Festival of Finishing CAL

I wanted to let you know about a fabulous CAL (crochetalong) that's coming up over the summer. It's called the Festival of Finishing CAL and it's being organized by my friend Fay of the Crochet Circle Podcast. Fay has kindly provided me with the graphics to use. Thank you Fay!

I think it says it all. The CAL runs from June 2nd to August 31st and you basically get out all of those unfinished projects (it could be something other than crochet ... knitting, sewing or whatever...) and get them finished. You can also frog them. I like that idea. I'm not scared of frogging at all. Sometimes I wear something several times and decide I don't like it and make it into something else.

Of course there is sharing to be done on Instagram. I have so much fun looking at the hashtags. The hashtag is #FestivalOfFinishing and there is a going to be a CAL specific thread on Ravelry too. I am very excited about this. I have a sweater that I must finish. I am in the final stages, on the arms, but I've become hopelessly distracted by other projects... again. I started it last year. And at the beginning of the year I was telling myself this was going to be the year of the crochet garment and I am running out of time. It's just not happening!

There is also a charity element to the CAL which I love. For every FO (that's finished object) that hits the Ravelry thread or is added to the #, Fay is going to donate £1 (around $1.30) via KNIT IT – HOOK IT – CRAFT IT (that's Fay's business) to Knit for Peace up to a total of £150 (almost $200). So that's the target 150 FOs in the lists by the end of August!  £150 donated to Knit for Peace would help to deliver over 750 knitted and crocheted items to people that need them in the UK and abroad.

So we will be feeling great after finishing projects at long last and also doing a little bit for charity at the same time. Lovely!

So start looking in all of those places where you know there are unfinished projects hidden away. You've got just over a week and join us for the Festival of Finishing on Instagram by using the hashtag and/or on the Ravelry group thread from June 2nd.

Listen to the Audio Podcast

Intarsia Tunisian Crochet Project

Over the last month I've taken part in a really fun Tunisian Crochet-along with the Crochet Circle Podcast and after completing a first project decided to squeeze in a second one before the deadline. I tried out Intarsia Tunisian Crochet making a petroglyph man that we spotted at Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Here is the design inspiration. I know he doesn't have legs but I took artistic liberties and gave him some.

 

I could have drawn a chart free-hand to make my petroglyph man but I wanted to get his dimensions right so I used the rather amazing free Stitch Fiddle online tool, uploading the photo to make my own chart. Love it! Stitch Fiddle allows designers to create knitting, cross stitch and crochet charts. For crochet there are three options: colored charts, filet crochet and free form with crochet symbols. I've written charts with symbols before from written patterns for students who prefer them. Now I can do this far more easily. If you want to design Tapestry Crochet or Graphghans I can see Stitch Fiddle being incredibly useful too!

I like my books for a general intro and then I search for a video of the specific technique. The most useful video I found was Tunisian Simple Stitch Intarsia by BethinTX1 (I've subscribed to her channel). Beth is a really talented lady and I like her even more because she's in Texas like me!!

Here is my petroglyph man. My yarn is fluffy navajo churro and my design looks a little rustic and I'm fine with that. I've figured out the technique and made him into a little wall hanging with tassels as a homemade holiday souvenir.

 

 

 
For further details of the CAL, read my blog post Ten Tunisian Crochet Tips, search for #tccTunisianCal on Instagram and see the finished objects thread on the Crochet Circle Podcast Ravelry group. Can't wait for the next new technique!

Ten Tunisian Crochet tips

In preparation for the Crochet Circle Podcast's CAL starting March 3rd I've been reading up on the technique. I was lucky enough to find FOUR Tunisian Crochet books in my public library. Houston is a huge city and our library downtown has over 90 individual titles on crochet. Wow! Although I do love a YouTube video for the specifics of a stitch I prefer to read a comprehensive overview of a technique.

 

Here are some tips I found useful as a relative newcomer to Tunisian Crochet gleaned from my reading this week. I thought you might find these useful if you're a newbie too.

1. Hook length: Your hook can hold a project width three times its length.  For wider projects select a hook with a flexible cable attached.
2. In Tunisian Crochet the front is always facing you so you don't need to turn. 
3. Count the stitches on your hook after the forward row. I know from experience that it's easy to lose a stitch! 
4. In Tunisian Simple Stitch there are the same number of stitches on your hook as on your starting chain.
5. Pull the yarn tight at the start of each forward row to prevent a loose stitch.
6. Work into the vertical AND horizontal bars of the last stitch of the forward row to stabilize the row. I wish I'd known this when I was doing my CYC swatch (see below)!
7. To prevent curl: Work into the back bump of your chain.
8. To prevent curl: Go up a hook size.
9. To prevent curl: At the beginning of your work, crochet a row of Tunisian purl stitch to redistribute the weight.
10. To prevent curl: Block your work.

Making a swatch for my second Craft Yarn Council certificate I remember really struggling with the placement of the last stitch of the forward row of my Tunisian Crochet square. I just couldn't figure it out and the swatch was frogged over and over. I was NOT enjoying myself AT ALL and didn't feel like EVER doing Tunisian Crochet again. But I changed my mind after discovering Entrelac last year. One of my current WIPs is the Tunisian Entrelac Yoga Top and I'm so looking forward to the upcoming CAL!

I had heard of Tunisan knit and purl stitch but there is a whole world of Tunisian crochet stitches and stitch patterns out there. The Honeycomb skirt by Sharon Hernes Silverman  is made in a variegated yarn and is simply stunning! Have a look at the project page on Ravelry.

Anyway, before I get carried away I will start with a simple project for the CAL which is the fantastic looking Cobbled Street Cowl. If you're interested in joining in check out the Ravelry group/thread and use #tccTunisianCAL to see the fun on Instagram!

Book Review: Top Down Crochet Sweaters

It took me the longest time to get around to ordering Top Down Crochet Sweaters by Dora Ohrenstein but finally I did, it arrived and I've read it! It's just as good as I'd hoped. Back in December, I read a super review of the book by the wonderful designer Susan Lowman on her Crochet Architect blog and more recently I've been chatting about it on Ravelry on the Crochet Circle Podcast Group Forum. 

 

January I was in a spend nothing / feeling frugal phase. All that traveling and inevitable gift-buying had taken its toll on our budget.  Thank goodness for Christmas gift vouchers! My sweet sister-in-law gave me one from Knit Picks, they had a book sale and I obviously I had to add yarn to bring my order up to get free shipping. Free shipping is such a motivator for me!

 

The book focuses on top down seamless construction. Top down sweaters appeal to me for the same reason as toe up socks - you can try on your item as you go. And I'm just not fond of sewing seams. I know I'm not alone in feeling this way.

Part 1, pages 10 to 55, covers technique and was an absolute revelation. I hadn't really thought about patterns I've previously made as having raglan or circular yokes or given a lot of attention to the calculations. The book explains the principles of sweater design in a very simple and comprehensive language. It's been incredibly helpful for clarifying different aspects of sweater design in my mind such as: neckline and yoke shaping, underarm adjustments, stitch count fixes, meeting gauge, blocking, measurement and alterations. I'm not sure if I'll go so far as to design a sweater from scratch. I have a great respect for designers and the huge amount of time they spend creating patterns but I feel far more comfortable now about modifying an existing pattern for a better fit.
And of course I just love the expert tips such as to only use fingering to DK weight yarns for sweaters. (That's 2ply to DK weight if you're in the UK reading this.) Lighter weight yarn moves more fluidly over your body. Of course it does!

The second part includes fourteen original patterns (see them on Ravelry here) with seven different yoke concepts of varying difficulty. The garment pairs differ by yarn choice, gauge and other details. Now I just need to finish some of my current WIPs, choose a pattern and get going! Can't wait! 
   

Getting a wriggle on with my Tunisian Crochet project

Here is my progress on garment number 1 of the year - the Tunisian Entrelac yoga top. It has been slow going. Tunisian crochet is rather time consuming and I've been so distracted by my charity crochet bobble blanket project. The additional wool that I ordered online from Jimmy Beans Wool, taking advantage of their free standard postage in February, arrived far quicker than expected. I just kept making those little bobbles.

 

I listened to Fay on the latest Crochet Circle podcast episode just before the Super Bowl game began and found out that March 3rd is the start of their Tunisian Crochet Along. How exciting!! I've been a big fan of the Crochet Circle podcast ever since I reviewed it back in May last year. 

There are three different categories for the CAL which will be hosted by Sol. And my yoga top does not qualify. Boo! I need to start the project on March 3rd not beforehand. Sharing will take place on Instagram and Ravelry. Check out the show notes for further details here if you fancy taking part. It's going to be fun!

This gives me a few days rest between the current Instagram challenge I'm currently taking part in: #yarnlovechallenge It's great to search for the hashtag and scroll through the loveliness and read the accompanying stories. I am particularly drawn to crochet items as well as doggy crafting companions. The challenge has been organised by @maryheatherb and @oharethey More details can be found on their blogs here
http://maryheatherbrowne.com/blog/yarnlovechallenge and http://www.oharethey.com/blog/yarnlovechallenge. Being a little part of this is really brightening my day. Thank you ladies!!

Hope February is going well for you too lovely readers!

 

New Year adjustments

Oh my goodness, the holiday was such a productive time for my crochet I'm sort of in shock now I'm back to my daily 45 minutes while watching evening tv with my hubby! Our holiday was far longer than usual - three weeks instead of two. We returned to the UK to renew our US visas which entailed two long flights of non-stop hooking watching back to back movies and we took a long drive to New Mexico which included many hours of road trip crochet. And of course while away from home there are not the chores and I didn't have any work projects so there was plenty of time during the day too. I was in crochet heaven. One morning in New Mexico I woke up and hooked an entire cowl, merrily making it up as I went along. What decadence! Here is my dog showing his appreciation:

It's a super simple pattern (US crochet terms).

1. Foundation double crochet to size so it fits over your head.
2. Slip stitch to join.
3. Chain 2, double crochet all around, slip stitch. 
4. Repeat Step 3 trying it on until you can pull it up over your face.
5. Weave in loose ends.

I should really have used a linked double crochet stitch (my daughter commented - "there are holes mum") but there's always a next time, and another ski "buff" to make.

Of course, there was much preparation before my three week trip to ensure that I wouldn't run out of yarn or projects. Oh heaven forbid I should run out. I've written about how I panic about running out of yarn on holiday before!

In early December I went to a holiday event (with discounts) at the yarn store, Nimblefingers, where I teach and decided to treat myself to some new yarn for a project I've had on my list for a long time the Pink Wrapover Top by Hannah Cross in the Simply Crochet Magazine. Mine was not pink, I'm not a pink kind of gal, but it worked out very well and I'm wearing it here in aqua.

I bought The Crochet Circle Podcast's Take Two, Collection One - Crochet book and packed yarn for two projects. Fay told me I was the first person to complete a project from the book and that never happens to me. But I was on my long long holiday after all. Anything was possible! I would highly recommend the book. Lynne and Fay have designed crochet staples and each project has been made twice with different local yarns (hence the name "Take Two"). There are eight patterns, all very well written and I'm on my second project already. I put my version of their Baltum fingerless mittens on Ravelry and I'm actually wearing them as I type... it's an unusually cold January day in Houston, Texas.

Are you still adjusting to January like me, or have you got it all together?

My podcast debut - woohoo!

This week I made my podcasting debut!! Woohoo! My audio review of the Houston Fiber Fest has been spliced into The Crochet Circle's monthly podcast (episode six) as part of a Shore to Shore Fiber Fest comparison review. It went live on Friday and you can listen to it here: Crochet Circle Podcast How exciting!! I hope you enjoy it.

 

It all started when I wrote a review of the Crochet Circle on this blog back in May. The Crochet Circle podcast launched the month before and Fay and Lynne the hosts are so fun to listen to. The podcast is about crochet with a little bit of knitting on the side. It's wonderful!

I tried really hard to record my review in one go but I just couldn't pull it off. It was holiday time and my kids were at home. They are so good at keeping quiet while I'm on a client call but this took far longer so I ended recording it in my tiny walk in closet and even then the dog came wandering in looking for me.

I have put a whole load of photos of the Fiber Fest up on a Pinterest board if this is the kind of thing you're into!

And there is a short written review over on the Crochet Circle Podcast Ravelry group on their Fiber Festival Reviews Thread.

So please do head on over, have a listen and let me know what you think.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

I'm going to be on a podcast...!

Yay! I'm going to appear on the sixth episode of British podcast The Crochet Circle out on the first Friday of August. It all started when I wrote a review of the podcast back in May. Lynne and Fay the wonderful hosts found my review hilarious and read out part of it in episode four (at around two minutes). I was extremely surprised to hear my name on air as you can imagine! And then we discovered we were attending a fiber fest the same weekend and Fay suggested we do a Shore to Shore Fibre / Fiber Fest comparison. I couldn't say no. How fun!

                          Lovely local podcasters Katie, Jeanette, Somer, Dianne, Heidi & Darcy at Houston Fiber Fest

And it has been a very interesting insight into how a podcast is created. There is A LOT of work involved and I am feeling a greater appreciation for the many podcasters who get me through my daily chores and accompany me while I craft. You rock podcasters!!

Still on topic, I met up with some local fiber podcasters in person at the Houston Fiber Fest on Saturday June 25th. The event had meet-up tables for different interest groups ranging from "stitch marker swaps" to "crochet" and Saturday 3pm was "podcasters". I already know Darcy, Somer and Katie from Kitchen Stitches and met three more lovely local podcasters for the first time: Jeanette from Bookish Stitcher, Heidi from Undead Yarn and Dianne from Suburban Stitcher. I felt like a total groupie!

And here are the links for y'all if you love your crafty podcasts like me:

The Crochet Circle audio podcast
Kitchen Stitches audio podcast
BookishStitcher video podcast
Undead Yarn video podcast
Suburban Stitcher video podcast

Have a wonderful week everyone!