Everything I've Learned about Knitting

I am learning so much about knitting with my crochet hook!  Yesterday, after helping Margaret figure out how to post her YouTube video to her blog I sat and watched it over and over again.  At first I thought it would be great to learn it and use it with the Tunisian technique, perhaps eliminating that "starters curl" that happens so often.  But then I thought, why do Tunisian when I could crochet my knitted stitches? 

So I got out my "amazing crochet hook" and tried Margaret's Italian Cast-On technique.  I did it!  I learned how to cast on, Italian style, and set to work practicing my knit and purl stitches!

Then, since I was using Lion Brand's "MicroSpun," a fiber notoriously known for it's softness and it's splitting properties, I was forced to A. rip out all my work and begin again, or B. to learn how to frog individual *knitted* stitches and then pick them back up again.   I am proud of myself; I learned how to frog individual knitted stitches and how to pick them back up again.

Are the end results farse knitting, such as the results from Tunisian?  No!  Per my conversation with Andrea of www.amazingyarn.com, who sells the hook, the end results are true knitted stitches!  So, in fact, I am knitting.  Only I'm doing it with my crochet hook.  And better yet, I'm enjoying it!  And that's what it's all about, isn't it?  Enjoying the process as well as the end results?  :)
Tags: knitting with crochet hook, crochet, knitting, purling, knit, crocheting

Q: How Does One Start A Flea Market?

Holidays are great because its an opportunity to visit with friends & family you may not have seen for awhile.  Yesterday we visited with my husband's family.  They're such a passionate group, that you never know what they'll share with you next.

Mr. Dee thought it would be fun to bring all the books my crochet work has been featured in (check out the left hand column of my so see just some of them), and Dee Jr. decided to wear the sweater I recently designed for him.  I was honored to be a part of their "show & tell."  Mini~Dee wore a necklace & bracelet set she created to "exclusively" go with the outfit she was wearing -- she looked like a million bucks!  :)

While they had fun showing their various crochet theme items off, my future sister-in-law thanked me repeatedly for the scarf & hat I gave her at Christmas time.  "Everytime, I wear them, I always get compliments," she said.  "And they kept me quite warm too!"  I was happy that she was enjoying the set so much.

Then one of my brother-in-laws said, "Dee, ever since you asked me to keep my eyes open at local flea markets for crochet hooks, I've been doing just that."  He smiled.  With that smile I knew he had found a treasure -- a real treasure.  He pulled from his pocket the following:

Did your mouth pop open in looking at this beauty?  Mine did.  "Whoa!" I exclaimed, "what a beauty!" 

He handed it to me to inspect closer.  I looked at the head, the throat, the elongated neck.  I placed my fingers around it's body and felt how wonderfully balanced it felt.  I noted the three rings.  "Oh, this is an incredible find," I repeated over and over.

"I got it for eight bucks."

"No way!" I said disbelieving.

"Yeah, the guy wanted ten, and I countered with eight.  I got it at a local flea market I frequent often."

"Whoa..." was all I could reply.  Thankfully I had the camera near by and snapped a few pictures. 

He's saving it for his wife who has a renewed interest in learning how to crochet.  I'm thinking I need to go to flea markets more often.  :)
Tags: crochet hook, flea market find

Finding Inspiration

The other day cathcrochet asked: "I love going to the fiber festivals and diving into luscious fibers. I find yarn that I love, purchase it, and then go in search of a pattern. Isn't this backwards? I struggle trying to find a pattern that will use this yarn I have purchased."

And then yesterday, after teaching my crochet class, a customer asked me, "Do you think it's odd that I drive all the way from Long Island to purchase yarn for my stash and then search for just the right pattern?"

My answer is No.  I don't think of it as backwards or as odd that people, such as myself, do this.  I like to think of it in this perspective:  A artist goes on vacation, takes lots of notes and photographs of places that inspire.  Then visits various museums and art galleries for more inspiration.  And then spends time collecting various materials for the next project.  Those materials may sit for a day, a week, a month, a year. Perhaps more.  But when that creative "must do it right now!" inspiration hits, that artist knows they have all the materials within reach.  There will be no stopping the drive to create because all the materials will be awaiting.

One of the designers I am mentoring (as part of the CGOA Professional Mentorship program) asked me about procrastination.  I admit I suffer from procrastination from time to time, but I don't think about it as procrastination.  Rather, I think of it as time to "let the creative juices simmer."  To prepare to change the procrastination phase into the action phase,  I'll clean my work space, make a great cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate, light a scented candle and then hold a particular yarn in my hands.  I'll rub a strand of a particular fiber between my fingers; I'll look at the texture; look at the color.  I give the fiber time to "talk to me" about what it wants to become.  If it doesn't answer me within a few minutes, then I know it's not ready.  I move on to another fiber, and another until one speaks up.  (*During this time it's also important to keep your ears open as a fiber hidden in the back of your "yarn collection" may be trying to get your attention too!)

This is why it's important to have a yarn stash.  So when that moment of inspiration hits, you can quietly sit with the fiber and inquire, "Are you the one?"  If it answers back affirmatively, then you're in for a wonderfully creative time.

As for buying enough fiber for some future project, I know that's hard to do.  This is why I strongly encourage buying just one skein of an intended fiber first.  Swatch it up and see if you liked the way it felt as you created each stitch; as it looks worked up in stitches -- and don't forget to beat the living dickens out of that swatch!  Doing so will tell you about the wear.  If the fiber meets your standards, then by all means, go out and enhance that stash to your heart's content!  If it doesn't, then you've just prevented a "wet dog" from taking residence in your yarn stash. 

For those new to the concept of having a yarn stash, you know, it's not much different from visiting a clothing shop and purchasing a great outfit just because you like it -- then waiting for the right event to wear it to -- and then running out to find the perfect matching shoes.  I know you know what I'm saying here!  We've all done it one time or another!  LOL ;)
Tags: yarn stash, crochet, stitches

Excited to go "MAD"

Who knew that spending six hours in Maire Treanor's "Irish Clones Lace" classes, what, nearly six years ago?, would lead to excitement about going "MAD"?

I'm talking about my doily pictured here on the right.  After attending Maire's classes I spent the next two weeks, a total of 75 hours, completing this piece.  I then rushed up to West Springfield, MA, and submitted it as my first piece in their judging competition.  It won a Red Ribbon.  I was thrilled.

Then, awhile later, I was asked to submit it to the Lacis Museum in California for an exhibit they were doing.  I was again thrilled.

Today, I shipped it off NYC ... to MAD to be exact.  MAD is short for the "Museum of Arts & Design."  My work will be part of a demonstration being offered by Barbara Hillery Van Elsen, Fiber Artist & Founder of the NYC Crochet Guild, on Thursday, April 12th.  The demonstration is entitled, "Non-Conformist Crochet" and promises to be an exciting evening as she "... demonstrate[s] and examine[s] the origins and techniques of freeform and freeform lace, and compare[s] examples of pieces done by a variety of freeform artists." 

I am planning on attending in person, and I'm also looking forward to seeing the "Radical Lace & Subversive Knitting" exhibit while I'm there -- everyone has been raving about it, and what I've seen in the MAD catalog, it's well worth checking out!  So a week from tomorrow I'll be going MAD -- and enjoying every minute of it!  I can hardly contain my excitement!!  :D

Tags: irish clones lace, maire treanor,museum of arts & design, radical lace & subversive knitting, MAD, crochet

The Fun, the Fiber, & the Friendships

I received my confirmation for the summer CGOA Conference yesterday; I'm so excited!  This will be my fourth Conference and I'm really looking forward to the fun, the fiber, and seeing friends again!  

Last year it was all about the Lacy Leaf Cocoon pattern that was featured in the Spring 2006 Issue of Interweave Crochet. (Even I wore the Lacy Leaf Cocoon that later won a Blue Ribbon at a local fair when I combined it with a matching tank top!) This year I think will be a 'Doris Chan' Conference with many attendees wearing items they've crocheted from her book,  Amazing Crochet Lace."  I know many members from my Chapter, like Priscilla, have been working on projects, as well as students in my Westport crochet classes.  It will be interesting to see how many "Chan Spottings" there will be!  Of course it will also be a lot of fun spending time with Doris and many other wonderful people!  :D

In the meantime, I have some designing to do.  Both children will be in the Fashion Show and this means Mini~Dee needs something special to wear "to the ball."  I also signed up to donate a bag for the auction which will raise money for the Helping Hands Foundation.

Counting down: 97 days.  Yes, I'm really looking forward to the Fun, the Fiber, & the Friendships.
Tags: doris chan, crochet classes, crochet, westport, connecticut, cgoa, summer conference, new hampshire, interweave crochet

It Pains Me ...

A few weeks ago Mr. Dee told me one about one of his co-workers who was diagnosed with cancer.  She already started treatment, and has started losing her hair.  To combat the hair loss, she had her beautiful blond locks cut real short.

I asked him to inquire what her favorite colors are, but not to hint as to why.  She said purple and blue.  I went to my stash, took out a ball of the now coveted "Marlene" fibers (they've been discontinued), grabbed my crochet hook and set to work.  When I was done I held an incredibly soft hat with wisps of fibers and a hint of gold.  I wrapped the hat in tissue paper and requested he deliver it to his co-worker.

He called me later that afternoon to tell me of her delight in receiving the chemo hat.  Tell her, I reminded him, that it's full of positive thoughts and the the gold in the fiber resembles the sparkle of her eyes.  He did.

This morning he called me from work to say she told him that she wore her new Chemo Hat all weekend long and loved it.  In fact, she had also worn it to her Chemo treatment on Friday and received many compliments.  While I am delighted that she loves the hat, and that she received so many compliments with it, it pains me that we still need them.  I look forward to the day when NO more chemo hats will ever be needed again! 

~ . ~ . ~

We're coming up on the first year since loosing my Aunt Josephine, and losing blogger Pamela Hilger of JustOneGirlsHeadNoise; she touched so many lives!  Pamela's blog is still there, but the pictures have been removed.  I don't know how much longer the blog will remain, but people, like myself, are still stopping by.  Some still leaving messages for her, and for her grieving family. 

The followingis from an entry Pamela wrote one day after she went for a Chemo treatment.  The hat she references is one I crocheted especially for her with the same "Marlene" yarn ...

"most days the patients sit chatting quietly with each another .. yesterday morning there was a woman and her husband there i had seen on several occasions .. she was always quiet, never making a fuss .. just sitting there in those sexy hospital gowns in a hat on that reminded me of Gilligan's Island

"i pulled my chair closer to hers and inquired, polietly, about her condition .. although her husband tried to interject on several occasions (to save his wife the effort of breathing i suppose) i really DID want to talk to her, to her hear side of her story .. pretty soon her gracious husband "got it" and was content to sit back and listen .. then i asked if her Gilligans hat held any sentimemtal significance .. she shook her head no

"i pulled my hand crocheted chemo cap from my head (i was wearing my black and green one) and then i asked her if she'd noticed my chemo cap that was crocheted by a friend of mine .. she ran her hand over the cap, exclaimed how soft it was .. i encouraged her to put it on so we could see what it looked like .. and she looked like a queen .. a chemo cap fit for a queen .. just about that time my technician came to fetch me and i told her to keep the cap, it looks like it was made just for her and she looks beautiful

"and tomorrow i know when i see my new friend, she'll have a smile on her face and a beautiful new chemo cap on her head .. its amazing, even when you're at your sickest, just doing a little something to make you feel pretty sure does do a long way"

Pamela, we miss you! 

For those wishing to crochet chemo hats, I have a free pattern here.  Or if you'd rather sponsor a hat, you can do so for $35; contact me for details on how.  Profits are donated to the American Cancer Society.  Like I stated, I look forward to the day when NO more chemo hats will ever be needed again!

Update: Those looking for the luscious Mondial "Marlene" yarn, check ebay! 

Tags: cancer sucks, crochet, marlene yarn

What do Potatoes Have to Do With Crochet?

I think my CGOA Chapter's Crochet Display turned out fabulous!  We divided the four shelves to represent 4 different categories:  Modern Twists, Laura & Rose (Ingalls), Irish Crochet (history), and Charity Works. 

We learned from last year's display that our Charity Works draws the most onlookers when its on the bottom shelf: when we use dolls to show off preemie sets, or other items we donate, it draws young children.  This year, for the children a bit older, we added a bowl of potatoes.  Yes, that's right, a bowl of potatoes!

When my husband first saw the pictures of the display, he was a little concerned;  "Won't the potatoes rot?" he asked.  Then a moment later (we all knew this question was coming!) he added, "...and what do potatoes have to do with crochet??"

Ha!  With him asking those two questions I KNEW we did a great job on the display!  If he's asking those questions, so will others.  This means we created a display with curiosity, and with curiosity comes a history lesson!  Mission accomplished!!

While I assured him the potatoes would not rot, and nor would they draw any critters to come munch in the library, our son, Dee Jr., provided him with the history lesson of what potatoes have to do with crochet.  "Dad," he answered, "the people were starving. Their potato crops were rotting so they had to learn how to crochet in order to make lace to sell to the wealthy people; otherwise they starved to death!" 

Ha!  That's my boy!!  He was also proud to tell his Dad that the potatoes were made of panty hose. (Apparently making soft sculptures was big during the 1980s ... if you'd like to give it a try, there's a sewing pattern here) 

If you'd like to check out the display in person, visit the Bethel Library in Connecticut; the display will be up for the entire month of April! 

Tags: crochet display, irish crochet, wire crochet, leather crochet, granny square, spiral crochet, filet crochet, laura ingalls wilder, rose wilder lane, charity crochet, bethel, connecticut, happily hooked on crocheting club