Designs that Will Ring in Spring

ScannedImageSpring is in the air; the ground is beginning to warm and release the blooms of daffodils. The days are getting longer and spending time outside is a greater joy. So it has made it a nice time to release 2 of my latest designs, they help take a little chill out of the air and dress up a casual look.

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Summer Rays Drop Stitch Wrap

The first is the Summer Rays Drop Stitch Wrap; it is created with a simple 3 row repeat, and 1 skein of Lisa Souza Sylvie 100% Bombyx Silk yarn. The highlight of this wrap is a unique stitch that is created free hand, of long loops, a technique that was originally featured in my article in the Summer 2012 issue of Crochet! Magazine, with the Drop Stitch Short Scarf. I really enjoy this technique as it gives the appearance of hairpin lace without the loom, or the joining of strips. It is worked as one continuous piece, and when you finish, you only have 2 ends to weave in.

This pattern includes the details on how to complete this technique, and I have to say that the silk gives it such a great drape that it adds IMG_6150 - Copyelegance to the work.

What inspired me to put this design together was actually the yarn. I had a skein, and I made it a personal challenge to see what I could create with it, and the Drop Stitch lends itself to this non-stretch yarn very well. The openness of the stitch with the smooth surface of the yarn, allows both to be featured in a positive way with this design, creating a classic style.

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Fiji Flowers on Flowers Shrug/Wrap

The second design I am releasing is the Honorable Mention Winner of the 2013 Crochet Guild of America Design Contest, Accessories category; the Fiji Flowers on Flowers Shrug/Wrap. This is a uniquely constructed piece that is comprised of 3 large pentagon motifs created with Tunisian Crochet. These motifs create a negative space design that is enhanced with additional motifs, thus creating flowers inside of flowers. All motifs are joined as you go, requiring no sewing.

One of the original features of this design is the “floral buttons” these are added embellishments that allow the fabric to be secured together to create air sleeves of a shrug, or left unsecured for an interesting wrap. This versatile piece is also worked in Lisa Souza Sylvie 100% Bombyx Silk yarn, which has beautiful color and gives great drape to this piece. This is a fun shrug that can be paired with jeans or a simple black dress, can be a nice compliment for a day at the beach, or a night on the town. It fills a very unique niche in any wardrobe, and trust me, it is fun.

#My inspiration for this design was born out of a watermark I saw in a magazine advertisement. It was a flower that was actually featured in a negative space (the space that is not the color, but the blank background), and I began daydreaming of how to create this in crochet, thus the large motifs were created. However they lacked structure and did not allow for a stable fabric, until the addition of contrasting motifs within them. This the negative space flower grow to have an addition of flowers within its petals. 

Both of these designs are available for sale on Ravelry.com or Crochetville.com for the simple price of $5. Check them out and let me know what you think of them.

Summer Rays Drop Stitch Wrap (RavelryCrochetville)

Fiji Flowers on Flowers Shrug/Wrap (RavelryCrochetville)

Glove and Hat Set from 1 Skein! -Rice Paper Weave Thoughts

ScannedImageSpring is on its way, but winter is still holding on….

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Rice Paper Weave Gloves
-I made the hand-to cuff a little longer to keep a little warmer-

I was thinking of family that I have that moved to the Chicago area this year, and how they may need to find ways to keep warm, so for the holidays I made them some gloves. They came out well enough I decided to share them in a pattern.

The stitch pattern is worked in a spiral, upon a base of ribbing that makes up the cuff. Instead of making the new popular option of fingerless gloves, I went ahead and added fingers. I admit fingers seem tedious and intimidating, but I found them much easier then I first thought. They worked up quickly in the same stitch pattern and add the practicality of warmth to the project. I also left the option of having a texting glove, by not completing the thumb, but having it long enough to cover the tip.

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Rice Paper Weave Hat
-Matches to gloves, and are available in the same pattern-

Then the most amazing part…I still had enough yarn left in the skein to make a matching hat! I worked this design up on an alpaca yarn from Lisa Souza Dyeworks, so it feels yummy and  makes a very nice cold weather glove and hat set (at least for Chicago weather, it might be fall and spring).

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Optional “Texting Thumb”

This design is sized for both men and women, in the gloves and the hat, ensuring that with 1 skein you can get an entire set of matching gloves and a hat!

So far it appears that my family members are enjoying them and keeping warm. If you would like to check out this pattern it is available for sale on Ravelry and Crochetville for $5. I call the “Rice Paper Weave Glove & Hat Set”, the name comes to me from the stitch pattern, and to me it reminds me of the placemats I have found at some Asian restaurants, which are woven but have great texture. The mats are probably made with bamboo but my mind keeps thinking of rice…for some reason it just seems a little more fluid.

Anyway, I hope you want to attempt to keep your fingers warm and will check out my latest design.

Where the Crocheters Are

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Guests at CGOA Conference Dinner in Indianapolis 2013

ScannedImageI never really think to pull out my camera, so I’m probably an abnormality in this day and age, which is why I didn’t get more photos of all the wonderful things I saw. Last week I was in Indianapolis last week attending the Crochet Guild of America (CGOA) Summer Chain Link Conference (sometime known as the Knit and Crochet Show), and had a wonderful time. There are always so many inspiring people that have a love for crochet (most of which are not published designers, or national teachers, not that those aren’t inspiring as well).

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Margaret Hubert and Nancy Smith- 2 great women that inspire crochet

If you have never attended a national conference, I recommend that you at least investigate going someday. If you are like me, you have looked at the cost and asked yourself, “Really, I think I could learn that from a book/video, so why spend that, to go there?” A very valid question, but what you get from the conference cannot really be measured in dollars. Granted attending a conference has launched my crochet career, but even if it hadn’t I would probably still attend, as the camaraderie of fellow crocheters is enough to encourage you to attempt new things and improve your hobby/craft in ways you could never anticipate. There is nothing like walking through a hotel lobby and seeing groups of crocheters seated in various clusters chatting and stitching away. I can’t think of anywhere I’ve felt so at home.

Some are fortunate enough to have this experience in their local community through crochet guilds or stitch clubs, at least at meetings and events that they sponsor. The conference is just a really large version of this, not to mention the teachers have many years of teaching experience and years of expertise, they have forgotten more then I will ever learn.

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Fun Night at the Conference in Indianapolis 2013, Show & Share

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My first pattern signing!! Thanks to Crochetville.com, Amy Shelton, Tammy Hildebrand, and Ellen Gormley for all the support.

Well I could probably go on for a while about how much I love these conferences, but if you are interested in experiencing one for yourself, join me October 2-6 in Concord (just outside Charlotte), NC (click here for more information), or if you would like to create a crochet community in your town, investigate the support the CGOA can provide in helping you.

Tour Through Crochet Country

ScannedImageWow! A whole month of focusing on crochet blogs is almost to an end; but I might just have to follow along with some that I have visited over the past 30 days, and I hope you will consider doing the same. (here is a list of all the participants)

First I would like to thank Amy and Donna of Crochetville for putting this tour together. They are very supportive and encouraging of all things crochet, and help all of us with a hooking habit feel at home and welcome. I can’t wait to see what new ways to support crochet they have up the sleeves. Another supporting factor I have found in the world of crochet is the Crochet Guild of America (CGOA). Becoming a member and taking the opportunities that it has presented has changed my life…and that is not just a figure of speech. I am a crochet instructor, but only started having students after I passed the Masters of Advanced Stitches and Technique. I am a new designer; I only sold my first design at the Summer CGOA conference in Minneapolis, July 2011, and now at this moment I have 7 designs in 3 magazines that are currently at your local news stand.  All of that is possible because I took the opportunities that CGOA offered, including meeting many supportive and encouraging people.

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Lisa Souza Glacier Yarn (100% Bombyx Silk) that will find a new home on April 2!

 

Unfortunately I do not have a local chapter of CGOA (there is one an hour drive away, and the meetings have never worked in my schedule), but I have found a local “non-denominational” fiber guild in my community, so I know the benefits belonging to a supportive group that enjoys the same things you do. If you have never considered visiting a guild (it took me a while, I thought that they were trade unions from the middle ages, at least that is what I remember from history class), the opportunity to make new friends, that actually understand crochet terms, is invaluable. Definitely finding a crochet community makes a difference. You can check here to see if there is a CGOA guild in your area. These groups help ensure that crochet is not just featured one month of the year, but throughout and open you to new ideas and approaches. They also usually help in the community (like this blog tour, helping Project Night Night, look here for more information), and make a difference in a variety of ways.

When writing this post, I had many thoughts of knowledge and tricks I have learned and would love to share with you, but the most important thing I can impart is to get involved, and find a supporting network of crochet lovers. (If you want to hear some of my knowledge and tricks, feel free to follow me on my crochet journey).

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Tunisian Mini Shawl- Free pattern download

One of the things I have learned from my local guild is the expanse of fibers available in yarn and how to use them, so I wanted to share an opportunity with you to enjoy some yarns you probably don’t have in your stash.( I find it amazing to me how different the same pattern can look with a different yarn or fiber) So, I am giving away a skein of Lisa Souza’s Glacier Yarn (100% Bombyx Silk) to 3 lucky winners (just simply leave me a comment on this post about what you enjoy about crochet or what it means to you, I will randomly select 3 comments on April 2, 2013 at 9:00am PST).

From the CGOA I have learned many new techniques and I would like to share my free Tunisian Mini Shawl pattern (created out of 1 skein of the yarn being given away) as a tribute to those that have encouraged me. Check out my free pattern download from either Crochetville’s Free Pattern Library or by using this  Free Tunisian Mini Shawl Download

Don’t forget to check out the other featured blog today…Kristin Dragos and don’t forget tomorrows the last day of March, where has the time gone?

March 31 Karen C K Ballard Gwen Blakley-Kinsler

My New Pattern Line!

ScannedImage I just had some fun adding my own personal patterns for sale on Crochetville.com (you can find them right here on this site at the pattern tab above, with links to their selling site). They are all made using the wonderful yarn from Lisa Souza Knitwear and Dyeworks, and the model is always happy to get in front of the camera.

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Simply Girl Summer Top

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Seasons Change Hooded Vest

 

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Precious Blossom Shrug