Project Gallery November 2013

Sarah brought in a bunch of things to share—all made with her own designs.  She has a definite flair for color work and tapestry crochet in thread.  Add a few beads to a tiny bag and you have an amulet case.  Make a little larger bag, stuff it and close it up and you have juggling balls.  Make it larger yet and you have a purse or grocery bag.

Deborah has only been crocheting for three months.  This is her very first finished project!  Make several long narrow strips in different colors, braid them together, and you have an elegant cowl.  What a nice way to practice your stitches and have something to show for it.

Linda the Amigurumi Queen (also a new crocheter) has been busy making making gifts.  Pete the Cat, a character in a children’s book, is very popular.  And who could resist this adorable bear?   After spending hours trying to get the face just right on the cat, she used safety eyes on the bear.

Jen visited an alpaca farm in Backus, MN, and brought back samples.  She used some of her stash to make a hat and scarf set and a cowl.

Mary is another fan of thread crochet.  You have to look closely (just click on the image) to see all the tiny beads incorporated in this lovely collar--and don't miss the three clear buttons.

Maxine has been exploring the African flower motif, which can be combined to make just about anything, including some interesting toys and clothing.  If you like working with colors, you might give this hexagonal motif a try.

Rosemary likes a bit of glitz.  She crocheted this interesting necklace and earrings set.

Julie crocheted this V-shaped wrap using Lion Brand Heartland worsted yarn.  The picture shows the right and wrong sides of the wrap—and both sides look great!

Two Options: November 30 Fifth Saturday Outing

Saturday November 30 is Fifth Saturday again! If you're a member or you follow our blog, you know what that means - any time a month has five Saturdays, we plan an informal get-together to crochet and chat. And even though it's a holiday weekend, a number of members wanted to gather - so we've actually come up with two separate outings; you can do one or both (or even make up your own).

• Option 1 begins at 11:00 AM in the community room of the condo where one of our members lives. Rosemary has graciously offered to be the "hostess with the most-est" for this gathering and will be providing a light lunch (Sloppy Joes, chips, etc) and beverages (coffee and water). The community room will be setup with tables so bring your project bags and your crochet hooks. Julie will be on hand to help with cables if anybody has questions from the last meeting or wants to continue working on their sampler. The condo is in the western suburbs; directions and details will be in the email from ctclist - so watch your inbox!
• Option 2 begins at 1:00 PM at the Dunn Brothers at 530 University Ave SE, Minneapolis for crochet, chat, and coffee. If you've never been to this coffee shop, it's nice and spacious and has some great ratings on social media. It's near the intersection of 6th and University, just west of I-35 W; for more information, this link is a google map with directions and  this link will take you to the store's Facebook page.

And, finally, there's really a third option too. Remember the Saturday after Thanksgiving is now known as Small Business Saturday - so if you can't come to one of these outings, maybe you can treat yourself to a trip to your local yarn shop!

Meeting Highlights: Crochet Cables

Crochet Twin Cities has been busy in November, and we are only up to November 9!

• On November 2, a contingent of members staffed a large round table at the Fall Fiber Festival in Hopkins with a great variety of samples to entice people to stop and talk. Jodi demonstrated hairpin lace and attracted a lot of attention that way too. 
• On November 7, Rosemary and Julie participated in the Textile Center "Do or Dye" fundraiser where participants could try all kinds of textile-related crafts. The Crochet Guild table was busy the entire evening teaching people to crochet and handing out brochures and business cards.

Our November 9 meeting started off with introductions and a business meeting.

• As we enter winter, members are reminded that we have a weather policy. If the meeting is cancelled due to weather conditions, a note will be posted on the blog and emails will be sent. If the weather looks "iffy", be sure to check your email and computer before traveling to the Textile Center.
• This November, a 5th Saturday falls on Thanksgiving weekend. Despite the holiday, a number of members wanted to get together. We discussed ideas and, since the meeting, have come up with several options, see separate blog post for details.
• The program committee has reviewed the surveys, and announced that one ongoing project next year will be a crochet-along sweater. There was great interest in learning how to make garments that fit so this project will address that interest. We will work on the sweater throughout the year.
• Membership dues are due by December 31. Jodi will be collecting dues at the December 14 meeting. If you want to write a check, make it payable to her rather than Crochet Twin Cities.
• We are coming to the end of our membership year, and we will hold officer elections at the annual member meeting, which is held in the normal December time slot. The Vice-President and Secretary positions are open; contact Maxine or Julie if you are interested.
• December is also our popular Annual Destash Meeting so members are invited to bring any yarn, patterns, books, magazines or crochet tools you no longer want to keep . Hotly contested items will be decided by raffle ticket. Bring treats if you like, and we there may be a game or two of Crochet Bingo planned too.

After Show & Tell, Maxine, Julie and Jean introduced the steps in making crochet cables. There are three ways to make cables: post stitches, Tunisian, and slipstitch techniques. Our class was based on the post stitch method at three different skill levels. Instructions were provided in written and chart form. Hints were provided about hook size, yarn type and stitch length as well as the warning that it is easy to accidentally add stitches so pay attention to your stitch count! Jean brought several of her prize-winning afghans with cables for us to examine for inspiration.