Category Archives: Encouragement

Crochet among the Travels

Posted on by

ScannedImageThe end of July and the beginning of August was a time of travel for me. I spent time in San Diego at the Knit & Crochet Show, an annual conference for TKGA (The Knitingt Guild Association) and CGOA (Crochet Guild of America). This annual conference is a time of visiting with old friends and making new ones, a time for learning, a time for inspiration, and a time for furthering the passion for fiber arts.

DSCF1013

Vashti and I on our coastal California road trip, here we are at Morro Bay

I always enjoy attendance at this show, well it seems a little like going home since it was at one of these annual conferences that I began my career as a crochet designer. There are so many different opportunities and experiences that occur, that I am always finding myself not wanting it to end, and then looking forward to the next one (July 2016 in Charleston, SC). This year I helped my friend, Vashti Braha, with her first ever show floor booth selling her new yarn line, Designing Vashti Lotus. It was a fun experience and aided in seeing the show from a completely different perspective.

DSCF1014

The Ball & Skein & More shop in Cambria, CA

Following the show, Vashti and I took a quick road trip up the California coast, where we found a fun little yarn store in Cambria, CA, the Ball & Skein & More. It was warm and friendly, I loved how well organized it was, with portable, well labeled bins of yarn, that did not leave you feeling overwhelmed or mislead. It kept everything feeling bright and fresh. The shelves were even mobile as well, so the store could easily adjust its layout for workshops, or special functions. It was a great visit after an Asian fusion lunch and before the visit to the little French bakery just down the street; definitely a place to visit again.

IMG_7197

Anderson’s Alternatives In Mendocino, CA

After getting home, it was time to get on the road again with my family for a quick vacation. We drove further up the California coast to the quaint town of Mendocino, CA, just south of Fort Bragg. We love visiting this little town; my kids are even looking forward to our next visit. My son has been enjoying the skills of woodworking, so we visited a local art gallery that was featuring local woodworking artists, where my son was greatly inspired by what he could create in woods. Inspired enough that we stopped by another artisan shop Anderson’s Alternatives, where the owner was discussing properties of different types of wood and what he has created with them. So as a souvenir of our vacation my son decided that he wanted to bring home small slabs to create with.

IMG_7203

Mendocino Yarn Shop in Mendocino, CA

My daughter, in her learning to knit adventure, was enthralled with the ever charming Mendocino Yarn Shop. I love this store. They are so friendly, and have a very nice assortment of yarn, as well as the knowledge to educate and answer any question a patron might have. There is a nice seating area that always is clamoring with various enthusiasts, that of course after my daughter found her “yarn souvenir” was exactly where she wanted to be. Of course she talked me into some new needles and some fancy yarn, I guess I might be a bit of a sucker in this location, as I understand the obsession all too well. Anytime I am in the area, I have to visit this little store….okay, anytime I am in the area of a yarn store I at least have to take a look and possibly sample what they have to offer, it is only polite after all.

Refreshing Business in Crochet

Posted on by

ScannedImageIt is so refreshing to realize that there are many supportive and encouraging people in the world, even in the world of business. I am sure that this experience is not limited to just crochet and its related industries, but it is the experience I had last week at the Knit & Crochet Show in San Diego, CA last week that will leave a lasting impression.

DSCF1001

Designing Vashti booth with Vashti Braha and Kristin Lynn at the Knit & Crochet Show in San Diego (June 23-26, 2015)

My friend, Vashti Braha of Designing Vashti, was putting together a booth for this convention to make a public debut of her yarn, Lotus. There is much that goes into putting a show booth together, more than the average consumer realizes when they go shopping. During the time and planning, and figuring costs of materials and shipping, I was also speaking with another good friend to me, Lisa Souza of Lisa Souza Knitwear & Dyeworks. Lisa has been selling her yarn and working convention booths for nearly 30 years, and generously offered her suggestions and was even generous enough to share material for the booth set up, supplying all the grids that created the Designing Vashti booth.

Now just that would have been generous enough, one small yarn company aiding another in selling their product, but then there was more. Tulip, the needle and hook company from Japan, also needed some display material, and Designing Vashti shared her supply with them to help better display the product; and then when Tulip was unable to accept credit cards Vashti offered to assist them.

DSCF1007

businesses working together, supporting each other, Designing Vashti and Tulip, with all grid displays from Lisa Souza Yarns

It may not seem like much, but to me it is a breath of fresh air to see that these small businesses are open and willing to assist other small businesses, I know they already be friends of mine, but the fact that I respect the business practices they display endears me to them even more.

So if you are looking for some great yarns, or crochet products, please consider supporting these ladies that offer support to others.

Crochet Love Spans Time

Posted on by

ScannedImageThere are so many hidden wonders hiding in almost plain sight. I received a “Christmas in July” gift, even though it really was not intended that way.

I arrived home the other day to find my aunt at my doorstep leaving a box. She informed me that she was visiting some other family and that they were clean things out of their home and had several crochet patterns, so my aunt thought I could make them a good home. I definitely will. DSCF0993

Upon opening the box I found publications from the early 1900’s with a wide variety of needle arts, as well as magazines from the 50’s through 90’s all featuring crochet. You can tell there was a concerted effort to find new and innovative techniques, as well as a fabulous collection of edging patterns.

You never know what you may find in an attic, a storage unit, or under the stairs. The love of crochet can be found in many places, I am fortunate that I have people in my life that realize that this love can continue in the hearts of others by finding them a new home. I just have to find more time in the day to explore all that I have received. They are so inspiring and show just how much the world and dimension of crochet has changed in its daily applications.

This will be a gift that keeps on giving!

Documenting the Past -Looking Forward

Posted on by

ScannedImageI found a little trip down memory lane today when my kids were pulling out photo albums. When I was a kid growing up, my mom use to create oil paintings. I have a couple in my home now, but they were and still are almost the only things on the walls of my parents’ home. She had been paining long before I was born, and I remember as a child flipping through a small photo album that she kept of all the paintings she had created, in a way it was her portfolio.

My first afghan

My first afghan

When I was in my late teens and early twenties, someone had asked about all the afghans I had made. At this point I was already over a decade of stitching and had made many finished items to my credit, but I thought about my mom “portfolio” and picked up my camera to document some of the work I had done. I was probably consistent with this for a few years, and since designing it has become important for me to do such. However when my kids pulled out my little “portfolio” photo album it was a little journey for me.

I know that not every piece is in that album, but the ones that are brought back memories. There were many wedding gifts, and baby showers, many birthdays, and thank yous. I knew where most of the afghans had found homes at, and a couple I could not quite place.

IMG_6312.1

35 different baby yarns make up this afghan of scraps and memories.

In a way it is amazing to look back and realize how prolific I have been in my creating. This little book may only represent a couple of years of work, but it fills many pages. I have a scrap afghan that represents this as well; it is a full size afghan made out of baby yarns. These baby yarns are the left over yarn from the numbers of baby afghans I have made, and if I even wonder how many babies have been wrapped in a blanket I made, I can get a starting point with the 35 different colors in the afghan. Even that was created nearly 20 years ago, so I know the number would have increased since then.

I guess as a maker I need to keep my hands moving and my mind designing, I guess it has always been a part of me, but it is only in looking back that I can see that. Only in taking stock in where I have been can I better see my journey forward.

When June Finally Comes to an End….

Posted on by

ScannedImageI will admit, it does feel like I have fallen off the face of the earth. I know I haven’t posted lately, I haven’t been around on social media, but seriously I do not know where the time has gone. The month has seriously flown by, but it certainly made its presence known.

June has been a time of growth, by ripping back and starting over. Like a crochet project, it feels like the threads in my life have been frogged, ripped back, to an early point. I will build from this point with more even gauge, more consistent tension, and more resolve from all that I have been learning.

Okay, yes, it seems a little mysterious…what has happened this month? Well, I really do not want to get into too much specifics, but I have had some work physically be lost and have to be redone, I have become a victim of a non-violent crime, I have been in an accident (fortunately, no one was seriously injured), and I have juggled commitments to local events, family functions, and my children’s activities, all while still visiting with out of town relatives.

Well, what I have learned is that the struggles of things I carry mentally have a direct effect on my creativity. I have realized that I need a certain amount of balance to feel productive and functional. I am sorry to admit, that at this point that crochet has not been my outlet. This is mostly because most of the crochet I have in hand is all things that need guidance and a creative spirit, I have not had a project to do just for the sake of doing it. I need to bring more of these back into my life.

I know that the next month will bring a new light, then I will have an opportunity to share with you all the fun stuff that I learned and got to play with at the TNNA (The National Needlework Association) summer trade show…I even have some give a ways to share! I can already feel the winds changing, I even picked up my crochet hook today.