Archive for August, 2010
Stitching Lives Back Together
I ran across a delightful vignette this month featuring a crochet and knitting program in NW DC (not too far from where I grew up) for women who have lost their footing in life. N Street Village provides a range of services for homeless women including a day center, night shelter, wellness center, addiction recovery programs and much more.
What struck me most about the program featured in this article is the undeniable healing power of the needle arts. I would love to see programs like this in every major city….for women, men AND children. There is an unmet need to spread hope and love with our hooks and needles. Let’s get on it!
FYI – N Street Village gladly accepts donations of yarn, crochet hooks, knitting needles, and other notions. Visit www.nstreetvillage.org for more information.
Have you seen……
Louet’s worsted-weight yarn in Ravelry-inspired colors? How did I miss this?!? Yummy……I can’t wait to give it a try. Dreaming of patterns now…the Ravelberry and Bob’in for Green are my favorites (;) hint, hint St. Nick).
More info is found HERE.
Making Progress…..
I wanted to share a quick update of my Crocus Bud shawl.
Tonight, I had to wind some more of the silk and it almost turned into another major disaster. Fortunately, my hubby stepped in for the rescue just in the nick of time, his arms quickly serving as a swift. We got the job done in about an hour. Yes, I know I said that I was ordering a swift but I have not done it yet……note to self – ORDER A SWIFT NOW!
And the WINNERS are……
![beauty-pageant-trophy-winner-thumb4882495[1]](http://handsindelight.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/beautypageanttrophywinnerthumb48824951.jpg "beauty-pageant-trophy-winner-thumb4882495[1]")
Well, the Crochet Diva’s anniversary give-away ended yesterday. I used a random number program to select the lucky winners – comments 1, 2, and 4 (Divas Leisa Hillman, LizzieK8, and Jamie Bowsher) were chosen. Ladies, email me (info@handsindelight.com) or PM me (stitch4love) on Ravelry your addresses. Congratulations!
Fiber’s Fraternal Twins Highlighted in Fall Issue of Interweave Crochet
I like to think of knitting and crochet as the fraternal twins of the fiber world. They love each other dearly, as sisters do…..but, they sometimes bicker and jockey for attention. Both share common lineage. Both are quite beautiful while being strikingly similar and very different at the same time.
I have always thought of knitting as the popular twin with long beautiful hair – the cheerleader type – to which everyone immediately flocks. Crochet is the quirky twin that you have to get to know first…..but once you do, you fall in love with her many facets, gravitating to that special quality that only she possesses. Yep – as the quirky girl growing up, I just can’t get enough of the often unappreciated beauty of crochet.
This is exactly what drew me so intensely to Interweave Crochet. Finally, a magazine that gets it….issue after issue, it celebrates the sheer beauty of crochet. Interweave Crochet is always very current and fashion forward while the designs, for the most part, appear classic and timeless.
So….when the fall issue arrived last Friday, I was less than thrilled to see seven “Crochet + Knitting” projects featured on the cover. I mean, I love my sister, but can’t I have the spotlight all to myself for once!?! I have to say though, after finally bringing myself to open it up (I normally tear through every issue the first day it arrives) and reading it from cover to cover, I was pleasantly surprised.
First of all, it includes some great patterns. The Sage Jacket by Dora 
Ohrenstein (on the cover) and the Pink Cosmos Coat by Margaret Hubert (to the right) are my favorites. Both patterns are a bit ambitious but that’s what’s fabulous about Interweave Crochet. It forces crocheters to stretch their limits.
Second of all, the article on slip stitch really got the wheels of my brain turning. I love the historical elements of the stitch and the versatility. In fact, the work of David Burchall featured on page 50 of the issue peaked my interest the most. It is truly amazing – I love how the samples mimic the look of knitting and the possibilities are endless with one simple stitch. So, I went on a “mini” internet search to find some more of his work and perhaps a pattern or two…….I am sad to report that his blog is no longer working. If you are out their David, please, please share the love…..I would love to read more about your work. Write a book! I’ll buy it!
Lastly, the combined knitting and crochet projects are fun and eye-catching. I can’t say that I’ll be picking up two needles any time soon (I tried and I just don’t like it as much as crochet) but it was entertaining and fun exploring the possibilities. And, ultimately, that is what Interweave Crochet is all about….exploring the possibilities of crochet. This particular issue just added another dimension to the quest.
Thank you Interweave Crochet editors for stretching my limits……I do love my “knitting” sister after all….this issue was like giving her a big, fat hug!
Photography Homework – F-Stop
Just for fun, I thought I would post some pictures that I took today. I had a chance to do my first homework assignment from the photography workshop I attended yesterday. Believe it or not, we left with an entire page of homework assignments – single spaced!
Today – I delved a bit deeper into f-stop. It just blows my mind that I can take a picture, in FOCUS, without the flash by manipulating the settings. The lighting looks so much better…..very natural.
My subject today was Mr. Darcy – here goes……
at f4.2….
and here at f22. I definitely need more work with the blurring concept. And, I have discovered that I need a more powerful camera…….hummm……Christmas is coming.
FYI – I worked out tonight. Ran for 30 minutes…..goodbye extra pounds.
Crochet is making me fat……
Well, not actually but that is quickly becoming the end result. Sadly, I got on the scale today and I am up 10 pounds after feasting, rather stuffing my face, for 3 straight days while celebrating my birthday. I am confident that I will drop 2 or 3 of those pounds quickly since the calorie-fest is now over….but, that still leaves 7 pounds to shed by blood, sweat, and/or tears.
So, why – I am sure you are asking by now - do I blame my crochet? I have 1-2 hours of free time per day after the kids are safe and soundly tucked into bed……Yes, there’s only about 120 minutes or less until I doze off to sleep each night after I finish all of my “responsibilities”. Up until recently, I use to workout first and then crochet later, if there was any extra time left over. About a year ago, I decided that I wanted to spend almost all of my free time each night either crocheting or doing something else crochet-related (hanging out on Ravelry, blogging, reading knitting/crochet blogs and books, etc.)….hence, my workouts have begun to suffer. I went from 4 days a week to 2 days a week…. and then recently…..to 1 day a week. 
I love food….so pretty much, I have to workout or I turn into a fatted sheep.
Well, no more I say! I refuse to let myself “go” again. I lost nearly 100 pounds 2.5 years ago and I AM NOT GAINING IT BACK! Tonight, I start running again….it is going to be painful, I know…..but I have to do it before all of my clothes become too small. Goodbye fat sheep…..
I guess this would be a good time to consider going on a yarn diet too…..ok, maybe not…..one major sacrifice at a time. Yep, that’s all I can handle right now!
A Perfect Day
It was a perfect day….the perfect addition to my birthday weekend. We started celebrating my birthday yesterday – cake and ice cream with the kids and then a romantic dinner at a churrascaria (South American style BBQ – mum….my favorite!).
Today, my husband had a special surprise in store. He packed up the kids in the minivan and we set out for a short trip. I had no idea where we were going….I quietly worked on my silk shawl during the car ride and waited with bated breath. My husband knows that surprises drive my bonkers but I went along with it. He was so excited. Finally, the car slowed down and we pulled into Hains Point, the location of our very first date 16 years ago.
The weather was gorgeous – not too hot nor too cool. A lovely breeze floated through the air. I crocheted, watched the paddle boats go by, laughed as the kids played ”I spy” with my husband, napped, and then crocheted some more…..it was absolutely wonderful.
My husband had packed a mini picnic, including chocolate covered strawberries that he had made himself and secretly stashed in the basement fridge. I fell in love with him all over again today.
Honestly, I fell back in love with DC too. Seeing the excitement on the tourists’ faces will do that to you…..
The Jefferson Memorial in the midst of a mini makeover….not sure what exactly they are doing to it.
The paddle boats – a favorite DC summer past time
My view of the Washington Monument as I napped. 36 is looking up afterall…..
Well, the excursion ended with a bit of humor too. The kids had just started to play tag as several birds flew by. Suddenly, I looked down at the growing shawl on my lap only to discover the one of the birds had pooped on my leg…yes, pooped on my leg!….inches away from my precious petite silk yarn that I had spent all of last weekend unraveling. In my family, this is considered a sign of good luck….I guess I was lucky that the bird missed my shawl. Who knows!
On the way home, my husband stopped the car at BestBuy and I picked out my present – a brand new Dell netbook. Now, I can blog and design on the go! Can it get any better than this?!?
Tomorrow – I end the celebration with a photography workshop. I have always been interested in photography (in fact, my first major purchase with my very first paycheck was a camera). My interest grew 10 year ago when I had kids and longed to capture their milestones and precious quiet moments alike. Now that I am taking pictures for this blog and my patterns, though, my interest in photography has peaked even further. I realize that I really need to get some help or my creations with always looks flat and lack-luster – so, I am giving this gift of photography knowledge to myself. You are never too old to stop learning something new…..In fact, my dad says that once you stop learning something new each day there is no point in living. He just may have a point….
Nearly Over the Hill
Yep….it’s my big day. Hopefully, there will be no more yarn tangles in my near future.
More on the Crocus Bud Crocheted Shawl
Well, you would think that after the huge yarn barf this past weekend that everything would be smooth sailing for this project from now on……I am here to tell you, though, this has not been the case. Yesterday, I decided to frog the entire thing and start all over again. The lack of stitch definition was bothering me, so I decided to drop down to a size H hook. I also added 8 more chains in the beginning to compensate for the smaller hook size as I want to make sure that my dimensions stay about right. In the end, I want a nice substantial sized shawl and I should have plenty of silk yarn to get it done.
The good news - I love the new results. I can clearly see the stitch pattern now and the yarn is so soft and smooth. I think this will be one of my favorite projects of all times.
