"vintage-crocheted-spring-sweater"

Take a look at this gorgeous crocheted garment. It's so light, frilly and feminine.

Recent Magazines

I have subscriptions to two crochet magazines, but browse the crochet and knitting magazines at Borders every Tuesday evening. The past few weeks I've seen many projects that I want to make. Here are some of the magazines and the projects.

"Crochet!" May 2010
Cockleshells Cardi, Sally's Best Friend Cardigan, Love Knot Shawl, Blue Blitz Jacket, Caribbean Topper

"Interweave Crochet" Spring 2010
Chloe Cardigan, Kristy Cardigan, New Town Swing Sweater, Buttercup Bag, Five Peaks Shawl (Tunisian! Knitting Daily rates the pattern as "easy-peasy".)

"Crochet Today!" March/April 2010 (website shows the May/June issue & previews)
Chic Cabled Bag,

Inside Crochet Dec/Jan 2009 (I can't locate a website with previews)
Capricious Cardigan, Dragon Gauntlets
The articles are of interest, including Tunisian in this issue. There's a very classic men's vest in the Feb/March issue.

A knitting friend at our Tuesday get-togethers always brings a stack of books and magazines to the table, and we love to check out patterns & yarns, discuss what we like, don't like, what we might change, etc. I frequently find something of interest. The June "KNIT'nSYTLE" caught my attention - the cover design has a crocheted shell top with a lightly-gathered knitted body. It's a lovely light blue with specks of various colors. (It's on the preview page.) I can do the body portion in Tunisian. It will take a little gauge swatching to get the perfect yarn, and hook sizes, but it's the process.
This issue has a "Mini-Focus on Crochet", starting with a to-be-expected article on adding crochet detail to a knit project, and two projects (a handbag and a sweater) in your choice of knit or crochet. There are also articles on crochet - an introduction to Tunisian, a workshop on borders, and interview of Drew Emborsky, The Crochet Dude, and projects totally in crochet. The projects include a Tunisian shawl, a jacket in Catherine Wheels, a shoulder bag, and a broomstick lace beach coverup. Crocheters as well as knitters will love this issue!

College Students take a study break to Crochet

Here's a news article about college students who formed a group to crochet caps for cancer patients:
U.Va. Students Take a Study Break -- to Crochet

Cute little mice

Enjoy looking at this crochet artist's cute little mice. Their faces are adorable, and they wear the nicest clothes. Then the artist has created some short stories, I followed the swing story without having to know a single word of the language. I think my favorite is the little girl in the winter coat and hat.
Be sure to check out the beautiful home crafts, also. I love the bowl with the white lace edging. And since I speak the language of crochet and understand sentence structure, I'd be able to make the bowl from the pattern, even if it's not in English!

I'm back online!

Computers! Sometimes I hate them as much as I love them.
Our desktop got a Trojan virus, which started eating all the execute files. That's what runs the programs. We scrambled and copied my important files onto a flash drive.
Next we updated the virus protection on the laptop, since it hasn't been used since daughter #2 replaced it with an Apple, the virus protection was 40 months out-of-date! Then loaded an Office program to the laptop. Next we loaded the files from the flash drive onto the laptop. Then we were ready to give the go-ahead to the shop to wipe the hard drive. That was tough, I know that I lost a lot of important stuff, including some crochet patterns that I had paid to download.
Hubby retrieved on old desktop from the basement and hooked it up, but it wasn't even "better than nothing". I couldn't get anything done on it.
Daughter #2 downloaded wi-fi drivers from the Internet to her computer, to the flash drive, to the old lap top. Then I was driving to Borders almost daily to check my email. Most of the time I did not get to read it, I just made sure that the wasn't something urgent that I had to take care of, and then sort some emails into files to be read later. When daughter #1 arrived home, she set up her wireless router so that we could all use wi-fi at home.
I now have my desktop computer back, and have slowly been transferring things back from laptop to desktop. I've also spent time online, and have started bookmarking favorites.
Less time driving to & from Borders, and setting up & putting away the laptop, I can get back to my email, my blog, and crocheting!

2010 Knit & Crochet Show

Here is a post that I made on our CGOA Chapter's site on Yahoo groups. I thought that some readers might benefit from the "reasons to review the available classes, even if you don't plan to attend the Conference".

Offinger has posted the information about the Knit and Crochet Show in Manchester, New Hampshire this July. The Conference includes the CGOA Chain Link, The Knitting Guild Conference and the Market. Information on Professional Development for both the CGOA and the KGOA, and classes for both organizations is availble here: "Knit & Crochet Show" Registration starts at the end of March.

I know that many of you will not be able to make it to the Conference. But, take the time to review the classes available. It will give you a larger view of what you can do in crochet and knitting. And you can start learning about the big names in crochet. Maybe you'll get some ideas of what you'd like to do in Chapter meetings this year.

Crochet for charity?

Like many crocheters, I like to help others with my craft if I can. I make shawls and lapghans for a Shawl Ministry, make blocks for Warm Up America, create scarves for the Special Olympic Winter Games, make chemo hats and hats for premmies at the local hospital, and make hats and baby sweaters for a local group. Sometimes when a tragedy strikes somewhere in the world, I think about how I can help. Do they need hats, scarves or blankets in their climate?
It's also fun to bring ideas to our Tuesday night Crochet in Public group and to the CGOA Chapter. Then I have friends and we can encourage each other, and mail everything in one big box. But, I don't always have time to search for new charities, and to assess their needs and authenticity. Bernat now has a team and a website to help, check out the new Bernat website, "BernatCares"

Want your crochet a little edgier?

There's a new digital crochet magazine called Tension. Along with crochet patterns and articles, there are recipes and articles about crafts. The photos are fabulous, and the writing, too. This month's issue includes a pattern for a pillow in Tunisian, and features a fun interactive where you can change the main color and contrasting color and see what combinations you like best.

Decorating an old house?

This artist has created a different fiber art design for each riser on her staircase:
"Life in an old House"
Creative!
I love the sheep, and the log cabin squares, and the crochet motifs.

Love doilies?

This artist collects old doilies and uses them in her artwork. I love the lithography. It's a shame that she cuts some of them up.
"doily art"

National Crochet Month

March is National Crochet Month!
I need to brainstorm and make a list of activities & ways to celebrate for our CGOA Chapter.

In the meantime, I think that I'll make short posts about fun things that I come across. Let's start with miniature dollhouse accessories. I think that I've written a long post on this at some time. Here's a link to a photo album of little afghans, and baby clothes.

Love miniatures and dollhouses? Here's some crocheted items, even some Tunisian, for your house:
"MaryBears Miniature Needlework"