Somehow September always seems to run me around in circles. It seems to be a month that leaves me a little anxious, almost feeling like I am hyperventilating.
It maybe all the family birthdays; my husband, his brother, his sister, my dad, my sister…all within a week, and then the anniversaries; my parents, my in-laws, my aunts, and then my sister is planning her wedding for September of 2015. None of that even includes holidays for long time friends…only family.
Maybe it is the change of season. Being in Northern California I am very happy that this last week has a feeling of fall; it helped to increase the containment of a large wildfire in my community (at least it was not a threat to my home, but I had many friends evacuated for several days, some for nearly two weeks), and seeing some rain makes us all hopeful that our drought may ease. However fall also brings the harvest of our small farm. I am not even sure how many pounds of pears I gave away this year, probably close to 50, I know that I used the dehydrator and dried nearly 140 pears, which my family has nearly consumed all of. I harvest many seedless grapes, and actually made raisins this year…about 10 pounds after they were dried. I still have to make some jelly from the seeded grapes, but that is in the next couple of weeks. 
It could also be the births and deaths, and tragedies in my local community, I know they are there all the time, but for some reason they seem amplified in September. None of them affected me closely, but it affected people in my life. Or it could me the annual remembrance of “where were you when” , those moments that make you realize that a year has already passed and you are not sure where it went.
So my days were spent settling into the routine of the school year for the kids, accomplishing the things needed for the household, and then not to be over looked….CROCHET! I have spent each and every day with my fingers dancing over stitches and my mind flying over new and possible combinations and ways to use a technique. I plan on getting some of them written down and posted soon, but in all my time writing has taken a sideline. Since October is almost here, I can already feel a change, a calming. This should allow me to regroup and share more of the thoughts that I find in my world of hooking, here is to hoping that October brings cool weather, rain, and calmer seas.
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Some Crochet Enhancements
I have been drying fruit from the orchard…the pears are coming out quite nice.
Sometimes it seems like time flies in the wink of an eye…again it seems to be that time of year for me. The kids have started back to school, I am getting the fruits from the orchard harvested (I am making my first attempts at using a dehydrator this year, so far it has been a success), and my fingers are nimbly working on various designs that you’ll see out in the world this next Spring & Summer.
Working my flying crochet hook, I have undertaken a couple of new techniques, some that I have not undertaken for a while. I would like to share with you one that I am working on that I will admit is outside of my complete comfort level…beading.
I believe that beads can really add to a crochet design, that they give a nice texture difference, sometimes some needed weight for a project, and sometime just a hint of added sparkle; so why is it not a constant wheelhouse in my work…I hate threading those little beads on the yarn. It seems like a daunting task and I inevitably get it tied in knots, it is just that one added step that doesn’t allow me to mindlessly crochet.
Thread dental floss through the sewing needle and tie a knot creating a loop, slip yarn through loop and fold back on itself (creating a link of 2 loops), thread beads onto sewing needle and slide them over the dental floss and onto the yarn
That being stated, I have been playing with ways to get beads in my stitches, and here is what has worked for me; a sewing needle and dental floss. Yes, it does sound a little funny, but it works better than other approaches for me (although I am always open to new ideas!).
First I thread the dental floss through the sewing needle, creating a tail on either side of the needle of at least 4” (10cm) (so a piece of floss at least 8” (20cm) long to begin with), and tie the ends making a loop. This loop is the trick. I then tread the yarn through the loop of floss and fold to back on itself; this creating what would appear to be 2 loops linked together. I using the sewing needle I thread through the beads and slid them down the needle, over the dental floss and then over the yarn.
So now I have them threaded, and the playing can begin.
Designs In Movement…Some of My Latest Thoughts
So the long days of summer are now shortening, children or headed back to school, and that can really only mean one thing…Autumn is almost here. 
I have a couple of new designs out, that I think ring true for fall. In the October 2014 Issue of Crochet World Magazine (available digitally now, and on newsstands September 2, 2014) I have a hat, Birds Eye Border, and a Scarf, Hourglass Cables.
Hourglass Cables Scarf Photo courtesy of Annie’s
I enjoy both of these designs so let me tell you a little about them. The Hourglass Cable Scarf is one that is not you simple rectangle, I was playing with movement and enjoyed how this technique created an in and out effect to the edge of the fabric. I added the cables and was astonished at how fun it was, yet simple to keep track of. So the increase/decrease effect gives visual interest while the cables give great texture (while actually highlighting the curves). But using a variegated or striping yarn the details are even more highlighted, as the color shift gives an additional element of focus.
I even enjoyed this technique enough to offer a video of it through Annie’s (you can find it here).
Bird’s Eye Border Hat Photo courtesy of Annie’s
The next design is the Birds Eye Border Hat. In this design I was once again inspired by movement, I was attempting to create an open circle in the middle of a fabric, and found that I enjoyed how it edged, and though a highlight of this around the face might be nice, thus the hat was created. It has a slight air of whimsy, and can be personalized by weaving a scarf through the openings or adding bead work. It has a lot of possibilities, and yet is simple to put together.
I hope you enjoy the designs and that they encourage you to play with movement in your own work.
The Crochet Way to Re-Live a Great Memory
Oh, I think I found the bests of both worlds.
Yarn Bombing found in Mendocino, CA
My family and I actually got away from the house for a couple of nights, and visited the rocky beaches of northern California. We had a wonderful time, and we happened to stumble upon a small town with a lot of charm (and great art/fiber support, there was yarn bombing everywhere!). But even that was not my light bulb moment.
The “Mementos” my family brought home from the trip. Now I get to enjoy the trip all over again!
I managed to actually excite my family into going into the local yarn shop, and choosing yarn for themselves; under the premise that I will create a keepsake memento to remember the trip for them. So they will get a keepsake to remember the trip, I will get to play with some fun yarns, and while stitching up their hats & mittens (items they requested) I get to remember the wonderful weekend with them. Why have I not come up with this before? Maybe because we don’t get away all that often…but, I think this can become a fun tradition to go forward in our family, especially since we don’t really need any more T-Shirts or coffee cups or decoration trinkets from our limited travels.
Mendocino Yarn Shop…quite adorable!
The yarn store yarn bombing.
Hopefully I’ll manage to get their requests done soon, so we can all enjoy the memories.
A Week of Fun, Learning, and Terrific Memories…All in the Name of Crochet
I cannot believe that I have already been home from the Knit &Crochet Show for over a week! I basically only just unpacked all of my supplies.
I had a great time while I was there, I took some fabulous classes, talked with some fabulous people, met even more fabulous people, and had a fabulous time (in case you hadn’t realized, crocheters are fabulous)!
Jennifer Ryan and myself in the middle of some of her yarn bombing.
I love when new things happen and they instantly become occurrences that should continue always, an example of this was the “Yarn Bombing” of the Radisson Hotel in downtown Manchester, NH. Jennifer Ryan (a fellow crochet designer), spear headed this undertaking and it left everyone wondering why it had not happened before now. There were little yarn motifs and decorations almost everywhere you turned. It definitely had a fun feeling.
A few of my students at the Make & Take of “Cented Flowers”, they were such a fun bunch!
This was the first year I was actually up in front of the room giving some instruction. I moderated the Professional Think Tank, where professionals in the crochet industry, and those striving to be were able to share ideas and ask questions that were relative to their careers. I also helped co-teach the CGOA Master’s Day, with Susan Lowman and Jane Rimmer. We helped those interested in completing the Master’s of Advanced Stitches and Techniques Program with guidance of common mistakes, and overall how to approach their work as a Master. Then I presented a make & take Project and had 18 students learn my “Cented Flowers”, they were created with Designing Vashti Lotus yarn, in white, and green (celebration colors for the conference), with dimes in the center, of 2 flowers 9so there was 20 cents for the 20th anniversary celebration…yes I probably over thought this project), but I had fun teaching it.
I also took some great classes.
I took Shuttle Tatting from Susan Lowman, and what I learned in that class…how I can appreciate the skill and nimble fingers it takes to create these delicate pieces. I practiced for w6 hours, but all I had to show for it was some short threads, and a souvenir butterfly, that Susan made for everyone in class. There were a couple of people that picked it up very quickly, and my hats off to them, I think Lindsey Stephens has already gone home and made a couple of book marks!
Just some general fun with Margaret Hubert, myself, Vashti Braha and Marcy Smith
I was also fortunate to get into Vashti Braha’s Star Stitch Class. I always love taking her classes; she goes so in depth into the ins-&-outs of the stitch and what makes it work, she takes you to the very limit of what that technique has to offer. There is always an “Awe Ha” moment in her class, and this one was no exception. It helped me to look at this stitch that I considered “old & dense” in the past, as one that has some real possibilities to create gorgeous fabric.
I also to a very interesting class by Dora Orhenstien, it was about tension in crochet and how to adjust it. It opened my mind up to a different way of thinking. Usually you find that if your stitches are not coming out correctly that you are either pulling loops up to high, or not high enough, but this class caused you to take into account how your tension can effect various advanced as well as basic stitches. It is something that I never considered before and was really enlightening.
I wrapped up my classes with a Sunday morning class with Karen Whooley on Venetian Lace. I admit I was a little distracted during this class with issues at home, but still Karen presented a well planned class, that gave a complete history and understanding of this different lace style. It opened my eyes, historically speaking. In understanding different approaches to lace throughout Europe and she had beautiful samples that her grandmother had created. A fascinating class, I definitely enjoyed it.
It was a very enjoyable time and I always love the experience I have when I attend, this time was no different.