Monday Guest Bloggers

Entry by: Karen
Title: Hairpin crochet I think I'm hooked


I remember hairpin crochet in the 70's yuck not cool.The  yarn I had access to  was often plasticky  and lacked spring. It was stringy it added to cheapness and it pilled. Things I crocheted felt like a brick. Whenever I'd see those old Hairpin lacebooks  I'd think eeeeeeeewwww that junk.

I recently did a search at my library on crochet. I put a hold on a bunch of books. One was an old Hairpin lace book. It showed all the different size forks. I was amazed they had pulled it into a circle made figure 8s attached it to single crochet edgings. Something I had considered repulsive is now beautiful.

Now The obsession starts. I tried to find the book from the library, its out of print. I did find one at Annies attic but I got lost surfing...  obsessing...  trying to find the old book. I ended up buying Hairpin crochet edited by Jules & Kaethe Kliot. I was enjoying looking at al the vintage pictures eager to get started. Pages 23-60 are all in Danish or is it Swedish. Whatever it is I don't understand it. I wish I had had a crystal ball in High school. Not that it was offered but if only I had learned Danish and Japanese. Oh well at least there's pictures.

I had to get started, I had a hairpin lace loom from the 70's. I got a awesome buy on some ribbon yarn all set to make my skirt.It calls for a 6inch wide strip. This thing only goes up to 4 inches! I made 2 trips to my local craft stores, no luck. I figured I'd start with  strips I can make.  There's an online video for hairpin lace thank goodness I watched 4 times.

Its simply once you get the hang of it. The ribbon done in hairpin crochet looks spectacular fit for a queen. I rummaged through my stash. I decided to make a 2 inch lace. I had some chenille wrapped with funfur yarn. I just made a strip as long as a scarf. Wow it twirled it looks like a potatoe chip scarf its awesome! 

Well now I can't stop. I tried some plain worsted yarn how good can that look?I decided to keep the projects simple. I will cover a satin coat hanger. I started to do my hairpin lace as it grew on the loom I had to pull the bottom piece off to take a peek. Its fabulous. I lay it across the hanger just to see if its going to be worth doing. It is!
In the book I have they said it was used for trims made of silk for bonnets
underwear doily's. They have pictures of curtains, pillows and  shawls. The most beautiful are the ones done as insertions.

Something I learned if you go under 2 loops instead of 1 you get a more solid braid in the middle and the side loops don't twist.  http://www.bellaonline.org/articles/art5290.asp  For this project I like the one loop and the loops twisted , like me . I  made a 34 inch strip folded it in half so the side loops butt up against each other. I went through 2 loops on one  side then 2 on the other http://www.wrights.com/class/needlework/haripintechniques/hairpinjoin.htm
. Its pretty cool. It looks like a braid down the middle. I single crocheted around the edge going through one loop at a time. Its about 3 inches wide.

You are probably think why would I want waste my time making a coat hanger cover? Well better to waste a little time and see if you even want to do it or like the results. Another thing is I make samples, I clean up and throw them out. This is a sample that has a use. I might know where it is. Its like that commercial only, what's in your closet? It would make a nice remembrance gift embellished with some silk ribbon roses ribbons. Its not for the person who's room looks like a hurricane hit it. It might be a nice gift for someone. If you have tops that slide off the hangers this will give the necessary drag to keep them on the hanger. There's only one problem now I have to mail order for a wider hairpin lace loom. I am like Verooka Salt "I want it now!". I thought about getting out some wood and drilling some holes.Thats not a hobby I want right now.

With all the new yarns ribbons threads I think you could go wild trying it and thinking up uses for this craft. I know I am completely exhausted.
Karen

http://groups.msn.com/karenslink 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/machineknittinghandknittingcrochet/

Entry by: Tina Marie
Title: Crocheted Chaos

When I think of chaos, I picture the current state of my craft room. Boxes of stash overflowing onto my futon, the desk, dressers, and floor. Some might think of their children's bedrooms or that shelf of leftovers in the fridge. No matter what image comes to mind, I'm sure those aren't the images we want to see posted on the world wide web anytime soon.

In the scientific world, the Lorenz equations describe the chaotic nature of systems - like weather or a turbulent river. If Lorenz could see my craft room the equation might read something like this: number of boxes times skeins of yarn divided by actual surfaces in the room time skeins of yarn equals amount of yarn times number of projects, and so on and so forth. (my apologies to any serious mathmeticians present)

Speaking of serious mathmeticians, two in Great Britain have actually come up with a crocheted model of the Lorenz equations. According to the model, chaos looks like this. There seems to be an unusual trend toward crocheting mathematical equations, as was recently evidenced by Crochet magazine's article on Hyperbolic planes.

I'm not sure what's more amazing - the fact that so many college students are being exposed to our craft in such a fascinating way or that out of my "organizationally challenged" (sounds better than chaotic) craft room, I could end up creating something so strikingly . . . well . . . organized. Somehow, that wasn't even close to what I pictured chaos would look like!
Tina Marie - Brewster, WA
www.crochetcottage.blogspot.com

Sunday Guest Bloggers

Guest Blogger: Elaine
Title:  Blogging For Dee's Birthday

Wish there were more we could do for Dee than this, but if it helps....... So hey, got my poncho done for the 2006 Crochet Olympics! I found a new pattern stitch that as long as you need a multiple of 4+1, it is perfect! Yee-ha. It is called a slanted v stitch and is really simple. Just make a sc, ch 1, dc in the first ch, sk 1 repeat, then on the next and every row after, put that stitch into the ch-1 space across. This makes for a very nice, tighter stitch than the usual open weave you tend to see in ponchos. Especially nice for that cold weather some of us are having. Brrrrrrr.

Of course there is usually a fly in the ointment and ended  up running to town (in the snow!) to my local WalMart (30 miles away) to get just ONE more skein of yarn to finish it. So now have some leftover yarn and can't help myself (idle fingers and all that) so making a "Juliet Cap" to go with it. Not sure how it will turn out, lets just say good thing there is a picture of it, since they didn't give a hook size to use nor a gauge! Argh. Making it in the sage green of the poncho, plus maroon and turquoise since I have some of the Carons Simply Soft leftover in those colors and the sage green is also Carons Simply Soft.

The poncho pattern is a takeoff of the Hudson poncho found at: http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/hudson/hudson.html Let me tell you though, CHECK YOUR GAUGE on this one. I didn't on my first one and the front of it came out real short, lol. So on the slanted v stitch one I made, since I am a tight crocheter (you know who you are) add ten chains like I did, tee hee. It came out way better.

Happy Hooking to You All Today (have some cake for Dee)
Elaine
http://triquetra5100.blogspot.com/

Guest Blogger: Amy
Title:  Connecting the World with a Hook and Some Yarn

History. Connections. Relationships. Friendship. Love. A glimpse into the future. What do all of these things have in common? For me, it's a love of crochet. I learned how to crochet when I was 8, when my third-grade teacher taught all the girls in the class. Because I had watched my mother and grandmother crochet, I immediately felt a connection and pull to earlier generations. This was something we could all SHARE, which we did as they encouraged me to stick with crochet and to tackle more difficult projects.

As a high school student with very little money, crochet was a terrific source of Christmas presents for friends. A couple skeins of crochet thread, a hook, and my mother's Crochet Fantasy magazines, and I could make wonderful, beautiful gifts that my friends loved.

As an adult, I now have a circle of friends who enjoy crochet as much as I do. We gather together to work on prayer shawls for those in spiritual need.  We pray for the recipients as we work, but we also share ourselves with each other: talking about our lives, our families, our ups and downs, our spiritual journeys. While our hands are busy creating, our hearts and minds are busy caring for each other.

Now as a mother of a 12-year-old daughter, I am also able to share this love of crochet with her as well. She has taken to this craft like it is in her blood. Well, it is---she's at least a fourth-generation crochetier, and probably more than that! It is so exciting to watch her develop her skills and passion for this craft. With less than a year's experience, she already has perfect tension and is completely fearless when it comes to designing her own patterns. I've also been thrilled to watch her pass the love of crochet on in her own circle of friends as she has taught them to crochet.

I'm even connected to crochetiers around the world through participation in email lists and message boards and through the creation of my blog. It makes the world a much smaller, more personal place when you're connected with others who share something with you. Sharing a common bond in the area of crochet makes it easier to develop tolerance and understanding in other areas where beliefs collide.

Crochet is more than a hook and some yarn. It'smore than creating functional items such as afghans and potholders. It's more than creating art-to-wear garments. It's all about connections and relationships.  Connections to the past and the future, relationships with friends and family in the present.

Amy
http://catsinmycraftbasket.blogspot.com

Blogging For Dee?

The children have school off for a week; my husband has the week off too!  This can only mean one thing: the start of my Birthday Week Extravaganza!  Yeehaw!!

I have decided to take the week off from blogging, from reading emails (oh who am I kidding on that one??), and to do some fun activities with my family.  I'll be crocheting -- like working on some unfinished projects, and staring new ones (yes, Madeline & Lori, I am working on the design for that scarf you love so much!) ... so I'm not abandoning the fiber world entirely.  It's just a time for me to kick up my heels a bit!  :)

This also means it's an opportunity for you, my readers, to fill in my shoes as I take this week to celebrate!  (I really think everyone should celebrate their birthdays for an entire week!  What fun!)  It means another contest and instead of the prize going to a charity, this time the prize comes to you!

Here's the Rules:
1.  You Blog for me, Dee, about a crochet topic that interests you!  Any entries not about crochet will not count, and will not be posted.
2.  Word count up to 500; images not required, but if you have some I'll try to post them with your entry.  Language/content must be clean.
3.  All participants who enter by either leaving their entry here as a comment or emailing it directly to me will be entered for winning a $20 Gift Card to use at Jo-ann.com.  (I don't know if they ship internationally, so for those that live outside of the US, you may want to contact their customer service first and inquire.)
4.  All qualifying participants will have their name dropped into a crocheted hat (but of course!) of which one winner will randomly be drawn by me. 
5. Contest runs from 9:00 AM (eastern time) Sunday, February 19, 2006 to 9:00 AM (eastern time) Saturday, February 26, 2006
6. All participants must provide a working email address (else how am I to get the Gift Card to the Winner?)
7.  Winner to be announced on Sunday, February 27, 2006.

So that's it!  See you all in a week!  J

No "Dibs!" for Dee

Someone forgot to call me.  Someone forgot to confirm the rumor and tell me to "come a-runnin" -- someone forgot to tell me that one of my yarn shop haunts is/has closed their doors.

                  Say it isn't so; say it isn't true!

Did I miss out on a yarn sale?!?  A CLEARANCE sale???  Did I miss out on the opportunity to snatch up dreamy fibers while screaming "DIBS!" ???  

                  Oh, I feel faint!

Did I miss a chance to say goodbye to a store where I've purchased yarn that I've still to crochet something spectacular with?  (Oh, the shame!)

Although I haven't visited the shop in the past year, I do want to go on record that Lee's store in Bedford Hills, NY, will be missed.  Lee, thank you for providing me with wondrously delicious fibers and warm smiles.  I wish you all the best!

 

... ewephoric bliss ...

I love your site, and thank you for some really good info not found elsewhere. Keep it up! Cheers, Caroline

Thank you, Caroline!  I'm delighted you like the information I share.  If there's anything you'd like to see added, please let me know!  :)


     It comments like Caroline's that really bring a smile to my face; I just love it.  It makes me feel wonderful knowing it's all appreciated!  And so it's on that fantastic feeling that I want to take the advice of one of my bosses to heart: to do something "good"  just for me.  To do something that will make me feel great, something that reinforces the positive.  Kind of like rewarding yourself -- and with something more lasting than Godiva chocolate or an awesome cup of coffee! 

And so I have.  I signed myself up for a day of ewephoric bliss.  Yeah, that's right.  I said ewephoric bliss! 

I visited the Wool Connection's website and signed up for a day of classes that will take place at their 13th Annual Ewephoric Weekend being held in Avon, CT, come this April.    Both classes I signed up for (I'm waiting for class confirmation) are with Barbara Hillary, a wonderful lady who also happens to be the Founder of the awesome New York City Crochet Guild -- the Crochet Guild of America's largest Chapter! 

This will be my first time attending this event and I'm soooo looking forward to it!   (Barbara, any chance you'll sing a little for us after one of the classes?  Girl, we know you can sing!  Please????)

I hope that you, my readers, all take this advice to heart too -- to do something today that will make you feel great!  Buy a never-tried-before skein of yarn; try a new-to-you crochet stitch; join a new online crochet group; or sign-up for a crochet class, and soon you'll be feeling this ewephoric bliss too!  ... and don't forget, you can double and triple that pleasure by getting a friend or two, or three to join you!    :)

Freeform Jacket Update

On Monday Connecticut had a huge snow storm -- touted as one of the Top Five largest storms in the Connecticut State History. To give an idea of how large, it's reported that the Danbury Airport received 30 inches of snow -- in a single day! That's a lot of snow!

Fortunately for me, I was well prepared. I settled in with my variety of fibers and hooks and played with my freeform project some more.

The other day Sheila inquired, " does one crochet these items directly onto a jacket somehow, or are they made separately and then sewn on?" The answer, Sheila, is "yes." Either works.

But crocheting directly onto the jean jacket would require punching holes into the tough fabric -- and I don't want to do that for this project. Instead, I'm sewing the pieces on. If you look at the updated image you can see some of the work I've done.  (Better lighting would help make the piece "pop," but hopefully you get the idea.)  Some of it already has been sewn on, the rest pinned.

I'm letting the work "rest" while I take time to "eye" it to see if this is really how I want the work to look. If not, I can take the pinned pieces off and move them around until I find a combination more pleasing. It's like putting a puzzle together without the box top to peak at how the final results are supposed to look. This is what makes it so much fun! :)

History Needs Our Help

My daughter has been working on a school project in tracing her heritage.  We found out that one of her Great Grandmothers arrived at Ellis Island from Italy in 1919 on the SS Caserta (a ship that was used during WWI; the crew was decorated with the Victory Medal) -- it was a 20-day voyage to America and she arrived with just five dollars in her pocket.  She became a citizen of the United States within a year of arriving, and together with her husband, ran a successful grocery store that generously aided those in need during the Great Depression.   As we dive further into the details of her life it's apparent that there is a great need to preserve our history. 

So when I heard that The Musings Lace School in Ireland is in dire need of our help to be saved, I opted to act by spreading the word and by pledging $100US to the cause!  "The Muings Lace School played an enduring and pivotal role in the economic history of the community throughout the harshest of times and well into the affluent 1990s," said Helen Moreau, who is spearheading the campaign to save the school -- who is looking to preserve it's history.

Today, crochet is still the rage on the fashion runways ... from trims to accessories.  (Designer Anna Sui keeps her "whimsical touches with Edwardian taffeta ruffles, empire line dresses and crochet tunics, but toughened them with shiny black leather.."  and where "lace motifs have been converted into girlie necklace[s with] it's lower edge trimmed with a few matching beads.")  But where would all this fashion be if it where not for the ability to look to the past and appreciate it's beauty,and it's place in history? 

If we look back at the early 1850s, Ireland was starving.  It was the time of the "Great Potato Famine" -- a time when over a million people died of starvation because the potato crops were covered with unexplained black rot.  When the crops failed, livelihood failed.  Food was scarce and very expensive!  "In the past lace making income was often the only source of income in a house. One woman who signed the petition told me that her mother, who had 14 children, used to stay up until 2.00am every night making intricate lace gloves. It was the only way to bring in some money," Helen states.

Fortunately at that same time lace was hot! Hot! Hot!  It was THE accessory to wear!  The more you wore, the more you declared how wealthy you were.  And this display of wealth helped schools open across Ireland ... providing the impovered starving Irish families with desperately needed income for a great number of years.

In 1919 The Muings Lace School was opened, and stayed open until 1999.  "I really feel very strongly about preserving this building. The women of this area should be recognized for the huge contribution they made in the past through their talented work at Muings Lace School.  These women should not be forgotten," Helen said.  And I agree!

The proposal is to have the Musing Lace School be restored and turned into a Heritage Centre/Folk Museum to preserve its history, to host lectures on traditional crafts, to exhibit Irish crochet lace, hand knitting and memorabilia from the school.

They're looking for our help!  Volunteers, donations, memories and such.  To get involved send an email to laceschool@hotmail.com


Something to think about:  It took me 75 hours to create my Irish Lace Flower Basket pictured on the right.  Now imagine how many hours it took to crochet the jacket pictured above on the left.