Happy National Crochet Month 2015!

Happy National Crochet Month 

& Welcome to Day 2 of the Crochetville’s 2015 

NatCroMo Designer Blog Tour! 

http://crochetville.com/crochetvilles-2015-natcromo-designer-blog-tour/

The Designer Blog Tour includes:

•  A month-long charity drive to collect hats and raise funds for Halos of Hope, a charity that sends hats to cancer centers around the country 
http://crochetville.com/2015-natcromo-designer-blog-tour-make-hats-for-halos-of-hope/

•  Daily Giveaways: a different prize package valued at up to $25 http://crochetville.com/2015-natcromo-designer-blog-tour-daily-giveaway-schedule/

Halos of Hope, the charity featured for National Crochet Month, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides volunteer-crafted hats to cancer centers across the country. Its founder, Pam Haschke, is a survivor of inflammatory breast cancer.  Her experience informs her passion to ensure that cancer patients across the U.S. have access to free, handmade, attractive hats to keep their heads warm while they undergo cancer treatment. Crochetville is collecting hats on theirr behalf during National crochet month.   http://halosofhope.org/guidelines

********************************************************

Calls for Crochet

100 Women Crochet

Amy Reader seeks crocheted tendrils to install in an art work for her honor’s thesis exhibition at the University of Richmond, VA, USA.

https://100womencrochet.wordpress.com

Her goal is for 100 women to crochet at least one of these wisteria vines and submit them for display in an installation that will be shown in late April. The aim of this project is to showcase the strength and individuality of the women who participate.  The color of yarn and length of the vine are left to the discretion of the participants. Each woman will also submit an index card with their name and hometown on it and the cards will be compiled in a book that will be displayed alongside the installation.  The pieces need to be submitted by April 10, 2015.

Post War Blues

Isabelle Garbani’s Post War Blues addresses the issue of what happens to war innovations after a conflict is over and the possibility of innovating without violence or the threat of violence.

A ribbon of plastic flowers, crocheted and knitted from recycled plastic bags, bursts out of the old train car that sits inside the Brooklyn Army Terminal building. The flowers rise and slowly fall on the tracks in undulating waves, all the way to the end of the building atrium.

This project is a community-based art installation. She invites folks to create the flowers out of used bags  illustrating that in spite of our differences, we can work together and make something meaningful and beautiful for peace.

http://www.crochetchallenge.com/

********************************************************

Party on Ravelry

For the past several ears, I’ve participated in the Party for National Crochet Month on Ravelry, mainly by joining the FreeForm Crochet-Along, as both participant and designer for a day.  I’ve learned so much over the years from this.  The sharing and camaraderie are amazing.  It’s a joy to have an international brain trust of knowing hands whose efforts, exchanges, and endeavors inspire.

http://www.ravelry.com/groups/party-for-ravelrys-international-crochet-month

********************************************************

It’s been a busy new year for me! I’ve created a bunches of new patterns to use as fabric, appliqués and motifs.

Cat Motif Collection

My collection of cat motifs is 50% for the next week.  I use them, as I use most of my motifs and appliqués to make fabric.  I used them in my freeform Cat Vest.

 To get the discount, use the code NatCroMo 
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cat-motif-collection

Circle Birds, Little Parker and Chick Webb, Spiral Birds, 

and Zora Birds

These birds formed the fabric for my Bird Bolero. The three patterns are also on sale for the first week of National Crochet Month. To get the discount, use the code NatCroMo:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/spiral-birds
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/circle-birds-little-parker--chick-webb
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/zora-birds













Crochet Poetry

I've created a collection of poems on crochet and am now in search of fixed format conversion so it can be read as an ebook.  Along the way,  inspired by Wait Wait Don't Tell Me,  I've also written light verse - limericks.

A striking young woman from Cannes

was able to hook any man

It’s not what it seems

to have the prince of her dreams

she crocheted him according to plan

Crocheting is what we must do

wielding hooks, we find something true

despite piles of objects half done

this is how we have fun

try it, perhaps you will, too.

Akua Lezli Hope

Live long and Prosper!

* Circle Birds collection is free for a few days with the code

Free

CHEMUNG New Cable Crochet Hat Design

I am so excited about Chemung! It is still not finished but I couldn’t wait to post about it. This thread will ultimate become the posting thread. The idea has pushed past ll the others in queue and said, ”I’m new, I’m next!”

These are shots of the second one -- I couldn’t finish the first because I ran out of yarn.
However the first one -- in worsted -- seemed to want to be in dk.

So I began again, refined the pattern and made the body of the second hat.

Now the part that is not yet completed is the brim, but now that I’ve seen and felt it without the brim -- I think I will present the hat with both versions.

It is named for the river which runs through my micropolis and the Valley we inhabit which shares the same name. It is said to mean “land of the saber tooth” but since they predate humans I don’t think it’s an accurate translation of the indigenous name.

I love how the cable says river and hills and valley -- that it resembles the terrain here -- and that you can wear it to look like a helmet, or a side braid.

The brim went very fast-- i guess it was slower the first time because I was making it up. I really love this hat as an evocation of place and time. It can be worn with its peak or pulled down as the beanie it is. As soon as I write up finishing directions, I’m ready to test.

Spirit Vest

My Spirit Vest is included among the creations of the 2014 International Free Form Challenge book, released today.

One Colour by Cyra Lewis | Make Your Own Book

Spirals and Paisleys

The International FreeForm Group on Ravelry is holding a C/KAL on spirals and paisleys. I'm designer for the week beginning 7/7 and I created two new motifs
for the occasion.

The Cat Spiral pattern is available at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cat-spiral and the Lezli Paisley is available at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lezli-paisley.

Doily Rug Finished!

Finished!
This is the third of three doily rugs, but the first with 10/32 cotton

piping and the first to be finished. Loved the feel of the cushy cotton through my fingers. Watching Doc Martin and MidSummer Murders helped me run the last laps! It needs to be blocked--but I don’t know how I can manage that, given its size and my challenges.

MULTIWHIRL Motif

In my search for whirling/pinwheel doilies, I put in an ebay search which sends me an email whenever it has something I seek. Unable to find this design online, I bought the tear sheets. They arrived yesterday and I made the motif this morning. It went far faster than I thought it would, but i was disappointed with how it looked. Then I iron blocked it and the pattern that had called to me, emerged. The pattern is a chart with a few words about hook and yarn size. The most words are about joining motifs -- which is the easiest and most apparent part of the whole thing.

This set up another little voyage of discovery. The pattern noted the designer ( the tear out had three other designs “Fine Art Crochet” Floret Lace, Curlicue Lace, Scallop Lace -- with charts, written directions and no attribution). This designer Elizabeth Hiddleson has a ton of work in the library, many collections and many works in magazines. This particular design was not listed, so I’ve added it.  Her motifs are many, complex, varied and impressive.  They are published in the 80s and 90s. What has become of her? Has she retired?

Well thank you, Ms. Hiddleson.  I was glad to make your acquaintance.

Stumbling Into Discovery: Venetian Lace

Looking at one thing led to another, and a site where motifs  and their symbol charts were displayed: http://www.otiskyprstu.ic.cz/minidecky.htm

One in particular caught my fancy and I made it as part of my do-something-daily for National Crochet Month and the Party , Crochet Along (CAL) in Freeform (FF) at Ravelry.

Seems it caught the eye of another crocheter, too.
http://gmaellenscraftycorner.wordpress.com/2012/06/01/crochet-diagrams-i-figured-this-one-out-now-what-to-do/

When I shared my effort, a couple of partygoers mentioned Venetian Lace.  Knowing an opportunity to learn when I see one, I did another google surf of images and saw what I would describe as file squares framed by picoted arches. I had tried picot arches last year, after becoming infatuated with them last year from a Duplet magazine.

Here’s a link to an about.com article from 1999 that tells you how, step by step, to make Venetian Crochet: Patterns For 1915 Motif, Collar and Lace Edging

http://crochet.about.com/library/n061999.htm.  The modern directions give you clues, but it still goes astray in terms of sequence of events.  I gave up on the sequence as written ,and made the loops, then covered them, using this process for both levels and made a Venetian Square:

 Loren Gaggini, one of the wonderful creators on Ravelry, very kindly shared this gorgeous image of a piece made by a family member. 

She writes "It was cool to see an (almost) duplicate in the magazine: Crochet Traditions, Fall 2012, p. 48-49 titled “A Vintage Venetian Border”. The article is not credited but the source of the original pattern is: “An Embroidered Teacloth, with Border in Venetian Crochet” by Anna Hapgood, originally appearing in the December 1916 issue of Needlecraft Magazine. Whitney Dorband is credited with crocheting the sample in the photo on p. 48"

A Favorite Flower

This flower blew my mind. It satisfies what I like most -- a huge reward for a modicum of effort. It's insightful, crunchy, deliciously dimensional.
I've used it in my exhibited wall hanging.

 I've made gifts of it. I've felted it and changed its character.

I've made a couple of changes to it,as one does to beloved patterns, when you are fully engaged in the dance, I prefer using adjustable rings mostof the time unless I want a hole in the center. And I vary the lengths of the petals.

This pattern taught me something new when I met it. I took the lesson to heart about ways to texture and shape. I salute its creator.
The picture on the website doesn't do it justice. I'll add some as I make them.
It could be described as a sort of  chrysanthemum or a zinnia. It is simply called Flower.

Thank you CrochetNMore for Flower!

http://www.crochetnmore.com/flower.htm

Crochet for Fur Refugees

Last year after Hurricane Sandy, a friend and her husband saw a kitten  in their  near country neighborhood. They live up the hill from , in the part of town where the bears, big cats, deer and coyote roam. They have 3 pugs and know the critters in their neighborhood. They were persuaded to give the charming tuxedo'd guy shelter, but he cried and cried.  They figured out why, when they  found his sister, grey and white. The godfolks tried every shelter and got the  dynamic duo their first shots, but there was no room at the inn.

Then they remembered that i wanted a cat, for Obi had been part of a duo. After some introductory visits Zen and Dindi joined Obi and me. We're still a work in progress. Dindi is the mediator or shy one, Zen is  mucho macho, even after being neutered Obi  has forgiven me but not the situation.
We've had new thoughts for the new year.

Zen shown claimed it first, but now Dindi sleeps in it. I designed two cocoons for them. It took a bit of coaxing and catnip before the first became habit but the lip was used like a lounge and the bowl was the bed.