Cro-Fun at The Big E

Wednesday was such a fun, fun day!  I joined up with nine of my fellow CGOA Chapter members and headed up to West Springfield, MA, to attend the Eastern States Exposition -- better known as "The Big E."  Our mission was to spend the day demonstrating various types of crochet in the New England Center building.  We have, for the past 10 years, gone to The Big E to promote Crochet on what is known as "Connecticut Day."

After setting up our booth, with both personal and charitable projects on display, time just seemed to speed up.  I met such wonderful people and had so much fun doing demonstrations on Tunisian crochet and the Amazing Needle/Knooking techniques.

Irene and I take 1st and 2nd Place in first heat of
"Crochet It In a Minute" contest at The Big E.

I also got to partake in the first-ever (that I know of) speed crochet contest held at The Big E that they called "Crochet it in a Minute."  They allowed us to use crochet hooks that we're comfortable with, so I chose one that I recently purchased from a friend who is destashing a bit -- I never used the hook prior to the contest, and yes, I did threaten the poor little hook that it would be "kindling" if it didn't do me right ... I was kidding, naturally.  I'd never willingly hurt one of my precious crochet hooks!!   ...   In the first heat, HHCC'er Irene and I came in 1st and 2nd, respectfully.  In the second heat Chava and Grace grabbed 1st and 2nd place.  If we were placed in order of speed, then I stand at an "Honorable Mention," coming in 4th.  In the knit version of the contest, our Fluffy came in 2nd Place. :)

I also got to check out all the entries our members had entered for judging: as a collective we won several blue ribbons, 2nd and honorable mentions.  I won 2 blue and 1 red for my pieces.  There were some amazing-jaw-dropping entries this year, including a beautiful red fillet duster and a "Big E" theme tapestry! 

And then came the dancing -- on stage! -- with the Connecticut Line Dancers!  Even with my two left feet, I had such a fantastic time!

Fluff had the moves, and even with my two left feet, she talked me
through the steps of one of the Connecticut Line Dancers dances.

Oh, and I can't forget the fudge.  Yessssss, fudge.  Cranberry fudge from the Massachusetts building.  Mmmmmmm.  :)

Don't Discount the Discounts!

Who doesn't like to save money? Me! Ha, I'm kidding! I'm known for finding great deals, especially when it comes to crochet!

First, I utilize my CGOA Discounts whenever I can. Recently I bought some 90 crochet hooks through AnniesAttic.com -- they will be utilized for a future workshop my Chapter will be having. Not only were the hooks on sale, but I also used my CGOA discount, saving an additional 15% off my order. ... and I was really happy to discover that my CGOA discount also works for the AnniesAttic online classes! To see the list -- and learn how to activate the discounts, go to the CGOA's webpage, and under the Membership tab, log into the "Members Only" section; you'll find the instructions there.

Second, I went to the Joanns.com website and signed up for their VIP program. They mail you a little card, you bring it into the store with your CGOA membership card, and for the rest of the year you get an additional 10% off your purchases. This is an unadvertised perk of being a CGOA member!

Third, it pays to open your mouth and inquire. At a recent trip to Webs (yarn shop in Northamption, MA), one of our Chapter members asked if they give CGOAers a discount on purchases. The answer was yes ... 10% -- but not to be combined with any other discounts they offer.

 

Fourth, I utilize Upromise.com. I use it to connect to various online stores I shop at. By using their links I save a little for my kids education (if you don't have kids, then you can save for grandchildren/nieces/nephews...) anywhere from 3% up to 10% (sometimes more. Thus far I've saved over $600 towards my kids education!)  Often times I find additional savings offers, like free shipping, or extra percentages off my purchases. The other day, when  Andrea was looking to buy a dress form from Joanns online store, she Tweeted that she was on the fence about paying so much for the shipping. I told her about Upromise; she signed up and found a free shipping code to use! Upromise has links to CafePress, Amazon, M&J Trimmings ... I think its worth looking into.

Today I went to Upromise, connected to CafePress and ordered a "I love Yarn Day" tote -- in the kiwi color. By going through Upromise I saved 8% (towards my kids college), and after using the code GR8FALL at CafePress, I saved $3.90 off my order (coupon expires today). The cool part is that my order also helped benefit the Warm Up America program. More info about the CYCA/Warm Up America program here: http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/ily-gear

 

Happy Savings!

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Did you notice I didn't link to a single site?  That's my way of saying I have no affiliation with any of the discounters mentioned, other than being a proud member of the Crochet Guild of America (CGOA). 

60/60 leads to taking a crochet class

playing with Tunisian Cables while crocheting a scarf
for the 2012 60/60 Challenge

One of the things I love about the annual 60/60 Challenge is in learning a new crochet stitch or technique while also working on a scarf for donation.  What would it be for this year?

Fortunately for me Kim Guzman posted the answer on Facebook:  she posted about a blog post she had written about her Tunisian Cables & Lace class being offered on AnniesAttic.com!  I watched the preview and decided to sign up.  Since I am a CGOA member I plugged in my 'members discount' code and got 15% off the class.  (sweet!!)

This would be my first experience in taking an online class -- I really didn't know what to expect.  Boy, I was in for a treat!  I loved it!!  I plan on taking more online classes in the future.



While at the moment I am not using the pattern Kim provided with the class, I am having fun with the cable stitch (I omitted the lace part and beefed up the number of stitches required for the cabling).  And, I'm using up a bit of yarn stash too -- because we all know The Big E is coming up, and that means a trip to Webs!  (Whoot!)

So lets see: I get to take a class utilizing my CGOA membership, I get to learn something new, I get to use up some stash -- and then later replenish it -- all while hand-crocheting a simple scarf that will benefit my local community.  Priceless!

9th Annual "60 Scarves in 60 Days Challenge"

September 1st, 2012:  This is the official date that kicks off the NINTH Annual “60 Scarves in 60 Days Challenge” that originated here on my blog as a personal challenge (30 Scarves in 30 Days) and then grew into the heart-warming charitable drive that it is today!  And you're invited to participate!  :)

How the Challenge works:

Participating in the 2012 "60 Scarves in 60 Days Challenge"?
Save this badge and then upload it to your blog, or use as an
avatar to help promote the good you're crafting for your
local community!

1. Crochet, knit, or weave a scarf (or more) for charity. You can use a pattern (give credit to the designer if that’s what the pattern calls for!), learn a new stitch, or create your own pattern. The scarf MUST be made by hand!
2. Pledge it for a local charity near YOU; there is no need to ship! Check with your local homeless shelters, Salvation Armys, religious institutions, and schools to find a home for your scarf/scarves.
3. To have your scarf count towards the goal, tell us about it on our Ravelry group here, or post about it on your blog and give us the link by leaving a comment on this blog post below.
4. The scarf/scarves must be created by hand between September 1st and November 30th, 2012, midnight, eastern time, to count. (Yes, we know this is really 90 days, but we’re keeping the name of 60 days)
5. Any skill level, age and gender can participate! Spread the word!
6. If you have a website or blog, feel free to save the our badge shown on the right to your own computer and display it proudly!  There is even a CafePress shop where you can order pins & such!

This Challenge is a great stash buster AND does YOUR local community good!  :)

2012 Summer Adventures

Geeze, this place is dusty!  And look at all the pretty cobwebs ... as I doodle "Did you miss me?" with my finger in the dust, I will admit that the summer of 2012 was one I will always remember! 

Visiting & Shopping at the "Yarns of Italy"
warehouse in Missouri.

First, let me state that I did not attend the CGOA's ChainLink Conference.  While I greatly missed seeing all my crochet comrades, I had the experience of a lifetime with the kids -- and one that they too will remember for the rest of their lives...

Our first of two summer trips was to my father's farm in Missouri.  While we were there the kids got to meet cousins they've never met, got to go horseback riding, stay cool in a local creek during record-breaking heat, learn to drive a tractor, watch history in the making (cattle were driven by the house everyday on their way to auction because the cost to feed them was going up due to the drought.), went up the St. Louis Gateway Arch, caught a Cardinals game, checked out the Fantastic Caverns, and much, much more.  I also got to tour & shop at the Yarns of Italy warehouse!  What a blast that was!  (If you find yourself in the Springfield, MO, area, do contact them for your own tour!!) 

While staying at my father's farm house, I discovered a bunch of old crochet & craft magazines from the 1980s that had belonged to my Aunt.  While I did not bring any of the magazines home with me, I did love flipping through so many issues!  I learned from reading her old issues that crocheting with a monotone colored yarn and then sponge painting an image onto the finished work was very popular during the time!  I also learned a cousin of mine, who lives two houses down, was a crochet fan.  However, she had been stuck on her lessons since the passing of my Aunt.  We spent some time together going over some basic stitch rules, and after I returned home I sent her some supplies with one of my patterns.  She emailed me happy that she's able to resume her love of crochet.  :)

Inspiration found in Florida

Our second of the summer trips was to Florida.  We were there to visit with my mother and my brothers.  While I did bring my crochet with me, I did not do a single stitch during the entire time we were there.  Shocking, right??  There was just too much going on, from visiting the Keys, to boating up the St. Johns River and everything in-between!  My mother said to me on the last day we were there "I'm shocked you didn't visit a single yarn store!"  Me too!!!  However, I did leave with plenty of inspiration, and that is just as valued as a crochet hook & yarn, right?  Just ask my sister-in-law who has challenged me with a special request ...


Upon returning home I found us facing our own water challenges.  As we work to resolve them, and gear up for the kids starting school, I did enter some of my crochet works into the local Bridgewater Fair: "Yellow" won a Blue Ribbon, as did my modified Delta Lace Topper. 

I'll be back soon to clear out the cobwebs and post more of my yarnie adventures.  In the meantime, feel free to tell me about your yarnie adventures you enjoyed this summer.  :)

Road Trip! :)

It won't be long now, just mere days really, until we're finally on the road.  No, not to the annual ChainLink Conference, but rather to Missouri, land of the Ingalls, my father's farm, and of various yarn shops I have planned to visit.

The biggest problem I have right now is in deciding how much yarn I should bring.  Obviously I don't want to bring too much since I intend to buy some as "souvenirs..." 

What do you think?  How much yarn is considered "enough" for bringing on a vacation?  :)

The "-ympics"

I'll raise my crochet hook in the air to be counted as one of those "angry" crafters who recently took to social media to vent frustration with the recent actions of United States Olympic Committee.  For those not aware, a brief recap:

On the Ravelry.com website, there is a "Ravelympics" held every two years.  Participants are asked to push their crochet and knitting skills to new heights while watching the 16-day Olympics.  I have never participated in the Ravelympics, but I do watch the Olympics, and in fact, still have recordings going back some 20+ years THAT I STILL WATCH!

The USOC sent what they called a "standard" cease-and-desist letter to the owners of Ravelry -- the letter requests the stopping of the use of the Olympic symbol AND demanding the name of "Ravelympics" be changed.  I have no problem with the USOC protecting the Olympic logo, or the "Olympic" name.  If permission wasn't granted for using them, then it should be stopped.

The problems I have are two-fold:

A) "-ympics."  Do they own the right to these letters?  That's like saying the Ford motor company owns the right to "-ord." Or, if you want to compare non-profit with a non-profit, like saying Save The Children (remember the "Caps to the Capital" campaign?) owns the rights to "-ldren."   I've yet to read anything rational on this.  Of course, if this is allowed, I'm proclaiming ownership to "-ziano," you know, just in case I become world-famous for crochet hook twirling, or something along those lines.

B) the wording in their "standard" cease-and-desist letter that included this paragraph that I found to be "discriminating":

USOlympics Vs Ravelympics: Intellectual Property vs Slurs?

 "We believe using the name 'Ravelympics' for a competition that involves an afghan marathon, scarf hockey and sweater triathlon, among others, tends to denigrate the true nature of the Olympic Games. In a sense, it is disrespectful to our country's finest athletes and fails to recognize or appreciate their hard work."

          The USCO did apologize - twice - for the language they used.  The first apology was not easily digested by crafters because the it included a request for "... any handmade items that you would like to create to travel with, and motivate, our team at the 2012 Games."  [Link to both apologies.]  When my kids apologize for something, they would never think of following it up with "... and can I have 20 bucks for the movies?"  Naturally if  the USOC finds this type of apology works, I might start apologizing for things like "...sorry your lawn grew and you have to mow it. You can send me some yarn if you'd like."


The story of The USOC vs the Ravelympics was first picked up by the Gawker, and then others followed:

• http://gawker.com/5920036/us-olympics-committee-is-mad-at-knitting-olympics-for-denigrating-real-athletes
• http://www.stylelist.com/2012/06/21/knitting-olympics-2012_n_1615715.html
• http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/06/usoc-london-2012-knitting-controversy/1
• http://gawker.com/5920315/us-olympic-committee-apologizes-to-knitters-but-knitters-will-not-be-appeased
• http://london2012.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/21/u-s-o-c-knits-a-controversy/

My participation on this topic was in tweeting out some yarnie facts on the Twitter social site:

• There are 17.4 MILLION crocheters, and 13.0 MILLION knitters.  Actually, this is "households of" but that's ok.  That's still a lot of folks playing with yarn.  Even though Ravelry has 2 MILLION members, once this went viral, it was time to look at the bigger picture.
• of the 17.4 MILLION crocheters, they open their wallets to reportedly spend 1.064 BILLION US dollars on their love of crochet goodies -- these facts were published by the CHA in 2010.
• Three Crocheted Lions will be part of the 2012 Cultural Olypiad: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17915318

... and then some sport-sy facts:

• Guinness World Records officially issued “The Fastest Crocheter Title” to Lisa Gentry on June 25, 2005
• Guinness World Record Holder for Fastest Knitter was earned by Miriam Tegels in 2008
• The Guinness world record for the Most People Knitting Simultaneously was set in 2011
• The Guinness World Record for the Most People Crocheting Simultaneously was set in 2010 in USA!  (hey, I was there!)
• Guinness World Record Holder for Longest Crochet Chain Whilst Running a Marathon went to Susie Hewer in 2010

... for those reporting on the USOlympic vs Ravelympics saga (because I'm tired of seeing articles stating "little old ladies"):

• CYCA reports 92% of crocheters & knitters R UNDER 65 yrs old. http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/know.html
• CYCA reports 66% of crocheters & knitters R UNDER 54 yrs old. http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/know.html

... and my biggest concerns:

• how this might impact crochet & knit donations to the Special Olympics http://www.scarvesforspecialolympics.org/files/upload_file_847993722.pdf
• crafters might boycott watching the Olympics, missing out on the finest amateur athletes in the world.

My bottom line: If deemed legal, I think the name "Ravelympics" should remain; no one is profiting from it (one of the USOC's concerns), and it actually helps promote the Olympics in a postitve way.  And I think that the US Olympic Committee should revisit their "standard" letters to ensure future language used is not inappropriate.

Out of this entire saga, I did learn something new:  The Wenlock Olympian Society, now known as the International Olympic Committee, once included knitting, as well as reading and spelling.  I can't help but wonder if "-ympics" was part of the spelling .........