WE DID IT!!!

I am truly, deeply, sincerely honored that so many helped in reaching the 3rd Annual "60 Scarves in 60 Days" goal!!  A big, huge, gigantic, mamothed sized Thank You goes out to each and every one of you!!

We left off on Tuesday being shy of nine scarves to reach the goal.  In that time, here's what happened:

Sheila, who is in the middle of moving, put aside her packing to start another one;
Le-Teisha donated 5 knitted and 2 crocheted scarves to a homeless shelter;
Laura has five scarves that will be going to a homeless shelter in San Francisco;
"divablueknight" completed two scarves over the Thanksgiving holiday;
Melanie rocks in with her seventh, and an eighth one on her hook;
Valarie donated two to her local church today;
Maddy donated one;
and Lucy, a second grade teacher, crocheted two children scarves and donated them to her school's "Caring & Sharing" campaign.
Beata who is learning the stockinette stitch knitted up a scarf and will be giving it to her local Christian Ministries
Sherri completed three more!

Then, if we add in the 3 additional scarves I worked up in the past two days...

                   Are you ready for this?

                         No, really?  Are you ready for the GRAND TOTAL???  

                                        Oh, you all know we rocked the count this year, don't you???
                                                           Yeah, you know it!!

We did it!!!  We surpassed our goal!!!

A total of 76 77 80* Scarves were crocheted and knitted for our 2006 "60 Scarves in 60 Days" Challenge!!  That's TOTALLY AWESOME!!

Congratulations everyone and thank you so much for participating!!!

Those scarves will be much appreciated by someone in need in your community!! :)

* This total may change as there's still a few hours of the month left!  If you've created a scarf to dontate, please leave a comment here or send me an email to have yours counted!  :)

60 Scarves in 60 Days Challenge Update

Sheila over at Needles and Hooks has completed her seventh scarf for this challenge;
Olga donated two;
Shelley donated one;
Melanie at  My Crochet and Ramblings journal, pledged to create one but was able to crochet six;
Priscilla over at By Hook or Needles created at least 12 (Priscilla, please correct me if I'm wrong)
Sherri at Sherris Needle Arts crocheted three;
and Wendy gave two crocheted scarves to a group that gives handcrafted items to children's charities in New York City.

Awesome job ladies!!!  Thank you so much for participating!! 

Then, if we add in the four I finished weaving in the tails to late last night (bringing my total to 18) this brings our total count to 51 ... we need NINE more scarves by the end of this month to meet our goal of 60 Scarves in 60 Days!! 

It's easy to participate:  You crochet, knit, weave, sew a scarf and then give it to a person or organization in need.  There's no shipping involved!  You do the work, your local community benefits!  Once your scarf is done, you send me an email or leave a comment here to have yours added.

All we need is NINE more in two days!!  I knowwe can do it!!  Go ahead, start a scarf tonight to give to someone in need!  :)

Hot Off The Hook

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with their friends & family; I know I sure did.  I've been busy crocheting scarves for the 60 Scarves in 60 Days drive (THERE IS STILL TIME FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE TOO!), and this ...

This is from the new book, "amazing crochet lace," by Doris Chan that I have been raving so much about.  Taking into consideration the "pesky" fiber I opted to use [ladder ribbon] it worked up amazingly fast! I would like to share some of my notes about this project:
1. I used a different join technique. Instead of sewing I opted to crochet the sections together.
     A. The join between the body and the sleeves is a series of slip stitches and chains that decrease in number the closer I got to the shoulder. Once over the shoulder I slowly increased the number of chains again. This gives the effect of a lattice look that I do like. I think in using this joining technique it gives my daughter more "growing room."
     B.  In creating the sleeves, under the arm to the cuff is all slip stitched.  I then created a more prominent cuff by crocheting a few rows of single crochet stitches.  This also meant I had less ends to weave in when my project was completed.
2.  I decided the garment body needed a little more weight to help showcase the stitch design as the ladder ribbon is so light!  I therefore crocheted four rows of single crochet stitches around on the bottom.  The neckline has one additional row of single crochet stitches to give it a more finished look.
3.  The project took about 2 1/2 balls of  Euro Gioco ribbon worked up with a "J" 'Graydog' crochet hook (Graydog hooks are available on ebay only).  The end result is a garment that would fit a child in the size 6-12 range comfortably (my mannequin is a size 12)

All that is left for me to do is sew on a label and wrap it up -- even though my daughter watched me crochet it she thinks its a sample for one of the stores I teach at.  Sneaky of me, huh? :)

 
Note:  "Ladder Ribbon" gives both crocheters and knitters a run for their patience.  If you can work with a fairly easy tension and not mind that your hook may pick-up/drop partial portions of the ribbon (translation: slight frogging for correction will be needed from time to time) then do give it a try.  I LOVE the way this project worked up using it, and Doris' pattern was a pleasure!

Happy T-Giving!

I made this Turkey a few years ago; don't recall where I got the pattern. I did some searching on the Internet and found some similar:

www.marloscrochetcorner.com

www.sewhooked.org

www.yarncat.com (rear view of turkey)

www.crochetpatterncentral.com for even more Thanksgiving Day themed patterns

Question From Reader: Skill Level

Dear Dee,
I read where you wrote about making things and giving them as gifts. I recently learned how to crochet but am not sure about my skill level. I want to make scarves for my family this year but want them to look nice. When I'm looking at patterns, how do I figure out what skill level I am? Thanks, Lisa

Dear Lisa,
Thank you for writing in; I think it's wonderful that you're considering crocheting scarves for your family this year. I tend to think of scarves as "extended hugs" -- and everyone can use a hug/scarf now & then, right? :)

You stated you recently learned how to crochet, this means your skill level will depend upon how much practice you've put in. Over at the Craft Yarn Council of America's "Yarn Standards" website they have four levels listed:
Beginner, Easy, Intermediate,and experienced. The levels are just guides -- don't let them stop you from crocheting something you have your heart set upon!

If you are comfortable with the basic crochet stitches (mostly knowing how to create the foundation chain, the single crochet, half-double, double) then you are a beginner.  Look for patterns that focus on the stitches you know where little shaping is required.

If you are comfortable with mixing your stitches up and can do color changes with some shaping, then you're in the "easy" category.  I don't like calling someone's skill level as  "easy" (it just doesn't sound right! lol)  so I'll refer to it as advanced beginner.  Look for patterns that have repetition in the stitch work. 

If you are comfortable with color changes and stitch variations, along with shaping, then you might want to look beyond making scarves ... caplets and ponchos are still hot items to create!  This is the intermediate level.

If you are comfortable with difficult stitch patterns (like the Herringbone stitch), can do a variety of crochet techniques, can shape your work, work with a variety of fiber weights, and create finishing touches, then this makes you an experienced crocheter.  I often times refer to this level as the advanced level.  The fiber world is your oyster --go and pluck your purls.  (Yes, crocheters can purl, and if you know how, then surely this is your category!)

The key is not to be intimated by your level.  These levels were created to help crocheters choose projects they may be more comfortable in doing -- or in challenging themselves with!  I say, if you can read the pattern, understand the stitches involved, and can keep accurate count of stitches/rows, then go ahead and work on the pattern(s) you have in mind for the gifts you'd like to give.

Remember to always leave long tails at the beginning and end of your work -- and properly weave them in!  If you run out of time, consider giving a "gift certificate" that states what you will be creating for the receiver.  You can even opt to let them pick the color(s)!

I hope this helps, Lisa, and should you run into any stitch difficulties, give AnniesAttic a visit as they have little video clips you can watch on your PC for free. 
Thanks again for writing in,
~Dee

"This is the work of my heart"

There has been recent discussion on what can be called as Craft and what can be called as Art. Many state that the beauty behind the craft/art being appreciated all stems from the beholder. I ask, is this true? Does one view a crocheted stuffed animal as a sculpture, or as a toy for a child -- or could it be both depending upon who is defending it as craft, and who is defending it as art? Is there really a difference?

CRAFT
Function: noun
Pronunciation: 'kraft
Etymology: Middle English, strength, skill, from Old English cræft; akin to Old High German kraft strength
     ... an occupation or trade requiring manual dexterity or artistic skill <CRAFTS sewing and carpentry, pottery, as such>

ART
Function: noun
Pronunciation: 'ärt
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from Latin art-, ars skill acquired by experience, study, or observation
     ...the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects ; also : works so produced
                                                        ~ Merriam Webster Dictionary

With the official start of the holiday season just days away, television commercials are already bombarding us with the "buy this to win their heart" mentality.   I'd much rather view the Joann.com  commercial(s) I found on youtube on national television as I love their message:  "When you make something by hand it means I was thinking of you ... it says I give you something more valuable than my money ... this is the work of my hands ... this is the work of my heart ... and now I give it all to you ... this is what it says when you give a gift that was made by hand."  I think this should be the message we promote so heavily during the holiday season, don't you?

Take back your holiday from over commercialism and hand-held electronics that show no outlet for creativity.  Create some crafts, some beautiful art by hand for your loved ones and encourage someone else to create gifts by hand.  Go ahead and ignite the creativity in your friends and family through work you've created!  Encourage the use of hands for more than a gameboy -- encourage them to create something that can be felt, something that can be appreciated for years to come.  Some ideas: 
     * Give a scarf that can 'hug' during the cold winter season.
     * Give an afghan that can warm and comfort loved ones living far away.
     * Give a tapestry's basket or wall hanging inspired with colors perhaps used by their favorite artists.
     * Give items (ipod/cell phone/treasure bags) that they can use year round.
     * Give a gift certificate to a local craft/yarn store along with a "handmade coupon" for them to redeem it with you to learn a new craft/art together.

For this holiday season, I'm almost done with the project I started for my daughter, and hope to crochet a sweater for my son (in Tunisian perhaps?); plus my daughter is almost done with the project she started for her dad.  I'm also still working on the 60 Scarves in 60 Days Challenge -- I can sure use your help in reaching that goal by the end of the month!

Yarn Dreams

I love to see crochet and knit on the fashion runway.  In fact, I dreamed last night that I was leafing through a "posh" magazine -- a catalog really -- that was filled with jewelry findings*.  On the cover was an image of a woman wearing a rainbow colored dress, crocheted entirely with the Tunisian technique, with ribbon inserts woven through. (aka the Crochet'n Weave technique).  It looked amazing!  I don't recall seeing the model wearing any jewelry, so naturally one could wonder why she was there.  But, remembering this was my dream, there she was wearing this incredible dress on the cover.  I made note that I wanted to contact the publisher to get more information, but then my alarm clock buzzed and that was the end of that.  Bummer.  I would have loved learning more about the yarn that was used.

"Crocheted lace edged the little stand-up collar. Crocheted lace spread out in a bow on Ma's breast, and the gold breast-pin held the collar and the bow. Ma's face was lovely. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were bright." ~Laura Ingalls Wilder; "On the Banks of Plum Creek"

I wonder though, could the dream have been influenced by a youtube video I watched recently?  I'll let you be the judge; the only difference between my dream and the video is the scary 1980s shoulder pads (those aren't coming back in fashion are they?  I shudder to think so).  Thankfully my dream was void of those linebacker images!  LOL

Click Here to view the video ... it's by Ormo and shows how yarn is made. At the end of the video is a fashion show showing knit designs created with their yarn line. It's a cute video until, like I say, the shoulder pads make an appearance.  At the very least it's interesting to see the inside of a yarn factory -- where more dreams are made.  :)


*Jewelry Findings: bits & pieces (beads, gems, clasps, etc) used to create your own jewelry.