Once again I am exhausted and I'm exhilarated.
I just returned from the Craft Yarn Council of America's "Knit Out & Crochet Too" event that was held in NYC. I have lots to share!!
Details (hopefully) tomorrow after I get some well needed rest.
Yeah, I know. I'm being a tease -- again! ;)
So this is it -- the BIG day is tomorrow in NYC and Boston! You're all planning on attending, right? (If you live too far away, click onto the KOC2 logo and check to see if they will be having one closer to you.)
If you're looking to hook up with me, or members of my Crochet Guild of America Chapter, The Happily Hooked on Crocheting Club, then look for the purple T-shirts (see image to the left for what our logo looks like). You'll find us in the Guild tent, in the Scarf Contest/donation tent, and so on.
I haven't seen the final teaching demo schedule yet but believe I'm scheduled for teaching crochet flowers and freeform concepts around 3-4 PM. Be sure to check with the main tent to get the right times if you're interested!
Also be sure to bring a camera and maybe some extra money too. Although it is a free event, you may find a knit or crochet designer attending and want them to autograph a book for you; and it just so happens that there's a Borders book store right across the street! (This is how I got my copy of Hip to Crochet: 23 Contemporary Projects for Today's Crocheter autographed last year!)
You'll also want to bring patience (it will be crowded), and wear comfortable shoes -- and smile! (Rumor has it a cable (fiber) show will be taping a segment at the NYC event!) There is so much to see, so much to experience -- that it's an event not to be missed!
And just to give a little tease, below is a collage of photos from last year! (yes, that's me in the funny feathered hat!) Hope to see you there! J
I bring this up because many of my students have at one time or another started a question by stating, "You may think this is a stupid question but ... " I've yet to think that. I like to point out, especially in a class, that the question is a good one and explain why because sometimes people are too shy to voice what's running through their minds. I'm not going to pass judgement on someone for asking a question; that would be so wrong! If the question was important for my student to ask it, then it wasn't stupid. I'm a firm believer that if we don't ask questions, we don't learn. And if we don't learn, what's the point, right?
So let me go ahead and answer the following email I received this morning:
Dear Dee,
I am a new crocheter and am happy you posted the 50 Top Things a crocheter should learn. I am stuck on #46. What is bearding?
Thanks, Michelle
Michelle, that's a great question!
Bearding is what the projectiles coming from our fibers is called. You may know the fibers for their various marketing names such as "eyelash" and "fur." The rule is that the thicker the bearding (ie fur) then the larger the hook and simpler the stitch for our projects. This helps to keep the fabric relaxed and give all those projectiles room to stretch out and be their beautiful selves.
You can experiment if you'd like. Take a very bearded fiber and crochet a small swatch using a "G" hook (say 13 stitches & 4 rows) using single crochet stitches. Then crochet up another swatch using a 'N' hook (same st count & row count) using a single crochet, chain one, (repeat) pattern. You should see a huge difference!
Fibers with sparse eyelashes can be treated the same as normal fibers but may get lost if you use them for textured stitches. The key here is to experiment until you find a look that YOU like! Thanks for writing in, Michelle! :)
"Stupid Question Day" indeed -- I wish they would change it to "Wonderment Question Day" instead! After all, where would crochet be today if someone never asked the question, "Gee, I have all this yarn stash and this funny stick with a hook at the end. What can I create if I put the two together?" ... see? NO question is stupid! Instead it's an opportunity to LEARN! ;)
On some of the online lists (groups) a question is being asked on what the top 50 techniques every serious crocheter should learn. I thought I'd take that question and change it just a bit to what my opinion is on the Top 50 things every crocheter should learn (in no particular order):
48. Knowing how to read yarn labels and convert knitting needle sizes to crochet hook sizes.
As of today, of this moment I am typing this entry in, there are 87 days left until Christmas. Eighty-seven!!!
This, of course, dawned upon me, in every sense of the word "dawn," at three in the morning. I haven't a clue what I was dreaming -- I only know that one eye popped open, looked at the clock while the thought of what seemed like a zillion projects that will all need to be done el pronto all entered my mind at once. Yikes!
What was I thinking when I decided to purchase the roving to crochet up and then felt into a cowgirl hat? What was I thinking when I purchased "matching" silk yarn yesterday to crochet up a sweater to go with the cowgirl hat? Didn't I just say a few weeks back that I still need to finish her freeform sweater that I started (what seems like) years ago?
And what about the beautiful bulky fall colored yarn I purchased earlier this year to crochet a sweater for my son? What ever happened to that plan? Will I ever get it done in time?
And what about the sweater I'm designing for myself? It's nearly half-done yet I haven't touched it in months! I want to wear it for our annual family holiday picture. If I don't get cracking, I'll look pretty funny holding the sweater together in the photograph!
And what about the 60 Scarves in 60 Days Challenge? Where am I on that count?
I feel like I should be that cartoon character "Cathy" running around saying, "Ack! Ack!"
Eighty-seven days.
Are you feeling the pressure yet?
I pulled out my coveted (oop) copy of "Hard Crochet" by Mark Dittrick last night and flipped through the pages. I knew I had seen it before, and sure enough, there it was! A pattern for a cowboy hat! I read the section and settled in for the night; TV remote in one hand, crochet hook in the other.
The concept in this book is to create very stiff fabric by using a hook way undersized for the fiber, thus it's title. I decided I'd try creating a cowboy/girl hat with an acrylic yarn before trying it with the batting I bought Saturday at Stitches East. If I like the end (acrylic) results, I will need to figure out how much to "expand" the project to allow for felting it in my next attempt. So this goes down as a "yippie yi yea" this morning because so far I like it. :)
As I stitched into the evening hours I wound up on the CBS television station and ended up watching the "Martha Behind Bars" program with Cybill Shepard playing the roll of Martha Stewart. Geesh. Don't the writers do their homework? At one point they show Martha walking up to an inmate; she sizes the inmate's project up and makes a comment about her "missing a cross stitch." The inmate replies it's how she marks "where she left off." Only the inmate wasn't working on a cross stitch project, she was holding a knitting project. At the end of the program it turns out that the project the inmate was working on was "the poncho" -- you know, the one that in real life an inmate gave to Martha on the early morning; the one she wore when she was released from prison? You know, the crocheted poncho she wore that helped ease her back into the spot light ...
Oh, you should have seen me rolling my eyes. I thought to myself, "Huh? Where'd those needlecrafts come from?!" I think the whole world, except those writers and prop-iteers in Hollywood, know it was crocheted! Get the facts right folks before you film it! Cross stitch; knit? Hooboy. There goes the creditability of the program! LOL
And speaking of missing crochet on TV, has anyone seen the new air freshener ad yet? Word has it crochet is featured, and it's a bit silly -- but I haven't seen it yet. If you've seen it "Do tell!" and set the record straight! (thanks!)
The three-plus hour drive to Atlantic City, NJ, did not seem as long as it was. I rode with two other HHCC members, Grace and Celeste, and we were filled with excitement of what treasures, and what people, we'd find at this annual event.
I am fortunate enough to live in an area where I can travel short distances to get what's "common," so I always go to this event with the mindset to find what's unusual, what's new to me.
Let's study my photo for a moment. (you can click onto it to make it larger) 
Is there anything there "new to you" too? I bet you're looking at my mammoth sized crochet hooks, huh? LOL Yes, they're the largest hooks in my collection. They're hand turned by Jenkins -- these are sized "T" (22mm) and "U" (the Tunisian cabled hook).
As I stood in line to pay for my new wooden treasures a woman stood behind me and said, "Twenty-six dollars for a crochet hook? That's expensive! I'd never pay that much money for a crochet hook!" I smiled, turned to her and said, "It's not manufactured, it's hand turned AND a rare size." "What would I need a hook that size for," she inquired. "For those projects on the quick! With large fibers, or for those long eyelash yarns to make very lacy projects," I answered. "Oh," she said softly. Next thing I know, she's checking out the hooks for herself! ((grins))
Looking back at the photo, did you see my new jewelry? I have a bracelet that says "Yarn Whisperer" and crochet hook earrings. As well as a stamp with a crochet hook, at the same vendor I got little notepads: "I'm on this row," "Gauge is not a four letter word," and "Crocheters are Happy Hookers." I had a great conversation with their rep, Mary, and she promised to look into offering more crochet theme goodies. I'm looking forward to hearing from her!
Over at Linda's booth I got two roving bundles of colors from soft blue to purple. I intend to crochet them unspun and crochet/felt up a crochet cowgirl hat for my daughter -- as a Christmas gift for her. So shhhhh! Don't let the cat out of the bag and let on that you all know! I want my daughter to be surprised! (The real trick is to find a pattern, or to create one if need be.) Linda also had beautiful crochet hooks on display -- including crochet hook earrings. She said she'd discuss with her husband Tom in creating a purple-color them pair for me. I can't wait! There's nothing like coordinating your crochet jewelry to your Crochet Club's T-shirt when doing demos! heh heh heh
Look back at the photo; do you see those little blue "chips?" Those are from the Trendsetter folks and it's a pretty cool notion if I do say so myself. They're used along with your trim (fringe) to add a little glitter & pizzazz to your work. I bought two little packages and intend to add them to a scarf I'm working on.
Did you see my new book markers -- the sheep & the frog? Yeah, I think they're cute too. What's not in the photo is a little sheep pin I also picked up. (I already pinned it to my hat; you can see me wearing it next weekend at the KOC2). The vendor had some beautiful crochet hooks on display, but since they had thumb rests I passed on them. I need hooks with a full body.
The last item I'd like for you to look at is the white yarn at the bottom of the picture. Go ahead, turn off the lights. It's "glow in the dark" yarn! Oh, hmmm, I guess you won't be able to see that it glows because it's just a picture. That's OK, you can order some for yourself through the woolstock folks.
The only part I didn't like was the news that the Stitches East event will be moving next year -- in both time and location. It will be held in Baltimore, MD (a five-plus hour one way drive) and will be in November (possible snow time). I plan on writing them and letting them know I prefer the New Jersey location & time. Maybe if enough of us do so, they'll consider moving it back for 2007. One can hope, right?
