That was the question in my mind recently when I decided to finally attack the task of making an inventory of my yarn stash. I hired a friend to help as each time I’ve attempted to get a handle on things I get too overwhelmed or distracted by the beautiful yarn.
First thing we did was corral every bit of yarn from my household and work areas into one corner of my office. I was happily amazed that it took up far less room than I had anticipated.
Then began the counting.
I had already gotten a good portion of it sorted out by yarn company.
And I had purchased some bright green dots to put on each skein as it was counted, as well on the containers that were filled with inventoried yarn.
My friend Laura really is a marvel. She has helped me with numerous organizing projects over the years. Best of all for this project, she has no interest in yarn and fiber, so is the ideal candidate for keeping me on task.
Whenever I would get all a flutter about the re-discovery of a beautiful skein in my stash, she would be asking what to put into the spreadsheet about it. She did grace me occasionally with a kind comment about a color that caught her eye. And we had many a good chuckle about some of the color names.
I am now down to the last 15% of the inventory job. This is the part where I identify all the yarn that has lost its ball bands and map out storage locations so I can find the yarn I want when it is time to crochet this all up into lovely swatches and designs.
One of the wonderful things about going to the Knit and Crochet Shows has been the opportunity to learn from other crocheters. I’ve learned new techniques and finishing tricks both in classes and just sitting stitching in the lounge with others. I’ve also discovered ways of looking at crochet fabric that I had never considered.
I’ve always thought of myself as an “outside the box” kind of thinker. But one of my teachers at Chain Link this year showed me that she isn’t even thinking “inside the room”. This would be the lovely, talented and brilliant Dee Stanziano.
Dee Stanziano and Me at Chain Link 2010
I had the pleasure this year of taking the class “Pushmi, Pullyu” with Dee. She has an amazing eye for crochet fabric and an insatiable curiosity about how it is created. Her understanding of how the fabric of crochet can be influenced by the way we hold our hooks and manipulate the yarn is a bit mind-boggling.
Dee promised by the end of her class we would be forming new neural pathways and looking at our crochet in a whole new way. She was correct in her predictions (and when she made us crochet with our non-dominant hand her promise that we would curse her name also came true). I am now having a great time playing with different approaches to creating stitches in my crochet designs.
Of course one of the benefits of taking this class for me is a better understanding of both the visual differences in fabric, as well as the way left-handed crocheters compensate with their grip and movements in crochet. Since the majority of left-handed crocheters learn from right-handed folks, like myself, I’m hoping this will improve my skills in teaching them. As well as giving me a look into hand-health issues for left-handed crocheters.
In many ways Dee is contagious in her enthusiasm for Crochet, the CGOA and just life in general. We should all be so involved and alive. I strongly urge you, when the opportunity arises, take a class with Dee. It will be money well spent and will gift you with the opportunity to see your crochet (and possibly even life) from a Different Point of View.
My gorgeous yarn and beads from the Chain Link 2010 Market.
One of my favorite vendors to see again was Leslie Pope of Twisted Sistah Beads. She always has a beautiful array of beads in every color you can imagine. As well as the perfect sizes for using with yarns. I actually ended up making 3 visits to her booth. I bought beads all 3 times, but the third visit I also couldn’t resist these wonderful charms.
Those hands were too cool. Remind you of anything?
The rest of the charms I purchased for some fun gift making (I’m thinking about Christmas gift giving already).
I also made a search for some laceweight yarns as there is a sad lack of laceweight in my stash. Habu Textiles had so many beautiful ones to choose from. But the lovely colors of the Bamboo Lace finally won the place of honor.
Then I stopped into another booth to purchase a funny mug with goofy sheep on it, and spotted the Classic Elite Silky Alpaca Lace. I decided the laceweight would pack down fairly tightly so purchased 2 balls. Of course once I got it home and read the label closer I did have a bit of a giggle.
No matter….I think I’ll get good results with crocheting it too.
In the midst of all the madness of preparing for my trip to the Knit and Crochet Show and the following visit from my in-laws, I managed a wonderful short hike on our property with my kids.
So I decided to make my last post of June be some eye candy of the lovely wild flowers around my home in the mountains. The beauty of our summers, though brief, is one of the many reasons I can tolerate our sometimes harsh winters (of course winter has a beauty of its own as well).
Wait a minute! That isn’t a wildflower!
What a surprise, somehow we have a lovely dark blue/purple iris growing on our property. I have no idea how it got here, but it is quite beautiful. Hadn’t noticed it until today.
My first published toy design is available in the Summer 2010 issue of Crochet Uncut.
Flat Fuzzy Friend
Everyone needs a cuddly little friend to keep them company. I was inspired to create this design by my 2 children. They love having a toy along on our hikes and this fella fits nicely in their back packs. He is also washable, a definite plus with my little mud monsters.
This is a quick crochet project that only takes a bit of yarn. The sample for the pattern has 45 yards of Lion Brand Jiffy (bulky) and 40 yards of Vanna’s Choice (worsted). Scrap substitution is fine too, though I would recommend double stranding for the body circle if using worsted to sub the bulky weight yarn.
I’m thinking I’m going to be making a bunch of these little guys in the next few months. With embroidered eyes they would be fabulous baby toys and wouldn’t take up a lot of room in a diaper bag.
I hope everyone enjoys making their own Flat Fuzzy Friends and shares photos on Ravelry.
Kid Cuddle Test
Also, if you are looking for a way to make your favorite hook more comfortable I have an article on modifying hooks in this same issue.
So back in January when I ended up in my wrist brace for a time, it was because I was crocheting like a fiend on this project:
Lace Embrace Shawl
And now the secret is out. My lovely shawl is just one design in the new line of Debbie Macomber Blossom Street Collection yarns being offered from Universal Yarn. It is crocheted from 6 balls of “Rosebud” a lovely DK weight superwash fine merino yarn that blocks like a dream.
I am very fortunate to live in the mountains of Colorado quite near Estes Park. Amazingly, I’ve never made it to the Estes Park Wool Market, despite it being held only 40 minutes away. So this year I vowed to change that.
I made plans with a friend to join me on my outing. She and her 2 small daughters were to come stay at my house for the weekend. Then Saturday (possibly Sunday too) of the Market we would trek over for some fun times learning about the wonderful animals that provide much of the fiber in our favorite yarns.
Unfortunately, the weather folks predicted that the weekend would be very rainy and cold. My friend felt it would not be a good plan to drag small children around in freezing cold wet weather. So she decided to stay in her warm home for the weekend instead of visiting my very cold mountain. Who can blame her. I was thinking it would be quite nice to be somewhere sunny and warm as well.
But being the intrepid venturer I am, with admittedly a more than minor addiction to fiber loveliness in the form of yarn, I planned to don my armor of rain gear and woolie warmness to explore the Market. I was aided in my resolve by 4 of my stitching pals from Denver. They were making the commitment to drive all the way up from the big city. The least I could do would be meet them for a few hours of yarn petting.
Sue, Tam, Sheila, Betty-Anne and Myself
Yesterday dawned gray and dismal; when it wasn’t raining it was misty. A bit reminiscent of a few of my trips to Scotland in late June. I had second (and third) thoughts about the wisdom of this adventure, but had talked to my friend Sheila the night before and thought it would be bad form to bail out.
My reluctance must have slowed me down, and I left later than originally planned. When I drove out of my driveway the rain had turned to a wet sort of sleeting mess. I threw out a random prayer to any listening deities to please let the weather in Estes Park be a bit nicer.
The drive there wasn’t too bad and, after a minor adventure with fellow travelers who were distracted by the Elk having a kip in a roadside meadow, I arrived at the Fairgrounds. Paid my $5 for parking to the young boy scout (who apologized for the soggy state of the change he gave me for the dry $20 I paid with) and following the guidance from the various traffic directors was safely landed in a parking spot.
I swiftly grabbed my raincoat and my bag containing the items I thought necessary to the outing. Then squelched along the parking lot to the entrance to the event. Arriving at the gate I observed an information kiosk, where I checked to see if there was a fee for the event.
I was happy to learn that there wasn’t, as I was uncertain how long I planned to stay…and it would have been far too depressing to fork over my hard-earned cash to only turn around and depart. I quickly made a beeline down the row of stalls and such to the Vendor’s Barn. Completely missing this pen of Yaks (I took their photo afterward, they didn’t seem too happy about the weather either).
I had already attempted to contact my friends on their cell phones, but had only reached voicemail messages. I knew they had planned on arriving around 10:30 and we were to meet between 11 or 11:30 in the Vendor Barn. So I figured their phones weren’t working in Estes and that they had given up on me making it there. At this point it was noon.
There was lots of lovely yarn and interesting things to look at in the barn and it was relatively warm and dry. So I decided to take a turn around the various booths and keep an eye out for my friends as well. I had been wandering about for nearly an hour, looking more at the other market attendees than the goods on display, when my cell phone rang. It was my friends, they were just arriving at the Festival and would be with me shortly.
By this time I had made plans for the adoption of at least 2 skeins of yummy yarn. But I swiftly marked their location on my map and dashed off to be at the entrance to meet my friends. A happy reunion and breathless explanations and we were all soon plotting a plan of attack for perusing the vendors wares.
My Yummy Yarn from the Market
I must say, these gals are truly amazing in their thoroughness. The next few hours flew by in a frenzy of yarn and fiber perusal and acquisition. I stayed within my budget, but temptation was everywhere…made even more so by the fact that one or the other of my friends’ eagle eyes would spot things that I would have missed otherwise. Helpful, and not so much.
We finally emerged from the Vendor’s Barn and I took some photos of a couple of young Alpacas (as well as the earlier photo of the Yaks).
It was unanimously agreed we were all hungry. There was a wonderful little booth that had stuffed gluten-free crepes so we stopped there while Sheila and I each purchased one. Then we all headed to our vehicles since it was far too cold and wet to sit at the provided picnic tables to eat.
I came away from my experience at the Wool Market with a new love and appreciation for the talents of my stitching pals and a head full of ideas and inspiration for new designs. I’ll be flying off in 23 days for the Chain Link Conference in New Hampshire, so some of these ideas will have to wait for me in my sketch pad. But I will hope to attend the Festival again next June and I will be buying myself some comfortable wellies to wear if the weather decides to be as miserable.
I may not be the most knowledgable person on these three things, but I am passionately interested in all of them.
Crochet, Math, and Healthy Crafting
Everyday I am thrilled to discover there is more to learn and explore in each of these subjects. Very likely I will spend the rest of my life happily doing just that.
In the world of Crochet I am growing as a designer. Yet there are still stitches and techniques I’ve not mastered. In fact, there are many I haven’t even tried— Hairpin Lace comes quickly to mind.
That’s why I enjoy going to conferences like the Knit and Crochet Show in New Hampshire this July (AKA Chain Link). It is great fun taking classes and talking with other crocheters. I am so inspired by seeing the work of others and learning new techniques and approaches to crochet.
In the world of Math I am a dilettante. I haven’t any mathematical degrees or other honors attached to my name. I just love exploring math theory, especially quantum physics and applicable geometries. I am not a human calculator; in fact it is shameful that I often have to grab the calculator to do fairly simple equations.
Much of my passion for math and geometry has been revived by my work as a crochet designer. I use math for figuring yardage requirements, shaping and garment sizing almost every day. Geometry is also often a source of inspiration for me in creating designs. A prime example of this is my “Lace with a Twist” wrap, which is a mobius.
In the world of Healthy Crafting I love to discover ways to maintain the health of my hands and body and then to share that information with my fellow crafters and artists.
Ever since I took my basic anatomy and physiology classes in massage school I have been fascinated with how the human body functions and malfunctions. During my time in school I found myself thinking that someone needed to translate the technical information so that everyone could understand simple and effective ways to maximize personal health. I retired from massage therapy this Spring with the goal being to concentrate further on this mission.
My career as a massage therapist enforced the value of taking good care of my body and particularly my hands. My hands are still important tools in my work as without them typing and crocheting would be difficult. Working with yarn and at the computer can challenge the strength and endurance of anyone’s hands.
One could say that some of my expertise in healthy crafting has come about thru my own pain. I’ve frequently overworked my hands while crafting. Then halfway thru my pregnancy with my oldest child I started developing carpal tunnel symptoms. I had to modify my lifestyle fairly severely and that included advice from my doctor that I would have to stop crocheting.
I did take a sabbatical from my massage work, but there was no way I was giving up my crochet (!!). The solutions I came up with during that time are the foundation that I am building on now. Writing and teaching on these methods is a passion, because I know how much richer my life is having crochet in it…and I want to help other’s avoid losing crochet (or knitting) from their own lives.
I have been writing articles on healthy crafting for the online quarterly magazine “Crochet Uncut” for a year now, and hope to one day publish a book. You can find links to my articles here.
Tomorrow evening I will be talking with Mary Beth Temple on her Getting Loopy Podcast about Healthy Crafting, so come have a listen. If you miss the show you can always download it later.
I have been a member of the International Free Form Crochet Guild since Fall 2008. Each year they have a challenge to create a freeform piece based on a particular theme. This year’s challenge theme was ” Somewhere in my World.” I decided to enter a piece for the first time since joining the group.
Angels in my World - Finished Challenge Piece
It took me a while to decide how to approach the challenge. I only had three months to design and complete my entry and to send a photograph to the coordinator (the lovely and talented Myra Wood). So I knew I wanted to keep it small.
I thought about the theme for quite a while before being hit by inspiration. I have been blessed during the past 20 years of my life to be surrounded by amazing, supportive and inspiring women. Some are close friends, others are teachers and mentors. Some may have moved briefly thru my life, but all have left huge impressions in my world.
As I pondered the richness of having these women in my life I hit upon an idea. Angels! In fact I knew just the angel drawing I wanted to use. I didn’t want something too cutsie or twee.
I had been thinking about creating a mixed media piece utilizing FreeForm crochet for some time. I started gathering yarn and paper with an eye toward this challenge.
A Palette of Yarns and Paper
My starting place was a graphic I had drawn years ago for an abstract angel. I sketched and fiddled with the sizing until I had a size that I felt would work with the time constraints as well as the materials I had chosen. The finished Angel is slightly smaller than an 11″x14″ canvas.
I used a combination of paper and cardstock cut to the shapes I wanted. Then I crocheted fragments of various yarns and thread that were either worked into holes punched into the paper or sewn on. My color palette was taken from a lovely handspun yarn that another fiberartist traded me for my first hand carved wooden crochet hook. It is the multicolored yarn you see repeated thruout the final piece.
I plan to create a series of Angel pieces over the next few years using various mixed media, including fiberarts, painting, papermaking and wood work.
I’ve been working on my office re-arrangements, but ran into a bit of a roadblock in the past two weeks when my whole family came down with a nasty cold virus. Mother’s Day weekend I finished moving and re-assembling the work counter from my friend and got most of the major pieces of furniture in place.
Work Counter in placeComputer Desk in it's new corner
Now I need to get my books sorted and back on the shelves, and bring over the many crochet books that are still in the house. They will now be living in my office.
Bookshelves half finished
It’s a daunting task to go though all my books. So I am chipping away at that project a bit each day. I may have to have a reading frenzy soon, as many of these titles are begging to be opened again. I’ve amassed a great reference library for much of my health-related interests, and I am well on the road to doing the same with my crochet/knitting books.
I still have more projects to complete for the office transformation: installing shelving over the work counter, installing 2 large bulletin boards for tracking schedules and projects, sorting and taking inventory of yarn and fabric, and finding new homes for the massage supplies that I don’t need to have on hand. And of course, some plants remain to be re-potted.
Mamas2Hands 