It’s a good day to Dye…

I keep getting asked, “So what does the retreat fee cover?” Now, granted I do have the schedule up on the website, which details the activities. But, I thought I might inspire you all, both those that have registered and those who have yet to do so, with the “GRAND PLAN!”…

In answer to the question, the retreat fee covers the purchasing of supplies for the workshops, and anything else I can’t get donated for our wonderful retreat goers. Morning classes are separate from the retreat fee, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have learning opportunities if you just sign up for the retreat!

In the mornings we’ll be working on a Puget Soundscape. Crocheting the underwater eco-system that exists just feet from the shores of Cama Beach. I will be working on that in the next few weeks, and will start posting my pictures. A local business will host a party in the Winter or Spring (we are just creating the plan) which will be a fund raiser for a local environmental educational group, and we will use the Puget Soundscape as the center of the party!

In that experience you can learn new stitches, work with new fibers, I’m providing the yarn! Our experienced staff and volunteers will be on hand to share some of their knowledge and experience. You won’t be alone in this adventure! It’s going to be fun!

The Dye Workshop on Wednesday will be awesome, I’m going to try to have some light colored yarns, but please if you are coming if you can bring something you want dyed that would be great! I’m providing the dyes, and pots, and the expertise! I will teach you have to make long repeats of color for crochet, how to set your dyes, and how to make “mottled” or colorful yarns that will not pool into splotch city.  I will teach several methods of dyeing including kettle dyeing and my secret recipe will be unveiled for oven dyeing!

Our games will be Pass the Swatch and the Free Form game, both designed to teach us about our yarns, hooks, and stitches. Each game is designed to expand our understanding of crochet and to help us with various issues! We’ll also be making each other souvenirs in this fashion…so imagine a motif with five or six people’s work…when you go home it’s like having an autograph book! “Look at what Bonnie did on row 6! I love those stitches!)

Nature walks or bringing nature in to the buildings with us (if it’s too icky outside), we’ll explore textures, and colors. Wow, sounds like a class? Yeah, we’re calling it a workshop 😀

Sounds like a bang for your buck to me!

Plus we’ll have music and speakers, and an opportunity to give back to Center For Wooden Boats who have generously partnered with us! We’ll be making afghan squares in nautical motifs for the project.  Don’t know how to do color work? excellent time to learn, and we’ll be on hand to help!

So you see, as much as these are experiences, they are learning experiences as well. Yes, we will play and have fun. But it’s kind of like my “Craziest Yarn” competition at the Stanwood Camano Fair, if you can spin the weirdest, wildest yarn, and get feathers and foamy bits and straws to stay in your yarn, the next time you go to spin a sock yarn you’ll find it that much easier .

There is always method to my madness!!

So, come on JOIN US! You know you want to!

Retreat News & Blog Forecast

Well, I finally have a moment to blog. I tell you the middle of July through August are crazy times for this crochet fanatic!

It’s even more crazy as I scramble through the late stages of the retreat planning. I would like to remind you all that I have NEVER organized a retreat before, but I have done lots of work with groups. I hear getting the place is the hardest part, but for me that was the easiest beings I live next door practically to Cama Beach State Park. (No you will not be camping! I swear it! It’s way too comfy a place. I do NOT do camping.)

We still have room for about 10 more people, and if we want those morning classes to happen we need to get registered. You KNOW you want to!

This retreat will be a mix of education and expansion of crochet skills. Building community, and friendships and bolstering our creativity. Did I mention how fun it’s going to be? I’m thrilled and excited to be able to do this with people. I’ve kept the prices low to make sure people of all income brackets can participate.

On top of that I have some friends with some pretty special talents wanting to come up and offer massage and other self care techniques; I still have to work out the details, but if this is of interest to you let me know.

Please remember even if you are staying outside of the park, that the retreat fee is in place, this covers the cost of renting buildings and some other fun little perks.

My local yarn store is hosting a party for us on Monday. In fact remind me to change the schedule, we’re going to do that during the lunch break, and I’ll have a separate yarn tasting that evening. Sirkku just brought in some fabulous crochet stitch markers that are awesomely made and priced! (Can you say pretty and affordable? I knew you could.)

Anyway, if you haven’t registered PLEASE PLEASE Do check out the retreat here, contact me with questions!

Also, I just got my review copy of Linda Permann’s book, Crochet Adorned today. I’ve only had about ten minutes to flip through it, but wow…great photos and from my initial glances some really cute projects. I’ll delve into it tonight and let the daughter weigh in her two cents as well. She is a great critic 😀

So stay tuned, that review is on it’s way!

And life goes on…

Before I get down to brass tacks and business, I want to thank you all for the beautiful messages of condolence. I’d like to say that I’m “over it” and moving on, but I can say, I’m merely moving. Truth be told, I’ve experienced a lot of grief in my life and it is really no stranger. This time though it’s just a wee bit stacked up, and I’m just trying to put one foot in front of the other to get my work done in between fits of pouting and mourning.

Sometimes life just ain’t fair.

And again, thank you so very much for your kind words and thoughts.

So, maudlin blahing aside, here’s the work at hand.

Please register for the retreat by going to the CLF Website !!  I know I’m going to need it by October, that’s for sure!

We have people coming from all over the US, from New Jersey to Colorado, Montana to Califoria, it’s really amazing to see the registrants home bases! We can sure use some local Washington folk, so I’ve finished our brochures and those will be sent to local yarn stores every where in the North Puget Sound area. Come on people, sign up, let’s show the industry what we’re made of…

I even added a new afternoon workshop: How to Dye Yarn for Crochet! Ooooh yeah, we’re gonna have a good ol’ fashion dye party!

The retreat is October 17-21, 2010 at one of the most beautiful venues you can find in Puget Sound!

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!

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!