SAVE LIVES WITH

PINKY NO DRINKY

Pinky No Drinky Pattern designed by Dorothy P. Schmidt

Pinky No Drinky

Pinky No Drinky is the only pink elephant the designated driver will see when driving the crew home after partying. Whomever has Pinky isn't served alcohol.

MATERIALS: 3 ozs pink sport weight yarn. Size E crochet hook. 1 pair 9mm doll's eyes, small amount of fiberfill stuffing or scraps of yarn. 1 stitch marker. Small amount of red embroidery thread. 1 yarn needle. (Warning: This is NOT a TOY and should not be given to small children who put things in their mouths).

GAUGE: Not important. For a larger Pinky use worsted wt yarn. Use one size hk smaller than normally used for type of yarn. This is to create a tightly woven fabric which keeps the stuffing inside the doll.

DIRECTIONS: Join each rnd with a sl st. Mark end of rnd with st marker. Use pencil eraser to push stuffing into fabric. Twist eraser as you stuff and push.

HEAD & BODY: Start with the head. Leave an 18 inch tail. Ch2.

Rnd 1: 6sc in 2nd ch from hk. Place marker in sl st. Move marker at end of each rnd.

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

Rnd 3: (sc in each of next 3sc, 2sc in sc) around. (15sc)

Rnds 4 - 6: sc even (15sc). Insert eyes in fabric on rnd 4. Make sure tail is on outside of head.

Rnd 7: (sc in next 3 sc, dec 1) around. (12sc)

Rnd 8: (sc in next 2sc, dec1) around (9sc). DO NOT FASTEN OFF. Stuff head.

Rnd 9: sc even (9sc).

Rnd 10: inc around (18sc).

Rnds 11 & 12: sc even. Mark rnd 11 with small piece of scrap yarn.

Rnd 13: (sc in each of next 2sc, 2sc in next sc) around. (24 sc).

Rnds 14 & 15: sc even (24sc).

Rnd 16: sc in next sc, dec 1) around. (16sc). Mark rnd with scrap yarn.

Rnd 17: sc even. Stuff body.

Rnd 18: dec 1sc around (8sc)

Rnd 19: rep rnd 18 (4sc).

Leave a 10-inch tail. Fasten off. Add more stuffing if needed. With yarn needle weave tail through sc of rnd 19. Pull closed. Secure with 2 bk sts. Cut yarn.

ARMS: Make 2.

Rnd 1: ch2, 5sc in 2nd ch from hook (5sc).

Rnd 2: 2sc in each of next 5sc. (10sc).

Rnds3-5: sc even. Stuff.

Rnd 6: dec 1 sc around. (5sc). Leave a 12 inch tail for sewing arm to body. Fasten off. Add more stuffing if needed. With yarn needle weave tail thru rnd 6. Secure with 2 bk sts. Don't cut yarn. Use tail to sew arm to rnd 11,

LEGS: Make 2.

Rnd 1: ch2. 6sc in 2nd ch from hk. (6sc).

Rnd 2: 2sc in each of next 6sc. (12sc).

Rnds 3-7: sc in each sc around. (12sc). Stuff

Rnd 8: dec 1 sc around. (6sc). Leave a 12 in tail. Fasten off. With yarn needle weave tail thru rnd 8. Pull closed. Secure with 2 bk sts. Use tail to sew legs in place, starting with rnd 16 of body.

TAIL: Ch6 and attach ch to lower part of body at the back. Fasten off.

NOSE: Start from narrow end of nose.

Rnd 1: ch2. 5sc in center of circle formed by joining ch2.

Rnds 2-6: sc in each sc around. Note: if you have problem finding sts, push a pipe cleaner thru center of circle.

Rnd 7: sc, 2sc, sc, 2sc, sc.

Rnd 8: sc in each sc around. Leave a 12 in tail. Fasten off. Sew to face just below and between eyes.

EARS: Make 2.

Row 1: ch9, sc in 2nd ch from hk and in next 7 chs, ch1, turn (8sc).

Row 2: sc2tog, sc in each sc across to last 2sc, sc2tog, ch1, turn (6sc).

Row 3: sc in each sc across, ch1 turn.

Rows 4 & 5: rep rows 2 & 3, at end of row 5, do not turn.

Row 6: sc around edges in row ends, and in row 5, join with sl st in 1st st of row 1. Leave a 12 in tail. Fasten off. (18sc). Sew to side of head.

HANGER: Use beg tail on top of head. Sew free end of tail to top of head to form a lp for hanging.

FINISHING TOUCHES: For mouth use red thread and bk st a mouth under nose. Optional accessories: a string of beads around the neck, a pair of doll glasses on nose, a jump ring or earrings in ears, a ribbon around neck or on end of tail.. http://www.crochetkookie.blogspot.com/

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/"> This pattern is copyrighted under the Creative Commons License. Please link to this url to see how and that you may copy and use it.

Media Technology

I am taking a course at NEIU called Media Technology. It is for teachers. I am not currently teaching, so I have been applying the information to other areas. One area, of course, is crocheting. In this course I create music using the MAC, garage band, I tunes, create slide shows, a video, and learn a lot. One assignment is to create a flyer. I created a flyer about Pinky No Drinky, the little pink elephant I designed and crocheted. I never got it off the ground as a project even tho I still think it is a worth while project. The person in the group who holds Pinky is the obvious designated driver - and Pinky No Drinky is the only pink elephant that person will see.

I will write out the pattern later.

Christmas Presents

Michael's is selling GLOW IN THE DARK yarn. Of course, I had to have it. It is expensive but I bought it with a 20% discount coupon. I am starting to crochet Christmas Presents. I finished a scarf which I crocheted with HOMESPUN, and another with Caron's Simply Soft. Both show evidence of my different emotions. One evening I was really angry, I couldn't sleep. I crocheted and crocheted and crocheted fiercely. I look at the scarf now and I can see the stitches from that night! Great outlet and a lot easier than scrubbing floors. I wouldn't get an A on gauge.

I am taking a course called MEDIA TECHNOLOGY, and am reading the Non-Designer's Design book by Robin Williams for the course. It is good and I have already applied some of the knowledge to both my crocheting and my work. However, Robin, the author, really has a couple of things wrong, and I am sorry she is talking as if she is the expert in the field because if she were she would know better. She inisists that only one space be placed after the period of a sentence instead of the two we use now. She says this applys to typing on a PC. How wrong she is!! A PC is a lot easier to use, but the end result is a printed page for both ways. And two spaces is more pleasing to the eye and more organized to the eye. She also has a couple of flyers which she considers better than some others, but I sure don't. Anyway, I found out that I am actually using colors in appropriate combinations. She should stick to colors and design not punctuation rules for text.

Yarn, darn I need more yarn

Yarn, yarn everywhere, but darn oh darn

I need some more!

I need 3 skeins of delf Homespun to finish the extra long scarf I am making to give to my giant-sized nephew. Lordy, I grabbed 3 skeins from my stash in the basement--when I got upstairs into the light - one was WATERFALL and two were delf.

Please Lord, let Michael's still have at least one skein of DELF (what a stupid name for a pretty blue).

Thanks Lord, they did. Of course, I brought home the needed skein, plus several other skeins of different colors because you just never know I want to make more scarves like this -- Of course, again, I have a whole big-ful of Homespun yarn and since I don't really like crocheting with it, just like the end product - it will (not) get used us quickly.

Entries from Crochet Challenge, Aug 2008

Which one of the following crocheted entries motivates you to conserve water?

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).

Water

Water, water, everywhere and not a drop to drink. I am doing my part to not make that come true. The Chapter Challenge is only a couple of weeks away. I am ready with my entry.

I needed a belt to hold up my shorts, so I crocheted one using omega nylon because it doesn't stretch like yarn -- well guess what -- it stretches and my shorts were sagging and dragging, and woulda fell off if I didn't have hips like battle ships.

Socks

The problem with crocheting socks is that I have to make them both the same size, or at least, almost the same size. I am crocheting a pair of bright yellow socks for myself. I had to put them aside for a bit, and then when I came back to them, I forgot the exact stitch pattern I had been using, so I guessed. However, I was guessing in a movie theatre before the show (Nim's Island) began and the theatre got really dark. I was using a lighted crochet hook, but that didn't lite up my brain any. Sooo, now I see that I crocheted the first several rows using the double crochet front post stitch, and the last few rows using a single crochet front post stitch. Now I'm on the second sock at about that point -- should I try to make my mistake again, or correct it. neither sock is finished. When I got to the point of wanting to try on the mistaken sock, I was eating my lunch at work -- and the prospect of taking off my shoes and socks, and eating my lunch, and trying on a half sock, well--I didn't. I think I won't make the mistake in the second sock. If anyone notices I'll just point out that I don't like perfectly matched pairs of socks.

Runny Nose Scarf

A friend of mine, Addie, broke her wrist. A year or two ago I gave Addie one of my Runny Nose Scarves. It is a crocheted scarf with a pocket at one end. I designed it for myself because when I go out in the cold my nose starts running and I have to run after a tissue to catch my nose! Usually the tissue is buried in my purse - and its just too cold to take off my mitten and do a search and rescue in my overloaded purse. What's the saying? Pracitcality is the mother of invention??? Anyway, I designed a scarf with a pocket at one end. I made the pocket a contrasting color so I didn't have to figure out which end of scarf had the pocket. In the pocket I put a few tissues, ready to grap when I had to catch my runny nose. It turned out to be the perfect solution. Quick and easy tissue. No more hunting, and no more (when no one was looking) wiping my nose on my sleeve. Yuk! But what's a lady to do...
Anyway, after Addie broke her wrist, she couldn't fit a glove very that hand -- but having an inventive, creative crocheter's mind -- she used the pocket to keep her ungloved hand warm!!!

Women's History Month Art Exhibit

Northeastern IL University has an exhibit of art submitted by female students and employees. The top picture shows my Cardiologists Dream crocheted wall-hanging -- the one with the hearts, as well as the long narrow painting done by my office=mate, Diane. The second foto shows one wall of the exhibit. It is in the Ronald Williams Library at NEIU, and is just for the month of October. In addition to the above, one of my most enthusiastic determined students, Florina, has exhibited three of the first items she crocheted while working with me. The cutest is a pair of mittens crocheted for her daughter. Unfortunately they are in a glass case just below a bright florescent light, and simply did not photograph well because of the light. So I guess you'll just have to come to the library to see them. NEIU is located near Foster and Kimball in Chicago, with the Library right in the middle of the complex. If you do come, stop and say hello to me in the Classroom building, third floor. A better foto of the wall hanging is in a previous date in this blog. As Always I am your Crochet Connection!

Art Exhibit

Northeastern IL University is celebrating Women's History month with an exhibit of art work done by women students and employees of NEIU. Exhibit starts tomorrow. I've entered my crocheted wall hanging CARDIOLOGISTS DREAM. Come and see the exhibit. NEIU is located on Chicago's northside near the intersectons of Bryn Mawr and Kimball. The exhibit is in the Ronald Williams Library.

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.