Out of the Mouths of Babes….
Yesterday, my six-year-old introduced me to one of her friend’s mom – “This is my mom. She’s a yarn person.”
I couldn’t resist chuckling. And, I replied, “Yes, I am a yarn person. I am in love with yarn.” I guess my kiddos know me after all and what makes me tick. It sure is nice to be understood by your family. 
I’ve been a little quiet on the blog lately – but, my hooks have been working over time. I am preparing for the CGOA conference in Greensboro, NC, which is in 10 days, and I am finishing up my latest design. Not to mention, the tech editing work that I have been doing in my “spare time” and the book proposal that I am determined to finish. Yikes! I am in crochet heaven!
Registration for the CGOA conference, Chain Link, is still open. There are some great classes available to pump up your crochet skills to the next level and it’s a wonderful opportunity to bond with fellow crochet enthusiasts. I have dreamed of going to this for years and this year, my dream is coming to fruition.
Happy Stitching! I hope to see some of you all at Chain Link!
Great New Video – Tunisian Crochet Intarsia
This is a great video to add intarsia to our repertoire of Tunisian Crochet techniques. It’s very clear and informative. Thanks Beth at Crochet A Trunk Full O’ Fun!
A Beautiful Tribute to Jean Leinhauser
This video was shown at the induction of Jean into the new, now named, Jean
Leinhauser CGOA Crochet Hall of Fame during the CGOA conference in Minneapolis last month.
Hooks A’ Blazing
My hook has never been so busy and I have never been happier with regards to my crochet. I am juggling life and managing to squeeze in about 3-4 hours of hook time each day. Pure bliss! I’ve been working mostly on my own designs and it is such a cathartic process to go from initial concept to reality. Best of all, I am working with some of the most amazing yarns available. It’s almost like a dream come true.
A few weeks ago, I gave a sneak peak of the yarn I am using in my latest design, which will be published in the Fresh Designs Crochet: Shawls book by Cooperative Press. It’s Poet Seat by Kangaroo Dyer – a hand-dyed blend of superwash merino (50%) and silk (50%) yarn. So, I thought I would wet your appetite for a bit more….here is the yarn worked up in a Tunisian crochet lace stitch that’s featured in the design.
I love the stitch definition with this yarn and the feel as it glides softly across my hand, but boy do I lament the fact that I crochet rather slowly. Recently, I have become sort of a Lily Chin groupie – last month I read her Couture Crochet Workshop
Happy Stitching!
Can Crochet Make a Difference?
Courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Society - Katherine (Kate) Quinney crocheting while seated on the running board of a Ford Model T in the yard of her family's farm in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, ca. 1915.
It’s no secret that I like to make pretty things with a hook and yarn. I do it because it makes me happy; I’m pretty good at it; and, it let’s me show others how much I love them or have been thinking of them. It’s also a creative conduit for me – it allows me to release a bit of energy and all of the ideas flooding through my brain.
However, while sitting in the movie theatre tonight, watching The Help, I started to wonder if crochet had the power to make difference. Certainly crochet
- makes people warm
- makes people smile
- makes people feel loved
- makes people feel pretty, sophisticated, etc.
But, do a few stitches have the power to change the world….or at least a country….like a few words can? I am always encouraged when I see or hear stories about ordinary women doing something extraordinary. And, I started thinking about all of those women, going back for generations, doing the seemingly simple task of stitching layettes and sweaters and dresses and sofa coverings and blankets and tablecloths and you name it, and what that meant for their family and for themselves. And, I started thinking about the women who have touched the lives of people they will never meet because they have taken time to crochet for someone in need. And then, I started thinking about the women who fed their families, and even those that fed a nation during the potato famine, from stitching….and then I concluded that YES, crochet can make a difference.
So, when I stitch, it is not some pointless exercise, it is an opportunity to touch the lives of those around me in a positive way. Sometimes, it is an opportunity to feed my family while doing something I love. I may not inspire a nation to change course with my handiwork, but I can spread a bit of the antidote for all of life’s evils because it’s made with love.
Happy Stitching!
Demystifying the Russian Join
The thing I love most about designing is the process – you see exactly where you want to go in the end, but you have to forge an untraveled path to get there. It’s the perfect blend of math (yes, there’s lots of math involved) and stitching skills. Every now and then, just like the ancient explorers, you may get stumped and have to come up with an alternate route or change course.
Recently, I have been working on a few new designs. One of my issues is that I don’t like making color changes and weaving in lots of ends after the project has been completed. Well, I’ve heard ramblings of this alternate method of color changing called the Russian Join among my stitching friends – this weekend I thought I would give it a try and see if it solves my problem, getting me one step closer to my new final destination.
The concept is easy – you are basically attaching the two strands together by looping them around each other for a seamless join. The loose end of each strand is woven underneath the plys of the yarn. In order to avoid a bulky join, a simple trick is to first thin out the strands. I decided to share a bit of my experimenting below. Here goes….
In Step 1, I start with two contrasting colors of yarn – one black and one white.
In Step 2, I thin out one end of the black yarn.
In Step 3, I weave in the thinned out end of the black yarn under the plys of the rest of the strand using a yarn needle. I then thin out the end of the white yarn.
In Step 4, I weave in the thinned out end of the white yarn under the plys of the rest of the strand using a yarn needle.
In Step 5, I gently pull the thinned out ends to tighten the connected yarns around each other. Note: It is ideal to slightly felt the thinned out ends and the connection point. Unfortunately, though, this particular acrylic yarn does not felt.
Voila, I am now ready to continue crocheting!
It’s Official – My Latest Design Is LIVE!
It’s such a surreal day – my first design to grace the pages of a magazine is now available for public view. Believe it or not, this process has been a year in the making; but, it was well worth the wait.
My inspiration for the Copper Clutch was the highly textured crochet designer bags that have been seen coming down the runway lately. I wanted to do something with The Fashionista in mind - something elegant and classic, something perfect for a night on the town with your special beau or favorite girlfriends.
The Copper Clutch, which features bold crisscross puff stitches and a tri-loop crocheted closure, is published in the September 2011 issue of Inside Crochet. It should be hitting the stands any minute now! I can’t wait until my copy arrives in the mail. Until then, I’ll be celebrating with my hook…..there are so many more designs in my sketchbook that I have yet to try. That’s the fun part afterall.
Happy Stitching!
Fresh Designs Crochet: My Silence Is Broken
I’ve been given permission to spill the beans and let everyone in on a little secret – I will be featured in the latest book series from Cooperative Press, Fresh Designs Crochet. My designs will be included in both the Fresh Designs Crochet: Shawls and Fresh Designs Crochet: Designs for Men books. It has been a crazy wonderful rollercoaster ride, from the submission process to playing with the yarn, and I am enjoying every single minute of it!
Here’s a bit of a sneak peak…..I am working with the most divine yarn ever – Poet Seat by Kangaroo Dyer – for my shawl design. It’s an incredibly yummy, hand-dyed blend of superwash merino (50%) and silk (50%). Believe me, it is PURE joy crocheting with Gail Callahan’s (aka the Kangaroo Dyer) fiber creations. The color blends are amazing – I am using her Spring Bonnet colorway. And, the yarn produces a beautiful drape while maintaining a lovely stitch definition. Thank you so much Gail!
Last weekend, I had a ball playing with my swatches…..I feel like a big girl now as I finally graduated to a real steamer! Boy, does it make a difference. I became convinced after reading Couture Crochet Workshop
Lily also introduced me to the art of draping. So, I gave that a try too this past weekend. I used some basic sweater knit fabric from the remnants bin….It was not easy at first and I had to go through a lot of trial and error. But finally, I got my dress form Bessie looking just the way I wanted her to and now I have a great template to guide my shaping. Speaking of which, this design features Tunisian crochet and really serves as a lesson in shaping while using this technique. I can’t wait to share it with the world…..but, we’ll just have to wait until Spring 2012 when the book will be released.
Happy Stitching!
A Few Stolen Moments…For Crochet
Friday, I found a few quiet moments to delve into my latest crochet lace endeavor – the Elise Shawl. It has been awhile since I have had a a chance to take a break from the hustle and bustle of life with three kids and also from my crochet designs; but, it was so refreshing to step away for a few hours and I am enjoying this beautiful, brainless shawl pattern. I especially love the triangular shaping; and, the soft, cuddly feel of the alpaca yarn is a dream.
A close-up of the bottom of the triangle…..
A close-up of the stitch pattern……
Ready, Set, Go–Elise Shawl
Moving on to my next adventure in crochet lace. This time it’s the Elise Shawl by Evan Plevinski. My yarn of choice is 100% suri alpaca lace weight by Wild Rose Alpacas. This is one of my precious finds from last year’s Maryland Alpaca and Fleece Festival. I picked it out especially for my mom because the colorway, Avocado Rose, contains her two favorite colors, pink and green. I hope to surprise her by the end of the summer, if not sooner. I know this will be my sort of brainless project to serve as a break while I’m designing or tech editing – something to remind me of the pure joy of crochet. It’s also easily portable, which makes it super nice for summer travels. Looking forward to starting this one tonight….
