NIC March Meeting, 2009 photos.

We had a fashion show from the Double Stitch Twins at the March, 2009 meeting of the Northern IL Chapter of the crochet guild of america. Their crocheted shawls are versatile and imaginative in their use. It was fun and delightful to see their overwhelming enthusiasm for the art of crochet translated into their kind of fashion items.

Northern IL Chapter of CGOA

Welcome to the World of Wiki's. NIC voted today at our meeting to create a WIKI on which we can share our mutual interests and post pictures related to crocheting. Pam will set it up in a couple of weeks, and invite all Chapter Members to actively participate, and the whole world to view it.

There were a lot of people at today's meeting, and a lot of business took place. Instead of our regular April meeting we are going to Northbrook Court on April 11th to join in the Knit Crochet demonstrations.

Also, in my meandering on the net I came across a new, or newly created word, which I like a lot -- CROCHET-A-HOLICS. Fits perfectly for most of us.

At the meeting today, I shared how I used google reader to get crochet news from all over on a daily basis if I want it on a daily basis. I passed around some of the images and information I printed from Google Reader.

Am still plugging along with my pretty blue sweater - I have so many UFO's, I don't want this to become another one of them. Addie drove me to the meeting today, because I haven't been feeling well. Was in the hospital about two weeks ago, and still recovering. It was fun being with Addie in the car again. We exchanged birthday presents, too.

Crochet-a-holics UNITE. Wonder if there's a Crochet Anonymous group out there.......

Technology

The explosion of technology, computerized communication, has reached me, but alas, does not seem to have reached the crochet community which is a definite deficit. Pam from the NIC of CGOA is working to change that by suggesting a crochet chapter blog. Unfortunately I missed the Feb. meeting where she suggested it, but someone brought up using a WIKI instead. Either would be great, and would be a step towards joining the tech society to promote crochet.

One example of using tech crochet is what happened when I subscribed to Google Reader. I told the Reader to search for the word CROCHET -- I was blown away at the results -- tons and tons of blogs, published articles, website, news items appeared. I chose several to subscribe to so I receive news from these whenever I pull up my Google Reader. It is a gold mind find. There was a crocheted, life-size gas station, complete with the pumps. In another article, the government is after someone who is crocheting covers for trees, light posts, stop signs, posts, etc. They want him/her to stop decorating their town with crochet. Imagine having the law after you for crocheting! Fun.It's titled Anonymous Crocheter hits Parkersburg. Really great stuff. Someone is promoting crocheted Dahlias. They are about 5 feet talk, basically round but resembling a candy corn shaped human being. He's wants all crocheters to join in and populate the world with these Dahlias. There is a crocheted car - yes I said CAR on the Web. I think the CAR should visit the gas station don't you? Somewhere there is a giant water tower covered with a giant crocheted cover on it. Crochet is comforting - I guess even for a lonely water tower! Maybe we could put together a crocheted town - the gas station, near the water tower and the car parked at the gas station!!! My imagine is getting the best of me. There is an article about Crocheting Combined with Dance, reported in The Weekly Volcano out of Tacoma.The Crochet World has Exploded. In order to promote it we need to know about it - and hi tech is the way to go.

I have a WIKI created for a group of 7 of us who went Mallinckrodt in Wilmette together, way back when. Using the WIKI is so easy This WIKI is not open to the public, but by invitation only. It's just for us girls to share memories, fun, photos and keep updated on each other's lifestyles. I may open it up to the public eventually because I am looking for the rest of us in our group, and perhaps they might find us on the web, but right now it is a nice little cliche or soon will be- I just started the WIKI and am still designing it, so I haven't invited the rest of the group yet. It is called SEVEN S'ters.

There is even a sorta contest for the ten best Crochet Sites, and the ten most subscribed to sites. NIC could be one of those. To learn more about using the worldwideweb read a book called BLOGS, WIKIS, PODCASTS by Will Richardson. OHHH speaking of podcasts, there are some of those on the net, too. I haven't found a lot of them, but boy oh boy what a great way to showcase crochet. We could video one of the NIC meetings or teaching part and make a podcasts out of it. Podcasts are mostly just audio, but I like the VIDEO ones better. I'm doing my part to promote crochet on the net. It's the way to go. Crochet is alive and well.

NIC Feb. Meeting

Today I went to the Feb. Meeting of the Northern IL Chapter of the CGOA. I was quite excited to find out that WATER was chosen for the theme of the Chapter Challenge. Show & Tell was awesome. Dorothy H. crocheted a gorgeous filet crochet patterned yellow baby blanket. One person crocheted a filet crochet top that was really unique and quite pretty. I donated a very old lace sampler to NIC along with a crocheted doily encased in glass. Amy wasn't there, so I gave three poems composed by Diane R. to Rosalie to give to Amy before the Feb. 15th deadline for the newsletter.

NIC

Today is the Jan. meeting of the Northern IL Chapter of the Crochet Guild of America. I cannot attend, much to my regret, because I am home recovering from a mild heart attack, and a case of BPPV which affects my ear. I regret not being able to attend for two big reasons-I want to show the reversible shell afghan, and I want to push for Water being the theme of the Chapter Challenge. Of course, I like seeing what everybody else brings for Show and Tell.

Crochet Chapter Challenge

During the January meeting of the Northern Illinois Chapter of the Crochet Guild of America, the theme for the 2008 Chapter Challenge will be decided. My nominee for this theme is WATER. There are a number of reasons why I think this would be an appropriate theme.
1) It does not have a specific form -- water takes the shape of its container usually - so this be a greater challenge to the creativity and imagination of our super creative crocheters. At first I couldn't think of any "shape" to crochet for WATER - but ideas started popping up after I let my imagine run wild.
2) WATER supports the cause of a cleaner environment. I read recently that 50% of all the patients in the WORLD's hospitals are there because of water contamination. As I sit here next to a clean glass of water which promotes my health - it is astounding to realize that this fact makes me one of the world's privileged inhabitants. Our choice of this theme would help raise awareness of the need for a cleaner environment.
3) WATER supports the cause of conserving out natural resources. We, especially those of us who live near Lake Michigan, are more worried about flooding than where the water for tomorrow's shower will come from. Last year I heard a moving talk from Dr. Jane Goodall at Northeastern IL University. I expected her to talk about gorillas - but that was only a fraction of her awesome and intriguing speech. It was mostly about water conservation -- drink the whole glass of water, don't pour it needlessly down the drain -- turn off the faucet when you aren't actually using the water like when you are brushing your teeth or rinsing dishes. WATER is precious. Like most issues and the way the human mind works -- we only miss something when we DON'T have it, like the use of our thumb when it's in a cast -- like a flushing toilet when our plumbing breaks or when we are camping in the wilderness.
If you can think of any other reasons for choosing WATER as a theme for the Chapter Challenge please let me know.
And NO, I'm not sharing my ideas for crocheted objects representing this theme - that's what we have imagination for, that's why we are creative crocheters -- if you don't use those little cells in your brain they will atrophy -- so here's a perfect opportunity to delay senility....

Cardinal and Berries

Merry Christmas. May all your Christmas' be filled with yarn, beauty and crocheting. This photo was taken on my way to work one very cold Chicago morning. I heard the Cardinal singing, and looked up to see this tree which was winter-cold barren except for this bright crimson cardinal breakfasting on the tree's only attachment - bright crimson berries. He stayed there long enuf for me to pull out my little camera and get several photos of feasting on the berries against this perfectly blue sky.

I haven't blogged recently, my apologies. Life has a way of taking on its own momentum. I created a new pattern which I have crocheted for Christmas presents for my friends. Now that Christmas is upon us, and they have opened their gifts, I can talk about it without spoiling the surprise. I've designed a cover from my steering wheel. It took several drafts before I got it right - so I have lots of too large and too small steering wheel covers around the house! Here is a foto of one of them which actually fits... if you want the pattern please e-mail a request for it to calumet133@yahoo.com. Put Steering Wheel Cover in the Subject line. The one in my car is bright red and white variegated -is that how you spell variegated?- cotton yarn, with a matching head rest cover, and antenna topper in the form of a boot - which is really really cute.

New Afghan pattern. Dr. B.Otto showed me an afghan that one of her students made for her - it was so unique. I had never seen that pattern before - even tho it consisted of double shells, it looked as if two afghans were made separately and then somehow attached -- then I thought maybe it was done as an overlay or maybe an extended stitch of some sort. I contacted the crochter - who gave me a copy of her 30 year old pattern - and I was wrong on all counts. I invited her to the NIC of the CGOA, and asked her to bring some of her work - which is totally exquisite and breathtaking. I hope she comes. She is obviously passionate about crocheting.