Mind Crochet

Today, at Cardiac-Rehab, when I arrived the nurse, Judy, wouldn't let me start exercising because my blood pressure was so high. She told me to just sit and wait for it to go down. I hate doing that. I am eager to exercise. Telling me to RELAX just doesn't work. I sat, decided to use my mind to lower my Blood Pressure. Took a couple of deep breaths, said my two relaxing words with the breathing, told my body to lower my b/p, and then tried to go to my calming imaginary place but that wasn't holding my mind, so I did what??? You guessed it -- started designing a crochet pattern in my head. My eyes were closed, and within a few minutes I heard Judy say "I want to take your B/P now." I opened my eyes, and there she was with the cuff. I told her "I was meditating." She said "I could tell. It worked. Your heart beat went down 32 beats." Then she took my B/P again and said it went down, too, and I could start exercing now! Wow! The wonders of the mind -- and the wonders of Mind Crochet! I can't tell you what I designing because I might use it for the NIC Chapter Challenge, WATER.

M I N D C R O C H E T lowers Blood Pressure and Heart Rate!

A Brain Crochet Design (A B C D) or I hate dentists

I don't like going to dentists or doctors or sitting in

Waiting Rooms. I especially don't like

dentists - I've fainted in dentist chairs more

than once, so great was my fear- I can

actually use the word "terror" to describe

how I used to experience dentists. That's not

the case now-I worked hard to overcome that

sense of terror - but I still don't like them.

One of the ways I use to keep myself calm and "relaxed" in the dentist chair is A B C D crochet. I design a crochet pattern in my mind! And yes, it works. I've been doing this for about four years - and have produced some unique and pretty crochet pieces. After I design them in my head- I go home and crochet them!!! This makes going to the dentist a creative tolerable, almost welcome challenge. I've tried thinking about other things at the dentist - relaxing in the sun, sitting in front of a warm fireplace, all the comfort spots I've ever experienced - but nothing absorbed my mind - until I tried Mind Crochet. I don't plan ahead for this-once I'm in the dentist chair-I go to the Design Studio in my head-I picture myself walking into Dodie's Design Studio, surrounded by colorful yarn and crochet hooks and gadgets. Then I sit down in my very comfortable (dentist chair) recliner (and even I have to admit those dentist chairs are comfortable). Then I start crocheting.

....

My first Mind crochet project was what I call a recliner wrap because I shaped it to keep me warm and comforted and protected in the dentist chair recliner. It is now covering my recliner at home! I didn't have time to finish designing it in the dentist chair, but it was enuf of a start for me to go home and sketch my Recliner Wrap in color on paper, and then crochet it in reality. Way to Go! My next Mind Crochet project was a pair of earring crocheted with dental floss. Later, I went home and crocheted several of them, and gave some to my dentist and his staff during my next dental visit. I never did tell him how I crocheted these in his office uding Mind Crochet. Another project, by this time, I've lost track of the order in which I dentist chair designed them was a stuffed animal to hold in the dentist chair. You get the idea... it's all in the mind. My next visit is in May-wonder what I will crochet in his dentist chair then.....

Crochet Poem

My co-worker, Diane Rumsfield, wrote the following poem, titled Crochet Poem. However, if I could I would change the title to CROCHET CONNECTION. Thank you, Diane.

To be a crocheter
connecting your stitches
of wool or acrylic or cotton;
To shape a creation
of your own design or
from pattern in vogue or forgotten--
....
Select a hook, a weight, a hue;
and as each loop is drawn into
the next, and stitches formed from strands,
the rhythm travels from your hands
....
To the place where soul and art meet,
To the tempo of your heartbeat.
......
Diane explained that she changed the meter of each stanza because the rhythm of crochet stitches changes, and she wanted to illustrate that by changing the rhythm in her poem. Very creative. Diane is also a quilter, painter and does a bit of crocheting, too.
...

Art of Crochet

"Crocheting has been likened to meditation in the way the repetitive movements of the crochet hook and yarn relieve stress. Another emotional benefit is the pride and pleasure you can derive from a completed crochet project that you can use of give as a gift." - Maran Illustrated Knitting and Crocheting, page 220. ISB 1-590200-862-3. I found this book in the Rolling Meadows Library. I don't usually read books that cover both Knitting and Crochet, but I grabbed this one while waiting for the Crochet Guild meeting to begin. I am impressed by the Crochet Section. This illustrations and directions for crocheting are TOP NOTCH. They would be a good teaching tool for crocheting. I think that if I buy a book about crocheting AND knitting, I am wasting my money because at least half the book is of no value to me since I don't knit, but this book's crochet illustrations might just be worth it.
....
Also, DID YOU KNOW? The word crochet comes from the French word croc which means hook. This is according to a delightful book titled STORYBOOK CROCHET, page 111. If you like 3-d crochet, and crocheting dolls, this is a must-read book.

I thank Gwen for choosing WATER for the Chapter Challenge theme. Since water does not have a shape of its own, the entired will be quite diversified and, hopefully, imaginative. I real challenge to creativity. I have eagerly started on my project. I also am hoping that somehow we can garner some publicity for the CGOA with this project as well as promote the cause of conserving water.

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.

Crochet Connection

Crocheting connects me with others, with myself and with God. Crochet connects me with others because sharing my passion with others is a must. I want to see the crochet of others; I teach crochet to others; I show my crochet creations with others; I meet with others just to talk crochet. Mostly, I delight in seeing the delight of my friends when I give them a crocheted-just-for-them gift.

Crochet connects me with myself because I am a deeply creative person with a colorful, delightful, intriguing, curious, humorous imagination. Crochet expresses the wonderful positive traits within my heart, and leaves less room for the negative ones. Crochet challenges me, gives me emotional outlets, quiets me in a storm, comforts me in both good and bad times, absorbs my mind, and its rhythmic movement soothes my soul. Crochet presents opportunities to learn new, to create those new neuron pathways in my aging brain, to think in new ways.

Crochet connects me with God because of an analogy that popped into my mind long ago. When I crochet I have complete (well almost) complete control over my creation. I can do with the yarn/wire/thread whatever pleases me. Sometimes it turns out well, and sometimes it doesn't. I learned in first grade that I am created in the image and likeness of God. Well--that's more than a whole mouthful, and more than a lifetime of thinking in that one statement. Obviously, at least to me, God is a Creator, and I am a creator. I know, I know, the analogy limps a bit here and there, especially with the concept of power! But I have complete power over the yarn. The big difference, of course, is that if I don't like the last row or two, I can FROG it - but I can't FROG the last day or two, or year or two, of God's creation-my life. But I can learn from my mistakes in a couple of ways - the first is not to make the same mistake - but the second way is a bit more like life - I can keep the mistake and turn it into a new and, hopefully, better creation. Recently I was crocheting a bathtub, and when I started I had one method in mind, but then as I went on I wasn't pleased with the result but I had already put in a lot of time figuring out how to crochet a bathtub and then doing it, so I didn't want to FROG my work. I thought, and I thought, and then I "thunk" some more and came up with a way to complete the bathtub without undoing my previous "mistakes" aka work. The end result is a far better bathtub! Do you think maybe that is what we can do with out life, too? Use what we have, be it what we intended to have but what was thwarted by the uncontrollable part of life, and turn it into an even more brillant creation? maybe that's what God had in mind when she gave us (even tho limited) freedom to choose, to make decisions for ourselves?

I AM CONNECTED.

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.

Shell Stitch Afghan

The baby blanket using the double shell stitch technique is finished. I also re-wrote this very old pattern which Gayle P. gave me. I had difficulty with the edges and the final row, so I just did my own thing and incorporated my changes into the pattern. It is like two afghans attached back to back and is very warm. This one in RED and WHITE was crocheted by Gayle and given as a gift to Dr. Otto. The yellow and lavender one is the baby blanket I crocheted. If you want the pattern just e-mail request to me.

Crochet UFOs

Today, I decided to unclutter the area around the recliner where I crochet the most. I got a pretty basket to hold my UFOs (unfinished objects/projects). Wellll--the basket wasn't big enuf! And this was just the living room....I have another room where I store my yarn and other UFO's in boxes. I counted 8 bigger UFO's and 2 small portable UFO's!!!
The problem is my enthusiastic imagination :>), and the new patterns, and the great urgency to start each new project and learn each new technique -- all MUST BE DONE YESTERDAY.
I guess my New Year's resolution should be to finish those 10 UFO's in my living room before starting something new -- but, but, butt -- I just saw a cute pattern for a Fortune Cookie - I don't know when Chinese New year is, but I'd better start crocheting Fortune Cookies now........

Crochet

This is the day the Lord has made. Let us Crochet in it.

Think About It

On this morning's Oprah show, a dancer named Dwana Smallwood said "Dancing is my oxygen." I like that expression, and change it to "Crocheting is my Oxygen." Think about it. WOW!

CROCHET CONNECTION

Crocheting Connects Me. Like each chain, each yarn over, each pull thru connects the last with the present, and prepares for the future. Each moment connects, depends upon the one before, and prepares the way for the next one. Growing, growing into a beautiful piece of timeless work, to endure beyond the moment, beyond the creator.

Crocheting has enriched my life a thousand fold. Crocheting has connected me with a world full of creative people, a room or two or three full of bright colorful yarn, several sacks of hooks, gadgets galore, bags beyond belief (the non-human kind), shelves and shelves of pattern books, myself, and you.

Cuddling Your Crochet Hook

Do you use your hooks for activities other than crocheting? I've found a couple of alternative uses for them, plus imagined a few more possibilities. The most frequent use is to scratch my back! Tunisian hooks are the best for this because they are longer. Hey, don't knock it. It works!
I've also fished an earring out of my bathroom sink drain with a hook. Hmm-mm...speaking of fishing...wonder if it could be used to catch fish! What do you think? Then, of course, reaching under the couch to snag that tiney spool of thread, requires a hook - or a cat, but hooks' upkeep is easier than the Meower's, tho you can't cuddle a hook- no matter what I can't imagine cuddling a crochet hook!! We could also use a thinner hook to clean out the dust between the keys on our keyboard.
If you ride the CTA buses or trains, and crochet as you go, the hook might just serve as a protective device. Once a guy sitting next to me on a crowded train got a bit cozy with his leg pressing against mine -- a carefully placed hook would have quickly alleviated that uncomfortable position -- I could have crocheted him....u get the picture. If you don't, then get a life!!! Pul-ease!
If you have any more ideas for using crochet hooks, please email your ideas to me. To Be continued....

Crochet and creating

I was standing in the backyard; a green dollar bill in one hand, and a lighted match in the other. I lit the bill and watched the green change to orange. When the fire reached my fingers and I felt the heat, I dropped the remains. Because the dollar was mine, I could do anything I wanted with it because I have freedom of choice. I am free to do whatever I want with my dollar bill - I could make a stupid, bad, intriguing, fascinating, wise, creative, imaginative or even useful choice (like spending it for more yarn). I could even crochet with it... If Pauline could crochet with ice cream, then I surely could crochet with a dollar bill!

This is how I feel about a ball of yarn -- it is an inanimate object but I can put life into it --crocheting booties and putting them on 5 day old Mikala's tiny feet - really puts life into them! I wonder if this is how God sees her very animated creations. The most like-God act of creation is to create a baby like tiny Mikala. And following this line of thought, giving birth to our yarn creation is starting the process of crocheting strands of yarn - one little slip stitch is all it takes to create something like this:

Crocheting lessons

To crochet is to create! I take a skein or two of yarn and manipulate it to create a new item. I have complete control (w-e-l-l, most of the time anyway) over the yarn and what it will look like when I create a new something. I can do with it what I want. Is this maybe something like the relationship of the Creator to the creature?

I am grateful for my hands and their ability to shape yarn into a new creation. I am grateful for my imagination which enables me to add a bit of "whimsy" and a crazy combination of colors to my creations. I can think out of the box -even tho my box is circular like a hat box, not square to begin with. I am grateful than I enjoy the journey of creation more than the creation. (The journey is always fun and fascinating and full of satisfcation - the creation may end up being imperfect or exquisite but it matters not because of the enjoyable trek getting there).

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.

Tree of Hearts

The crocheted tree with hearts hanging from it was entered into the Chapter Challenge of the NIC. It came in a close second. I called it Cardiologists Dream! The three hearts trimmed with white picots have tiny button music boxes within them. Just squeeze and a song plays. I worked on it a long time - about 6 months or so. It was a creative challenge all the way to the last stitch, and I enjoyed every minute and every stitch. Hearts were crocheted with thread, ribbon, wire, light weight yarn, and then hung from the extended branches - all 3-d.

If you haven't crocheted before, or maybe in a long time, try it. You can take your crochet to any level of skill. Keep it simple - just crochet simple scarves and hats and pot holders. They make great gifts. Wanna little more - grab a pattern with a stitch you've never tried before, or a garment you really really want. One of the greatest motivations is making a gift for someone else. One of my students, who turned out to crochet beautiful work when she put her mind to it, didn't do much crocheting outside of our little class, that is, until she wanted to crochet a baby blanket for a gift. Then she got the hang of crocheting at home and with a purpose. Her baby blanket is beatiful. Like most beginners, she didn't count the stitches in a row as she went along, so the blanket got narrower and narrower, and then wider and wider!!! It was so beatiful with a perfect gauge, so I taught her her first lesson in "fudging." I don't know where the term came from but it means to be creative about covering your mistakes or fixing them to incorporate them into the design. I told her to crochet around the edges, and when she came to the uneven edges to change to a higher stitch to compenstate for the shortened length. She had to use the same color as the main color for this part of the edging so as not to call attention to this little difference in stitching. She did this and evened out the eneven ends. Then she trimmed it all in a different color, and added a dood-dad in the corner. It results in a very special and unique baby gift. One of a kind.

crochet

Shh-hh! It's a secret. I'm halfway finished with my hearts project for the Northern Illinois Chapter of the Crochet Guild of America. It is exciting, and I am excited.
This hearts project is truly a creative journey. It is from my heart and hands and head, in that order. Crocheting and Creating are journeys. Tho I will be delighted with the finished piece, I will be a bit disappointed that this journey is over because it sparked so much inspiration and creativity. It makes me think about Creation and God. Creating just never stops - and watching the growth and progress of our creations is satisfying and fulfilling and totally intriging. I wonder if that is why God created us, and the universe which is still growing. The journey is the goal, not the goal. We must be free to create and to do so to the fullest extent of who we are. But freedom has its costs too. Some made bad choices, or are inattentive to their creation and the creation of themselves. At least we can frog our mistakes and begin again, learning from them. In our life journey, we can't frog, but we can learn from them, and above all we have this wonderful ability to use our mistakes to create anew.

Comfort Caps

These are the Comfort Caps which I am bringing to Dawn at the American Cancer Society in Evanston. If you count down from the left hand column, #1 hat was crocheted by Addie
#2 by Dorothy #3 Addie, #4&5 Dorothy.
Column 2: #1 by Donna, #2,3, and 4 by Dorothy
Column 3: #1 by Addie, #2,3,4,5 by Dorothy.
Each of the caps I crocheted were crocheted with a little prayer in each stitch that the recipient put on Peace of Heart when she puts on the Comfort Cap.
This is an on-going project, so if you crochet and have a bit of time, please crochet a comfort cap. The pattern is listed in the blog below this one. Drop me a line - or a Comfort Cap. www.crochetaway133@sbcglobal.net.

Comfort Cap Pattern

Comfort Caps for Chemotherapy Patients

Each stitch represents an act of compassion which bonds us to each other.

Materials: size I hk. 1 skein of worsted weight yarn. 42 inches of ¼ in wide ribbon. For smaller adult size, use size H hk. The caps in the picture were crocheted with Simply Soft yarn.

Gauge: 8 sc = 2 inches. 10 rows = 2 inches.
Finished size: 21 inches circumference.

Instructions: Join each round with a sl st. Place marker at end of each round. Count sts for first 14 rounds.

Abbreviations: beg=beginning, blp=back loop, ch=chain, dc=double crochet, hk=hook, ins = insert, rep=repeat, rnd=round, sc=single crochet, st=stitch, sl st=slip stitch,

Foundation rnd: Ch 3, sl st in 1st ch to form ring.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in center of ring, join with sl st into 1st sc, ins marker into sl st, do not turn, continue by inserting hk into 1st sc following sl st (end each round this way in all the following rounds). (6 sc).

Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc around. (12 )

Rnd 3: *SC in one sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep bet * * around. (18 sc)

Rnd 4 *Sc in next 2 scs, 2 sc in third sc* rep bet * * around. (24 sc)

Rnd 5 *Sc in next 3 scs, 2 sc in fourth sc,* rep bet * * around. (30)

Rnd 6. *Sc in 4 scs, 2 sc in fifth st.* rep bet * * around (36)

Rnd 7. *Sc in 5 scs, 2 sc in sixth st.* rep bet * * around (42)

Rn. 8. *Sc in 6 scs, 2sc in seventh st.* rep bet * * around (48)

Rnd 9. *Sc in 7 scs, 2sc in eight st.* rep bet * * around (54)

Rnd 10. *Sc in 8 scs, 2 sc in ninth st,* rep bet * * around (60)

Rn. 11. *Sc in 9 sts, 2 sc in tenth st.* rep bet * * around (66 )

Rnd 12. *Sc in 10 sts, 2 sc in eleventh st.* rep bet * * around (72)

Rnd. 13. *Sc in 11 sts, 2 sc in st.*twelfth st,* rep bet * * around (78)

Rnd. 14. *Sc in 12 sts , 2 sc in thirteenth st.* rep bet * * around (84)

Rnds. 15 - 30. Sc around. (84)

Rnd 31. Using BLP, sc around.

Rnds. 32 - 33. Rep. Rnd 15.

Rnd 34. Ch 4, skip 1 st, dc in next sc, ch1, *skip 1 sc, dc in next sc, ch 1* rep around, join with sl st in ch 3 of beg ch3. (42 dc, 42 ch 1)

Rnd 35. Fold up rnd 34, attach to rnd 31 with a sl st, using the bottom strand of the lp on rnd 34 and the exposed strand exposed st means front loop left when you previously used back loop only on rnd 31). Fasten off.

Weave ribbon through round 34 and tie in a bow.

For added decoration, glue a flower to the hat.


Comfort Caps are donated to the American Cancer Society to be given to cancer patients who cannot afford to purchase a comfortable cap or wig during chemotherapy treatment.

If you want Dorothy to bring the cap to the American Cancer Society office, please mail it to
Dorothy Schmidt
5224 N. Bernard St.
Chicago, IL 60624

NIC Chapter Meeting

The June Northern Illinois Chapter of the Crochet Guild of America was held today at the Rolling Meadows Library. Seemed to be a lot of business to discuss. A bead crochet workshop is scheduled for Sept 29th. It promises to be interesting and a good learning opportunity. The item to be created is a heart made of small beads. It will be at the Rolling Meadows Library. The meeting was not well attended. Show and Tell was the best part for me. Marge crocheted a beautiful shrug? top? wrap? which she did not like because it did not fit her figure. However, Zee modeled it, and it just plain looked gorgeous. Gwen crocheted a unique zig zag scarf. I showed the Comfort Caps I crocheted, including the one from Addie. Dana crocheted a snazzy beaded bag - sparkling and glittering.
I am working on my heart project, and enjoying every minute of it. It has grown beyond the size of my lap -- and that's big. I now have it laid out on the dining room table so I can work on it. Exciting.
The photographer where I work is coming on Tuesday to take photos of those of us who are working on the Comfort Caps. It will be with a little blurb about the project in the employee newsletter. I am hoping the publicity will generate more Comfort Caps to bring to the American Cancer Society in Evanston.

CROCHET AWAY

Comfort Caps

My current project is crocheting Comfort Caps for chemotherapy patients who have lost their hair. I have designed a pattern which is free and may be reproduced as long as it is for charitable purposes. If you want the pattern, please e-mail request to me, and I will e-mail pattern to you. I have crocheted several of them, and donate them to the American Cancer Society in Evanston, IL. This ACS office has a room where women who can't afford to buy a wig, can come and try on and receive one free. My Comfort Caps will be also be available for cancer patients. Won't you help this cause? They are adjustable, and can be decorated with crocheted flowers and beads or buttons.

Crocheted Finger Puppets

Go to www.mossonline.com to see a unique set of crocheted finger puppets - five puppets - each one a mini sculpture of a "terrorist" according to the adverstisement for them. Different.

Crochet Meeting

The Northern IL chapter of the Crochet Guild of America held their meeting today. So much crochet passion in one room! It is fabulous. Show and Tell produced a wide array of delicious colors - pink, red, yellow, beige, green, grey, gold, silver -- like an endless flower bed bursting into bloom, each bloom more delightful than the next. Shrugs, afghans, granny squares, purses, necklaces, baby blankets, chemo caps, sweaters, even a pink corvette convertible all created from long, flexible, shapeless materials.
What fun to create! Bountiful beauties hooked together, and in the hooking, drawing us into one group with a single focus. Glorious crocheters sharing glorious art.

Yarn Cleaner Upper

For my birthday (which was on April 3rd for those of you who forgot), I got a helper to pick up after me. You know -- all those yarn snips that decorate the carpet with such a luscious delightful array of color. My helper's name is Robbi. He was quite expensive, but since I only had to pay a dowry ( and most of that paid with points earned from Amazon. com) he will save me money in the long run, and save my back and knees in the even longer run. I don't have to pay him a salary, just give him a new filter once in a while and feed him a few watts. When I started writing this Robbi was sweeping my kitchen floor. Then he kept nudging my foot and now he is gently, soothingly rubbing against my foot. "Oooh, Robbie, that feels good."

I had to pick Rosie up off the floor so Robbie wouldn't suck at her fingers and make her sing -- and yes I finally attached her arms so she's beginning to look more like a normal gerilla. If this keeps up, I'll have to get a license for operating a Zoo.

Do you speak crochet?

Each area of learning seems to have its own language. Listen to those computer techies! Bites (as in dog bites??), mother board, DOS (mispelled DOES?), gigabytes (Giggling dog bites?), lan, virus (computer got a cold??), Ram (saw a car ram another once), ROM (romp? rump? Rome?) MHZ, MB (a bank?), bugs (get antibiotics for my keyboard), memory (where have I heard that before?) -- you get the idea.

Crochet has its own language, too. It has both a spoken one (Frogging, UFO's, WIP, chains, hookers, Size H, crab st (a holy crab??), and it has written languages. The one that makes pattern reading easier for me is that of symbols. I love patterns in symbols because they visually explain the pattern. I have a list of symbols which I've drawn to help myself and my students speak crochet symbol language. Email your request for them to crochetaway133@sbcglobal.net.

Rosie Gorilla2

(Continued from Rosie Gorilla) No one around. Taking a deep breath, clutching my cell phone, I crept back into the living room.
"You are not imagining my voice," came the voice again. "It's me, on the floor. For gorilla's sake, will you come here and pick me up? And then finish me? I feel helpless without arms and legs."
"This can't be," I thought. "I'm too old for an imaginary friend, and as of 30 minutes ago I seemed sane." I walked over to the crocheted form on the floor.
I swear it looked up at me and smiled. "How could it smile? Oh well - I did crochet its mouth smiling."

Crochet Rosie