Craft Gossip

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Tips for Grout Issues from CMA

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This was in an email sent to members of CMA (Contemporary Mosaic Art) website…

A message to all members of CMA

CMA Member News Reporter

Submitted by Tricia Huffman

May 14, 2011

Grouting Continued..

Since this is the finishing touch to your hard work, I am expanding on the issue of grout issues from last report to address some questions that came to me as a result.
I went to the experts whom manufacture these products, with my questions about it; here is what they said. “Over mixing or adding too much water to the mix would indeed weaken the strength of the grout joint and cause pin-holes and possibly efflorescence. If mixed according to manufacture instructions, adding more dry grout would not be needed. ( Though some artists use this technique when water supplies are limited, and have claimed great success with it.)
As far as using pigment to over-colour cured, unsealed ,non-epoxy grout joints, he indicated that using dry (French) pigments mixed with a tiny amount of water would indeed be permanent, and would have the same effect as grout stains currently on the market .
The last issue to address this month would be efflorescence, which is a white, chalky haze that sometimes appears on grout after it has cured. Here is a list of some of the causes.
1. Too Much Water was used when grout was mixed.

2. Concrete substrate had not fully cured or had a moisture vapor issue prior to adhering mosaic.

3. Water used in mixing or cleaning the grout was high in chlorine or had a high mineral content.( Pond water or home water softeners and city water that is heavily chlorinated or has a high mineral content can contribute to efflorescence.)

4   Temperatures were too cold while grout was curing.

5. Grout joints were wiped excessively during initial cleanup.

6. Standing water was left in empty grout joints prior to
grouting.

7 Tile was especially dense and nonporous.

8 Grout was prematurely exposed to heavy amounts of water before it had a chance to cure.

Always consult manufacture instructions for your particular needs.

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Beyond Basic Pumpkin Knitting Patterns

Over the years I have shared a lot of pumpkin knitting patterns, and I’ve knit and crocheted a lot of pumpkins myself. But it feels like there are always more fun things to try with knit pumpkins, so this year I wanted to look a little more beyond basic stockinette or ribbed pumpkins and share some pumpkin patterns with cables, bobbles and colorwork. 

In the cable collection we’ve got these cute little basic cable and ribbed pumpkins from Elly Bear Knits. There are two sizes that make a wide, flat pumpkin and a taller round pumpkin. Both are worked in the round as a tube that’s cinched top and bottom when you’re done, and they use bulky weight yarn. 

Another cute cable pumpkin knitting pattern comes from Gray Bear Akswokrat. This one is knit flat and it looks like a chunky yarn but you could use other weights to make pumpkins of different sizes. This one also has an I-cord stem and uses yarn to cinch up the sections of the pumpkin, giving it a more natural look. 

Add some bobbles to your pumpkins with this design from Autumn Shelter Makes. Also worked in the round in a tube, it features a repeating pattern of bobbles and uses yarn wrapped around the outside to make segments. This one looks like worsted weight yarn to me. 

Of course there’s nothing that says your pumpkin has to be a single color, so let’s throw in some colorwork. I love the look of the Cozy Fall Pumpkin knitting pattern from South Stitch Girls. The little leather loop adds a rustic touch but you could also just add a stick. These pumpkins have five colorwork options and are worked in worsted weight yarn in the round. 

There’s also the Autumn Fair Isle Trio pumpkins pattern from Equestriann Style, which has three different sizes of pumpkins with four colorwork designs. They are worked in super bulky yarn in the round and look good with high contrast or more muted color combinations.