Crochet Along Sweater: February 8 Meeting Preview

February is going to be an exciting meeting as we begin our Crochet ALong (CAL) Sweater! Through out the year we will each work on our own sweater using the same pattern, but the variations are endless,as you choose your yarn and color.  At the end of the year, we’ll have a fashion show, to see how each individual’s sweater turns out.

This month, we will explore Body Basics: Measuring for Garments.  Even if you decide this crochet along sweater is not for you, there’s plenty to learn and apply to other projects. You will learn how to take the measurements, and practice measuring with another member or on a sweater you bring along. Finally, learn how to use the measurements to compare to pattern schematics to get the best fitting garment. You’ll leave the meeting with the pattern for the sweater and a record of your measurements.

To get the most out of the meeting, you will need to bring the following materials:   

• Pen
• Paper
• Measuring Tape
• a Sweater that fits you comfortably (does not need to be crocheted)

All interested crocheters are invited to join us on Saturday, February 8 at the

Textile Center of Minnesota.  The meeting will be from 1pm to 3pm and you are welcome to join us from 11am to 1pm for open crochet.

We hope to see you there!

Project Gallery January 2014

Shelly hasn't been able to be with us for a while because of her busy schedule but she has been busy crocheting. Look at this beautiful bag AND the beautiful blue ribbon she won from the Rice County Fair. The yarn is Captiva by Berroco and this combination cotton /  polyester / acrylic blend definitely makes a captivating crocheted fabric; sturdy and stable but with a nice sheen and luxurious feel. The beads that Shelly added to the drawn-string handle give just the right touch of bling!

And speaking of bling, Shelly also make this light, shimmering shawl from Sari Ribbon yarn by Louisa Harding. She said it worked up very fast because of the large hook size (Q or P) - and the end result is stunning.

Lisa can't wear wool so she is always on the lookout for alternatives. This month she showed us a scarf made from Unforgettable, one of the Red Heart Boutique yarns. The yarn is 100% acrylic but unbelievably soft and supple. Lisa chose just the right stitch pattern to show off the wonderful colors of this self-striping yarn.

Last time we told you about Linda's cute amigurumi hedgehog - but somehow missed getting a picture of the work-in-progress. Well, never fear, this month Linda brought him in complete - and the hedgehog even brought a pal with him, a handsome teddy bear. Aren't they adorable? Mr. Hedgehog is made of a worsted weight acrylic with Lion Brand Fun Fur trim and Mr. Bear is made with Lion Brand Vanna's Choice that Linda won at last month's destash. Check out the eyebrows n Mr. Bear - Linda said the person she made this for specifically asked for eyebrows and we all thought she did a great job personalizing this bear for his new owner.

With this cold weather, there is nothing more comfortable than a nice cozy crocheted afghan and Jen brought in one to inspire us all. It's made from Simply Soft by Caron and features a lovely cabled ripple pattern. Be sure to click on this photo to get a closer look at Jen's amazing stich work!









Speaking of afghans, Maxine has just started one and brought it in for us to see. The stitch pattern is from Jan Eaton's 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns, a book that includes both crochet and knit ripples. Maxine is making this afghan in four shades of Plymouth Encore and is planning this as a long-term "spare-time" project in between other projects.

Maxine also brought in her completed cape (Josephine's Amazing Technicolor Dreamcape) that won third prize in the Accessories division at the 2013 Crochet Guild of America Design Contest. The cape is made from Nature Spun Sport by Brown Sheep in a variety of turquoise and olive green shades. The yoke is felted and the bottom (the ripple part) is not. The felted cape is heavily beaded and the ripples have a smattering of beads, accented with pearl cotton trim.










And while we're talking about beaded trims, check out these cute purple socks that Pauline made for her granddaughter. As you can see, the socks are knitted but the bead trim is crochet. A wonderful example of two crafts used to make one unique project. And such a beautiful color!

And finally, when it comes to color, doesn't the white border on Mary's potholders really make the colors pop? Some are made from Sugar n Cream and others (the star-shaped numbers) are made from a lighter-weight crochet crochet. They are all nice and sturdy (double-thickness) - useful as well as decorative.

Meeting Highlights: Organizing Your Stash

January was the first meeting under the new board.  Board members were identified to the group during introductions and our new president Julie had us each identify a crochet related goal for 2014. Some of the goals mentioned:

• To make something for myself
• De-stash or organize stash (or at least not increase stash)
• Finish projects particularly those that have lingered
• Crochet more
• Try more challenging techniques
• Update Ravelry

Several members mentioned that they were excited about starting the new crochet along sweater project, to help meet those goals.  In February we will be measuring for the sweater and get the patterns and details on getting started – good incentive for keeping New Year’s Resolutions about dieting.

Julie also added a special acknowledgement and thank you to Maxine and Carol for their past (and current) service to the group as founding members, president, secretary, blogger and general inspiration. 

In order to provide more opportunities to crochet and socialize, we will no have 4th Saturday meet-ups.   The venue and format of these will vary from month to month and if you have an idea for a great activity, be sure to let us know. Joan told us about the first 4^th Saturday event that she is hosting at her home on January 25.  Joan will provide soup and asked members to bring appetizers to share.  We’ll be working on making a banner for the greeter’s table and to use when we are at community events.  Joan will email details out, so let us know if you are interested.  Jodi will be sending out updated member contact list for possible carpooling.

Carol gave us a great handout with ideas for organizing your stash.  There are many different ways to sort and organize as demonstrated by the designers in “Simply Crochet: 22 Stylish Designs for Everyday” by Robyn Chachula.  We sorted some yarn that Julie & Carol brought in and discovered it categorizing & collocation is a bit more complicated than you would think.  In the end, each person needs to figure out which system works best for you, based on what you have, your needs and other considerations.  

Julie showed us the honeycomb storage her husband helped her create using inexpensive concrete tube forms that come in a variety of sizes and can easily be cut to fit your shelves. 

Jodi told us how to inventory our yarn stash on Ravelry and showed us her yarn inventory.  You can sort or filter by color, fiber, amount and more.  The hardest part is getting started and remembering to update your inventory. Linda shared that if you have name brand yarn, often time all of the info is already in Ravelry and all you need to do is enter the amounts.  Once you have your stash entered, you can search for patterns & project ideas based on the yarn you have. You can also use your inventory for an insurance claim, if you ever need to.  You can also use Ravelry to create a library of patterns, inventory your hooks and needles, share finished projects, get assistance if you are having problems with a pattern and so much more!

Organizing Your Stash: January 11 Meeting Preview

Time  to get organized in the New Year!  Target has organizational tools on sale this week, and we're gonna show you how to put them to use! If you have an interest in any of the topics below, come and learn along with us.  All interested crocheters are invited to join us on Saturday, January 11 at the
Textile Center of Minnesota.  The meeting will be from 1pm to 3pm but you are welcome to join us from 11am to 1pm for open crochet.

• Ways to categorize yarn
• Storing yarn to keep it safe & clean
• Share how you store your stash
• Entering yarn inventory into Ravelry so it can be used for insurance claims
• Uploading photos
• Searching/sorting/filtering your stash

We hope to see you there!