Random Thoughts Towards the Weekend

I spent the bulk of my day today preparing a display that will be going up for auction at my children's school fundraiser.  I opted to "donate" my crochet skills and the designer yarn to crochet a Communion Cape for the winning bidder.  The display was foam board cut out like a torso.  I cut two notches at the bottom and inserted more of the foam board to make it stand up, added some netting, pinned on my daughter's cape to show what the bidder's cape will look like once I have measurements of their child, added a picture of my daughter wearing her cape, along with a "teaser" describing the item.  It was a lot of work, and hopefully it will pull in a good amount of bids to ultimately help the school.  I'll keep my hooks crossed.  {{grins}}

So, now that's it's raining and I'm in need of some "down time," I decided to take it easy this evening, maybe even have a glass of wine & tinker with some freeform (care to join me, Rose??? heh heh heh).  One way I've been getting in some relaxation is by "pre-holiday" shopping online (I love that there's no lines!).  I was over there at "Overstock.com" and decided to do a search for "crochet" and found "the motherload" of crochet books for less than what bn.com or amazon.com is offering them!!  I then found a code that offers first time shoppers an additional 12% off  ('til 10/10) ... can it get any better???  Yeah, I was to have been relaxing, but finding crochet books on sale is sooooo exciting!!!  LOL

I plan on spending my spare time this weekend working on my mystery crochet project.  All I need is about 8 more inches on the main project before the finishing touches are added.  Of course it will be some time until I can lift the "cloud of mystery" off the project, but I did wantto mention that I'm working on it.  (How funny; my son is leaning over my shoulder looking at the image asking what the mystery project is!  He's seen me working on it but must have forgotten!  LOL)

Now, before I run off to get some Chinese food for dinner, I want to add one more thing ... click here & scroll to the end of the page to take the poll.  They're wondering if the gas prices have you staying home more (& stitching).  Go ahead and cast your vote.  :)

Effects of Environment

In recent discussions on various online groups, and with students in my crochet classes, the topic of staying relaxed while crocheting comes up quite a bit.  Some state that they tend to start off nice and relaxed but by the time they really get into the project they found they are having a tug-of-war with their yarn.  The stitches were getting tighter and tighter and tighter ... well, you get the picture.

My first suggestion, if you fall into this category, is to check your environment and see if it's effecting your work:

   *Are you watching/listening to the evening news?  That always tenses me up.
   *Are you counting stitches and have kids asking you a million questions?  That always messes me up.
   *Are you trying to crochet on your lunch break at work?  Try going to your car or an unused conference room for peace & quiet.
   *Did you drink a lot of caffeine?  Too much makes me jumpy; try drinking more water, or at least watered down coffee (in order to consume less caffeine)
   *Do you have a radio on and the DJ keeps yacking instead of playing music?  Or is the rhythm of the music too fast?  Too slow?  Change the station, or put on a CD for more control.
   *Did you jump right into your crocheting after some stressful situation? (i.e., work) ... try doing some stretches first.
   *Are you in love with your fiber?  A stiff fiber, or 'unfavorite' color are turnoffs for most.  Do a few rows and then reward yourself by working on a more pleasing project for ten minutes.  Then repeat the process.
   *Are you in love with the pattern?  Same rules as "are you in love with your fiber" applies here.

If the above suggestions fail to help relax you -- to relax your tension as you're creating your stitches -- then consider joining a group if you haven't already.  Join an online group, or join a "human" group that gets together every so often.  Getting together with other crocheters (or needlecrafters) and laughing together makes for a great way to release stress.

Here's to hoping your hooking is always happy!
~Dee

So, You Want to go Pro?

Working for oneself has it's appeal.  You are the boss, you set your own hours.  You can even work in your flannel pajamas and fuzzy crocheted slippers if you'd like.  (Yes, I'm guilty of that one!  And yes, I'm out here on my swing again! heh heh heh)

As a certified crochet teacher and budding designer I'm fortunate to make enough money to keep me home with my children.  I'm able to volunteer time at their school, and take them to interesting places -- such as the museum we went to this past Tuesday.

I'm often asked how I got to this point, and I want to say right off the bat that it was not an overnight success.  I started small and stepped into a lot of luck.  Fortunately for me, I believe that all crochet hooks contain a bit of pixie dust, for without all the crocheters who have crossed my path, where would I be today?  (Maybe still in the *Crocheter's Closet?*)

I've been asked to offer some of my patterns wholesale, this is obviously something I needed to do some research in and I found the book "The Basic Guide to Pricing Your Craftwork," by James Dillehay a great help.  I recommend it to anyone looking to sell their work as it has great information on how to arrive at fair prices and even ways you can save some money come tax time.  One thing I've learned for sure is that it looks like I will need to apply for an official business license.  But that's another journal entry for another day.

Getting back to going Pro, it can be as simple as selling your finished crocheted projects, to selling your patterns.  It can mean becoming a certified Instructor or Teacher, or even a publisher.  The key is to find out where your interests are, what kind of time you can put into it, and if the market can support your choice.  Right now, I pretty much eat & sleep crochet (can you tell?).  Are you ready to devote so much time (and possibly storage space) to it too? 

If so, then you should look into becoming an Associate Professional of the Crochet Guild of America.  If you're already a member then all you need to do is apply for the membership upgrade.  If you're not a member yet, then you can apply by clicking onto the CGOA name above.  Once you're an Associate member you will be invited to join the online Professionals Group.  This is where you have access to "meet" the professionals shaping our art form today: publishers, suppliers, designers ... and upon request, you'll be hooked up with a mentor of your field to aid you in reaching your goals.

Sounds good, doesn't it?  It's like a slice of heaven!  My advice to you, if this appeals to you, is to jump in and test the waters.  You may not get rich, but you just may enjoy it as much as I do -- and happiness is priceless!  J

... not horsing around ...

There is a story of a man who went out to a pub one night.  He enjoyed himself a bit "too much"  and realized that if he were drive his team home and be found drunk by the authorities that he'd be thrown into jail.  So he thought about his situation and came up with a solution.  Sure enough, the authorities caught up with him on his way home and they asked, "Have you been drinking, sir?"  He replied honestly, "Yes I have."  The authorities then asked him to explain how it came to be that he was tethered to pull a cart with two horses in it.  "Well," he said, "it's against the law to drink and drive, but there's no law against drinking and pulling."  The authorities had to let him go.  {{chuckles}} I'm sure they must have had confused faces as much as the horses in the cart did!  {{more chuckles}}  (go ahead, click onto the link; you know you want to! heh heh heh)

I bring this story up because there's an old adage to never put the cart before the horse, or as Ruth said to me at our "Coffee, Crochet & Chat" session today, "you're not to butter your bread before toasting it," and this all relates to comments recently made by a judge about crochet work my daughter recently submitted.

To back up this story a bit, my daughter graduated this year from just creating simple crochet chain stitches to crocheting the single crochet.  It was a major accomplishment and she's still working on tension, yarning over, hook holding positions, and stitch counting.  For her entry she crocheted a pink purse.  She had to learn how to do rows, which includes remembering to do her turning chains (she frogged that project over a dozen times until her rows started resembling "normalcy").  She had to learn the difference of working through both loops, or working through just one -- and why it makes a difference.  It was a lot of work for her, and she was proud of her accomplishment. 

She did not win a ribbon for her entry, which is fine.  This is something we discussed as a possibility.  But when she read the judge's comments that she should concentrate on her joinings (seams) it caused a lot of confusement for her.  "Does the judge mean I should have learned how to sew first, Mommy," she asked.  "Good question," was my reply to her.

When I first read the judge's comments I too was a bit baffled.  It could have been the "Mommy" in me wanting to put that protective wing around my daughter to protect her feelings, or it could have been all of my training in becoming a Crochet Teacher and thinking there's a disregard for the "laws of learning" here, or maybe it was just a common sense thing to me ...  I'm not sure really, but I think the judge was way off base and apparently I'm not the one that feels the way I do.

The "Mom" in me thinks that the judge is not very knowledgeable about crochet.  After all there was not one comment made about her crochet stitches; about those rows she worked so hard on.  In looking at my daughter's work I can see clear as day that she has some problems with tension.  The "Teacher" in me thinks the judge needs to reexamine this piece and make more appropriate comments in regard to the work -- primarily the stitching.  After all, she's only eight  and she's still a beginner crocheter.  And, let me add, I don't know of ANY beginner who first learned how to crochet by learning how to do joinings (seams) first.  Do you?

Since this is not the first time the judging at this event has come into question, like the man in the story from the beginning of this entry, I will attempt to solve the problem, or at least draw some attention to it.   I will ask my daughter to write a letter to the coordinator of the event letting them know that she found the judge's comments confusing.  I'll include my own thoughts and offer my services to assist the judge (or be the judge) for the crochet department next year.  At the very least, discussing the issue will help highlight that there's a problem.

In my humble opinion and experience, I would never tell a beginner to put the cart before the horse.  (go ahead, click onto this link too; you know you want to! heh heh heh) Seaming comes after stitch perfection, not before, and I'm not horsing around on this one.

Wired for Crochet

I'm keeping it simple tonight by offering you a link to check out some great jewelry pieces that were knitted and crocheted -- obviously not your "traditional" pieces you see everyday.  I found myself repeatedly saying "wow!" with each piece pictured!

www.kerenpeled.com

If the site inspires you, then you may want to check out the book Crochet With Wire by Nancie Wiseman for inspiration on getting started.

Also, hgtv.com has images of a recently aired program on crocheting with wire. Click to visit.

Mo' Details from the KOC2

See, I just knew I left out some details! 

One of the biggest details I missed on sharing this morning was about how the technique known as "freeform" made such an impact!  (Geesh!  How could I miss such an important detail like that?  That's so unlike me!  It must be the exhaustion I'm feeling from having so much fun attending these events!)

(this
is the
freeform
purse
I had
on
display
this
year
inspired
by
father's
farm
out west.)

... getting back to the giddy topic of freeform crochet, I want to say what I've already posted to the ever popular online freeform group:  freeform rocked at the Knit Out!

From Margaret's work on the catwalk (thankfully I did remember to mention that on my picture collage earlier this morning!), to the freeform pieces she lent me (& The HHCC) to put on display, and the handouts she offered for me to hand out at my freeform demonstration -- people were asking questions!  They were inspired!

At one point in the day a woman approached me and told the story of seeing child's sweater on display at a previous KOC2 event.  She said it inspired her to try freeform for herself -- and she never looked back!  The concept "so opened [her] eyes" to new possibilities -- and it was my sweater (the one you semi-see on the right) that inspired her!!  Oh, I was so flattered!

When I think back to my freeform "roots" Prudence Mapstone and Margaret Hubert were the ones that got me started -- and now I know that my freeform work has inspired someone else to not only try it, but to love it as well.  To me, that's what going to these events is all about -- being inspired!

In my freeform demo I had a blast telling my students to throw all the "crochet rules" they've ever been taught out the window!  "Experiment," I exclaimed, "to you heart's content!  If you make a mistake, who cares?  It's not really a mistake, it's creativity!"  They were quite excited by the end of the half-hour session, or at least I thought until I whipped them up further into a creative frenzy by telling them that with freeform there's no need to tuck those ends in!  "No!  Leave them hanging!  Then go to tag sales!  Go to those garage sales!  Visit your jewelry boxes and add those trinkets that you love so much!!"  You would have thought I set children loose in a candy store!  {{grins}}  I ended the session by inviting them all to come see me next year and to bring their creations with them; I hope they do!  (and if I just whipped up your imagination into a frenzy of creativity, please take a picture of your creation & share! Share! Share!!!!)

Thanks Margaret & Prudence for opening a new world of possibilites not only to me, but to all those that are just as passionate about crochet and art as I am!  You two are beautiful!!  And thank you to all the freeformers who lent me the urls to their websites to offer at the KOC2 -- expect visitors!!!  :)

2005 NYC "Knit Out & Crochet Too" Event

What seemed to be the hottest day -- ever! -- turned out to be a great day for the New York City "Knit Out & Crochet Too!" event sponsored by the Craft Yarn Council.

We arrived just as the tents, tables and chairs were being set up.  We stopped at Starbucks and then went to Barnes & Nobles to see what books they had on display for the day.  Since we heard that Candi Jensen would be there we loaded up, I bought three:
                  

While on my way to get my group signed in, I found her!  I inquired if she'd sign my books and she was happy to!  What a peach!

I also found Melissa Leapman, Lily Chin, and Susan Huxley ... and had the pleasure of personally introducing others to these great designers!  (What fun that was!!)

For the first time in attending this event (this was my 3rd time), I finally got a glimpse of one of the fashion shows -- turns out that at that moment they had the models showing off Margaret Hubert's freeform pieces that are in the current issue of Crochet! magazine.  Of course I hooted & hollered ((chuckles)); the announcer said, "It seems we have Margaret Hubert fans in the stands" and the crowd all cheered.  (Margaret, although  you couldn't make it, you were well represented!)

I got to hook up with folks from online lists I belong to (Hi Vivian!); and from stores I teach at (Hi Rose, Hi Pamela!).  I got to see a number of film crews going around (I haven't a clue if it was for the local news or for a hobby show).  I had the most fun at the teaching demo table -- I hope all those that got to sit with me were inspired to go out and crochet in ways they never had before.  They all had great questions and it was a pleasure to provide them with the answers they were seeking!

I'm sure I'm leaving out some details as I'm preparing to head to Massachusetts today (yes, fiber related!).  If you attended this great event -- be it the NYC location, Boston, whatever!, please leave your thoughts here, or a link to your blog so others can read about more experiences! 

In the meantime, click onto my collage for a larger view.  

KOC2 Experiences from others:

thread_zealot: pics taken with a cell phone

Every word's a purl: a knitter's perspective

House of miao:  getting the point of knitting ("attack of the knitting grannies")