Crochet, Library, and so on…

I have been a busy little beaver crocheting for the new CLF Book, and trying to save my local library. The library is only a “pilot project” until June of 2010. Our friends group, Camano Island Library Friends is currently working on local fundraising efforts to earn the first year’s lease money, to keep the library on the island.

I think it’s entirely feasable to earn the amount, and while we wait for our 501c3 to be finalized we are running two fundraisers.

1) Save Our Library Penny Drive ~ This is something even our youngest patrons can do!  We have box templates that can be used to collect pennies, or people can use what ever recepticle that comes to hand; bring in their pennies to the library and get a crocheted curly, wurly, googly eyed bookworm. (One toddler patron is busy collecting a worm family )

2) Build a Bookworm is for our big spenders! For a $1 donation you get your name on a book worm “segment” that will be attached to the ceiling…We want to see how big our book worm grows.

These are on going fundraisers with no end date. We have generous donations of bookworms, and I can easily print off more segments for the ceiling dwelling book worm

So, crochet will indeed help save our library!

Why do I care so much? Well, besides having been a life long patrons of libraries and the fact that I think they are a very important public service; I am currently using the library as my office because I live with dial up at home. There is nothing I can do to change my dial up situation, but I can help save the library. I have no problem donating money to the library, because if I could get DSL I would be paying for that! I’d rather work from home, but I’m grateful I have the Camano Island Library. And, it’s kind of nice to be able to take my kids to work and they have something to do! I’ve also met many people I never would have met on the island otherwise! People who love books, and computing as much as me! YEAH!

Ah yeah, the crochet…Well, I was going to write a negligee pattern, but I decided instead to write a how to make your own. Different entirely, more about how to measure, where to measure, and how to create a simple design of your own. I am currently bribing the daughter with more internet time and cookies to do some graphics for me

I really like how a chinese collar top turned out It was supposed to be a nighty but I decreased to early, and since I’m working with a mohair/silk blend there was no ripping back. That’s what gave me the idea for the article It’s still a sexy top, and oooh does it feel nice on. I had my hubby check the fitting…OH That was funny!

I changed into the top in the bedroom, yelled at the kids to close their eyes or be scarred for life, and then ran into the kitchen where Jeff was cooking dinner, “How’s it look?” I asked…

Once his eyeballs returned to their sockets, he said in a chipper voice, “Wow that looks really nice!”

I turned around, “Even the back”

“Hmmm. Yeah…it’s good.”

So I ran back down the hallway, shouting the all clear to the kids (so they could open their eyes again)…changed out of  the garment, and went to finish it up in the living room.

Jeff was sitting on the couch at that point, “You know you should probably run a strap down the back, it’s just a little too loose…” Then he paused thoughtfully, “Was that a real man statement? Or am I losing it?”

I laughed so hard, “Dear, I think a real man knows what is sexy “

Ah my poor macho man!

2009 Crochet Awards!

Ok ready, set VOTE!

The CLF is hosting the 2009 Crochet Awards, and we need all folks who crochet to go vote here http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=UaAa5_2f9lUBv9gtVf5N8Ctw_3d_3d

Nominations were taken in early February by CLF members, and now we want the wider community to vote!

Voting stays open for ONE week.

Gathering Wool

Oh my, I’ve neglected this blog…I’m sorry…SIGH.
Partially because I’ve been busy with the Crochet Liberation Front and the first annual Crochet Award nominating process soon the voting starts! Please join us on that…and partially because well, I just haven’t spun much for the past year. In fact I think it is safe to say that I have only spun 2 skeins of yarn in the past 16 months…stupid shoulder.

Well the stupid shoulder seems to have become a little smarter and doesn’t hurt so badly. And the thoughts of the Stanwood Camano Fair loom large again…Today I went out to speak to a fiber goat/sheep 4-H club about how to enter their fleece, how to sort their fleece and covered some very basic fiber preparations.

Our fair is probably the only on left in Washington State to judge fleece the way we do. Most of the other fairs are so big with so many entries that they only take bits and pieces of the fleece out of the bags to judge them. Sloppy work if you ask me.

At our fair, we roll out the entire fleece and judge it the old fashioned way. You can not only tell a lot about an animal by it’s fiber (same with humans, hair says a lot about general health, hygene and nutrition), you can tell a lot about the exhibitor.

A fair is like a fashion show for livestock and produce. Think about it, when you walk down a run way you don’t (in general) go on stage in the harsh lights with no make up, your muddy boots, and dingy comfy clothes…No way! You are up there to sparkle, and show off the best that you can be.

That goes for entries whether it’s a sheeps fleece, or a finished garment. It doesn’t matter how nice and usable the fiber will be once it’s cleaned and carded, we want to see that it was sheered properly, that you bothered to take the vegetable matter out of the fleece, and didn’t leave the poopy parts on the fleece.

Amazing how many people don’t think about it. In yarn it doesn’t matter how “pretty” the dye job is, if you didn’t tie the skein in four places (allowing it to tangle up) and didn’t block the yarn (if it’s supposed to be) then it is not going to show as well.

If you put in a sweater and didn’t weave in all your ends, or joined your seams sloppily, well don’t expect a blue ribbon.

It’s that simple. It used to be common knowledge but the world has changed and people have forgotten what fairs are all about. They seem to be more into the prize money and ribbons than what was the original intent behind those ribbons and money.

This is where a person used to make deals for breeding, top prizes went to the superior animals for qualities like meat and fiber or dairy production; not how cute and sweet the animal was.

You could make deals to sell your fleece, or yarn, or swap and trade with other folks from farms around your area.

Now if someone doesn’t get a blue ribbon their feelings are hurt, when in all reality it may have been someone elses entry was just that much better, technically.

I’ve thrown in hasty last minute entries to make up entry numbers in years gone by, with non woven in ends, expecting white or red at best knowing going in, and have heard the public exclaim with disbelief “But that is PRETTIER than the one that won.”

I usually chuckle and walk over and explain why the prettier piece didn’t win, and when they try to argue, I let them know that I am the maker of said item. I also let them know I don’t care a fig for ribbons and trophies since I showed as a kid and still have those things hanging around in a box in the garage.

Well, ok, I have one rosette that hangs up on my wall and I’m most proud of it. It was the first time I won Best of Show for yarn, I won it with a painstakingly fine knot yarn that I spun at a fine weight on an Ashford Traveler with a bulky flyer. They said it couldn’t be done, and I did it. It was insanity, but I did it and I won. Not bad for she who doesn’t knit…yes, that used to be my handicap That ribbon means a lot, but then again I worked harder on that one skein of yarn than any other before or since.

Anyway…my soapbox is complete for the day…and oh yeah, I just grease d up my wheel…The spinners coming back to the wheel, world watch out!