CAL vest corrections

One of our members has already completed the Crochet-a-long vest pattern and has noted a few corrections for us. 

This pattern was written pretty well but I did notice a few minor problems - typos in some of the stitch counts - and I wanted to let everyone know about them so that they don't become frustrated.

Correction in Step 6, Row 1:
In this step you shape the armhole for the left front. The stitch counts are off by 1 as noted below.
Pattern is written:
Ch 1, turn, sl st in first 7 (7, 8, 9, 9) sts, ch 2, hdc in next st and in each st across, hdc in top of beg ch - 17 (19, 20, 21, 23) hdc.
Pattern should be written:
Ch 1, turn, sl st in first 7 (7, 8, 9, 9) sts, ch 2, hdc in next st and in each st across, hdc in top of beg ch - 16 (18, 19, 20, 22) hdc.

Correction in Step 7, Row 1:
In this step you create the right front and shape the armhole for the right front. The stitch counts for the shape armhole instructions are off by 1 as noted below.
Pattern is written:
Ch 2, turn, hdc in next st and in each st to last 5 (5, 6, 7, 7) sts; leave last 5 (5, 6, 7, 7) sts and beg ch unworked – 17 (19, 20, 21, 23) hdc.
Pattern should be written:
Ch 2, turn, hdc in next st and in each st to last 5 (5, 6, 7, 7) sts; leave last 5 (5, 6, 7, 7) sts and beg ch unworked – 16 (18, 19, 20, 22) hdc.

Thanks for the corrections Maxine!

MN State Fair: August 29 Fifth Saturday Outing

It's a wonderful thing when August has five Saturdays - because that means we can once again hold our August Fifth Saturday outing at the Great Minnesota Get Together where there's a whole building dedicated to fiber arts and other creative endeavors!

As usual, several of our members have entries in the fair - so we'll be very excited to see the ribbons. But what's also very exciting is that a few days after this outing (Monday, August 31) our group will be doing crochet demos all day in this very same building - so Saturday will be a good opportunity to check out the demo area in a little more detail.

For the Fifth Saturday outing, here are the details:

• Saturday August 29 9:00 AM to approximately 11:00 AM
• Gather at the entrance to the Creative Activities Building - it's at the end of the building near the main fair entrance on Snelling Avenue. There's some benches close to the entrance, we'll meet there promptly at 9:00 AM to step inside.

Once we start our "tour", we'll be very informal - plan to enjoy the sights at your own pace or with a few others. The end time is only approximate and we're going early enough in the day that you can stay and visit other parts of the Fair (corn dogs anyone?) or leave after you've been inspired by all the crochet and fiber arts wonders.

Here's the direct link to the State Fair Express Bus service page - but be sure to click around on the entire Minnesota State Fair site - lots of good information to help you plan your visit!

4th Saturday meetup: August 22

Can you believe that we're nearing the end of August - summer sure has flown - but the end of the month means that meetup time is just around the corner! For this month's meetup, we be back the Barnes & Noble Cafe in Eden Prairie Center (it's at the west end of the mall, lower level). We'll be there Saturday August 22 at 9 AM when the store opens until noon.

If you're new to the group, meetups are our informal monthly gathering where crochet, chat, and have coffee or a bit to eat. There is no fee for coming to a meetup and you can drop by for the whole time or just a few minutes, whatever your schedule allows.

We hope you can join us!

Book Review: The Crocheter's Skill-Building Workshop

There are many great crochet books out there but most of us have a limited book budget. Remember that one of the benefits of Crochet Twin Cities membership is checkout privilege from Textile Center Library. The book featured in this blog post is a new addition to the library and Nancy Mambi, Textile Center Librarian and enthusiastic CTC member, provided the review.

Book: The Crocheter’s Skill Building Workshop: Essential Techniques for becoming a more versatile, adventurous crocheter.

Author: Dora Ohrenstein
Publisher: Storey Publishing © 2014
ISBN-13:  978-1-61212-246-5

General description:
The purpose of the book is to cover a broad range of techniques commonly used in crochet; to provide fundamental knowledge for crucial matters such as choosing yarns and fibers; to practice more advanced skills like miters, shaping with complex stitch patterns, construction, texture and color changing.

What I like about the book is learning about:

• Choosing yarn for a project ply, drape, density and height in a swatch
• Controlling tension
• The process for working each stitch by looking at the outstanding photos for every process
• Shaping motifs, working in the round, how to add texture to your work, and color changing, and finishing the project

Overall recommendation:

This book is an outstanding reference source for any questions you might have beyond the basic information found in beginning crochet books.

Thanks Nancy, for letting us know about this book. It's definitely on my reading list!