Unveiling the hook at Twisted in Portland, OR

Me (Fearless Leader) hugging on our Big Man about Town “Dippy the Wonder Hook”…

It’s hard to resist that big hook’s charm! All 4+ feet and 28lbs of hook! And yes we were able to use him!

It was great to watch our beloved Jimbo watch his baby be fondled by all and sundry!

(We also got to hang out with his lovely family, and gosh Karol is a keeper!)

International Fiber Artist Rockpool Candy,  got the partay started and set up the most fabulous “warp” for the web, upon which we anchored crochet chains!

Still more room to play with on the web! Could use even more people at the event today from 12noon through 4pm!

Be there or be…well not cool

Spookilicious Bag! Rocks my world…

skull bag front view 2

Originally uploaded by CopperScaleDragon

Our beloved CLF Member Copperscaledragon who always have fabulous projects made this bag in 2007. I still love it! It’s totally spookilicous!

I’d use it all year round but could you imagine holding this up for treats? Trick or Treat! FILL WITH YARN PLEASE! They would HAVE to do it…This begs to be filled! It’s a free pattern download on Ravlery.com!

I love crawling the projects at Ravelry.com. But I do have to say, Hooksters you need to be bold and bolder and post more and more! Make it HARD for me to chose which ones to post! We need more crochet on Ravelry!

Are you ready for a VERY TWISTED HALLOWEEN??

Portland, Oregon are you ready for a VERY TWISTED HALLWEEN? Fearless Leader (me…and yes it is wierd to speak of oneself in the third person )  has arrived, pirate costume in hand, spinning wheel, fleece and hooks galore!

Come on down to Twisted on NE Broadway tomorrow Friday October 30th from 5pm – 8pm and help us crochet a GIGANTIC spiders web…and meet what the Crochet Liberation Front has certified as “Possibly the World’s Most Gigantic Usable Hook!” made by our very own Jimbo! Infamous World Traveling Fiber Artist and Activist, Rockpool Candy is joining us all the way from Northern Ireland!!! I’m so excited to meet her LIVE in person!

This is going to be one heck of a party folks! Remember October 30th from 5-8pm, and Saturday (Halloween) from 12noon-4pm ! Join us we’ll be spinning and crocheting the web!

Check out our famous hooklebrity on Jimbo’s blog!

Spookilicous Skull!

hornhat

Originally uploaded by Geminimind

Wow this is great, nothing like having your household skull kitted out for Spookilicious fun!

This is brilliant, made by Geminimind on Ravelry from the pattern by Woolyworm head http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hat-of-horns from the Anti-Craft, Samhain 2006.

So, I found my pirate hat as you know, I also found the ellusive L hook and a P, and several J’s…Got the fleece put together, the wheel (though I have to stop at the hardware store and grab some bushings for it…they keep popping out and getting lost…ah well a .39 cent fix LOL…), carders, and I think I’ll crochet me some quickie slippers on the drive down to Portland tomorrow

Hubby is driving, kids are staying at home (first time by themselves but only for one night, they are at friend’s houses Friday and possibly Saturday.) EEK a coming of age for all of us.

I’m really excited to meet everyone, especially Rockpool Candy who is coming all the way from Northern Ireland! Shannon and Emily at Twisted have yet to meet, though I’ve been in their very very yummy yarn store! And I get to see Jimbo and Karol again, I swear the nicest couple in the universe

I hope you come to see us if you’re in the Portland Area! Don’t forget Friday from 5-8pm and Saturday from 12-4pm…Be there or be round!

Spookilicious Spider Hat!

Along Came a Spider Hat – Crochet Pattern

Originally uploaded by angelacatirina

As promised! I’ll posting some of my favorite Halloweeny projects from Ravelry.com. This morning’s offering comes courtesy of AngelaCatrina! The Along Came a Spider Hat is totally Spookilicious!

What an amazing and fun idea! Too much fun!

You know me, I’m a sucker for a funkydoodle hat!

I was going to post the links to the pattern because they were once available. Sadly this designer no longer has her patterns for sale,and she has wonderful projects in her project page.

If she ever does go back up online, I want to know because I will link her greatly creative and funkified patterns here on the blog!

Speaking of Halloween… It is 4am I am not in bed yet, because why? I was digging through my “office/room” looking for the hat that goes with my Pirate Outfit. I turned the entire place upside down, and yes, there is mucho mucho yarn and fiber to contend with…I HAD to find it, because the outfit so doesn’t work without the hat!

In fact, this hat is beyond special to me, because when I wore in pubic the first time for the CGOA regional in Portland Oregon (Fall ‘08), Doris Chan loved my hat! Yes, DORIS CHAN loved my hat!
I was most pleased that she noticed the fact that the outfit comes together through the hat.

When I designed the outfit, I found that it was lacking something when I put it on. Sure it was cool and the epaulets are a neat touch, but it swamped me small frame. So I made a glorious Chapeau a la Pirate and voila, the whole thing really does becomes one great piece. Panic happened when I could not find me piratey hat…the good news? I had it safely put away where it couldn’t get hurt…Which of course is why I could not find it Since when do I put stuff away right?

Now for my hook collection, where is that L hook?  …

Spookilicious Halloween Themes

portrait

Originally uploaded by cherryred2001

I figured over the next few days I would post some of my favorite Halloween Themed (or Spookilcious) crocheted items off the CLF project pages…which let me tell you were are so spoiled!

Tons of inspiration, fun, and spookilcious goodness!

This wall hanging is the “Death Family Portrait” inspired by the Terry Pratchet Discworld novels.

I LURV this! The CLF’s very own Cherryred (Shirley MacDonald) created this beauty!

How much fun is this!

Crochet In Chains…the second book

I am not going to crow too loudly, but I do believe I have just finished laying out the patterns for the next CLF Book, Crochet In Chains (The CLF All Growed Up)… This afternoon, I’ll be shooting off the last few pdf files to the designers in question for them to give a final look see at their pages to check for any outlandish errors, THEN I will shoot off all of the lovely files to our brilliant technogodess who is going to paginate for me, and help make pretty the book. Of course we still have cover art to do, but she and I can get that hashed out in no time.

Hopefully we’ll have this puppy ready by Thanksgiving, maybe even up on Amazon by Christmas, but no guarentees. I thought I had a lot more to go, until I sifted through all (and I mean) all of my files…and WOW I’m done. I like the looks of the book. I think it is a good mix between sexy and fun, pretty and funky, serious and silly. A little bit of everything in a short amount of space. This book will be smaller than the first book with only 20 patterns, and maybe a few words here or there…but keeping it smaller keeps the price down for all of our wonderful members!

If it ends up being popular we’ll see about a part two. In the meantime, once it’s all in the hands of Kristin (Technogoddess) I get to start on Book 3…400 or less YAY…

I know I’ve taken more time with this, but as I’ve said before, I don’t like stress and it doesn’t like me, so slow and steady is the watch word! I really think people will enjoy this book, I know I have really enjoyed putting it together!

Halloween Treat Baskets are totally Kitschalicious!

Halloween Treat Baskets

Originally uploaded by stormyzcrochet

I think these are the cutest baskets! They look like a fun and simple project…so if you are looking for a quick and simple way to make those candy carriers for your little ones special evening (or party favors etc etc) check out this pattern by stormyzcrochet! Stormy’z offers the pattern as a free download on ravelry, or you can see more about the baskets on Stormy’z website!

With Halloween just around the corner (next Saturday!) I have been inspired to see what kind of hookalicious goodness is on Ravelry! Check out all the very cool projects and patterns! AMAZING!

Which leads me to congratulating Stormy’z Crochet on being the latest recipient of the CLF’s Kitschalicious Award for outstanding kitschy goodness!

I’m a sucker for kitsch and you got me right where it counts! LOVE these baskets!

Art Deco Scarf absolutely Sets My Picot Free!

SNC00003

Originally uploaded by figpox

CLF Member Figpox created this gorgeous scarf as a charity project! Who ever wins this scarf is one lucky person! Figpox used Patons Silk Bamboo to fashion this stunning pattern by Brigitte Read found here, http://littlegreen.typepad.com/romansock/step-by-step-broomstick-l.html

Broomstick lace is one of my favorite techniques because it can be so very visually appealing. It’s not a difficult technique to master,and once you get your feel for it, you can whip out stunning projects that have delicate and airy feel, and yet a real solid integrity!

I love what Figpox did in chosing the colors of the yarn, and the content absolutely is a perfect choice for this kind of construction!

Congratulations Figpox, you are a winner! Consider yourself awarded the Set My Picot Free Award for outstanding crochet composition!

Halloween & PDFs

Ok folks…Just a reminder I shall be in Portland next weekend for “A Twisted Halloween” at Twisted in Portland Oregon!

Come by say hi, get a CLF Postcard and crochet on the giant spider’s web! Meet Rockpool Candy from Northern Ireland, and Jimbo the Fabulous Hook maker!

Also in exciting news, I have the CLF First Ever book available for $9.99 on the CLF Website!  You can still get it from Lulu, but if you have had problems with them in the past, our site is up and working now. Soon I’ll have more available on the site and you’ll be in like Flynn with Fearless Leader Patterns, CLF stuff and MORE!

See you in Portland next weekend!