a clever simile later.  It's also a great way for me--and others--to have a sense of belonging in the community, even if you have few personal ties.  And for someone like me, a generally introverted person that just wants to fit in somewhere, that's huge.  

But for a beginner, or even anyone new to that community, it can be daunting hearing or reading them for the first time in a sentence without a definition.  That's why I've compiled a handful of classic and current terms, abbreviations, and phrases thrown about in the fiber arts community.

In my first episode of the HoundStrings podcast, I asked for a few favorite terms, abbreviations, and the like...here are some common ones and a few favorites:  

KAL/CAL:  Knit-a-long/Crochet-a-long.  A CAL/KAL is when a group of knitters/crocheters work on a pattern together; usually pieces of the pattern are scheduled for different times, and occasionally can be a "Mystery-" or MKAL/MCAL--in these, you're given a pattern title and the list of materials needed, but you don't know what it is you're making (or sometimes you do, but you have no idea what it'll look like).  The pattern is segmented into clues that will be sent out at scheduled times.  

Frogging:  to (usually quickly) unravel a project, whether to a certain point ("I needed to frog back a couple rows to fix that stitch") or completely scrap it, also known as sending a failed project to the "frog pond."  It's called "frogging" because in knitting frogs say "rip-it, rip-it, rip-it."

TOAD:  Trashed Object Abandoned in Disgust; these are usually sent to the frog pond after a while (gotta love those amphibious puns!)

Tink:  Undoing knitting carefully one stitch at a time, rather than ripping out as in frogging.  In fact, "tink" backwards is "knit," which is essentially what you're doing.  

Gutting a Ball:  digging out the insides of a center-pull ball (most commercial, big-box yarns) to either find the end or untangle a large knot that's keeping the yarn from pulling out freely as you work.

Pooling:  The way colors in a yarn converge, usually in variegated yarns (as opposed to self-striping)

Clown Barf:  this one never fails to make me laugh uncontrollably...when the colors in a variegated yarn pool together in an all-around unpleasant manner.  Usually happens in yarns that have a lot of colors in them (some standards vary by individual, but for my books I consider any more than three colors to be clown barf potential)

WIP/HO/FO/UFO:  All different project stages, Work In Progress, Half-Object, Finished Object, and Un-Finished Object, respectively.  WIP and FO are somewhat self-explanatory, but often HO and UFO do need a little further definition (especially when one considers that each has an alternate connotation).  Half-Objects are usually projects such as mittens or socks, where you have one finished in a pair, but the mate still has yet to be completed; Un-Finished Objects were at one point Works-In-Progress, but have been abandoned at some point.  Note that HO's can become UFO's, due to the next in our list...

Second-Sock/Mitten Syndrome (SSS, or SMS):  When the first sock (or mitt) in a pair is finished, but then you realize you still have an entire other one to make and you just aren't ready to do it all over again.  Again, see the segment on HO's UFO's above.  

Stash:  one's collection of yarn and supplies (but most often it just refers to yarn); stash comes in all shapes and sizes, but beware of...

StABLE:  Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy

You guys have no idea how hilarious I think this one is. Not only is the situation dang accurate, the character even looks like me before my current hairdo.

De-Stash:  the act of selling or giving away yarn, usually when StABLE has been achieved, or when you're on the brink but want to avoid that point altogether.


If you have any others, tell me in the comments section!  Just be sure to include the definition (and maybe if it's a particular favorite, tell us why).

Also, stay tuned--I have a new podcast episode on the way!

Until then, see ya...and stay crafty!