Lily Chin's Workshop

I am excited about Lily Chin's Workshop in August because I started doing the homework for it, and had fun.  It's sorta like crooked crochet, really though it is crochet on the bias and is fun.  I am on my third swatch.

Crochet Contest August 2008

The NIC Crochet Challenge for this year resulted in my entry which is pictured here to the right comeing in second place for the most creative use of the theme.

My entry consists of three bathtubs, a crocheting mermaid, a starfish, and a sign on a vine covered post. All this laid out on a checked rug similar to tile found in a bathroom. It was a tremendous challenge for me. The nylon granny scquares for the

rug were difficult because they were small, crocheted with smaller size Omega nylon cord, and had to be put together in certain directions. Trying to find some material to crochet so that it looked like water was really fun - I tried different materials

and finally decided on fishing line - and it was perfect. It is clear like water, and when crocheted it kept curling up so that it looked like suds, and wavy water. It was a bugger to crochet and

I learned to follow the lead of the material since it was so stubborn and would follow my lead -- sometimes you just gotta go with the flow, and let the material talk to you. I listened and went with the bent of the fishing line and it is just perfect.

I was terribly disappointed to come in second when I saw the entry that came in first. It was gorgeous, creative and beautifully done, but how does it illustrate the need for water more than mine with the littlest duck asking WHERE'S MY WATER? and looking at his empty bathtub.

After talking to a few people and showing them the photos, I came to the conclusion that voters probably have a bias toward clothing, and against non-functional art work. Mermaid is truly a work of art, a crocheted sculpture, and without a doubt showing the need to take care of our water supply. I think a lot of people missed the boat - and saw what they would like to wear and to crochet, rather than the meaning of the theme. Most of the people voting corchet clothing and accessories, only a few crochet art work and sculpture. But then maybe I am biased here.....

I will attach some more of the entries here because they are all unique, and I wish the whole world to see them. Also, I would like to donate my crocheted Sculpture to an organization that will use it to promote water conservation. If anyone knows of such an organization who might use this and treasure it, please let me know.

And please conserve water. here in Chiago, on the shores of Lake Michigan, we have an abundant supply, but even here in the USA there are towns rationing it, and penalizing people who go over their alotted quota. In the global community, 50% of the patients in the world's hospitals are there because of contaminated water or the lack of any water. To survive we humans need 1) air to breathe(survive about 5 mintues without it) 2) water to drink(survive maybe 3 days without it 3) food to eat (survive maybe a month without it).