Crochet Expo: September 8 Meeting Preview

Have you ever wondered what our group is about but just weren't sure if there was a time during meetings for all your questions? Or maybe you've come to one or two meetings but aren't sure how to get involved in chapter activities? Or perhaps you're a lonely crocheter (beginner or experienced) who is longing for interaction with others who love crochet as much as you do?

If any of these descriptions fit you, then mark your calendar for Saturday, September 8 from 2:30pm to 4:30pm and plan to join us for a special Crochet Expo, held at our at our normal meeting spot, Prospect Park United Methodist Church.

The agenda for Crochet Expo will include:

• Round-table introduction to Crochet Twin Cities activities and opportunities
• Sample member projects to inspire you
• Crochet-related prize drawings
• Treats to eat
• Lots of opportunity for questions and answers about crochet and about Crochet Twin Cities

This meeting is open to everyone in the area who is interested in crochet so be sure to spread the word.

Here's a little preview of how the prize drawings will work: Everyone will get a raffle ticket for attending with bonus tickets for participating in other activities. So the more you participate, the better your chances of winning. The picture in this post shows some of the prizes, but there will be more!

We hope to see you at the Expo!

Project Gallery August 2012

This doily illustrates the difficulties of working with fine threads:  they aren’t readily available in local stores.  This is size 20 thread.  You can sometimes find size 20 in white or ecru in the chain stores, but you can’t find colors.  At the time she made this, Joy was unhappy with the green she had in her stash but used it any way.  As you can see by the completed project, the pastel colors work well together with the white center.  And Joy is pleased with the outcome.  We are too!

Here’s another doily but a zillion times larger.  The pattern is an exploded lace shawl by Doris Chan.  Jeanne models her project to give you an idea of the scale.  As you can see by the detail, the main motif is a modified pineapple.

And it is back to small doilies with this asymmetric filet design executed by Jodi.  One of the most
difficult things about filet is wrapping your mind around the idea that you are always crocheting from the right but reading the pattern from left to right and right to left.  If your design is symmetrical, no problem; if it is asymmetrical, you’d better pay attention!

Maria Ann has been busy, completing the baby sweater project from our garment series of meetings.  She also went crazy with baby bibs and scrubbies.  The ties for the bibs are incorporated into the final row crocheted.

If you think these slippers (crocheted by Gail for Carmelle’s friend) are plain and ordinary, think again.  The soles are two layers with gel shoe inserts sandwiched in between.  Very nice idea!  And yes, there is a left foot and a right foot.  The colors are those of the recipient’s favorite college
football team.

Maxine is working on this baby sweater, which is a crochet version of an Elizabeth Zimmerman pattern.  It is crocheted flat in one piece and then folded into shape.

Meeting Highlights: Crocheting with Wire

In the business portion of our meeting, we discussed the September membership expo.  The Expo will kick off a membership drive.  To spur participation, we’re using treats and raffles as bribery.  For example, if you bring a potential new member, you get a raffle ticket.  If you check out a volunteer opportunity with one our four committees (Publicity, Education, Program and Charity) you will get a raffle ticket.  Sign up to do anything, you get a bunch of tickets.  The Expo should be a lot of fun, with lots of chances to win crochet-oriented prizes while enjoying some delicious treats.  We’d like a wide variety of projects to display during this event.  Anything you have completed within the last year will be welcome for the display.  You’ll find more info on the Expo in a separate blog post. 

It isn’t too late to sign up for the September retreat.  Just email ctclist for a registration form.  The more people we have sign up, the cheaper it will be to attend; we have a single fee for the facility and will divide the cost equally among attendees.  Think of it as a big girls’ pajama party complete with crochet.  Sounds like a good time to me.

The August meeting topic was crocheting with wire.  Jodi led us through a simple wire bracelet project using chains and half-double crochet.  As always, when using a new material, you should swatch, swatch, swatch, and Jodi has done just that.  She passed around a small jewelry box containing swatches utilizing different stitches and hook sizes.  However, she had many examples using other crochet techniques with wire, such as Tunisian, hairpin, filet and even granny squares. 

Some things to remember when crocheting with wire:

• Thread all your beads on the wire before beginning.
• Most patterns call for 28 gauge wire, which is not readily available in chain craft stores.
• The heat from your hands can make the wire more supple as you work.
• When doing hairpin, thread beads in reverse order of the pattern layout (last on, first off).
• If your stitches are a bit uneven, you can use pliers to tweak them into shape.
• The finished project can stretch a bit, but the wire itself can break if kinked or overworked.

 Our next meeting will be the September 8^th Expo.  

Crochet Expo: September 2012

Have you ever wondered what our group is about but just weren't sure if there was a time during meetings for all your questions? Or maybe you've come to one or two meetings but aren't sure how to get involved in chapter activities? Or perhaps you're a lonely crocheter (beginner or experienced) who is longing for interaction with others who love crochet as much as you do?

If any of these descriptions fit you, then mark your calendar for Saturday, September 8 from 2:30pm to 4:30pm and plan to join us for a special Crochet Expo, held at our at our normal meeting spot, Prospect Park United Methodist Church.

The agenda for Crochet Expo will include:

• Round-table introduction to Crochet Twin Cities activities and opportunities
• Sample member projects to inspire you
• Crochet-related prize drawings
• Treats to eat
• Lots of opportunity for questions and answers about crochet and about Crochet Twin Cities

This meeting is open to everyone in the area who is interested in crochet so be sure to spread the word.

Here's a little preview of how the prize drawings will work: Everyone will get a raffle ticket for attending with bonus tickets for participating in other activities. So the more you participate, the better your chances of winning. The picture in this post shows some of the prizes, but there will be more!

We hope to see you at the Expo!

Crocheting with Wire: August 11 Meeting Preview

It’s too hot to crochet!

With wool?  Yes.

Cotton?  Maybe.

Wire?  Now there’s something cool in more ways than one.

Come to our August meeting for a lesson in crocheting with wire.  Jodi will lead us through a simple beaded bracelet project.  If you haven’t tried wire before, you’ll find it can be a challenge but also very rewarding—crocheted metal, how cool is that!  And did you know that wire comes in colors?  Even cooler!

To participate in the class you will need to bring the following:

• An old size F aluminum hook
• 40 - 3/8 inch beads (if you want to try wire with beads)
• Skill level is basic, with knowledge of chain and half double crochet stitches

Crocheting with wire is hard on hooks, so don’t bring a nice one.  Since gauge is not important on this project, you could also use a size 00 steel hook.  Jodi will be supplying each participant with a five-yard spool of wire because 28 gauge wire can be difficult to find at the large chain craft stores.

If you want to learn more about wire, join us Saturday, August 11^th, from 2:30pm to 4:30pm at Prospect Park United Methodist Church.