Grab a Scary Movie, a bowl of popcorn, and ...

... a headless crochet hook?

Happy Halloween!!

I'm a barbed, barbed girl!

Lady Luck, please come visit me.  I need you.  You see, Murphy's Law stopped by for an uninvited visit this weekend and I need you to kick him out.  It all started with my children wanting to help by doing the dishes.  They didn't know I was in the middle of cleaning my earrings -- and I didn't know they took the mug I had them resting in until it was too late. 

My earrings went down the drain.  Mr. Dee, my real Prince Charming, came to the rescue and was able to save the pair he gave me upon the birth of our son, but the other two, one being a pair I've treasured for over 20 years, were not so lucky.  Either was Mr. Dee when he attempted to take pipes apart in search for them.  Since this blog is not about what can go wrong with old plumbing, I won't get into it.  Let's just say the earrings are gone.  Forever.

I know I should feel lucky that we have our home, and we have our health, and that we have each other, and that now we have new plumbing.  You see, it's just a phase of mourning the loss of the sentimental value that I am going through.  And your visit would be greatly appreciated.  Come when you can, OK?

                                                                        *    *    *

I was quite upset yesterday.  To help eliminate some of those sad & angry emotions, I decided to work some of them out.  I took out the felted bag I started from the workshop with Margaret, some roving from the recent Sheep & Wool Festival in New York, and 2 felting needles.

I looked the bag over see where I could add a touch of color and decided upon needle felting a touch of hot pink along the edges and tips of each rose petal.  Dangerous? Well, yes, because one slight misguided "punch" and I'd feel the pain of a puncture (or more) from a very sharp, and barbed!, needle!  Did I care? No.  Do I care now?  Yes!  Did I learn a lesson about mixing emotion and fiber arts together?  Yes!

So how do I feel about it today, aside from the Band-Aid on my finger?  Better.  I had a great conversation with my Mother this morning who revealed her own stories about losing items with emotions attached to them.  She was able to put it all into perspective, "Honey, at least you still have the memories attached to the pieces, and that will always be with you."  She's so right!  Thanks Mom! :)

Here's the bag before adding the needle felting; photo was taken before leaving the workshop (on left):

And here's the bag after barbing my finger, er, needle felting on the edge (on right):

Do I like the end results?  Yes, but next time I think I'll wear a thimble when I'm needle felting.  You know, just to be safER.  And, also, the next time I want to clean my jewelry, I won't leave it on the kitchen counter.  Tags: crochet, needle felting, lost jewelry, felted crochet

Update: 60 Scarves in 60 Days Challenge

I have decided not to give an updated count at the moment, and this is because we have about 3 1/2 days left to the Challenge.  We've already met the goal of 60 Scarves in 60 Days, but the big question here is: did we exceed beating last years' number?

If you've pledged creating a scarf, or have a new total, please let me know as I'd like to ensure I have correct totals for everyone.  On November 1st, I will post the final numbers AND post the winner of the drawing.  So please, ensure you let me know what your final number(s) are.

I spent yesterday properly weaving in ends, and then packaging up my scarves with hats and (purchased) gloves for our annual Salvation Army drive that my CGOA Chapter participates in.  During the winter, here in Connecticut, it gets plenty cold, and these sets will go towards helping those in need keep warm. Tags: Tags: 60 scarves in 60 days challenge, knit, crochet, dee stanziano

Dee's First Webcam Blog Entry

Lion Brand's first PodCast: http://yarncraft.lionbrand.com/?p=3
Dee found "The Batsford Book of Crochet" by Ann Sterns on eBay.
Amazon currently has copies available starting at $79.

KOC2 2008 - Road Trip??

It seems that Mary Colucci, the Executive Director of the Craft Yarn Council of Amerca, has been reading my mind when she wrote to me, "No one misses the New York Knit-Out & Crochet event more than I do! This month feels so weird--no Knit-Out committee meetings, no making crochet and knit starts or ordering port-a-potties!"

Yes, it does seem ___________ (insert your own adjective).  I was going to say weird too, but your adjective works just as well.  I miss the rides into NYC with Grace to attend the planning meetings, working on the starts used in the teaching tent, and preparing for the demonstrations I volunteer for.  It just doesn't seem to be Fall without the NYC KOC2 event we love so much.

So what is this crocheter to do?  Why, entertain the idea of attending the KOC2 at the Mall of America in Minnesota come February!  If I go, will you be there too?  :)

Right now Mr. Dee and I are working out the specifics -- if it's to be, of course I'll announce it here.  Don't know about the event?  Then here is the official press release from the CYCA:

Mall of America, February 16 and 17, 2008 (Presidents’ Weekend), promises to be the biggest gathering of knitters and crocheters from throughout the United States. More than 50,000 attended last year’s Great American Knit-Out and even more are expected this year.

Knit-Out highlights include:

CELEBRITY CORNER

Debbie Macomber NY Times best-selling women’s fiction author, known to knitters worldwide for The Shop on Blossom Street, A Good Yarn and her latest Back on Blossom Street. Debbie will share her inspirational knitting stories, talk about Warm Up America! and even give a technique demo.

Vickie Howell Meet author and host of the DIY Network’s Knitty Gritty series. Vickie will be on hand to talk about her latest book Knit Aid: For Knitters on the Go, filled with lots of tips and tricks for hassle-free knitting, plus she’ll talk about the latest knit and crochet fashions.

The international finals to find the Fastest Knitter and Crocheter, cosponsored by CYCA and the UK Hand Knitting Association, will pit the fastest knitters and crocheters from the U.S. against those from the U.K., Canada, The Netherlands, and France. The competition is fierce but fun. Visitors who just want to see how fast they can go will also have a chance to test their skills.

PLUS…

FREE Beginner Knitting & Crochet Lessons

Technique Demos – Fun tips, tricks and project ideas

Yarn “Doctors” – Knit and crochet experts answer your toughest project questions

“The Season’s Best” Fashions <LISTYLE="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffcc?>Dog Gone Cute & Crazy Fashion Show – Woof

Kid Cute & Crazy Fashion Show

Kids Crafts Area – Learn to knit, crochet and make cool stuff!

Show & Share – Knitters and crocheters model and talk about their favorite projects

Displays • Giveaways • Door Prizes

PLUS…Sit, knit, crochet, join: Warm Up America!

Bring a 7” by 9” crocheted or knitted section to join into an afghan

Help us complete afghans for people in need in Minneapolis

Hotel & Travel Discounts
Because of this enormous enthusiasm for Knit-Out, CYCA, working with Country Inns & Suites, has arranged for a special Knit-Out hotel package with deeply discounted room rates:

Standard room with two queen-size beds is $95

King Suite room with a king-size bed is $105

The hotel has a free breakfast and is within walking distance of the Mall. (It’s the closest hotel to the Mall and also provides free shuttle service.) In addition, Knit-Out visitors will receive a goodie bag with a Mall of America discount coupon book and the hotel is setting up aprivate V.I.P. lounge with light refreshments where crocheters and knitters can gather to stitch and chat 24/7. To take advantage of these special rates, reserve your room no later than December 1st. Complete event details are available at: www.Knit-Out.com or visit the hotel web site and follow the special “Knit-Out” link to make your reservation: www.countryinns.com/knit. You also can call the hotel directly for a reservation at 952-854-5555 and ask for the Knit Out group rate or Central Reservations at 1-800-456-4000.

Special Northwest Airline Discount – US & Canada

Working with Northwest Airlines, CYCA has arranged a Knit-Out package that offers an additional 5-7% discount. (NOTE: Not all fares qualify for a discount.) Reservations can be made either online or by calling the Airline directly. Log onto http://www.nwa.com.. Complete the information as requested on the screen and at the bottom of the page when asked for ECert fare, electronic voucher or meeting agreement, select meeting agreement and enter WorldFile # NYVFR. This will bring up your flight choices and automatically apply the meeting discount to your ticket cost. Please note that not all fares qualify for a discount and the web site will return the lowest fare available. There is no ticketing fee to book online. You also have the option of contacting Northwest Airlines at 800-328-1111 Mon-Fri 7 AM-7:30 PM Central time and referencing WorldFile Number NYVFR. However, as with many airlines, when you call and book through an agent, there is a $10 non-refundable ticketing fee assessed for tickets issued by a Northwest agent.

Interested in volunteering to teach at the Mall of America Knit-Out, e-mail: info@craftyarncouncil.com

Craft Yarn Council of America • Post Office Box 9 • Gastonia, North Carolina 28053-0009
704-824-7838 or 800-662-9999 • Fax 704-824-0630 • www.craftyarncouncil.com • info@craftyarncouncil.com

Rhinebeck: the New York Sheep & Wool Festival, Part II

So, where did I last leave off? Ah, yes, I had just finished describing some of the "bling bling" that I purchased from The Rams Head Studio people, yes? The pin to the left is also from them and I think it really sets the tone of what the New York Sheep and Wool Festival, also known simply as "Rhinebeck," is all about -- the fiber!! And lots of it!
That and all the buttons and tools associated with playing with it!  {VBG}

After exhausing a weeks' worth of hunting online for the perfect "butterfly" buttons I wanted for the felted bag I have been working on, I found several at the Festival.  Right there!  And what a selection!  The children, Mini~Dee, Dee Jr., and The Kid, had fun helping me select them.

Then we were off to start visiting the various barns and check out all the goodies available for adoption.  Everything was so tempting, but I behaved!  I kept my sights narrowed onto felting supplies -- from needles to variety fiber packages.  

After some time had passed we heard Margaret had arrived, so we started our way back to the Author's Tent.  We stopped along the way so the children check out the Tortoises when out of nowhere -- ZAP!  I was attacked by a bee!  Now being highly allergic I should have just gone into sheer panic and started screaming "Medic!," but I didn't as I didn't want to frighten the children.  I stayed calm and we went directly to the First Aid where I was treated promptly.  Fortunately for me it turned out to be a bee bite and not a sting!  I didn't need to use my epi-pen and be rushed to the nearest hospital!  Whew!  So I'll take a bee bite and a loss of shopping time over that ANYTIME!! 

After being observed for a lengthy time by the medical folks for any possible alergic reaction, I was given the green light to continue on with enjoying the Festival.  After lunch we made our way back to the Author's Tent.  There were a lot of big name Knit authors there, but with me not being a knitter, I didn't know who they were.  We hooked up with Margaret, and had fun chatting with her.  She treated the kids to balloons, and I treated myself to an autographed felting book -- "Hand Felted Jewelry and Beads: 25 Artful Designs" by Carol Cypher -- oh the possibilities!  (But that will be another blog entry for another time!)  

One vendor completely blew a sale: earlier in the morning I gave the children spending money that they could use to purchase whatever they fancied.  They had their eye on some felted goodies by one vendor but couldn't afford their prices.  (That lead into a great conversation of handmade value vs. machine made value.)  As we wondered on, we stopped at another vendor selling drop spindles.  My son reached out to investigate one that had caught his eye and just as he did a man yelled at him, "Hey kid! Don't touch that!"

Dee Jr. was taken aback; those that know him know he is a good boy, not a wild child needing to be brought under control.  He had done nothing wrong; he looked at me nearly in tears.  I took this to be a great opportunitty to teach another life lesson.  I turned to my son and said, "Do you see the error in this man's selling approach?"   I watched my son blink hard to fight back the tears.  I continued on, in front of this man, saying "...had this man asked you if you were interested in learning how and explained the process to you, you might have made a purchase here with the spending money in your pocket."  Then I turned to the man and said, "Too bad for you,"  and we walked away.  This was the only negative, aside from the bee attack, we experienced.   All the other vendors embraced the children's visit, which, IMHO, is good because they are tomorrow's fiber artists!

Fortunately, Nancy, another member of the HHCC CGOA Chapter, had a much better experience in getting a drop spindle for her young daughter -- and she tells me she's now a pro at spinning with the drop spindle! ... you can read about it here.   (I do want to note there were many vendors selling drop spindles, but the man that yelled at my son dampened his spirits.  I told Dee Jr. I have a drop spindle from a previous Sheep & Wool Festival and if he wants, he can use it.  We'll see if his interest in it perks up again.)   

As the day quickly started to wind down, we ended our adventure with fried dough and a scenic drive home with the sun just starting to set over the orange and red tree tops.  I'm thinking that for next year, I just may need to go with a two-day pass!  Tags: new york sheep & wool festival, rhinebeck, crochet, rams horn, drop spindle, knit

Rhinebeck: the New York Sheep & Wool Festival

Here in New England, it is always a spectacular sight to witness the beauty the Fall season has to offer.  And so it was one of those spectacular days of not just of sight, but also in weather, that I attended the New York Sheep & Wool Festival this past weekend.

Joining me in the ride to the fair grounds were Mini~Dee, Dee Jr., Grace (our CGOA Chapter President), and Priscilla of By Hook & Needles.  The commute was stunning: rolling hills of farms and fall foliage.

Our first stop was the Authors Tent.  A quarter to eleven in the morning and it was CROWDED!  We went in quickly to see Margaret had found she wasn't there yet.  We did find Mary Beth Temple who has a new book out called, "The Secret Language of Knitters."  (Click onto Mary Beth's picture on the left to visit her blog.) We met at the CGOA Conference this past summer and our daughters not only became the best of fiber friends, but they had also rocked the runway together.  The girls were ecstatic about meeting up again!

On the top of my "must visit" vendors list was "The Rams Horn."   I had emailed them days prior requesting they bring their crochet "blingbling" with them -- and they did!   I purchased the pin you see on the right, another pin, and now a new item they're offering: a corded necklace featuring a USEABLE crochet hook!  These items are not currently featured on their website, but if you're interested, just send them an email!


OK ... that's it for now.  I'll be back with more details and pictures later when my DSL connection is restored.  Stay tuned!  :)
Tags: the New York Sheep & Wool Festival, crochet, crochet jewelry, the rams horn studio

Update: 60 Scarves in 60 Days Challenge

We have, to date, 25 people, 26 including myself, participating in our 4th Annual 60 Scarves in 60 Days Challenge!  I believe this to be another new record of participants!  Whoo hoo!!

Here is the list of all those who are participating:

Sandie at Crafty Corral  just finished scarf #4 and is starting #5

Sherri at CrochetR is working on her fourth scarf

Tracie at Fibers by Tracie has completed her 5th scarf and was recently nearly caught breaking her *fiber diet* to purchase more yarn for more scarves ...

Sheila at Just Another Hooker is working on her first scarf

Bunny from Bunny's Blog has completed her third scarf and has started working on her fourth 

Ellen over at GoCrochet has completed her second and will be sending hers to Threads of Compassion in Chicago. 

Haley of CT

Priscilla of http://byhookorneedles.blogspot.com has finished her sixth (and she's also close to completing her personal goal of creating 100 items for charity this year!)

Sonia of http://fromthehook.blogspot.com/

Jennifer of www.jaybirddesigns.blogspot.com; has completed on her second scarf, but I'm going to up it to 7 scarves as she has 5 for sale to benefit Breast Cancer Research.  You can buy one of her beautiful scarves, or purchase the pattern for it here.

Beata of www.hookandfiber.blogspot.com who has three five a grand total of 6 scarves and says, "I can't believe how quick they were to make." 

Jane of http://janeshookedoncrochet.blogspot.com/ has completed her 4th scarf, the latest one using the tunisian simple stitch in fuschia.

Valarie of Chino Valley, AZ; she donated two scarves she crocheted to her local church.  Her Church donates clothing & food to the homeless.

Olga of CT says "I already finished one scarf and started thesecond, so you can count with two from me."

Lucy, an elementary school teacher in Wisconsin says, "I know that every school could use scarves. There is always a child that comes to school without proper clothing in winter. If it's an adult scarf, perhaps the child's mother needs it. You can count on my for at least one scarf for my school."

Lori of CT has completed three scarves.

Robyn of warmwithlove.com is sending out a scarf to charity

Maven of fiberprom.blogspot.com has a scarf done for the  Red Scarf Project project with another one started.

PCB Chick in Florida of http://pcbchickinflorida.blogspot.com/ is working on her first second scarf for the Challenge

Ghost of http://hoppinhooks.blogspot.com who is working on a scarf to help a friend who's son is in the service. Their goal is to make 10, one for each tent mate!

Joyce of http://ladynthread.blogspot.com who has two scarves completed and thinks working on this challenge may be bringing her teams luck.  She might be right! Go Patriots!!

Robin of http://crochetinglessons.blogspot.com has an incredible eight scarves done for the challenge! Eight!  (Robin, thank you so much for reminding me!!)


Joining the Challenge are:

Nancy of http://nlsstitches.squarespace.com who has completed three scarves.

Lucy, a member of the Crochetville group has also completed three scarves and shares the details about them here: http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?p=983543#post983543

Scarlet of www.scarley-pooh.com has completed a scarf that will be sent to a platoon serving in Iraq.

Where are we in reaching the 60 Scarves in 60 Days goal?

                  ...        Drumroll please!      ...


As of today, we have EXCEEDED the 60 Scarves in 60 Days Goal with having  69 completed scarves and  10 in process!!  How wonderful, how marvelously wonderful!!!  {VBG}

The next question that comes to mind is, can we beat last year's number?  Last year, as a collective, we created 80 scarves.  There are still nine more days of this Challenge left!  Can we make a dozen (or more) scarves in the next nine days?  I think we can!

Why not add your name to the growing list and create a scarf for charity and help us beat last year's total?  You can use up some stash (while making room for some new fiber), and try a new stitch or technique-- and you can have your name entered in my drawing for a lovely prize!  All you need to do is go here for the official rules!Tags: 60 scarves in 60 days challenge, knit, crochet, dee stanziano

Heavy Heart

Members of the online yahoo group "Crochet Partners" received sad news today.  Long-time member Debbie Weathersby died this morning, having fought a long battle with ovarian cancer.

Debbie joined the group five years ago, and often times we would exchange emails, IM's, or chat in the CP Chat Room about our crochet projects and our children;  often times flopping ourselves onto our virtual "camp couch" to get over illnesses our children shared with us; our birthdays were just days away from each other (different years though).  (She has a daughter just a wee bit younger than my Mini~Dee, and another one who turned 19 a week ago.) 

Debbie was proud of her growing crochet abilities, and rightly so as with each project she took on her confidence grew!  I will greatly miss her inquiries and our chats.  Debbie, the left-handed crocheter from Shreveport, Louisiana (as she would often sign off her emails with), thank you for touching my life.  You will be greatly missed.  God Bless.

Nominated for Bloggers Choice Awards

I received an email from Maven today; she nominated my blog for the "Blogger's Choice Awards" -- I'm honored!! Thank you Maven!

Maven suggested I place the button on my blog so my readers who enjoy coming here would know where to go and vote. In checking out those that have already been nominated, it looks like there are a lot of "Knit Theme" blogs. Still, though, I wonder, will this be the year Crochet comes out on top?   Cast your vote and find out! :)

The Hills Are Alive With Music ...

There has been much discussion over the passing of Werner von Trapp, one of the children made famous by the "Sound of Music" movie we all adore.  He was 91, and a crocheter.  There is a house my town, rumored to be one of the homes they lived in prior to settling in Stowe, VT.   I haven't found any concrete information to confirm this yet, but at least the thought that this amazing family may have brought their music to Connecticut is endearing.  I would have loved to have heard it in person.

Another musical note is being sung by Aretha Franklin -- "C R O C H E T" -- yes, the woman whose voice that was proclaimed as a "natural resource" by the state of Michigan, the one who demands "R E S P E C T," is a crocheter!  And, based upon this website, she loves to do the pumpkin and pineapple stitches.  (Yes, I'm trying to figure out what the pumpkin stitch is!  Readers, do you know?  Aretha, please feel free to contact me and let me know!) 

Finally, today is the day my neighborhood will be hearing various notes, mind you, I didn't say musical notes.  No, that will come with time.  This is because both Mini~Dee and Dee Jr. are starting their music lessons today.  Both have opted to learn how to play the Trumpet, and they're both quite excited to get started.  To keep harmony in the house, I have plans of crocheting identifying markers for both the trumpets and the cases -- and maybe even some sort of muffler to dampen the decibels for awhile.   Yes, the hills in Connecticut will be hearing the sounds of trumpet.  LOL

HHCC Celebrates Sixth Year Anniversary!

Yesterday, with many thanks to our President, Grace, and to our lovely host, Margaret, The Happily Hooked on Crocheting Club, Connecticut Chapter of the Crochet Guild of America, celebrated it's sixth year anniversary!

Margaret volunteered to teach us felted cut flowers.  This entailed we do some homework beforehand and boy! was I ever happy that my BFF was up to the task because on Saturday I still hadn't finished crocheting and/or felting up the base, the bag,  that the flowers would eventually be added to!  So Mini~Dee and Dee Jr. took turns with the Innovations Knitting Machine, working up three fourths of my green wool.  The rest I decided to crochet up using various motif patterns from the book "201 Crochet Motifs, Blocks, Patterns and Ideas" by Melody Griffiths as I was curious how the felting would effect taller stitches.

I do want to note, especially with the oak leaf motif, that I changed the stitches ever-so-slightly.  When the instructions stated to do double crochet and treble/triple crochet stitches -- I linked them!   (Linked stitches is the technique of inserting the hook into the side of a previously made stitch and pulling up a loop; this loop takes the place of a normal yarn over for the intended stitch in progress.)  I linked my stitches as I wanted to ensure there would be no holes normally associated with taller stitches.  At one in the morning I finished all my crocheting and threw all my pieces into the wash, adding in two gallons of boiling water (a marvelous tip of Margaret's!).  Later, when I checked the pieces in the washer, I was delighted with the outcome! 

Since the celebration/workshop was just hours away I didn't have time to block them.  So I took a shortcut: I set my iron on it's highest steam/heat setting and steamed the pieces flat.

At the Celebration, Margaret showed us how to cut the shapes to create various flowers; I chose to do the rose.  Wanting to keep pressure off my "newly healed" wrist, I used my new "spring loaded" Fiskars scissors.  Oh! Everyone should own a pair; they were a dream to work with when cutting into the thick fabric!

Once the pieces were cut, it was time to assemble.  I decided it would be a perfect time to try needle felting.  Needle felting is the technique of using very sharp, barbed, needles to push fibers of one piece into a second piece.  I used a tool (pictured to the right) that let me safely use up to six needles at a time. This allows the pieces to stick together.   (Just be careful as it does hurt should you poke yourself; yes, this is from my own personal experience! Yee-ouch!)  I needle felted all the pieces onto my bag except the rose.  The rose was too heavy and needed to be sewn together, and then sewn onto the bag.

I'm not quite done, but below you can see my progress:

The oak leaf and the greenery behind the rose are motifs from the aforementioned book.  The stem was something I was playing with --  single rows of felted single crochet stitches. The rose instructions were compliments of Margaret who got them from Nicky Epstein.

When I arrived back home and showed it to Mr. Dee he exclaimed, "Whoa!" ... he liked the colors and the 3-D effect. 

It was a fantastic afternoon; a most wonderful way to celebrate six great years!  :)

For more pictures and details about our fun celebration, please visit Margaret's blog here!   Anniversary, crochet, felting, needle felting

Readers Question: Where is 'Graydog?'

Dee, Where is 'Graydog?' I know you love their crochet hooks and figured you might know why I can't find them on eBay. By the way, I love when you show your hooks with your projects. I hope to have a pretty collection like yours one day! Thanks for the inspiration!
Bridgett

Hi Bridgett,
I find it interesting that so many fans of the Graydog hooks have been contacting me to figure out what is going on as they have been a mainstay of eBay for a good number of years!  So, with so many fans of theirs contacting me, I thought I'd look into the matter and report back.

Bill and Jill, the creators of the Graydog crochet hooks, are doing fine. In fact, they reported that they're in the process of expanding Bill's workshop and will return to eBay in a few weeks.

So the question here is what will happen first? Will Bill and Jill be back on eBay before  their hooks (from my private collection, along with an article by the CGOA Founder, Gwen Blakley-Kinsler) are pictured in the November/December issue of Piecework magazine? Only time will tell.  Either way, it's a win-win wait. :)

(woof, woof, woof, woof) <--- I couldn't resist. {VBG}

Update: 60 Scarves in 60 Days Challenge

Eighteen days remain for reaching the goal of creating 60 Scarves in 60 Days!  So, how are we doing?

We have, to date, 22 people, 23 counting myself, participating in our 4th Annual 60 Scarves in 60 Days Challenge!  I believe this to be a new record of participants!  Whoo hoo!!

Here is the list of all those who are participating:

Sandie at Crafty Corral  just finished scarf #4 and is starting #5

Sherri at CrochetR is working on her fourth scarf

Tracie at Fibers by Tracie has completed her third scarf

Sheila at Just Another Hooker is working on her first scarf

Bunny from Bunny's Blog has completed her third scarf and has started working on her fourth 

Ellen over at GoCrochet has completed one and is working on her second

Haley of CT

Priscilla of http://byhookorneedles.blogspot.com has finished her sixth (and she's also close to completing her personal goal of creating 100 items for charity this year!)

Sonia of http://fromthehook.blogspot.com/

Jennifer of www.jaybirddesigns.blogspot.com; has completed on her second scarf

Beata of www.hookandfiber.blogspot.com who has three five a grand total of 6 scarves and says, "I can't believe how quick they were to make." 

Jane of http://janeshookedoncrochet.blogspot.com/ also has three scarves done.

Valarie of Chino Valley, AZ; she donated two scarves she crocheted to her local church.  Her Church donates clothing & food to the homeless.

Olga of CT says "I already finished one scarf and started thesecond, so you can count with two from me."

Lucy, an elementary school teacher in Wisconsin says, "I know that every school could use scarves. There is always a child that comes to school without proper clothing in winter. If it's an adult scarf, perhaps the child's mother needs it. You can count on my for at least one scarf for my school."

Lori of CT who says her goal is to crochet two scarves.

Robyn of warmwithlove.com is sending out a scarf to charity

Maven of fiberprom.blogspot.com has a scarf done for the  Red Scarf Project project with another one started.

PCB Chick in Florida of http://pcbchickinflorida.blogspot.com/ is working on her first second scarf for the Challenge

Also joining the Challenge is:

Ghost of http://hoppinhooks.blogspot.com who is working on a scarf to help a friend who's son is in the service. Their goal is to make 10, one for each tent mate!

Joyce of http://ladynthread.blogspot.com who has two scarves completed and thinks working on this challenge may be bringing her teams luck.  She might be right! Go Patriots!!

Robin of http://crochetinglessons.blogspot.com has an incredible eight scarves done for the challenge! Eight!  (Robin, thank you so much for reminding me!!)

Added together, with my four, that makes ... wait, wait,wait, we have some new numbers to report tonight!  Earlier this evening I stated that "if all the scarves in process were completed within the next 18 days, that would  bring us to 51" -- I checked my email just moments ago and found that I had errored by missing Robin's participation (my apologies Robin!) and that Joyce is also joining us in meeting the challenge.  (If I'm missing anyone else, or your count is incorrect, please, please let me know!!)

What does this now mean?  When we add in Joyce's and Robin's completed scarves it changes our totals!  We now stand at 52 completed scarves and 11 in process!!  It means that if all 11 of the scarves in process are completed within the next 18 days we'll beat the goal!   This is so exciting!!  :)

We can still use your help to possibly beat last year's number!  Why not add your name to the growing list and create a scarf for charity and help us reach this goal?  You can use up some stash (while making room for some new fiber), and try a new stitch or technique-- and you can have your name entered in my drawing for a lovely prize!  All you need to do is go here for the official rules! Tags: 60 scarves in 60 days challenge, knit, crochet, dee stanziano

Another LYS Loss for Connecticut

The yarn shop, Knottygirl, has announced they are closing their doors on December 1st.  This will make the fifth yarn shop, that I know of, the state of Connecticut will lose this year: Knit Together in Stamford, Selma's in Southbury, Rag Shop in Danbury, and The Wool Connection in Avon, and now Knottygirl.  (http://www.knottygirlknits.com/)

Dang!

Do you think it is because people can't afford the higher prices and get most of their yarn from the discount chains and large craft stores that have sales and coupons? there is only one LYS in my town but there are some others not too far away. The Lys in my town seemed to be going out of business but it turned out that it just changed hands and the new person change the name and the setup inside the store I was only in the previous store once - I was actually looking for a particular pattern which it turned out they did not have - but while I was there I took the time to look at all the yarn and the prices and they were just too expensive for me. So I was just wondering what your take on the situation is.
Laurel

Wow, that's a great question, Laurel!

Initially, Laurel, I had many thoughts typed out here, but decided this video clip, although about a small shop in the Netherlands, relates to my feelings on this topic.  Check it out and share your thoughts:

How Sweet It Is!

... to return to crochet!

Here's the scarf I started crocheting last night in celebration of having my brace removed.  I used my Graydog "G" hook with Madil's "Silky" yarn.  I finished weaving in the Louisa Harding "Sari" ribbon earlier this afternoon.  This will go towards the auction at my children's school as part of their fund raiser.  And the best part -- no pain!!  Whoo hoo!! 

Celebrating With Stitches ... & Designer Yarns

I find it interesting how much fiber I have amassed in the weeks while awaiting for my wrist to heal.  Normally shopping for yarn is not a problem due to the large quantity I seem to go through in creating class samples, items for charities, and tooling around with design ideas for possible publication.  But, since "production" had come to a near halt due to my wrist injury, that does not mean I stopped collecting fiber!

After class yesterday I found myself stocking up on three more fibers: "Sundae Swirl" by Plymouth Yarn; Berroco's "Calico;" and Louisa Harding's "Sari Ribbon."  Sweet, sweet, sweet!  There was also a pretty Fiesta yarn in a black/mulberry colorway that I was seriously eyeing -- at $38 a hank I thought it wise to first decide upon what project I would use for it prior to purchasing it as I'd want to ensure I buy enough!  I'll spend the week thinking about it and return back at the shop next week to make the adoption process final.  {VBG}

I know what you're thinking!  "Dee, are you nuts??!! Thirty-eight dollars for a single hank of yarn?"  I assure you, I am totally sane.  While I cannot afford to pay $38 a hank for every project I work on, I have no problem splurging on a designer fiber from time to time to create very special projects.

I think of it this way: if you spend hours on end crocheting something spectacular wouldn't you want to be paid handsomely for your time, your talent, and your creativity? It's no different; I'll be rewarding someone financially to hand dye a fiber using their time, talent and creativity.   --And, after weeks of waiting to crochet I think I deserve some top-of-the-line beautious fiber to reward myself.  After all, little self-indulgence from time to time is good for the soul, right?  :)

Tonight I'm celebrating as my wrist brace is off!! The wrist is still tender so I need to pace myself, but still -- it's OFF!!!   Yes!!!  I'm hoping to complete a scarf tonight using Madil's "Silky" (and is it ever!).

Feeling Lucky?

I have been reorganizing my bag I use to tote my crochet hooks and other tools to class; it really needed it!  (Really, it's a cosmetic bag that is clear on the outside and on the inside which makes locating various items much easier!  You can find them at your local department stores.)  While reorganizing the bag my son held up my little blue button bag and asked, "Mom, when did you knit this? I hardly ever see you knitting!"  (It's the small blue bag within the clear cosmetic bag, can you see it?  The larger blue bag is a project from Pauline Turner's "How to Crochet" book.)

All I could do is give a little chuckle and inquired back, "I made that little button bag a few years ago on a day when you were quite sick; I was stuck on the couch with you in my lap soundly sleeping.  Fortunately I had a ball of yarn, a crochet hook, and a set of knitting needles within reach.  Do you remember that day?  And are you sure it's knitted?"

He looked the bag over for a few more moments, shrugged his shoulders, and said he was unsure.  What do you think Readers?  To help, here's a close-up:

 

Another Project Completed!

I am one happy camper! The bag for my children's upcoming school fund raising auction is completed!  Fully lined too and not a trace of hot glue! (lol)  I was able to handle the sewing machine quite nicely, and able to do some hand stitching too.  I think I'm well on my way to a full recovery! :)

How the bag was made:  I used an "innovations knitter" (I mentioned it the other day) working up a full skein of Patons' Classic Wool in the Palais colorway.  Prior to felting it, I folded the "knitted" material in thirds, seamed up two of the sides using a technique known as "the Poor Man's Join" of interlocking loops on the edges.

After it was dry from the felting process, I took apart a belt I had purchased at a Kohl's department store and turned it into the purse strap; I love the contrast of the fuzzy felt with the slickness of the shiny metal.  (The next time you go shopping, stop and look at the belts -- you'll be amazed at how many *want* to be incorporated into your projects!)  ... I even lined the bag with material that matches the random colorway the yarn created.

Considering there's not a single crochet stitch, I do like the way the project came out, and would like to make more in the future.  I'm hoping who ever bids on it and wins the auction will enjoy the bag as much as I did creating it!   :)

Friday Update: 60 Scarves in 60 Days Challenge

With just a little less than a month we are past the half-way mark of reaching the goal of creating 60 Scarves in 60 Days!  I think that is just super!!

To recap, here's the list of all those that are participating:

Sandie at Crafty Corral  has three scarves completed 

Sherri at CrochetR is working on her fourth scarf

Tracie at Fibers by Tracie has completed her third scarf

Sheila at Just Another Hooker is working on her first scarf

Bunny from Bunny's Blog

Ellen over at GoCrochet

Haley of CT

Priscilla of http://byhookorneedles.blogspot.com has finished her sixth (and she's also close to completing her personal goal of creating 100 items for charity this year!)

Sonia of http://fromthehook.blogspot.com/

Jennifer of www.jaybirddesigns.blogspot.com; has completed on her second scarf

Beata of www.hookandfiber.blogspot.com who has three five completed already

Jane of http://janeshookedoncrochet.blogspot.com/ also has three scarves done.

Valarie of Chino Valley, AZ; she donated two scarves she crocheted to her local church.  Her Church donates clothing & food to the homeless.

Olga of CT says "I already finished one scarf and started the second, so you can count with two from me."

Lucy, an elementary school teacher in Wisconsin says, "I know that every school could use scarves. There is always a child that comes to school without proper clothing in winter. If it's an adult scarf, perhaps the child's mother needs it. You can count on my for at least one scarf for my school."

Also joining the Challenge are:

Lori of CT who says her goal is to crochet two scarves.

Robyn of warmwithlove.com is sending out a scarf to charity

Maven of fiberprom.blogspot.com is joining the cause

PCB Chick in Florida of http://pcbchickinflorida.blogspot.com/ is working on her first scarf for the Challenge

Plus the scarf I finished (I have another one on the hook), so adding it all up, that makes 33 scarves! Whoohoo!!

A Special Note: Sandie is celebrating 10 fantastic years of offering crochet inspiration on the Internet ... to join the celebration, visit here.    Even with my wrist slowing me down, I am pledging to complete 10 streamers (scarves) for the 60 Scarves in 60 Days challenge in honor of Sandie's fantastic accomplishment; each scarf in celebration of Sandie's great milestone!  :)

Is it too late to have your name added to the growing list of those who have joined the Challenge?  Absolutely Not!  All you need to do is go here for the official rules -- and don't forget there's a drawing for a great prize too!  Tags: 60 scarves in 60 days challenge, knit, crochet, dee stanziano

Coffee, Crochet & Chat

At today's Coffee, Crochet & Chat session held at our local Borders bookstore located in Brookfield, CT, I had the pleasure of hooking up with Priscilla, Ruth, Kathy, and new to the group, Patty (Patty found us through the ConnecticutCrochet yahoo group).

I really enjoy this gathering as it is a great time just to kick back, talk about yarn, sales, fiber events, and the newest pattern books hot off the presses.

Whomever arrives first goes upstairs to the Craft section and pulls all the "New to Me" crochet books they have available.  This way when everyone arrives there are several new books sitting on our table for all to check out and possibly add to our private crochet libraries.  The only unfortunate part is sometimes more than one person likes the same book and there's only one copy available -- like this morning when Priscilla and I were eyeing the new book, "201 Crochet Motifs, Blocks, Patterns and Ideas" by Melody Griffiths.  I'm not sure what happened; I just couldn't get the word "Dibs!" out quick enough so she got to buy the store's only copy.  Drat!  LOL  Next time I'm going to have to wear my Calling Dibs pin!  {{giggles}}  Hopefully the store will get more copies, or I'll have to check if our local B&N has it, or just order it from Amazon.   {10/8 UPDATE: I found Overstock has the book available for $15.95 AND they're running a 3-day $1 shipping promotion.  Click here tocheck it out.}

Another book I ogled over was Mary Jane Hall's new book called Positively Crochet! ... there's quite a few items in there I have on my ever-growing WIM list including a crocheted gem ring!  I decided to place this book onto my Holiday Wish List so Mr. Dee & the kids can pick it out for me.  Kathy, Ruth and Patty also had fun checking out all the books too.  ((Kathy bought one too, I just don't recall the title.))

In the picture above is Priscilla showing off the latest Doris Chan pattern she's decided to try; Priscilla's stitch work is always beautifully done!  Ruth was working on a pretty pink circular baby blanket; Kathy was working on a scarf and a pair of crocheted socks.  Towards the end of the meeting I got brave and managed to crochet 20 stitches nearly pain-free, and that felt so good; I've missed crocheting!  Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to do 25?

Knitting With My New BFF

Being crochet challenged for the past several weeks has forced me to go out and make new friends in the fiber world in order to meet some deadlines.  Does this mean that I have replaced crocheting with knitting?  No, not really, but I do have a new BFF.

You see, with my children's school auction quickly approaching, and with my crochet club planning a felting demonstration at an upcoming meeting, I had to find a means to create the various items I need for each.  But how could I do so with a wrist brace on?  Crocheting with the brace is uncomfortable with the way it rubs against the palm of my hand.  I wouldn't be able to knit either for the same reason -- but I could "turn a crank!"  And so I did!

Everyone, meet my new BFF ... the "Innovations Knitter Machine" that I purchased a few weeks back when it was on sale at Joanns  (which btw, it is again, AND they're offering FREE shipping w/code OCTFSH735 on orders of $35 or more through 10/4/07)   My new BFF has been very good to me, easily whipping through my wool stash in record time.  And in those moments when I tire from turning the crank Mini~Dee and Dee Jr. are awaiting for their turn!  So really my new BFF has turned into the family's new BFF! :)

How does this knitting machine differ from the Barbie Knitter that my children enjoy?  It makes much wider panels/tubes which is great for adult hats (which I haven't tried yet), and wider fabrics which are great for felting purposes.  The instructions that are included with the machine has directions on how to "knit" an adult sweater with it, but I'm not ready to venture there -- yet.  After all, while we are getting along great, our friendship is still new and I don't want my crochet hooks to think I'm totally abandoning them.  But, on the other hand, for we who want the knit look without having to actually knit, or need fabric to felt up in the blink of an eye, it's good to have a backup BFF.  And for me, the "Innovations Knitter Machine" is a welcome addition to my fiber toy tool addiction.

I'm off now to attempt using the sewing machine while wearing the brace -- I'm hoping to finish the felted bag for the school auction by tomorrow.  If I can't manage the sewing machine I might need to turn to my other BFF: the hot glue gun.  Wish me luck.

*BBF: Best Friends Forever

NOTE:  Click here to visit Joanns today -- to enter your name into their "$500 Yarn Lovers Dream Package" sweepstakes!

Tapestry Crochet

Yesterday afternoon we took a ride back up to Massachusetts to attend the Eastern States Exposition on it's last day -- and to also pick up Mini~Dee's and my crochet entries we submitted for this three-week-long fair.

While we were awaiting for the pick-up time we enjoyed strolling around, doing a little shopping, a little riding, a little a lot of eating, and sight seeing too. 

Besides the quality time with my family, I really enjoyed being delightfully blown away with the amount of crochet my eyes feasted on throughout the day!  From babies covered with beautiful blankets someone lovingly created, to various garments adults were wearing.  In the picture to the left are some of the judged items we found in the Grange building; a lot of beautiful stitch work!

There were also many vendors selling crocheted items too, and one style really caught my eye:  Tapestry Crochet!  The signs indicated that the intricate hats they were selling for a mere $8.00 a piece were from Peru -- I found them beautiful but did not find any in my color comfort zone.  This means I'll need to add a tapestry project to my WIM (works in mind) list once I'm given the green light to return to crocheting.  (I'm sooo hoping that will be next week!!!)

For those interested, Tapestry Crochet is the technique of crocheting with a variety of different colors to make patterns in the fabric.  Rather than dropping the different colors as one would with graph-crocheting, tapestry crochet has you crocheting over the unused colors making for a much stiffer fabric. 

The most well known crochet designer for this technique is Carol Ventura who has recently started blogging AND hosting her own Yahoo group!  which I think are just awesome resources to get inspired by!  Carol's youtube video below does a fantastic job of explaining Tapestry Crochet further:

Tags: tapestry crochet