Post Vacation: Lace and Crochet Classes

I'm forcing myself to come down from the vacation high just a little bit. I've got things to get done.

I've been having a blast (still) with my Russian spindle.

I finished the yak/silk and have begun crocheting some lace out of it. It's WONDERFUL to work with and OH...SO...SOFT! For those who are curious, I'm using a B-1/2.25mm hook and this yarn is gossamer weight, about 40+ WPI (wraps per inch). That size of hook keeps the fabric from getting too tight and stiff and as the yarn is handled the yak fluffs up and fills in the gaps for a very warm garment. However, it doesn't start to mesh like mohair does, so it's easy to rip out if you discover a mistake you can't live with.

On my spindle I've been working with some bison/silk. It's nice too with a warmer cast to the gray. It's been as nice to spin as the yak/silk has been. I haven't decided yet what to do with it. Probably another lace shawl. I've decided that I need to visit my teacher, Galina, at the Estes Park Wool Market and purchase a couple more spinning spindles and at least one more plying spindle.

On a more serious note I'm doing some crochet classes at Table Rock Llamas. Their class schedule is here.

I'll be teaching:
• a 4 session (2 hours each) beginning crochet class in May
• one 2 hour class on How to Read a Crochet pattern in June
• and one 2 hour class on Tapestry Crochet in June.

So, if you're in the area and interested in any of those, be sure to sign up.

Grecian Crochet Via Santorini

Honey and I just got back from an incredible vacation on Santorini. This was the view from our room.

We went to celebrate Honey's 50th birthday and had an incredible time there. We thoroughly enjoyed the island, and in particular its residents. The Greeks are wonderful people.

One of the things we learned is that the residents of Santorini spend the winter making things to sell during the tourist season. It was wonderful to see so many products of Santorini (and other parts of Greece) available to purchase. I was amazed to see A LOT of crochet.

Here are a couple of photos I took of some silk crocheted edgings for shawls from Soufli.

I also saw a lot of beautiful crocheted jewelry. Some made of wire and others of silk thread.

Even some crochet in our bread basket at a restaurant.

In one of the shops selling locally grown and made items I talked with a woman about what I had seen. She said that crochet is very popular with Greek women and they especially like to do items with angels, flowers, and butterflies.

I had hoped to find some more information about Greek crochet when I got home, but I haven't had a lot of luck so far. However, I did run across this blog by a Greek woman where she has shared photos of some of her crocheted family heirlooms. I also finally found a site selling the Soufli shawls with more edgings to see.

It's all been very inspirational!

I'm Getting There: New Beginning?

I quit my job at the end of January thanks to a very understanding Honey and I spent the first 3 weeks just resting and putting myself back together. I was pretty fragmented. I spent the next next 3 weeks getting ready for 2 trips making new clothes that actually fit my tall, curvy body. NICE! We had a death in the family and so I'm very thankful that I had the time to spend helping my mom with funeral and memorial service stuff.

Here is the really exciting stuff though:

1. I took a Russian spindle class from Galina Khmeleva and I'm hooked. I'm also helping her with writing a pattern from a crocheted Orenburg shawl she has and wants to publish. It's been a lot of work AND a lot of fun. Right now I'm going through the first draft and correcting it and the most fun way to do that is to make one. So I'm using some Carmelina 30/2 Muga silk I got from Treenway Silks. It's going to be gorgeous when I'm done!

I have learned so much from Galina and this project. Russian spindles are used to make gossamer weight yarn from any fiber that works, not just cashmere.

I guess the traditional way to do it is to spin the cashmere (goat hair) and ply it with a 30/2 or 60/2 silk. The silk reduces the cost and increases the durability of the yarn. As Galina says, plying cashmere with cashmere is "like eating butter with butter." I bought some 50% Yak/50% Silk from her and plied it with Treenway's Myojo 60/2 Bombyx Silk. I have about enough yarn for a scarf, so I'll have to decide of my new lace patterns under development to use.

2. I've been doing monthly crochet help for anyone requesting it at Table Rock Llamas and now I've got 3 classes scheduled there for next quarter. Beginning Crochet, How to Read a Crochet Pattern, and Beginning Tapestry Crochet.

3. I've been designing, but have not had the time to focus on preparing the designs for publication. So I'm hoping I can get to that this summer and If I do, there will be a flurry of new patterns. Wish me luck!

Local Fame

I made the local paper today.

A reporter and photographer came to the Holiday Sale put on by the Front Range Fiber Artisans this last weekend.

I'm an active member and participated in the Holiday Sale both as a planner/implementer and by including some of my things for sale.

My family has not had much luck with accuracy when interviewed by the Gazette, so when I was interviewed yesterday I wondered if I would get in and what he would get wrong.

I had to chuckle when I read the article. Since a lot of crocheters get frustrated when people call it knitting and knitters get frustrated when people call it crocheting I could hardly be surprised that when the guy had just interviewed a bunch of weavers that he would think I was a weaver too. Crocheting could be construed as a sort of weaving. It's all interlacement...just different methods.

He was intrigued by my Cobweb Ribbons Wrap which was on a mannequin near by. When I told him it was made of mohair and silk, he asked what mohair was. I explained that it came from a special kind of goat.

So in the article I'm a weaver who uses goat hair. True...from a certain point of view. It's a good thing I've got a good sense of humor.

Read the whole article here.

Crochet Community and Help in Colorado Springs

If you live in the Colorado Springs, Colorado area and love to crochet, read on.

I facilitate a Crochet Study Group that gets together once a month, usually on the first Monday and usually at Panera on North Academy in the University Shopping Center.

We just did a Las Vegas night with 6 balls of yarn and a die. It was great fun and we all kept coming up ideas for using the concept of random selection creatively in our crochet.

Here's the schedule we have so far.
December 3rd: Holiday Party at a member's home.
January 7th: Indigo Movie at my house.
February 11th: Demo and show and tell with Juanita Canzoneri at Panera
March: Accessorizing your yarn at Panera
April: Flower petals; crochet them as you go at Panera
May: Felting at ?

If you're interested in coming, leave a comment and we'll figure out how to get in touch. Or, if you're on Ravelry, PM me there. I'm K-eM.

I also do a Crochet Help Group at Table Rock Llamas. This is for those who need extra help learning crochet tips and techniques, are stuck on a pattern, or just want assurance that what they're doing is correct. Any sort of crochet help needed qualifies. Follow the link if you're interested for scheduled times and be sure to sign up with the shop. Download the schedule and scroll down to the Crochet section to find it listed with future dates.

December we have 2 scheduled: December 1st and December 15th. Both are from 10am to 12pm.

So you can bring any holiday gifts that might be giving you headaches and I will do what I can to help you.

Slow Going for New Patterns

It's been a dry year for new patterns from me and I'm afraid that even now it's difficult. However, I've finally got the Pink Lizard Pack done and it is available for download.

Since my WONDERFUL tech editor decided to retire, I've been in a quandry. I worked with a new tech editor on the Pink Lizard Pack and I'm afraid she's probably thinking I'm a rather ditzy and unreliable person right now. Work has overwhelmed me again and when I'm home, it's a struggle to sit down and concentrate on details. The post traumatic stress from the fire hasn't helped either.

There is a glimmer of hope. While I haven't had any great ideas for designs get beyond the rough stage for quite awhile a trip to see the fall color on Kebler Pass a couple weeks ago...

...and a trip to Taos last weekend for the wool festival have helped to revive me a bit.

I've tried to get myself to focus on lace and lace stitch combinations these days. Since I want to publish it for you as an ebook, it's going to take some time. So far, four samples are made, and one is in the "figure out the stitches" stage.

Pink Lizard Pack

My Pink Lizard Pack is now available for sale as a Ravelry download.

$4.00

 

Pretty in pink means this lizard won’t blend into the crowd. So go ahead and have a little fun. The straps are adjustable and used to cinch the bag closed, keeping your girl gear secure.

Tapestry graph included.
Yarn: Worked in 2 colors in any fingering weight yarn.
Model shown in Filatura di Crosa Brilla.
• 300yds (274m) of Gray #402 A
• 100yds (91m) of Fuchsia #409 B
Supplies: Size F-5 (3.75mm) crochet hook, yarn needle,
locking or split ring stitch marker, and Optional 72” (183cm) of matching
cord instead of crocheted cord.
Finished Dimensions: Bag is approx. 11”(28cm) in diameter and 14”(35.5cm) tall.

Ravelry lists the yarn weight of DK/light worsted as 11 WPI. However, I have it listed as 14 WPI in the pattern.