Crochet # 3 in USA!

Now that there is verifiable proof of the extent and breadth of our presence, it behooves many to pay better, and more sustained attention to us!!

Crochet is #3 in household participation (17.4 million households) and #7 in sales ($1.062 billion)in the USA!

"In a news release posted on April 5, 2011 THE CRAFT and HOBBY ASSOCIATION announced the results of the 2010 CHA U.S. Attitude & Usage Study which presents the top craft sectors and annual consumer spend. The U.S. craft and hobby industry is at $29 billion with about 56% of U.S. households crafting at least once a year."

Knitting is #8 in participation and doesn't make the top ten in sales.

HOLD YOUR HOOKS HIGH!

Texture,Temperment

I love this texture, this pattern, this patterning. Soft cubes like drawing lines to make patterns, the create interest, suggest direction in two dimesions though with yarn, it is three.

I had to follow closely the pattern. It is done in the diagonal, and the directions for what is allegedly the same thing, done straight does not look like this... how can i figure out how to do this, more easily?

It was built like climbing stairs, stagger stacking blocks, til i finally got the hang of it , but only in the moment, only as i read along and finally, like learning to ride my bike, pedaled on a bit without someon holding on. O!!! I remember that sense of imbalance, that lack of center and then finding it.
http://www.crochetcabana.com/stitches/diag-box-st.htm
is where I learned how .
here arre othere sites:
http://members.aol.com/crochettalk2/diablst.html
http://www.geocities.com/mooncat48/Patterns/Squares/DiagonalStSq/Diagonal_Block_Stitch_Square.html
corner start stitch:
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze8mnnp/diag.html
http://www.crochetme.com/Oct_Nov_2004/patt_brown_sugar.html

Red Sweater Happy New Year!

Wishing you all health, all peace, all prosperity and joy, now and in the coming years!
I began and completed a freeform red sweater, for The Red Sweater Project

Wish I had more red. Thin I'll try it again. such a wonderful way to mourn, commemorate, cry out in anguish.
Such a simple plan and so moving.

Little Spiral Star Tree Ornament

I needed some gift-ettes and thought-- I've obtained some wool (at last!) -- I can felt some stars for trees!
This whole process took about 20 minutes--- from crocheting through felting.
It's adorable and feels affectionate(if I may say so myself, LOL!)

Little Star Tree Ornament

Make loop( aka magic adjustable ring), 5 sc in center, sl st to first sc,
2 sc in each sc, join to first :10 sc Fasten off.
Change yarn, in any sc : *sc, dc, trc, sc, skip sc* repeat: 5 points/petals.
Sl st to first sc, fasten off.
With third color, thread up through center hole, sl st in spiral, grabbing vertical threads of sc.

(I'm going to use a spiral sl st in a lot of plain centers --- inspired by this at Gourmet Crochet:
)


After crocheting, I did some tugging to pull the points...if i could, I would have steamed this flat first.
I then "finger felted" it --- ( placed Little Star under hot running water in sink, a dab of dish washing liquid and rubbing between palms and on scrubby. I then ugged on the points, reshaping it, rinsed in cold water and pressed out water to damp dry.... again if i could, I would've sped up this drying with an iron).

I don't have any ornament hangers, but I made one using some brass wire: I made a spiral and then a 90 degree angle,poked it through a point and then mmade another spiral/curve at the top.

By the way-- it works unfelted, too.



Here’s a pictorial on the magic adjustable ring:
http://crochetme.com/Dec_Jan_0405/reads_round.html

A fellow freeform crocheter asked about the adjustable ring.
I thought about the design and decided that I didn't mind the hole this time, because it is where another yarn goes for the spiral.

So I made another star-- actually two, just in time to shove the slightly damp dears in my pocketbook and fiddle with their wires while taking the bus on the way to lunch and gift them to my colleagues. I've uploaded a picture of them, still damp..

Felted Star Ornament 2

Ch 4 , 9 dc in 4th ch from hook,join: 10 dc
ch1, *2sc, sc* around, join, ch1:15 sc
*sc,dc,trc,picot:(ch2, sc), trc, dc, sc, skip two sc,* repeat: 5 points
sl st to first sc, fasten off.
Using contrasting yarn, pull through center hole : sl st, ch1, sl st:

You could just sl st, but adding a ch1between sl st seemed to improve the pattern

3.5” prefelted using Grand Paton’s merino wool.