Pick Up Sticks Kits Reviews

OK.  I wrote the last review a couple of days ago, and at the same time, I wrote to Pick Up Sticks for advice.

They wrote back to me right away, indicating which step I might have skipped in the pattern to cause the problem.

Last night, I tried the Lily again, and it came out perfect.  It wasn't a step I skipped last time, it was a fundamental mistake I made while making the flower.  I knitted it while talking with friends, and I was a complete idiot, I guess, because I only decreased on one side when you're supposed to decrease on both.

So, I'm sorry Pick Up Sticks, for wronging you!  The lily looks beautiful, although again, they don't felt too well.  I hand felted it last night, and now I think it might have to go through a couple of washes, and then maybe another hand felt.  It's just so small, it's hard to get every bit felted.

But, they are beautiful, and fun to knit!

Firstly, I have to say that I didn't buy the kit, I just bought the pattern, and so maybe some of my issues would have been resolved had I gotten the kit.

Despite 2 runs through the washing machine and some hand felting to boot, the flowers never really felted.  If memory serves, the yarn I used (Cascade 220) was recommended within the pattern.  Again, maybe if I had bought the actual kit, a better yarn would've been included, but frankly, isn't Cascade 220 always touted as THE felting yarn?

Next, the wire inserts.  You need to shove wire up the stems to make the flowers stand upright.  I used actual floral wire, but despite me using not one length of wire, but three (bent back on themselves) to hopefully add strength, the flower still couldn't support it's weight.

Next, the leaves.  They don't really look like leaves, and I'm pretty sure I followed the pattern to a T.  I made 2 different leaves and neither of them looked particularly leaf-like.

But the biggest problem is the lily.  Again, maybe I screwed something up, but the pattern was a little confusing. One side of the lily curled up correctly, to make a cup shape.  The other side lay flat, like a square.  I honestly don't know whether I did something wrong, or whether there was a problem with the pattern.  I have an email in to Pick Up Sticks to ask them.

It's kind of disappointing because they were quite fun to make; it was lovely to see them taking shape.  And the pictures of them are just gorgeous, so I know it's possible.  I just wish the patterns were a little clearer, and if they know of any special felting tips to help the flowers to look like theirs, that'd be nice to know, too.