Vashti, Doris, Kim Are Flamie Winners!!

Congratulations to all the winners of the Crochet Liberation Front’s (http://crochetliberationfront.wordpress.com) 2009 Flamie awards!  SO many of the amazing crochet designers we work with were winners.  All the years of hard work and daily perseverence in their craft has paid off, not only with these awards but with a well-deserved career that has inspired so many of us to pick up those hooks and get crocheting.  Special congrats to Kim Guzman http://www.crochetkim.com  for her multiple awards, to Doris Chan for her inspiring Everyday Crochet book http://www.doriseverydaycrochet.blogspot.com and to Vashti Braha http://designingvashti.blogspot.com for her Fearless Leader Award for High Fashion, stemming in part from her o-so-popular Tokyo Jacket in Country.  It’s been given numerous Ravelry https://www.ravelry.com hearts and has its own forum thread – and there are a few crochet-alongs.  Amazing work, Vashti!

Tokyo Jacket by Vashti Braha

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KnitSpotting: Color Work on Glee!

Hey there and welcome to the first edition of KnitSpotting, a feature that highlights knit and crochetwear seen on TV, in Magazines, on the street…just about everywhere.  I’m Vickie Howell and I’ll be your your yarn spy!

Hey, Gleeks, this one’s for you!  Last week saw the much awaited return of the TV phenom, Glee which much to my delight also included some knitwear.  I love how the wardrobe department chooses a theme for each episode and runs with it–one show featured bows throughout, another focused on the color yellow, and the last one was a subtle salute to knitted color work.  Check out screen shot proof from the “Hell-o” episode!

Chris Colfer as “Kurt” in a Fair Isle Smoking Jacket-style Sweater

Leah Michelle as “Rachel” Wearing a Chunky Knit, Fair Isle Cardi

Color Work Defined
Have you heard colorwork terms thrown around in the knitting world, but aren’t really sure what they mean?  Well here’s the scoop!

Intarsia
A method of knitting that involves color blocks.  Following a chart, you’ll literally knit a simple picture into your garment.

Work in the main color, switching to the pattern color(s) as called for by the design.

Mosaic Knitting
In my humble opinion, this is among the most user-friendly of color work options.  There’s no carrying of multiple yarns across your rows and no worry of holes being created by changing yarns between color blocks.  Mosaic knitting involves two different colors of yarn, only one of which is actually used to knit in any given row.  You only change yarn at the beginning of every other row, a if you were knitting 2-row stripes.

Fair Isle
This is a method of knitting that uses two or three different colors in the same row of your project.  Instead of joining in a new ball of yarn every time the pattern’s chart calls for a different color, you’ll loosely carry the “inactive” color along the back or “non-public” side of the work.

Want to try your hand at Fair Isle?  Try the Simply Soft Boy’s Sweater, by Marilyn Losee!

Craft.Rock.Love,
Vickie

P.S.  Like KnitSpotting?  Then you’ll love Movie Mondays!  Check ’em out on my blog.

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Knit and Crochet Inspiration!

With three listings on one Google Alert for knitting, I felt I really had to check out this site – and a great visual it is! http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/04/18/the-beauty-of-knitting/.  Whether it’s knitted cupcake ornaments: http://www.flickr.com/photos/22541453@N04/2743602207/in/photostream/ or crocheted puffer fish: http://www.etsy.com/listing/43970259/crocheted-pufferfish-pattern-pdf, this is just plain fun!

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Tammy’s New Design in Crochet!

Check out Tammy Hildebrand’s design in colorful Simply Soft Brites Grape, in the online edition of Crochet! magazine.

Summer Breeze top by Tammy Hildebrand

 I’d love to make this just a tad longer and in black to wear over a light neutral shade.  Great job, Tammy!  To get Crochet! magazine for free, just join the Crochet Guild of America (CGOA), open to everyone and all skill levels at http://www.crochet.org/

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Classes at Chain Link, the Crochet Guild’s Annual Convention, are selling out fast!

Kimberly MacAlindin wearing First Prize winning design by Renee Barnes

Third place winner, Patrica Williams with model, Kang, from Tulip

Second place winner Andrea Graciarena with model Kazue from Tulip

Don’t miss all the fun, classes and, of course, shopping, this summer in Manchester NH, July 7-10.  I attended for the first time a few years ago and now wouldn’t miss it!  Where else can you hang out with knitters and crocheters (TKGA and CGOA are doing a joint convention this year) from all over the country – and, in some cases, the world??  I signed up to improve my Tunisian skills – and to get secret tips on creating Amigurumis.  What about you??  Plus there’s more:  Professional Development Day on Wednesday, the annual design competition awards (with loads of fun when the winners are announced) on Thursday followed by the Market Preview (yes, you can buy then), and the all-new “Club Caron” on Friday nite when you can boogie down with your crochet buds to some super dance music, the dinner and fashion show on Saturday nite – and shopping all weekend! 

Classes are selling out faster than ever before, though, with at least 3 selling out the first day (yesterday), so go to http://www.crochet.org/confrpts.html to join in on the fun – and learn a lot too!! 

See you there!

Cari

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Out of the Mouths of Babes

I wanted to share this VERY cute bit of artwork written by my assistant, Carrie Sue’s daughter, Randy.  And with the super-warm weather we’re having in Vermont this spring, there will be no stopping of either playing – or sitting on the porch crocheting!

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