Spinning & Crochet in Portland!

Wow, have I been a bad bloggin girl! July! Last posting in July! Sheesh! Sorry readers! I try to blog several times a week on the CLF Blog, but this one gets neglected! I apologize!

Lately, I’ve been crocheting away and not spinning a whole lot. My shoulder is healed (yay!) but now my time is consumed by the hook! In fact I just finished my first contracted pattern for a magazine! I can’t wait to be able to tell you more about it when it comes out in print!

However, I get to merge my two great loves, handspinning & crochet next weekend in Portland Oregon!  Yup, going down south again (this time without kids and just a hubby! WHOOT)… Twisted , Rockpool Candy (who is coming all the way from Northern Ireland!), Jimbo and I (as the CLF component) & are going to have A Twisted Halloween party at Twisted in Portland, Friday October 30th, and Saturday the 31st!

We’ll be spinning and crocheting a giant spider’s web, and unveiling what may possibly be the world’s largest usable crochet hook!

If you can make it please do! I’ll be kitted out in my pirate costume on Halloween afternoon…what crocheted goodness are you going to wear?

Fair book is out, and guess what?

So the Stanwood-Camano Fair Book came out yesturday! Yay! So if you don’t have yours yet, pick it up at local businesses and offices. If you want to enter or demonstrate at the hand spinning/fleece dept. Give me a ring, I don’t bite promise.

And GUESS WHAT!? I can spin again! WHOOT…Pain free. Though I have to say I’m doing so cautiously! But not even a twinge in my shoulder. It’s so nice to be back behind the wheel again!

Stanwood Camano Fair Exhibitor Handbook update

Hi folks, just a quick note to let you know the handbook/premium book for the Stanwood Camano Community Fair will be out in hard copy as of July 6th! So, make sure you pick one up at participating businesses or you can go to the Stanwood Camano Fairgrounds and pick it up at the office.

If you are still into carnival rides or have kids who are into carnival rides (like I do) then you may want to take advantage of buy the all day ride pass bracelets before July 31. They go on sale next week (can’ t remember exact date, but could be the 6th). It’s a big savings, and if you have kids like mine, it’s a good deal!

If you want to demonstrate hand spinning, felting, crochet, knitting, weaving, needle felting, tatting, you name it, if you use fiber and make things out of it with your hands, then you are welcome to demo in our Hand Spinning and Fleece Dept.  Please contact me via email if you would like to demonstrate on Friday July 31, August 1, or August 2.

If you have yarn, hand spinning equipment or hand made fiber arts equipment (crochet hooks, knitting needles, ditz, spinning templates, drop spindles, wheels), please come by an enter your things! All are welcome, We begin taking entries starting Tuesday July28, from 10am to 6pm and Wednesday from 10am-8pm. We only accept animal fleece entries on Thursday from 6-8 pm. You can enter fleece on Tues. and Wed. too, but we do not accept any other entries besides fleece on Thursday.

It doesn’t matter if you just learned to spin, crochet,felt, knit, needle felt ,tat, or weave (or any other media) you are welcome to enter into our department. We’re all about education, and keeping these wonderful pieces of our cultural heritage alive. And if I do say so myself, we have a really fun department! No egos, just lots of laughter!

Stanwood Camano Fair Exhibitor Book Now Online :)

Hey folks, The Stanwood Camano Community Fair Exhibitor Book (and other information) is now available online. I have no idea if there is a hard copy this year or not. Remember this fair is COMPLETELY volunteer run and sometimes that means little hiccups here and there

http://www.stanwoodcamanofair.org

If yo u wish to participate in the Handspinning and Fleece Division PLEASE contact me with your questions. I am the superintendant, and have changed a few things, including having added some new yarn categories. Yes, Martha White is still there in all her glory, and is still Queen Bee, but I’m not the one who gets in trouble when things go wrong!

Knit and Crochet Today TV Show!

I wanted to announce that I am working with Candi Jensen, Executive Producer of the Knit and Crochet Today TV show, to help garner financial support from the fiber working community!

In order to produce the third season of this great show, shown on PBS,  we need to gain private donations (and there is work being done to gain corporate underwriting as well). You see Coats and Clark is no longer the sole underwriter of the show, which is both good and bad.

It’s good because now the show is wide open in the yarns, and patterns that can be used, and it will be an even better television show because of it! It’s bad, because now Ms. Jensen has to run around trying to find enough funding to make the next 13-26 episodes.

I really like this show, so I offered to help drum up support from our hand working community! If you crochet or knit, and you haven’t watched the show CHECK IT OUT! Fabulous stuff! http://www.knitandcrochettoday.com 

Very soon I will have links to where you can donate a mere $5, $10, or $20. Why should you donate? To keep this tv show as independant as possible! The more independant we can keep it, the better the content will be!! What a novelty in our little world of fiber arts!

So stay tuned!

Beary Backpack

Beary Backpack

Originally uploaded by CLF Fearless? Leader.

Ok, Christmas is long past, but I made this as a Christmas present. The two stuffed animals were “rescues” from a thrift store. I’ve blogged my doll and bear rescue passion before. Like I said in the past, I don’t know why I have the need to rescue plushies and dollies from the thrift store and re-gift them.

Part of it is my desire to see things used as long as possible, and sometimes it’s my soft nature. Those cute little guys look at me, and those little baby doll eyes stare at me, and they seem so lonely up on the shelves, discarded, and out grown.

Anway, I made a simple longish rectangle using a simple tunisian (afghan) stitch, and crocheted straps, and voila.

As per the description, my nephew loved it. And that’s what mattered!

So what happened to the book on yarn?

You know I’ve been wondering that myself. I think firstly, my knowledge base of crocheters changed a bit. My knowledge of what would be really important versus academic interest changed, and frankly, I’ve gotten kind of steam rolled into other things at the moment.

Currently, I’m working on two more Crochet Liberation Front Books, and still weaving in a few loose ends on the last one. Summer is a crazy time in my household. With fiber events, teenagers, yes, my youngest is now officially a teenager. Is that a light at the end of the tunnel, or is it merely another train?

Anyway, I’m currently, dreaming up a different way to present the Secrets of Yarn to crocheters, and one that may indeed be quite valuable as a reference. I am most likely going to do it in black and white, because I think color often distracts us from stitches and textures, and that is what the book will be about. Color theory is a whole ‘nuther story my friends.

So, with that in mind, I am back to work puttering on my crochet goodness. I did get that skirt I was working on finished, and I’ve started on what will either be a long tunic or a dress, depending on how far the yarn goes. And, yes indeed it will involve broomstick lace. Cause I can do it in the round baby, oh yes, I can do it in the round!  (Thanks to Stitch Diva, Jennifer Hansen!)

Broomstick Lace Capelet

Broomstick Lace Capelet

Originally uploaded by CMHS yarn & designs (laurie wheeler).

I know, I know. I have been SOOOOOOOOOO bad about posting on this blog! But never fear, I have moved my CLF blog over to wordpress, and now I will NOT forget to blog my crochet and yarn exploits here at the Secrets of Yarn!

Here, I get to just be Laurie Wheeler and you know that’s awfully cozy.

Anyway, this cute little number is something I whipped up right after the CGOA regional in Portland, Oregon. After taking Stitch Diva, Jennifer Hansen’s Broomstick Lace class, I have to admit I have become somewhat addicted.

My little neice, Gwen, lit up like a Christmas tree and wanted to try this baby on before I even managed to walk into her house!

I used two yarns, a ribbon yarn and a sock yarn to make this. I have to say that was a wee bit ambitious, and got a wee bit annoying at a few places. The lace isn’t 100% even, but you know what? Princess loves it, so I’m happy about it. I learned something new, and now I’m gonna make me a brookstick lace skirt.

I had started out with that intention last week, but ended up doing something else (using the same kind of ruffly idea) for my daughter. Now I have to finish that project (yes, I will display here when finished), and THEN I will make the broomstick lace skirt!

Oh and an end note: If you want to see some cool crochet videos check out these links!

Broomstick Lace

4 inch Broomstick lace purse.

Broomstick lace has eluded me for five years. I have tried off an on to follow the instructions in one of my vintage stitch guides, to no avail. Finally I decided enough was enough, and I ponied up for a class with Jennifer Hansen of Stitch Diva Studios. I did this last weekend in Portland at the Knit and Crochet Show which was fabulous, btw!

I did this little purse in the class. I just need to weave in ends and make the twisted cords for the closures. I’ve got tons of ideas now…and will be writing up a pattern for a little girls caplet using simple crochet stitches and broomstick lace

Anyway, if you haven’t tried broomstick lace, you should head over to Stitch Diva and check out her tutorials on the topic. They are fabulous! And if you can take a class from her, you’ll be enriched by the experience.

Gettng Ready for Portland, again! YAY!

This time The Knit and Crochet Show is being held in the spring in Portland, Oregon. I’m really looking forward to the trip. My daughter and I are going together, via the train to stay at the DoubleTree Hotel.

I’ve been crocheting like a mad woman, when not completely sucked into the vortex known as Twitter. (I’m Camanomade there btw, you want fun updates join me).

Tomorrow I’ll be taking photos of my new hats made specifically for the event I’m also making some hats for dear daughter

No booth this time. But I am going to take classes from Jenniffer Hansen and Myra Wood! Ooooh fan girl squee!

Hopefully I can get the pics up and running um, today (I just saw the clock, WAY past midnight!)…

Simple and fun, quick projects. And lately I have not done enough of that kind of crochet!