Midtown Global Market: January 29 5th Saturday Outing

We will meet Saturday, January 29th at the Midtown Global Market for 2 hours of casual crochet, chat and food. No planned lessons, just informal fun. Time for this event is noon to 2pm (not the usual 2:30 to 4:30).

Midtown Global Market is located in Minneapolis near Chicago and Lake Street in the old Sears Building. It is just two blocks away from Abbott-Northwestern Hospital. Get directions here: http://www.midtownglobalmarket.org/Directions.php

There is a parking ramp to the east of the building on 10th Ave East and Lake; if you purchase anything in the Market, they will validate your parking stub. There is open seating scattered throughout the building, but I believe there is some seating on the 10th Ave side right near the entrance from the parking ramp with big windows for good lighting. If I recall correctly, there aren't any windows near any of the other seating, which should make this fairly easy to locate.

If you've never been to the Midtown Global Markets, it's a large, noisy, fun space, with all sorts of ethnic food available from a variety of vendors. There are a variety of other ethnic and international goods available. I have purchased handmade soap and one of those Tibetan singing bowls there, so, eclectic goods of all sorts are available.

Hope to see you there!

Project Gallery January 2011

Peggy shared some of her fine work--bookmarks and this lovely doily crocheted in size 30 thread.

Hillary will be teaching a class on this sweater this spring at Three Kittens.

Gail will be teaching us to crochet this Tunisian beaded bracelet at our February. The beaded amulet bag was crocheted from wire.

Carol made this Christmas garland from a pattern in Crochet Today.

Maxine expanded on our December tapestry project by adding more colors, lining the purse and adding a zipper.

New member Debra made this colorful hat.

This picture doesn't do justice to Hillary's shawl.

Meeting Highlights: Crocheting with Beads

We had a great turnout with three new members attending for the first time. Welcome to all!

Show-and-tell was fabulous - check out the separate project gallery post.

Maxine taught the basics of crocheting with beads, then let us experiment to our hearts’ content. The main points to remember are:

• On a tightly crocheted item, the beads appear on the back side. Beads can be forced to the front and locked in place with the next stitch.
• If your bead is large enough and you have a hook small enough, you need not string your beads first, but can pull up a loop through the hole and crochet with that. Caution, this can really ruin a hook!
• String your beads on your yarn before starting. If your project large and beads few, you may want to cut your yarn and add bead just before the place you need it—plan ahead.
• Running your yarn through a small bead hole in a large number of beads can be rough on your yarn—plan ahead.

Our Fifth Saturday meeting will be held at the Midtown Global Market. We will not be in a meeting room, as the MGM marketing staff would like us out in the open. More info to follow in a separate email.

Gail will be teaching the Tunisian beaded bracelet at our February 12 meeting, so practice working with those beads!

Roving Crochet Reporter: T-Shirt Bag Project in Action

Our charity project got off the ground with the distribution of bags to Carmelle's friend, Dr. Delphine Brooks-Hunt, of Renewing Hope Shelter w/o Walls. Renewing Hope goes into the community to work with clients, and provides service rather than bricks-and-mortar shelter.

The bags were distributed on behalf of Renewing Hope to women that are presently staying in a 90-day shelter with their children.

Renewing Hope's Mission Statement: We are dedicated to inspiring and renewing hope of single women and mothers between the ages of 18 through 40 by providing them with the opportunity to learn needed care for themselves and any dependents while becoming self-sustaining.