Ravelry vs. the USOC

Ravelry recently received a letter from an intern law clerk at the USOC stating that Ravelry's use of the tern "Ravelympics" for their olympic KAL's and CAL's is probably a copyright infringement as they have sole commercial use of the word "olympic". Not only that, they feel that our yarn arts denegrade the hard work of the athletes!! BULL! And BULLYING!

You can read about the controversy HERE.

So, if you are a fan of Ravelry or are involved in the Ravelympics, send a POLITE, but firm e-mail to the USOC telling them that their objections are outrageous and misplaced. Its time that people that use yarn in their crafts be take more seriously. We are NOT a bunch of old ladies in rockers. We are talented...we are strong....and we have numbers that can influence. Let's get this injustice removed and enjoy the Olympics as we see fit!!

Crochet, Away!!

UPDATE - The USOC has officially apologized for the disparaging remarks made towards Ravelry members. The outpouring of support from Ravelers as well as other yarnies made the USOC realize their tremendous blunder. Three cheers for US!!!

Baby "Buggy" Blanket

Made this for sale as a baby shower gift. The customer wanted a baby boy afghan. I found THIS pattern and thought it would be perfect....a nice pattern without being too much. When I finished the basic ghan, I thought it needed something so I thought about it and got the idea of adding the bug appliques and the lines to represent their flying. The embroidery took time but it really came out great. I think the new mom will appreciate it.

I used a G hook and Bernat Softee Baby, which is not my favorite yarn because of how it splits, but its a soft yarn so it was a trade off. I used #3 crochet cotton to embroider the lines and got the appliques from JoAnn fabrics. I glued on the appliques instead of ironing them on because you will ruin the acylic yarn with the heat. The result works well....probably better, as I find that iron on adhesives tend to wear out after repeated washings.

Hope you are enjoying your Spring....or Fall, depending on where you are on our planet. :)

Crochet, Away!

Doris's Blanket

This blanket is what I was working on when my friend Doris passed away. She requested a blanket in 100% cotton and very colorful. I chose the Thermal Stitch Preemie Afghan pattern. I used various kinds of worsted cotton....Sugar and Cream, Peaches N Cream, Bernat Handicrafter and Lion Brand Cotton and a J hook. She wanted it very big but when she died, I just didn't feel much like making it as big as she wanted. So I decided to make the width the length and finish it in a smaller size....

It's a very easy stitch and makes a great, practical blanket for a kid. It's easy care....machine wash and dry. Its a warm weight but breathable. I'll save it for a child...maybe a future grandchild or maybe donate it to Project Linus. Either way it will get a good home and be a way of honoring my friend.

Crochet, Away!

New Year

I am sorry for my absence. Since September of last year, I have been helping to care for a friend who was terminally ill. She passed away this morning after her long battle with cancer came to an end. As a result, my crocheting was limited and several things I did crochet I made for her. She wanted fingerless gloves to keep her hands warm and a crocheted market bag and I had started an afghan for her, but was not able to finish it in time. But she is at peace now....she was a caring person and did not deserve what she suffered. But she was also a fighter....she was diagnosed 9 years ago and was able to live a good life until the last several months.

I hope to be back with more crochet very soon. I am working on a contracted afghan and must finish it ASAP. After that, I should be back in the swing of things, as the saying goes.

Thank you for those who have been and who chose to continue to be a part of my blog life. Keep crocheting!

Mystery Pattern

A member of Ravelry posted a photo of a baby afghan and wanted to know if anyone knew the stitch. No one seemed to, but one member, with far more knowledge than I of reverse engineering, was able to figure it out. She posted photos of her work, back and front so we could see the construction. Since it would be improper to give out the pattern, those of us interested had to try and reverse engineer HER sample. I was able to do so....and here is the result...

I am so in love with this pattern stitch...it makes a 3 dimensional shell or scallop...I actually think it looks like crowns. Its not hard to create but does take time. I think it would make not only a lovely afghan but a beautiful shawl done in fingering weight with a larger hook.  The top photo is the front and the second photo is the reverse. The loops on the edges are for weaving a ribbon in and out of.

I wish I could share the pattern but if you are clever enough, you could probably figure it out as I did. If you need more help, check out the" Shell blanket disection" thread in the" Crochet On Ravelry" group....there are more photos there. Good luck!

Crochet, Away!

Go Green Market Tote

This was a spur of the moment project. Someone on Ravelry recommended it and when I took a look, I was impressed. So this morning I sat down and as I watched the news, I made one. Took 3 hours from start to finish....

This design incorporates a CD into the bottom for a nice stable base. You dont have to put it in, but I did and I like how it came out. You can also make a shorter handle for it. Find the instructions HERE.

I was going crazy trying to decide what I can make the ladies of the family for Christmas....now I know. This will make a nice little gift. Give it a try....for yourself OR for a gift. It's easy and fast!

Crochet, Away!

Knooking

I dont know if any of you are familiar with the technique of "Knooking". It's knitting with a crochet hook. Different from Tunisian in that it creates true knit and purl stitches. I have experimented with it using a cabled crohook.

Recently, Leisure Arts created a Knooking kit....

I should have taken a photo of it before I used it....the kit includes 3 wooden hooks, 3 satin cables and an instruction book for both right and left handers. I found out about it on Ravelry and purchased it. It is exclusively available at Wal-Mart until Sept. when it will be more widely available. 

It's a interesting way to knit without needles and its relatively easy for a crocheter. It does take a little practice because you have to YO differently than you normally do, but its pretty much just inserting the hook in the stitch, YO and pull through. The cable substitutes for what would normally be a needle and holds the stitches while you work. And, as you can see, it does create a true knitted fabric....

The kit is rather inexpensive....$6.97 plus tax, of course. The only drawback I found is the wooden hooks....I never have liked wood that wasn't prepared in some way....polished, waxed. The stitches don't move smoothly along the shaft. I used some waxed paper and rubbed it over the hook....that did help some. Use of the hook will help more, I am sure. But a perfect kit would have metal hooks. Still, for a beginner, I can't really complain. If you have an interest in Knooking, there are also videos like THIS one that explain the technique. Although this is a video for right handers, there are also some for those of you who are left handed.

If you are like me and appreciate the look of knitting but dont really like or want to knit with needles, this may be an option. I am hoping that, in the future, there will be more patterns....and a way to work in the round. But this is a fun start....if you can get a kit, give it a try. :)

More crochet coming soon!

Crochet, Away!

In Memory of Jean Leinhauser

Most of us who have been crocheting for a long time will know the name of Jean Leinhauser. She was a pioneer in the art of crochet, an author of countless books and moderator of the Yahoo group "Crochet Partners". Jean was trained as a journalist and began her professional needlework career as a design director for the Boye Needle Company. She left Boye to found Leisure Arts publishing and later founded the American School of Needlework Publishing Co. She recently contributed the masters program for the CGOA. Throughout her life, Jean was always available to those in need of crochet help and a friend to many who never met her except through e-mails. Her "101 Stitches for Afghans" has always been my go-to book for stitch patterns. Jean passed away on June 15th of a heart attack.....a shock to all. But her spirit, her love of crochet and her tireless work to keep crochet an important part of the yarn arts industry will never be forgotten. If you are new to crochet and not familiar with Jean's work, do check out some of her books....she was a great teacher and crochet artist.

Rest in Peace, Jean.....and thank you for the legacy you have left for all crocheters!

Ice Cream Cover Up

I originally wasn't going to crochet anything for the grandkids birthdays, but I found THIS pattern for a girls swimsuit cover up and it seemed like something I could do rather quickly and I was right....took 2 days. I just finished in a short time ago. This is for Sydney...she will be 4 on Sunday.

I made some changes in the pattern...added the ruffling around the skirt and sleeve edges and shaped the hood a bit differently. I used Bernat Cool Crochet (which is discontinued) instead of the #3 crochet cotton. I knew I would find a use for that yarn...its perfect for a project like this....lightweight and the mesh makes it pretty stretchy.

This pattern is made from the top down and could be easily adapted for a much larger size. I might try making one for myself.

Oh....and I want to thank all of you for your well wishes during my illness. I am feeling MUCH better now and hope to stay that way. I am losing weight and looking forward to swimming weather when the pool opens in about a month.

As always,

Crochet Away!

Medical Hiatus

Sorry I haven't been around but I have been sick for the past 4 weeks. Just got out of the hospital on Wednesday and I am still not totally well. I was a mystery patient.....no one could figure out what was wrong with me. They did find out I have diabetes, which I am taking care of. But for the other, I am still not 100%. I haven't felt like crocheting...can't concentrate on it at the moment. But I hope to be better soon and back to my favorite past time. So bear with me while RL gets in the way and I will be back ASAP! Till then....

Crochet, Away!