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My Needed Crochet Distraction

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ScannedImageI am not sure if I have really appreciated the distraction that crochet has been to me until reflecting on this last week.

I spent 6 days in the beautiful city of Manchester, New Hampshire, for the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Crochet Guild of America, at the Knit & Crochet Show (mark your calendars, next year it will be in San Diego, California, from July 22-26, 2015). I was taking several interesting classes, as well as moderating and teaching some groups. It was a busy week, and then I get the call from home that there is a wildfire near my home. Now with the severe drought in California right now, any murmur of fire can quickly turn into something catastrophic, and being 3000 miles from home and family does not make it any easier. Fortunately the crochet community is a very supportive one, and many people shared their well wishes, good thoughts and prayers. (Fortunately firefighters got the upper hand and my home was spared, unfortunately 19 other families lost their homes during the event, and my thoughts and prayers continue to go out to them).

But during this anxious time, I had crochet. I may not have picked up my hook as much as I normally would have, as I did not have my thoughtless project with me, but the support of all things crochet helped to keep me together. IMG_6186.1

After I returned home, my sister went in for a relatively routine procedure. However there have been some complications, so once again I turn to crochet. I am anxious, as I am helpless once again to do anything, but the simple rhythm of the hook in my hand and the yarn in my fingers seems to help calm me (or at least it keeps me from stress eating).

The situation with my sister is not quite resolved, but at least I have crochet to help keep me grounded. I hope all will be well, and once my mind is a little less distracted, I will share all the wonderful and creative things that made my travels fun and enjoyable (I was not stressed out about home the entire time).

Some Pattern thoughts for Lotus Yarn (Free Download of Cented Flowers)

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ScannedImageSo a couple of weeks ago I told you how I really enjoy working with Designing Vashti Lotus Yarn, it got me thinking, I do have a couple of pattern examples that I could share that highlight this yarn.

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My daughter modeling DJC: Lotus Bolero (What a ham)

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Another modeling shot…

The first one is from Doris Chan, and it is the DJC: Lotus Bolero. It is excellently written, from the top down, and a fun project. I can attest that the final product is very enjoyable as well. My daughter did the modeling for the girl sizes, and really adores them. (She completely mixes and matches them up with a variety of things in her wardrobe). Doris has it sized from a girl size 4 to a 3X, very impressive and flattering for anyone.

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Cented Flowers- Free download pattern

The other pattern is one that I worked up for the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Crochet Guild of America, it is the Cented Flower. It is a small clip that is adorned with 2 flowers that have dime accents in their center. The celebration colors are White, Emerald and Platinum, so I attempted to capture them in this design. I am actually offering instructions and supplies for this design at a Make-&-Take Saturday, July 26, 2014 from 12:30-1:30pm (EST) at the Knit & Crochet Show, showroom floor. However, even if you cannot make the trip to Manchester, NH, I wanted you to be able to enjoy the pattern yourself so I have made it available here as a free download. Cented Flowers

I hope you enjoy the pattern; I would love to know your thoughts about it.

Some of my Tips to Conquer Crochet Procrastination

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ScannedImageSo when I do not enjoy something I procrastinate…I think that is true for many. This explains many of my UFO (Un-Finished Objects). When reviewing what makes these projects unfinished, many of them become finish work, or simply patterns that just began to bore me. But I have found some techniques that actually allow me to get these projects done.

A few years ago I have a sweater that had several color changes. I was using a variety of yarns that I had won in a raffle, I began working it up and finished the sleeves, and began the front…then I put it down and it haunt me from across the room. I felt pressure to finish it, of course self imposed, yet I had no desire to pick up the hook, I wanted to work something else…anything else. So how did I finally manage to get it finished, I created a support group.

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My Support Group Sweater. With the support of my friends I finally finished this sweater that was beginning to haunt me.

I set up an informal support system at my workplace, I had co-worker hold me accountable to goals I set for myself. It is kind of like having someone holding you accountable during a diet (which is how I returned the support they gave me), I would set a goal of completing so many rows a week, and then during lunch once a week, we would all get together and discuss how are goals were coming along, and set new ones. This is how I finally finished the sweater…6 weeks of goal setting to get to the end. I admit it feels like quite an accomplishment.

For projects that may not need as much goal setting to get finished I have found another trick, I bring projects that are not on my favorite list to knitting and crocheting events and gatherings. Why you might ask, because I enjoy the company and then usually don’t mind the work as much. It is not the focus of my attention, I can weave in ends and work on patterns that I no longer have much interest in while talking to friends, enjoying some snacks and beverage, as well as admiring the beautiful work of others. Hours can pass and I can get much accomplished, and not even realize it.

It seems funny how the support of others can improve my work, and actually get my UFO’s to a state of completion. I guess this is just another point in my life that shows that the Village makes the difference.

Sharing a Secret…Lotus Yarn, It is Fantastic!

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ScannedImageSo I have been keeping a secret, not really intentionally, but because I have been caught up in the use of a really great yarn.
The yarn fits my climate, it is a cotton rayon blend, so it is great for warm weather, the biggest problem I have with it is figuring out what project to work next with it. I have even worked on projects at knitting and crochet gatherings and had several people go out of their way to ask me what yarn I am using. The yarn you ask, well it is Lotus by Designing Vashti.
I should mention that the yarn was developed and created especially for crocheters by my friends Vashti Braha and Doris Chan, but that has not influenced by words about the yarn. They did not ask me to give a review of the yarn, they do not even know that I am writing this, but I felt that I should let the cat out of the bag about this little secret.

Lotus

Swatches I worked up in Lotus, as I was playing with circles. The colors, white, teal and grenadine are beautiful!

The yarn is created with a “Z” twist, this means that the yarn is plied in the opposite direction as most yarns that have an “S twist” (basically it is the direction that the threads are spun together). This may not seem like much of a difference, but as a long time crocheter, I can tell you that there have been many yarns that always seem to slip when I use them. I never really thought about it, I just accepted this has the norm. So why did the yarn split? I never really investigated it before, but when you really pay attention to the way the yarn works, I am right handed, and by working yarn overs it actually works the yarn in the opposite it is plied for traditional yarns, removing twist. But Lotus holds up very well, as working a yarn over actually is in the same direction as the twist and firms up the yarn instead of twisting it a part. So that is a bonus, but not my favorite part of the yarn.
This is also the only yarn I can think of that I actually prefer after it is blocked, or washed. It seems to actually get softer and the strand feels like it fluffy up without distorting the stitch, it is quite a perk. It also has a nice gleam to it. It is not so shiny that it feels limited, but it is definitely not dull. It reminds me of an expensive fabric, but a fabric that carries the heavy lifting of everyday wear and is not so delicate that it hides in the closet.
This yarn is only available on-line, but it seems quit to ship and is in my hands impressively fast. There is a vast array of colors that will inspire many ideas. Classic jewel tones and flattering pastels are easily accented with the nice selection of neutrals, including white, grey, pearl, and black. I will admit, the hardest part of ordering for me it choosing which color, so I often left the family make a vote and I have never been disappointed with their choices.
The combination of cotton and rayon, seem to perfectly complement each other and create a fabric that has really nice drape, yet is very breathable in my California weather. It is a fine weight yarn, listed as #2, which is another thing I actually like. Finding a cotton yarn that is smaller than a medium weight or #4, and greater then thread can sometimes be difficult. I find that hand of this yarn very versatile. It has a recommended hook size of F/5-3.75mm or G/7-4.5mm, but I found that I enjoy working it with an H/8-5mm and even at time a J/10-6mm.
If you are feeling like trying something new, check out Lotus yarn, I am sure you will find it as noteworthy as I have.
(If you happen to attending the Knit & Crochet Show, Saturday, July 26, 2014 at Manchester, NH stop by the show floor at 12:30 and try out Lotus at the “Cented Flower” Make & Take demonstration I will be giving).

Small Shifts, Big Differences…Where is Your Yarn?

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ScannedImageSimple things can make a huge difference….I was reminded of this just the other day, as I was putting together some “join-as-you-go” motifs.

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Working yarn behind the hook

They would join at through chain loops, and I found that I was working along splendidly, then put things down and come back and have the joins twisting. I could not for the life of me figure out what was causing this difference. I was entering the chain in the same direction, I was making the same number of stitches, and so what was my hold up? Was I distracted? Were my fingers and hook no longer obeying?

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Working yarn in front of hook, being pulled into chain stitch

Then, I noticed a very subtle difference….where was the working yarn drawing from? In every instant that I had a problem with the join twisting the working yarn was in front of my work, in front of my hook. This was the cause of the difference. Usually my working yarn is always behind my hook, this makes for a smooth fabric and joins that behave, but the simple acts of letting the working yarn get in front of the hook and everything goes backward.

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Top join is worked with working yarn behind hook, and bottom join is worked with working yarn in front of hook. Notice the twist of the loops in the bottom join.

This is similar to the effects of how you “yarn over”, the placement has very subtle and telling results (for a description of that post check out “How do you YO?”). The working yarn in front of the hook creates an extra twist to my join and, though creates a more textured fabric, is not necessarily the effect I am looking for.
So I put a little extra knowledge of how crochet stitches work in my basket, and will have to play with it in the future and see what effects it can create, that I actually intend for.