Today's Knitting Daily

You might be surprise where your next crochet idea, inspiration or project will come from. I subscribe to the email newsletter Knitting Daily, not because I'm such a knitting fan, but because knitting and crocheting are related fiber arts. I learn so much from the videos, things like finishing on garments and buttonholes (the concepts are the same even if the stitches differ), and information about fabulous yarns, and links to patterns.

Today's Knitting Daily had a link to a video where Norah Gaughan talks about geometric concepts and knitting. She has some fabulous sweaters designed from hexagons and tessellations! The blue-purple sweater has a diagonal bodice with a diagonal ribbed skirt, lovely construction...I almost wish that I could knit a lot better. ah, but wait, it's shape is rather basic...Tunisian?
The link to the video is in the title of this post.

Norah also talks about and shows a little about how to make a stellated dodecahedron tree topper or toy. Okay, you're not math geeks, it's a 12 pointed star that's knitted and stuffed. "Here's" a pattern for the crochet version. This might be a Christmas project. Or a toy for a baby shower. Wouldn't that be a very different gift?

Where will your next crochet inspiration come from? Keep your eyes and mind open to new possibilities.

Ornament Exchange

Last night our "crochet in Public" group had their 2nd Annual Christmas Ornament Exchange. This is the group of crocheters and knitters, (actually anyone who does any kind of needlework) who meet every Tuesday evening at Borders. We drink coffee (Peppermint Mocha Trio for me!), check out the new magazines and books, talk, show off some of our latest projects, and do some stitching, too!
For the Ornament exchange, each person who wanted to participate made or bought an ornament ($10 limit). Then each package had a number taped to it, duplicate numbers were dropped into a gift bag. Then each person drew a number and picked up that numbered package. We went around the tables with each person opening their gift and showing the ornament around & finding who gave the ornament.
I spent a lot of time thinking about what I might make, and changing my mind repeatedly. I finally crocheted a red mitten with a white cuff and snowflake on the front. The white was done in the glow in the dark yarn that I've been enjoying as it sits on my lamp table, waiting for just the right project. The pattern is from Coats & Clark. "Snowflake mitten"
The ornament that I opened was a miniature knitted sock. It was beautiful, and I know that it took a lot of time and talent. With my allergies, though, I did have to ask...turns out it was made with a sock yarn containing wool. Someone offered to trade with me. I got a crocheted bag that's shaped like a ball ornament, it's a great size to drop a small bag of Cebelia thread in so that I can crochet on the go. The bag had a lot of small crocheted ornaments inside - 2 stars, 3 mints, and a pinecone. I was told that the pattern was on-line, and I found it easily today. It looks very easy, and you still have time to make some pinecones for your tree. Here's the link: "crocheted pinecone ornament".

Maggie Weldon's Lace Pottery in Southern Living

Maggie Weldon's lace pottery is featured in a section of the December 2009 issue of Southern Living Magazine. Unfortunately, I don't have a subscription to that magazine any longer. It was just a little too southern for this Pennsylvanian. I'll have to check out the magazine section next time I'm in Borders. I toured Maggie's studio when I was in NC last year, it was quite impressive (see blog entry of August 9, 2008). I loved the pottery and drooled over some of the large platters and bowls. I did buy two small pieces to bring home and display. One is a saucer, about 6 inches across, the other a bowl about 10". Here is a picture of the larger piece that I purchased, it's called "Victorian Elegance".Both are a pretty blueish color (my friends are surprised by the color choice...not!) I loved the Lotus bowl with those lovely fan borders. I just now fell in love with the "Affinity" Look at those lovely pineapples!

Take the time to check out the December issue of Southern Living for the picture of one piece of pottery. Then head over to Maggie Weldon's Lace Pottery website to see even more. This is really a unique look for crochet! True artistry!

2009 60 Scarves in 60 Days Challenge

Well, yesterday was officially the last day of the Challenge. Tonight I finished scarf number 3. The first was in Red Heart Super Saver in a pale pink, and used Dee Stanziano's new stitch pattern Tumbling Clusters. It uses the technique that Dee taught in a Chain Link class in Buffalo this summer. Fabulous class! I thought of several things to make with some linked stitches. Anyway, I bought Dee's pattern for the "Tumbling Clusters Autumn Scarf" and made a slight adjustment for a narrower scarf.

The 2nd and 3rd scarf are both made with Bernat Satin in Flamingo pink. That's a fun color, and a very soft yarn. For me it splits a little too much. If I hadn't planned to make scarves for Breast Cancer Awareness in October, I think that I would have found a different yarn. But for this project, the bright pink was just too perfect. I bought the Satin online and fell in love with another darker pink called Mai Tai, and bought 3 skeins of it. So I'm going to have to think up a project of two to use with this yarn!

I posted to our CGOA Chapter group and asked them to send me an email with the number of scarves that each had completed. When I get totals I need to post them to the Ravelry group for the 60 Scarves Challenge, and get their total. Then I'll post the total for the entire Challenge to our group site.

Last year we made blue & white scarves for Special Olympics Winter Games.
This year pink scarves for Breast Cancer Awareness (they'll go to Hershey Medical Center).
I wonder what cause we'll make scarves for next year for Dee's 60 Scarves in 60 Days Challenge?

Reading that's related to my crochet, and yet not about crochet

I hope that title whets your appetite.
I'm reading some interesting books and magazine articles right now. They're not crochet books, or anything about crochet; and yet, they are relating to my crochet life.
I mentioned the audio that I was listening to, "How to Prepare a Winning Proposal" by Pat Cramer. That's related to an online class that I took. I also read a book titled "How to Write Irresistible Query Letters", by Lisa Collier Cool. What's a Query Letter you ask? Good question! A query letter is when you write to a publication, editor, etc and say "I have this great idea, it's great because.., I think you'd be interested, and I think that I'm the perfect person to implement this great idea because...".
I recently read "You can Write and Publish a Book" by John Bond. By the Way, the little "quizzy thing" said "Go for It!" Before that I read a great book called "How to Toot your Own Horn without Blowing it". That's about marketing yourself and your ideas. I really enjoyed reading that and working the little "think abouts" and activities. I found this to be fascinating, and chock-full of good advice. I think everyone should read it!
I have pages of notes on these books, along with several notebooks of other notes. I'm hoping that I can make all these ideas come together the way I'm thinking.

Readers - is there anything that you're reading that's related to your crochet, and yet is not a crochet book? I'm interested in hearing all about it.

Technology

Don't you just love technology? Scientists are always coming up with new ideas, it's fascinating!
Now, I'm not talking about cell phones, gps and Twitter. I'm talking some fiber-related tech. I bought several skeins of the Bernat Glow in the Dark Yarn. I didn't have any projects planned, but thought I might add some as accents in a piece. Basically, I just wanted to play with it! I have the skeins in a small earthenware mixing bowl sitting on my lamp table. When I finish crocheting or reading in the evening (okay late at night!) I turn out the lights and the yarn glows! It's fun, every single day.

Now, Susan Bates has come up with "glow in the dark knitting needles". Oh, not those ones that were out a year or so ago that required batteries, and therefore had these big heads on them. These have the glow in the dark built right in to the plastic/acrylic component of the needles.
I just did a little more searching, and found the "crochet hooks!"

New to me Designer

I think that I've discovered a new favorite designer! I recently found these "adorable Mary Jane booties" on Ravelry, and had to purchase the PDF pattern. Aren't they just fab! And the color combinations, what an eye for design. Tonight I've come across several other sets of adorable booties, "Little Button Loafers" and "2Strap Mary Janes". I love the white with the pastels, and these adorable pastel heart buttons. These designs are by Sylvia Schuchardt. Great job Sylvia!!

You probably need to be a Ravelry member to see these links, but you should be a Ravelry member anyway!

It's that time of year!

No, I don't mean that it's time to sort through your recipe box and find your favorite pumpkin pie or cranberry salad recipe. It's time to sort through your pattern books, printouts, and websites to find your favorite snowflake patterns!

Our CGOA Chapter has decided that they want the November meeting to be "how to make" snowflakes. Along with tips on how to work with thread (for those new to thread), and how to follow the patterns (which are different from long rows in an afghan or sweater), I want to discuss finishing, unusual beginnings and endings of rows, and do a demonstration on blocking.

I have a folder of patterns from last year. I should look through those, and select several that are easy, then post those links on our Chapter site. I have also pulled out all my thread books and leaflets, I have several with snowflakes and other Christmas ornaments. I could post a list of the leaflet names in the group database, also. Next, I'm going to make several examples, and have two of the same showing the difference in the blocked and not blocked. While watching reruns of Lost tonight (it's an obsession!) I pulled out thread and made the first 2009 snowflake! Well, for me. Colorado has plenty of snowflakes very early this year.

After I finish several and have a blocking party, I'll get some pictures posted here.

To get us started - here's a window that I've got open on my computer. I need to find time to review these. It's on Crochetville, and they've had a "snowflake a week CAL" for 2008 and 2009. I wonder how I didn't find this earlier? Anyway, I hope you have time to look at some of the great snowflake patterns, and maybe make a few for decorating your tree, or windows, or a wreath. They make great tie ons to Christmas packages, or a little gift to tuck inside your Christmas, New Years or seasonal cards.

Crochet pattern ad - Did you catch the boo-boo in the ad?

Here's another short post of something funny that I found while "surfing". Annie's Attic is having a clearance sale, with pages of crochet-related stuff on sale. That's worth searching through!

So I found a crocheted top that I like, (note-remove that silly drawstring!) and spent some time thinking about the yarn, color, size, cost, etc. The pattern is right there (add to cart), they recommend 2 different yarns and look you can order the yarn right there (add to cart), but with the yarn information, there's something funny going on! For each yarn they have a choice of size and how many balls of yarn you will need (to make it super easy to add to cart). Then each yarn gives information about what size knitting needle to use, and the knit gauge. Hello, AA!! That's a crochet pattern! What size crochet hook do we need to buy? (why can't we add to cart?) What's the crochet gauge? Who put together this ad? Who did the copy proof on this ad? Where's the crochet employee who should have caught this blunder?

Miniature crocheted dogs

I think that these dogs are just adorable!
Can you just imagine the time that it takes to make these little guys? I can!
I really love to browse online and look at the miniature crochet things, especially the little dogs and bears. But little items for doll houses are fun.

When we lived in New Jersey, I had a friend (Chris) who had a lovely dollhouse, hand made by her husband. She was into all kinds of crafts and made furniture, curtains and little items for the house. But she also made some miniatures in many multiples and sold them at a local indoor market. Well, sometimes she sold them, most of the time she used them in trade for ceramic bathtubs, Victorian couches and other items for her doll house!

Chris and I loved doing crafts together, and often taught one-another a craft that we knew. Some of the things that we did - crocheting, knitting, cross-stitching, needlepoint, crewel embroidery, bead flowers, paper quilling, candle making, stained glass, cake decorating, candy making, ... I still have a needlepoint that I made, and her husband made the frame & framed it for me. I also have a miniature bakery wall hanging. I made the bread, rolls, cakes, etc from bread dough and a tiny plastic mold. Then I hand decorated some of the miniature cakes. That was fun! I also made some miniature cakes from slices of wooden dowel, painted them and added dried flowers. I think that I even sold some of the miniature cakes at that doll house store in the market.

If I had the time, space and organization skills,...I'd love to make a doll house. I could crochet miniature doilies, and bedspreads, that should be quicker than a full-sized bedspread, but I'd probably need to use size 50 thread! How about a little miniature bear on the bed? Dream on...