Shoulders healing…

Hey all,

The shoulders are finally healing at a rate that allows me some spinning time, with the fair approaching and orders to fill this couldn’t have happened at a better time… I know, I know, don’t over do it…well I can guarentee I am not over doing it…I have have been using cushions to support my arms, so I don’t further damage myself, and have changed how I sit at the wheel. I’m mostly doing revamped commercial stuff at the moment, and doing very little of my own fiber prep…which is hard because I have seven bags of alpaca waiting to be carded! LOL

This summer I’ll be finishing the books, spinning at the Cama Beach State Park Grand Opening Celebrations, giving a presentation at Camano Island State Park (July 4th, entitled “Where do my clothes come from?:”, teaching kids how to make felted purses using wool and rocks (and water and soap ) on July 5th at Cama Beach State Park, getting ready for the fair, and of course the Stanwood Camano Fair happens (is there any other fair?) the first weekend of August! YAY…looking so forward to it.

And gearing up for the national Knit and Crochet Show in Portland, Oregon in September…I will so be there with bells on!

 

Cama Beach State Park Grand Opening Celebration! June 21st!

Hey there Cama Beach State Park opens this June 21st! This is so exciting! It’s the first new state park in Washington State in 13yrs. I’m rather invested in the whole park opening since my hubby is the Area Manager (Head Ranger) for the parks on Camano Island, WA. For seven long years we’ve struggled with a whole plethora of set backs and at last the park opens with full fan fare!

There will be loads of fun activities, live music, and yes of course important guests speaking…but the most important thing is you can see me and my spinning and fiber arts buddies showing off our heritage skills!

That’s right from 10am till evening there will be loads of activities!

Stay Tuned for more info!

To see some GORGEOUS photos of the park visit my friend and brilliant nature photographer, Bec Thomas’s blog Visual Perspective

Oh yeah…it was featured in this month’s National edition of Sunset Magazine

(yes, and I’m still writing, editing, and crocheting and trying to get all of this done…yes, it’s busy.)

Secrets of Yarn: Crochet Edition Update…

Ok, I totally reserve the right to change my mind. Tonight I finished the last chapter in the book, revised two tables, tomorrow i will finish the remaining tables, do some scanning of yarn and in the next two weeks have that book wrapped up, and put to bed…then wait for publishing I’ll be self publishing.

Why the change of heart? What about the CLF book? Ok heck, and darn, this is actually all about that CLF book! LOL… There are a few costs involved in the publishing of the CLF book that I really don’t want to take out of my grocery money (growing kids and all that), and though the members of the CLF have been generous in their calls for donations, I’m not comfortable doing them book specific. For the wider CLF Good, sure…but not for the book.

BUT, The Secrets of Yarn:Crochet Edition can be a fund raiser. It’s a brilliant load of information, that will be helpful to anyone who crochets! Stay tuned…cause I’m working like a demon child to get it done

 

Over 21,000 views…tooo cool!

Ok, we’re almost to my year blogging anniversary, and I have to say I am awed at the response to this blog. Over 21, 000 views. Considering my very first month, which was when I was trying to figure out Blogland, only had 500 views, I am sitting here just shaking my head and grinning! WOW…thank you for reading!

I try to stay as on topic as possible, but you know life gets in the way, and I’m a real live, flesh and bones human, so meh…I get off topic on occaision.

So to quote the sign my daughter bought me for Mother’s Day…”Power Corrupts, but absolute power is kinda cool!”

That’s how I feel when I see numbers like that LOL Not like I have it or anything, but it’s nice to know that so many people find the patterns, instructions and information helpful.

Blessings to you all…more yarn info to come.

The Secrets of Yarn: Crochet Edition

So, I’m still waiting a few more days for my shoulder to repair until I can spin. The range of motion has increased expotentially with a really good LMP, and some wonderful aromatherapy products from http://www.zsremedies.com, of course I get to see Suzannah locally which is twice the blessing.

In the mean time what am I doing? Formatting the CLF First Ever book, and getting ready to finish my newsletter. I have promised a sample of The Secrets of Yarn: Crochet Edition. So, I went through my draft of the book, and picked out a portion of Chapter 9. The Key to Substituting Yarn.  It’s the chapter that kind of has me stuck in that writing process, because I want to add more, but am not willing to write a biblical tome on the subject. What I’ve picked out for the CLF book though is a great example of both the book, and what I know crocheters have been looking for!

So, 18 hrs of formatting and layout, later I’m rather happy with both the CLF First Ever book (the submissions have been fantastic) and the portion of the book that comes from my pet work, The Secrets of Yarn: Crochet Edition. A great companion to that is the already in print Secrets of Yarn Guide I/II that works for all manner of fiber art. Check it out on my store front at Lulu.com for only .99 it’s a steal! The hard copy costs $9.95 which you can purchase (free shipping) from my website!

Hey if you haven’t listened to the CLF Podcast, Check it out!

The Crochet LIberation Front has a podcast, yeah it’s produced and recorded by me. But hey, get inspired to raise the hook! Tune in at http://www.clf.mypodcast.com

Listen to the lost episode 2…

Crocheting with Textured Yarn…

 

Spuntastik! Knaughty Yarn

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

Here is a Knot or Knepp yarn. You can find these made by handspinners, or in stores that sell novelty yarn. Many people are afraid of working with textured yarn, but I the holder of the Secrets of Yarn am here to tell you that you have no need to fear this wonderful tactile experience!

Crochet and texture are a marriage made in Nirvana! Some people will tell you that you can’t work detail with textured yarn. Like all generalist statements that is not correct.

Depending on the yarn, you can indeed, using different sized hooks (with a yarn like the one pictured you want to use a hook that works with the part of the yarn with widest diameter), and a variety of techniques. If you don’t have a stitch dictionary, get one. Play and practice!

Here is a swatch of basket weave done out of the same yarn pictured in the skein.

 

Isn’t that nifty?

Fuzzy yarns, if fine, can be used with decorative or relief stitches, though remember it’s commitment yarn. It’s not easy to rip out!
Bobbly yarns, can be used, but not to best advantage if the bobbles are closely spaced.

Swatch again…and again…and again. If you do nothing else BUT swatch, you will learn more about manipulating yarn than making twenty sweaters out of regular yarn. And heck you can put them into a free form project! Voila! Learning and fun projects wrapped into one nifty deal!

To learn more about fibers and what kinds of projects they work best in no matter what fiber art is your personal favorite! Check out the Secrets of Yarn Project Guide Download, on .99 and the best tool you can have in your project note book!