Blog Entry by Mini~Dee

Dear Readers,
My Mom isn't feeling well today so I get to write in her blog today. We have a 90 minute school delay today because of the snow. We were hoping to have the whole day off because we're in the middle of building a snow fort. We made a snowman too. He has a huge icicle for a nose.

 I have long hair and am really glad my Mom has crocheted me a bunch of different hats to help keep me warm. The ones I like best (similar to the one pictured here that she made for my school fundraiser) have holes in them were I can push my ponytails through. I don't like having my ponytails flattened against my head, so this works out great! Thanks Mom! She said once she is feeling better she will teach me how to crochet in circles so I can create my own hats. Maybe I'll make one that will have two ponytail holes! 

Mini~Dee Tags: caseyscrochet.com, kids crochet, pony hat

Dee Now Teaching in Westport, CT

Upon hearing that Knit Together in Stamford was closing, Knitting Central, located in Westport, Connecticut, contacted me requesting I consider teaching crochet classes at their beautiful store, stating "your combination of skill, knowledge and enthusiasm for the craft are renowned in this area (and beyond!). "  

So, a few weeks ago I visited the shop, met the friendly staff, and KC's very nice owner, Cynthia.  While we are still working out an official crochet class roster for classes for beginners & beyond, I am delighted to announce that it's official!  I will be teaching crochet at Knitting Central.

Quoting Pink from her 2001 hit, "Let's get this party started!" 

Starting this Thursday, March 1st, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM the popular Stitch'n Chat class will begin.  This is a relaxing social class where participants can discuss what is on their hook while getting help with their projects from me. To register, visit the shop or give them a call; the cost is $25 for the two-hour session.  This class will then be offered every Thursday!   www.knittingcentral.com

Lori, one of my long-time students, just emailed me and stated: "I can't wait to see all the faces of people who will come to love and respect you as much as we do."
Thank you, Lori!!  I'm really looking forward to this new adventure  :)

Tags: crochet classes, knitting central, westport, connecticut

"Yes I'm back in black"

Have you ever tried to photograph dark items?  A camera lens has a very difficult time picking up the details the human eye can. 

Have you ever crocheted with a dark fiber and screamed that the stitches are impossible to see?

Did you try it with a matching (in color) hook?  yeah. Ouch for the eyes is right!

Fortunately I have a lot of practice with crocheting with my eyes closed (lets just say I like to rest my eyes while crocheting various stitches now & then and that when I do it totally freaks my kids out because they say I'm crocheting in my sleep) ... {{grins}}

For the photo featured today, I cheated -- I used my scanner and "brightened" the image by over 100% -- at least now, through the picture, stitches can be seen.  In "real life" the human eye can not only see the stitches, but also the variations in the fibers I decided to use.

Crocheting with dark colors is not impossible!  One just needs a lot of patience, a good light behind them (I love using Ott lights), something light in color (like a sheet, a towel, or a piece of paper) to place on the lap so light is reflected up, and, oh, perhaps one of those new lighted Clover crochet hooks that will be coming on the market soon ... I saw them advertised over at Lacis.com earlier today ... placing my order for one will have to wait.  For now, I still have about 2 feet worth of stitches to go in order to finish the scarf. I'm using another Graydog hook (sold on ebay) in a combination of Wendy's "Velvet Touch" (and is it ever!!), mixed with S. Charles' "Cancun," Mondial's now sadly discontinued "Marlene," and Lion Brand's "Incredible" ribbon. Even with it's hard-to-see coloring, it's been a real pleasure to design & work this project up -- another gift for Auntie.  :)
Tags: crocheting with black or dark fibers, ott light, clover light hook, crochet

What to pack, what to pack???!

When you go away for a few days one must seriously consider what to pack -- and this means to foresee any and all possibilities for items that would be needed for all occasions be it casual or black tie.  You grab the largest luggage you own, lay it upon your bed and then start filling it with the top choices from hundreds, possibly thousands, of selections.

I'll need cotton, red perhaps, for when crocheting in the hotel room.  A beautiful ribbon for crocheting during waiting periods in the hotel lobby.  Whispy white angora while awaiting for appetizers to be served.  Of course the crochet hooks would need to be matched to the occasion as well, saving the jeweled beauties for those times when bling-bling would be the most appreciated and admired.

And so that is how it was when I packed for a few days away as part of my Birthday Week Extravaganza!  (Did you miss me?)  I think I packed at least half of my yarn stash -- had we gone on a three-hour tour on the SS Minow with the Skipper and his fearless crew, I'm sure I would have had enough yarn to crochet an SOS flag large enough to be seen from Space!  heh heh heh

Thankfully the *Dee crew* understands my yarn obsession and didn't mind schlepping all this yarn with us -- even if it was just to go across the state line!

I have lots of details to share, but for now I have unpacking to do and more stitches to get in.  And with three days left of the Birthday Week Extravaganza, I'm guessing I should set aside some time to repack at least one bag with various fibers and hooks, you know -- just in case we decide to head out again for some more partying!

I think everyone should get a week, like me, to celebrate their birthday!  :)
Tags: crochet, birthday, birthday week extravaganza

The Mad Hatter

While I'm on the topic of Danbury (see yesterday's post), I'd like to add that the city of Danbury was known as the World Capital of Hat Manufacturing. "The Hat City," started as an industry in the 1700s and ended it's reign in the 1960s (reportedly due to President Kennedy being our first "hatless" President). Credit is given to resident Zadoc Benedict, who discovered a technique of using pressure and moisture to turn fur into pelt.

When hat production increased from three hats a day to five million a year, industry changed the way the hats were created ... possibly even including the creation of President Abe Lincoln's well known hat!  When mercury nitrate was added to seperate the fur from the felt to increase production, long time workers who were exposed to the mercury were poisoned causing hair loss, speech & thinking difficulties, and nervous disorders such as trembling hands. The workers suffering from the mercury poisioning were referred to as "Mad Hatters." It was in the 1930s that a study was done proving that mercury was the root of the problem. To learn more about Danbury history, and the hat industry, visit these webpages: Danbury Historical Society and Mad Hatter Mercury Mystery

As for my own "Mad Hatting" experience, I just finished this hat -- it will be a gift for Auntie who requested it. I decided to trim the hat with bullion stitches (also known as the "rice" stitch and "crochet on the roll") ... 111 of them with 9 to 10 wraps each. Getting them all the same; maddening. Liking the end results; priceless.

For those tracking my wooden hooks, this one pictured with the hat is a size "F," hand turned by Graydog. It was a gift from my husband, custom made (back when Graydog still took private orders) just for me. It consists of my birthstone and his. Graydogs are available on ebay. I found it worked fantastic with the bullion stitches due to it's long tapered body. If you'd like to learn how to do this stitch, visit annies attic and view their free video clip for "Crochet on the Roll". :)

By the way, can you name the President who was a crocheter, and the one who was a knitter? The answers can be found in my archives. Happy Presidents Day!

Tags: crochet, danbury, mad hatters, bullion stitch, crochet on the roll, rice stitch, presidents day

Gems in Classics

Time does fly!  It was just about six weeks ago when I discovered Rose Wilder Lane, daughter to Laura Ingalls Wilder, was once a local resident in Danbury, Connecticut.  See Best Kept Local Secret? 

All the books, The Women's Day Book of American Needlework, published in 1963, that I ordered through  ebay and amazon have finally arrived.  I took one copy, the one I had intended to donate to a local library, to our local CGOA Chapter meeting to show our members.  As one of the members flipped through the book she exclaimed, "Look, Dee, this one came with a handwritten note from 1966!"

As she read the note, we were all touched by the sentiment: it was a letter from a daughter to a mother discussing their love of the fiber arts and how this book will hopefully inspire the mother to "...transform all those bits of thread, yarn and cloth into a work of art." 

While scanning the letter to share with you all today, I decided to leaf through the pages again to see if there were any more notes.  Sure enough, I found another: it was tucked deep between the pages of 150 & 151 -- a clear reference to a beautiful crocheted (thread) bedspread pictured on page 151 that (the book states) resides in the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan.  The author of the letter wrote:

"My friend makes a couple of bedspreads every year.  She even crochets while waiting to pick me up in the morning.  Sometimes she complains because I'm so prompt."

I've decided to keep this book, and it's notes, for myself (unless the author of the letter & note would like to reclaim them).  I find the bond between this mother and daughter, and their shared love of the fiber arts, too touching to give up and this is something I'd like to pass down to my daughter one day.  I'll donate another of the Amercian Needlework copies I have; of course I'll be checking them all to see if there are any more gems tucked between the pages.  :)Tags: crochet, classis, rose wilder lane, laura wilder ingalls, danbury, connecticut

When Cannibalism is a Good Thing

I've long admired straps on purses at various retail stores; running my fingers along the details; wondering where I could obtain similar straps for the bags I want create using traditional crochet stitches, felting or freeform techniques.  I'd visit various yarn/craft shops and look at the straps/handles they had to offer, and often times think I found one that would fit the bill.  Some of which I purchased and added to my stash, waiting for that perfect project.

I often wondered what other creative options I had; what else could I use?  I was in an Annie Sez store a few months back, checking out all the new arrivals that featured crochet when I rounded one corner and found a huge display of belts.  Beautiful belts.  Belts of leather, belts of metal, belts of rhinestones.  Had I hit the motherload of creative options?  I wasn't seeing the belts as "belts" ... I was seeing them, after a few "cannibalistic" thoughts, as straps for the bags I had in mind to create!

I didn't buy any belts that day, but the creative juices were flowing.  From that day on I made it a point to visit the "belt" section of every store I shopped at.  Then it happened: I visited Kohls yesterday, and due to their end of season clearance, I feasted.  I feasted on leather, on metal too.  Finally I'm going to have the straps I've long desired for my bags.