"Hip, Hip, Crochet!" on the CBS Early Show

At 3:00 AM I opened my eyes to find out if it was 4:00 AM.  Nope.  Back to sleep I went.  At 3:59 I opened my eyes again, beating the rooster-crowing alarm.  It must have been the anticipation of the day as I have no other explanation how this self-proclaimed night owl was able to wake so early in the morning!

By 5:00 AM, with coffee in hand, I had joined up with four other of my CGOA Chapter members -- we were going to New York City to help Brett Bara, host of the popular PBS show, Knit and Crochet Now!, launch The FeelGood Campaign on the CBS Early Show.

Lands End is donating 5,000 pounds of yarn to be crocheted & knitted into 7"x9" squares that will be assembled into afghans by Warm Up America volunteers.  The afghans are then donated to people in need.

The goodies I received,
& my two crochet hooks.

The goal: to get as many crocheters & knitters involved as possible to help make the 64,000 squares.  (Or as my Chapter member Jennifer says, rectangles.) 

We arrived at the General Motors building in plenty of time.  Lands End was giving participants a super soft scarf that retails for $39.50.  We were then directed to select a cake of yarn (yarn wound into a "flat" ball; see picture), and to begin crocheting & knitting squares while standing in the CBS Early Show plaza.  For the first 20 people to finish a square, they received a special Lands End tote -- I was one of the lucky 20.  In fact, during the entire 2-hour taping, I managed to whip out 3 squares for the cause!  :)

Brett Bara & some of the many squares
crocheted & knitted during the taping.

What was the Lands End yarn like?  It was every bit of soft as they claimed.  However, the yarn does not have a lot of twist to it so it is much like using Lion Brand's Micro-Spun yarn.  My specialized "Maestro" Graydog crochet hook, size "J," worked beautifully with the Lands End yarn.  My beautiful "Apple" hook, by Brainsbarn, size I, did a great job too. (In the picture to the right, Brett is holding up one of the squares I completed during the taping!)

CBS Weatherman, David Price
with Zippy's afghan.

One of the funniest moments during the taping was when the weatherman, Dave Price, came over to our area and noticed our newest member, Zippy, working on an afghan.  He asked if he could borrow it, placed it around his neck like a large scarf and said "Hip, Hip, Crochet!" while proceeding to give the daily forecast.  The funny part was that the afghan was still connected to the yarn in Zippy's hand!  She had to keep "feeding" him yarn as he walked the plaza during the taping (see Dave on the left).

After the taping was done, we were invited for a tour of the CBS studio.  Very cool indeed!

It was then time for us to head to the Lion Brand Store, but I think I'll save that story for another time.  It was a very long -- and fun -- day  today and I need some rest.  :)