The 2014 Hello Doily Challenge Chronicles: Chapter One

My CGOA Chapter has laid down the "Hello Doily Challenge" for 2014 in honor of the 45th Anniversary of the classic movie, "Hello Dolly."  Every member has been challenged to crochet a doily that will go on display at various libraries and go to various juried events.  Ever since the doily gauntlet was thrown down, I have been searching for inspiration.

We are not obligated to use an established pattern.  We can create our own if we want.  Thinking I might want to go that route, this has led me to investing in the charting software by stitchworkssoftware.com

Sampling my first chart made with StitchWorksSoftware.

 

This software has a learning curve, and there are limitations.  However, it can chart circles and for me that is a time-saving element I can appreciate since it will save me from having to do it freehand.  Fortunately there is a support group over at Ravelry, so I have been picking up some tips there.  While I still don't know if I'll use someone else's pattern or not, I think this software will be fun to learn.

The other element to the Challenge is we are not confined to using thread.  We can use any medium we'd like -- yarn, fabric, wire, toilet paper, rope... -- our only limitation is our own imagination.  Thinking of using an alternative fiber, naturaly this Youtube video grabbed my attention:

Yes, I am intrigued.  Yarn made of newspaper!! And it looks easy enough to do. The problem is, it seems I've misplaced my drop spindle.  I know what you're thinking: How could that have happened?? I know, right!!  Geesh.  Wanting to try this. right. now.   I again turned to Youtube for a possible solution and found this:

 

I called upon my son to aid me in finding items in the house that we could use, and within minutes we were able to construct one that actually worked, sorta:

Dee's 1st attempt at spinning newspaper yarn
with a homemade drop spindle.

 

It needs more weight, I think, to be more effective in spinning the newspaper.  I am tempted to take this to the next level -- only I want to use the comics section from the Sunday paper since I think the comic ink colors would make the "yarn" more interesting.  The coolest part of this spinning experiment thus far, is that I took this with me last night when I went to pick up my daughter & her friend.  Yes, I was spinning newspaper yarn in the car while I was waiting for them; this shouldn't be shocking news. {grins}   My daughter's friend got so excited when she saw what I was attempting.  She exclaimed, "Ohhhh, you sooooooooooo have to tell me if this works because I want to try it too!!!"  Most excellent!! A way-cool side effect from this experiment is that I got a teenager interested in giving it a try!! 

My homework assignment:

• collect the Sunday funnies
• locate my drop spindle, or buy a new one
• design or find "the perfect" doily pattern for this Challenge
• have the project completed by February 2014

 

Visit http://www.crochet.org/?page=Chapters to see if there is a CGOA Chapter near you, or to learn how to start your own group.  Crocheting with others is so much fun!  :)