And this is why we love it…

Pre-Winter Crochet Week is at it’s mid-way point…I have to say it’s been so much fun on the CLF message board on Ravelry.com, and on our facebook page.

It seems I have a new local group, my best friend (who can crochet, but prefers I make the hats…sigh…”you’re quicker” she says…but at least she handspins lovely yarns and I get to play with soft and yummy goodness) and another friend who fell in love with Amigurumi and wanted to learn. We’ve decided this shall happen every tuesday at my best friend’s house (she is the famous pair of feet in my Bestest Friend/Loopy Lou sock pattern only $.50 for a download, special CLF Savings 😀 I am going to raise the price back to $4.00 after the holidays!). I have to say that this gal who’s initials really are CLF (It’s fate I tell you), is the BEST novice crochet student I have ever had. In our first lesson we went from chaining straight up to single crochets and shaping! She made the body of her piggy the first lesson, tonight? We made the snout, legs, ears and curly queue tail 😀  I made up the pattern on the fly, and she got it…every step of the way and tonight? She learned to READ the pattern! Talk about gratifying!

 Front view of sir piggy wiggy…no eyes yet, she’s gonna get him all googlified…

      And a rear-view of that cute little tail! This is her very very first ever crochet project!!!   

We’ve had so much fun, and the best part as her guide, has been watching her sense of satisfaction and accomplishment along the road. In her “spare” time, she is a 4-H leader and has a gaggle of pre-teen and teen-aged girls at her heels, she wanted to learn to make critters for them as gifts…too  much fun!

That’s why I love crochet, with a simple tool (though if you ask an anthropologist they will explain the complexities of using a hook versus a straight object) and some long fiberous stuff we can make ANYTHING from beautiful lace to cute pigs and dolls. We’ve had community, laughter, the joy of eating good chocolate and watching someone feel just GREAT about learning something new, and finishing a project…she even wove in her ends. (Much better than her teacher who never bothers unless I have to…isn’t that what kids are for?)

Yes, I will be writing up this and  the other patterns I make up on the spot for my pal CLF, maybe I’ll make a little booklet 😀 They are quick and fun 😀

Hope you are enjoying your Pre-Winter/Pre-Sumer (OR heck Pre-Solstace Seasonal Shift) Week

Don’t forget you can still order the CLF Book hard copy or pdf download from the CLF Website! While you’re there you can check out the new gear 😀

CLF NEWS: The Flamie Nominations, Retreat Info & More

Well, the holidays are over. Huge sigh of relief. They weren’t super stressful here in the Wheeler house, in fact they were nice and calm. However, now it’s time to get back to business! CLF Business.

1) We need nominations for the 2nd Annual Crochet Awards: Please make them here. I will close nominations February 3rd, 2010. I will then get voting up for a two week period. Voting is open to the public.

Also if you are in the “industry” and want someone (designer, author, etc) nominated and don’t want to do so due to wishing to remain anonymous, please feel free to pm me on Ravelry.com or email me, and I’ll the people/person/design to the nominations.

2)  Retreat! Ok, time to book your accomodations! From now until May 2010 (may until June) our cabins are slotted for our retreat! If you want your pick of scenic views book today! Information on booking cabins at Cama Beach State Park, as well as alternative accomodations can be found at the CLF Website.  Registration begins soon, book mark this webpage and check frequently! http://www.crochetliberationfront.com/retreatregistration.php

3) Stay tuned to the blog. This year I have a few new plans for the blog (more pages, new information) and will continue working on making our website special and prettified!

And yes, the second book will be coming out…still a bit more to do. Sadly, group projects have to deal with group schedules 🙂 And we’re all juggling as fast as we can…I can promise this: It’s worth the wait!

A year in Review ;)

Finally it’s here…I promised it was something special.

We did a lot in 2009! I know I promised at least one book this year, but I can promise it’s almost complete. My year was one of way ups and down. It started with my ex-husband passing away in January, and so we dealt with the kids going through the loss of a father they didn’t know well or remember well, but it was still a loss.  This fall my father in law passed away suddenly, rocking our world…The CLF lost a big fan. I lost a great father in law, my kids lost a fantastic grandpa, and my husband lost his father. I rarely have a year I wish to see end…2009…GOOD BYE!

I have hope that 2010 will be far better than 2009.

Yet beyond my own personal “crap”…(I could call it loss, tragedy and other more descriptive nouns, but frankly, “crap” describes it better as to how I feel about it)… The CLF went from strength to strength this year!

In February the CLF helped my local community raise awareness and funds to help keep our library (my office) on the island! Hundreds of Curly Wurly Googly Eyed bookworms came to Camano Island to be adopted by our youthful library patrons. We didn’t set a donation cap, the kids could bring in a penny, or 1000 pennies to get their bookworms. One little boy (3 yrs old) was collecting a WHOLE FAMILY!…This effort definately contributed to the Sno-Isle Library Systems’ dedication to continuing our library into the future! Thank you CLF!

We sponsored the first ever Crochet Awards: The Flamies!  A huge thank you to Mary Beth Temple for hosting the Flamies on her show! We’re doing again next year, right now we’re accepting nominations!

We went to the CGOA Regional in Portland! And many of you went to the National in Buffalo! I went to the Sock Summit, and found that most of the vendors were more than friendly, they were welcoming!

With Rockpool Candy and Jimbo we unveiled the world’s largest hook in Portland, and crocheted a giant spider’s web!

It was a good year for the CLF. Check out the video I made to represent all we did! You never know you might see yourself!

Crocheting up a storm!

The weather in the Pacific Northwest finally came back from where ever it was hiding all summer! We’ve had lovely rain storms that have soaked the garden (and oh my pumpkins and squash are so happy!), and the urge to crochet was watered as well!

After my dear friend Ann gifted me with any 5 skeins of her hand spun for my birthday, I had contemplated on what to do with the hand spun love! Three of the skeins became hats (they are short skeins), and two await my lace making pleasure (yummy silks!).

It also felt right to get back to the CLF Adult book Crochet In Chains in earnest!  5 more patterns flawlessly formatted in an unbelievably stress free work session. Though I am writing 3 more “patterns” though they are more like recipes, for “quickie” and “sexy” things to adorn ourselves! And they can be worn outside the boudoir as much as in it! (Well, let’s just say my younger and much hipper friends might…I would silly…mutton dressed as lamb and all that!)

Thoughts are also turning to the CLF retreat in 2010 that doesn’t feel all that far away now that we are almost a year out! It will be held at Cama Beach State Park on Camano Island in WA…you can see photos of it here at http://www.crochetliberationfront.com/camabeachphotos.html. You can also see a lovely inside shot of the cabins in the latest Sunset Magazine issue, Cama Beach State Park was rated in the top 10 hide away treasures on the West Coast, and the only one from Washington State!

So, now that I have you excited know that I’m working hard to get the whole shabangy organized!