Friday, July 29, 2011

Room Change: July 30th Get-Together

Our July 30 5th Saturday outing will be held during the Knit and Crochet Show at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis during the Noon-2PM break.

ROOM CHANGE: We will be meeting in the Nicollet registration area (tables near escalators).

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Hooking-Up at the Conference: July 30 5th Saturday Outing

The excitement is building as members anxiously await the arrival of the CGOA Chain-Link Conference and Knit/Crochet Show which is being held July 28 through July 31 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis.

This is the first time the conference has been held in the Twin Cities and it's a fabulous opportunity to increase your skills by taking first-rate classes not to mention shopping for the latest yarns and tools in the marketplace. But even an more important opportunity - and one that's free - is the chance to meet and mingle with other people who are just as enthusiastic about crocheting as we are.

To help make the most of meet-and-mingle opportunities, here's a guide to "hooking-up" with other Twin City crocheters - both existing members and potential members:

  • At the last meeting, Carol distributed stickers (similar to our "business cards") that anyone attending can slap on their bags or badges - that way, we might attract the attention of other Twin City crocheters who do not know about our chapter. Click (was link, expired now) to view and download the PDF file if you want to print your own - formatted for an 8.5 x 11 sheet with 4 stickers per sheet.
  • If you'd like to know what classes other members are taking - or if you want to let others know which you're taking, we've created a GoogleDoc to share this information. A GoogleDoc is similar to a Word doc file but online instead of on your computer; this one can only be assessed and viewed by people on the Crochet Twin Cities email list. (Link was here but expired.)
  • Our July 30 5th Saturday outing will be held at the conference hotel during the Noon-2PM break. LOCATION CHANGE: We will be meeting in the Nicollet registration area (tables near escalators).
If you have any other ideas for "hooking-up", please add comments. We hope to see you there!

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Meeting Highlights: Thread Crochet


Gail led us through the crocheting of a simple thread flower motif.  Well, maybe not so simple, as there were tons of questions.  Gail thoughtfully provided samples of the motif in various stages of construction.

Crochet stitches are the same whether using thread or a bulky yarn, but if you are using thread, you need to watch your tension and gauge more closely.  Too tight or too loose in one section and your doily might not lay flat.  Some people tension yarn the same way whether using worsted or thread, while others need to add another wrap around a finger when using thread.  Others find changing their grip (pencil or knife) helps with gauge.  Judging by the samples in the picture, we are well on our way to success.

Stickers similar to our “business” cards were distributed to those who will be attending the CGOA Chain Link Conference this month.  If we slap stickers on ourselves, we might attract the attention of attendees who do not know about our chapter.  Carol will have more cards and stickers available at the conference.  Those who want to make their own supply can contact Carol and she will send you a pdf master.  Gail has been in contact with the conference managers; hopefully we will have a space where we can meet on Saturday between the morning and afternoon sessions.

We will have a “split” meeting in August.  You have a choice:  attend the regular meeting at Borealis and learn the intricacies making granny squares (regular, half and hexagonal) with Gail, or go to StevenBe’s shop on Chicago Avenue for appetizers ($5 contribution suggested) and see a yarn shop built on personality.

Project Gallery July 2011

Jodi is progressing beautifully on her intricate multi-colored doily. She promises to bring the finished doily to the August meeting.


If some of you do not know who Jodi is, you can check out her personal name tag. This small tag (the center is the size of a credit card) displays her own crocheted lace as well as examples of the various styles of embroidery that she practices. Working small is certainly her forte.

Maxine made this crocheted and felted notebook computer case. She used Lamb's Pride yarn, which contains some mohair.

Carla brought her completed tapestry bags. She lined them both and added zippers to close.

Okay, okay, this shawl was not crocheted, it was woven by Carol. She used Kauni Effektgarn, the same yarn used for a crochet project last month. She was experimenting with subtle colors.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Report from the Program Committee (July 2011)

First, a huge thank you to everyone who completed the questionnaire. You put a lot of thought and energy into your responses; in fact, we were overwhelmed by the positive energy and talent expressed by everyone in the group.

Here are some factual details from the survey:
  • Twenty people have completed the survey so far. That's a response rate of approximately 50%, which is a high rate in the world of opinion polls. (The true rate is likely higher - Carol has 39 people on the mailing list but three or four are probably "dead" addresses.)
  • 70% of members who answered like the idea of rotating formal and informal meetings, 20% were undecided, and 10% did not like the idea.
  • The six highest interest items for formal topics are: thread crochet, pattern reading (including symbols), finishing garments, Tunisian crochet, crochet with fabric, and felting. For most of the high interest topics, numerous members are willing to present or assist the presenter.
  • There is high interest in most of the informal topics in particular: resources (magazines and websites), share tool ideas, book/yarn/tool exchange, and UFO session.
  • There were very mixed results to the question about whether to continue our current community project: 15% said yes, 15% said no, 35% said other, and 35% did not answer. We did get lots and lots of suggestions of other items and ideas for community projects.
  • The 5th Saturday outings are a big hit - 85% of us are interested in yarn shop tours, 70% are interested in Midtown Global Market gatherings. Plus there were some really good ideas for other venues and activities.
Now, here's the less objective part, the actions and conclusions we're drawing from the results.
  • We're taking the 70% "yes" to the rotation idea as a go-ahead so we planning a rotating schedule of formal and informal meetings for the rest of the calendar year. See the Meeting Calendar for more information - the actual topics are being selected from the high interest topics.
  • Members shared a lot of additional meeting ideas so we need to run a questionnaire periodically (probably once a year) to help rank the topics of interest and to generate ideas for the group.
  • There's lots of energy in the group about doing community projects but we need some focus. It would be great if someone would step forward to organize our community activities. There are many suggestions and ideas from the questionnaire, two things in particular were very interesting:
    • Use 5th Saturday as a time to work on community projects
    • Meet more than once a month as "mini-meetings" (a sub-group of people who are interested in a particular community project)
So that's the scoop. Please feel free to comment or to "cuss and discuss" at the upcoming meetings.

Respectfully submitted,
Gail, Jodi, Julie, Maxine, Peggy

Friday, July 8, 2011

Melanie is a Master Crocheter!

One of our very own chapter members, Melanie, has completed all requirements for the Master's Certificate.  She will be attending the banquet at this month's CGOA convention to receive her certificate. 

Melanie graciously took the time to answer some questions about her experience.  Perhaps she will inspire some of you to enter the program. 
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Who taught you to crochet?

I learned to crochet in college – not a college course, but at an arts and crafts store.  (And I’m sure the first thing we made were granny squares.  It was the ‘70’s after all!)

How long have you been crocheting?

I’ve been crocheting 37 years.

What led you to the Master certificate program?  (Did you know someone else who did it?  You just happened upon it on a website?)

I happened upon the Master’s program on the CGOA website.

Why did you enter the program?  What were your goals?

I entered the program because it intrigued me.  I wanted to see if I could do it. 
A little side note:  When I told my husband about it he said, “What do you get for doing this?”  I said, “A certificate and the satisfaction of knowing I can do it.”    He said, “A certificate?!  That’s all you get is a certificate?”  I said, “What did you get for your two Master’s degrees?”  There was no response! 

One of my carpoolers said, “Oh that will be great for your obituary!  “She was a Master of Crochet…..”  What a laugh!  In the end, it’s the satisfaction – isn’t that the way it is with life itself?

What was the most difficult thing involved in doing the program?  What was the easiest?

The program scared me right off because the first two swatches were challenging and I didn’t know how to do them!!  I don’t have my portfolio with me and I did them a year ago so I can’t tell you exactly why they were challenging.  The swatches were variations on the base single crochet row and questions as to the differences. 

The easiest part of the program was probably the swatches I knew how to do.  This is a trick because I thought I knew how to do them but then you realize that someone is going to actually take your swatch out of the sheet protector, count your stitches and see that you actually did each swatch correctly.  (This answers the question below.)  Let’s take the example of the picot swatch.  I hate doing picots, but I only had to do 4 of them.  I did this swatch several times to make sure my picots were perfect.  In trying to be so careful, I neglected to be careful with the directions and had to redo the swatch!!  I was supposed to have 4 single crochet on either end of the swatch and I didn’t.  That was a foolish mistake. 

Just an FYI:  there were 48 swatches.  Of course you don’t submit the first swatch you make; you make it and remake it and sometimes when you’re weaving in your ends, you don’t do it as nicely as you could so you redo your swatch again!   After I submitted my portfolio, I would see stitches and techniques in books and think, “Why wasn’t this in the Master’s program?”  And then I’d be thankful it wasn’t!

I think they did a good job of choosing the various stitches and techniques.  Also, I had 3 months to complete my portfolio.  They had an overwhelming response to the program and only 17 reviewers.  My portfolio sat on the corner of my desk for 9 months before I was instructed to ship it.  Now you have a year to complete the program and I think that’s too long.  It was good to have a 3 month time limit.

What surprised you most about the process?

(Answered above)  What surprised me about the program was that someone was actually going to take out each swatch and study it!!  After I got my portfolio back I was pleasantly surprised that there were typed comments to each swatch!  The reviewers have a month to review a portfolio and they take a lot of time and consideration doing it.  Also, my reviewer was in email contact with me.  Somehow or another, that surprised me!  And I’m quite excited because she is going to be at the Chain Link Conference and asked if I would like to sit with her at the banquet.  I guess this is a partial answer to the question below:  I’m gaining a new friend. 

Name one thing that you have taken away from this experience?  (or two or three)

I have a newfound sense of satisfaction.  I think it has also changed my work a little bit too.  I’m more apt to rip back instead of letting a little mistake go….and say to myself, “Is this the work of a Master Crocheter?”.    And of course, there’s always the line for my obituary! 
Oh, and a new friend – my reviewer – in California.  (As my husband said, “Oh no!  You’d have to make a new friend in California!”)

Any advice for the rest of us?

If you have the slightest inkling to do it – go for it!!  Be calm.  Be confident.