Anoka Fiber Works: May 31 Fifth Saturday Outing

This month has five Saturdays so that means we have an additional opportunity to get together for fiber fun - and this time, we've decided to do it with friends, Anoka Fiber Works (AFW), located at 4153 Coon Rapids Blvd in Coon Rapids, MN. AFW is a co-op of fiber enthusiasts who offer classes for a variety of fiber crafts as well as finished items for sale. (For more information about the AFW, check out their Ravelry group.)

This Saturday May 31, AFW is having their 1st Stash Exchange so we're meeting there for our 5th Saturday outing. The AFW opens at 10:00 AM and the exchange starts at 10:30 AM with ending time TBD, depending on how lively the trading. The AFW is actully open till 5:00 PM on Saturdays but trading will probably be over long before then!

If you're planning on trading, bring any fiber-related items. The AFW asks that you exchange items only and reminds everything that this is not a sale so they can't be involved in any monetary exchange.

Even if you're not interested in trading, we still hope you can join us - there will probably be people there spinning and weaving and it's a great fiber venue to visit!

Roving Crochet Reporter: Meetup at B&N Cafe

We had a great time Saturday - and I think everyone who came agrees that the Cafe at Barnes & Noble Har Mar is an excellent location for meetups.

The great thing about meetups is that you can bring along what you want to work on - or just sit and visit. Ling and Bernice are both busy working on the CAL Sweater but had questions so had an opportunity to get one-on-one help from Julie and Joan.

Carla and Lisa had both completed their knit projects from last month so brought them along to show us. And Peggy had finished a new project, the Cuffed Shawl (a pattern from a Leisure Arts booklet) and modeled it off to us, let's hope she brings it to a regular meeting so Jeanne can get a proper picture for the project gallery!

The rest of us visited and crocheted and drank coffee and took turns checking out the crafts section of the store for crochet books. So, all in all, a fabulous start to Memorial Day weekend!

Remember we are always on the lookout for meetup locations all around the Cities - thye should be free, easily accessible, and open to a rowdy crochet crowd - so you know a spot we should try, please let us know at ctclist@gmail.com

4th Saturday Meetup: May 24

Coffee and crochet go together, right? And coffee and crochet and craft books and craft supplies even
more!

At this month's meetup, you can try this wonderful combination yourself by joining us at the Cafe (it sells Starbucks coffee) that's located inside the Barnes and Noble at HarMar Mall in Roseville (southeast corner of Snelling Avenue and Cty Road B).

The meetup will be from 9 AM (when the store opens) until approximately noon - the cafe is in the center of the store and we'll be the crazy crowd with the crochet hooks. You're free to come join us at any point - bring projects to work on or just sit and visit. The store has a great crafts section and there's a Michael's in the shopping center just a few doors away, so it should be a fun time.

We hope you can join us!

Project Gallery May 2014

Wow, has everyone been busy!

Rosemary showed off two cowls made from Mini Mochi, one multicolored and the other in varied shades of blue.  Both were constructed flat as rectangles and sewn into circles.




She crocheted a bunch of dishcloths from Sugar and Cream, using a Ravelry pattern to make starfish-shaped cloths.

Her shawl was crocheted using a very large hook and Tempo yarn (a Michael's store brand).  Would you believe it is all half double crochet?  A very good use for this lovely yarn.

Carol displayed two handwoven scarves that should be a cautionary tale for anyone felting projects; if you have a front-load washer, you are better off felting your project in the dryer (even if it takes tries) than running the risk of over-felting in the washer.







She also shared her first skeins of yarn spun on a wheel.

Sue brought back her Minion hat to show off the clever way she lined the hat.  Since crocheted hats don't always keep out the wind, she lined the hat with polar fleece.










Linda shared a baby blanket that utilizes front post and back post stitches to yield a basketweave appearance.

Joan's purse will probably be lined (oh, the possibilities!).  The nylon cord, purchased at Hobby Lobby (lots of colors), takes some getting used to.  Because it is slippery, weaving in the ends can be a challenge.





Carla made these mittens, using a variety of methods to make the thumbs.  In order to avoid "holes" when picking up the stitches, she doubled the number of stitches when attaching the thumbs, then immediately decreased.  She combined two different patterns to make these mitts, which will be donated.  Carla finished the cable project started back in November (was it that long ago we studied cables?).

Melanie has been busy knitting baby sweaters, Lisa is making dishcloths, and Gail has been churning out charity projects.  Jean is busy knitting a two-color baby blanket for Erin--looks wonderful, too!  Joan shared this wooden crochet hook holder which her daughters purchased on Etsy.

Meeting Highlights: Knitting for Crocheters

Julie led us through the business portion of our meeting and once again we had a lot of topics to discuss:

• Portions of Our Textile Center exhibit, Start Seeing Crochet, have been extended through May 31. The items in the library display case are moving out this week (May 12) as scheduled to make room for another exhibitor.  All other items will stay on display until the end of this month. Members can contact Julie if questions.
• The Textile Center has let us know about two more opportunities to educate the community about crochet and Crochet Twin Cites. At both these events, we have a chance to demonstrate crochet, answer questions about crochet, and assist children and adults who want to try their hand at crochet. The first opportunity is at the Hennepin County Fair June 19 - 22, and the second opportunity is Art at St. Kate's July 12. For more information or to volunteer, members should contact ctclist@gmail.com.
• Members may also get involved in these events by helping to create a Create & Take Crochet (CTC) kit. It will be materials for a simple and easy project that we can have ready for any educational outreach opportunities. If you're interested in helping out, contact Julie or Joan (or email ctclist@gmail.com).
• We're still working on a CTC banner made of purple and white crocheted squares - and members can help by donating 2-inch or 4-inch squares, Joan is collecting these and the plan is to start assembly this fall.
• Beginning this month, members have an exciting opportunity to earn crochet-related prizes by participating in a monthly raffle (must be present to win). The full rules and guidelines are available at this link but, in a nutshell, members can earn extra tickets by volunteering for extra activities. This month's prize was a 101 Stitches to Crochet, a box of portable cards each with illustration and instructions for a stitch pattern. Carla was the winner this time - quite appropriate because Carla was the volunteer greeter this month.

This month we also added time in the meeting to answer any questions about the CAL sweater. Several people have started the sweater and have questions about the swatch or the first rounds which create the yoke. Members can also ask questions through the CAL discussion thread on our Ravelry group.

After Show and Tell, we moved on to the Knitting for Crocheters class. Maxine gave us some general information about knitting, including the difference between English and Continental styles of knitting plus provided a handout with knitting terminology and resources. Then everyone got a chance to practice casting on and knitting a few rows, with the help of some very capable assistance from those members who are already "bi-craftual".

Finally, members were reminded that we have two additional meetings in May - we'll have separate posts on the blog for each:

• Fourth Saturday meetup (May 24) will be held at the Starbucks located in Barnes and Noble at HarMar Mall.
• Fifth Saturday outing (May 31) will be at the Anoka Fiber Works co-op in Coon Rapids - a chance to see their space and participate in their stash exchange.

Knitting for Crocheters: May 10 Meeting Preview

Yes, it's true: Crochet hooks and knitting needles can live together harmoniously in the same project bag! In this bag, they are even sharing the same ball of yarn.

Even though both crafts use yarn to make beautiful things, crocheting and knitting are two distinct crafts. While each craft uses some common skills, each also uses skills that are distinct and different. At this month's meeting, you'll get a chance to learn knitting basics with information and instructions geared specifically toward crocheters:

• Differences and similarities between the two crafts (including what you already know, what you might not know, and what you might have to unlearn)
• Demonstration and chance to practice basic knitting skills: knit, purl, cast-on, and bind-off
• Explanation of basic knitting styles (English vs. Continental - aka throwing vs.picking) and introduction to other knitting terminology
• A chance to start a simple knitting project, Simple Straight Knit Dish Cloth

To get the most out of this meeting, you'll need to bring:

• 2 or 3 ounces of smooth worsted weight yarn in a light to medium color; if you plan to use the finished project as a dish cloth, bring cotton such as Sugar n Cream or other 100% "kitchen cotton" but if you want the finished project as the starting square for a blanket then bring wool, acrylic, or blend.
• Size 5 (3.75mm), 6 (4.0 mm) , or 7 (4.5) knitting needles, straight or circular - made of any material (metal, plastic, or wood). If you purchase straight needles, you won't need needles longer than 10" for this project; if you purchase circular needles, either 16" or 24" should work fine. 
• A printed copy of the pattern; it's a free Ravelry download.

All interested crocheters and wanna be knitters are invited to join us Saturday, May 10 at the Textile Center of Minnesota. The meeting will be from 1pm to 3pm with open crochet from 11am to 1pm.

Special note: If you haven't had a chance to see our exhibit at the Textile Center, Start Seeing Crochet, May 10 is the last day so you might want to plan to arrive at 10am and take in the crochet sights.

We hope to see you there!