Today, April 22, 2009, is Earth Day. In honor of the day, I used my Scrap Yarn tote (see my previous entry) to carry my yarns and hooks and books and magazines. And I liked using it so much, that I vowed I would use it, and all the other bags that I've crocheted and knit, more and more. I will use them to tote yarn (of course), books, and groceries, and whatever else I can think of. Where ever I go! Tonight, I even used it to hold some yarn that I was working with. The yarn wanted to roll around on the floor, and I put it into the tote, set the tote on a chair. It stayed put, the yarn stayed put, and I discovered a new use for my totes. I also decided that this tote was a "go-to" tote - I'll make it again and again and again, trying different yarns in my stash and in my future stash. It's a great stash buster because you can use just about any cotton yarn. (But it's also a great stash enhancer - because you can use one strand of some new yarn that you just MUST try out, and the rest of the yarn can be from your stash.) I used two strands of Fantasy Naturale, just scraps that I had in my stash. But I want to make one with other cottons, and one with other colors of Fantasy Naturale (yes - that I have in my stash!). You can even make one with one strand of cotton, and one strand of another fiber. The cotton will give it strength, and won't let it stretch. As I was thinking about all the possibilities, and what yarn I'm going to use, I thought that this project would be a great Crochet Along (CAL). So - if you're interested in making one along with me, it's easy to get started. Download the pattern from the website (in the previous post), find some yarn that you want to use - either in your stash or from a store, and we can start working. And, if you work along with me, and have some difficulty with the pattern (I don't think you will - but, you know, it might happen) then, you can ask me about it, and I'll be there right with you! What could be better than that?
Let me know if you want to be in on the CAL. I thought we could get started on May 1, 2009. With just a few hours of crocheting, we can have a new tote in time for beach season! So that gives you 9 days to download the booklet (and there are 6 other great totes and bags in the booklet, all designed by independent designers) and 9 days to gather your yarns. Believe me when I tell you that once you make one of these, you'll want to make more!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW DESIGNER PUBLISHING GROUP ANNOUNCES
INNOVATIVE FIRST RELEASE:
CROCHET BELTS FROM THE HIP
Raw, Uncensored Designs Straight From Today’s Designer

STRAIGHT FROM TODAY’S DESIGNERS (SFTD), a designer-based self-publishing group, announces a new venture that heralds the future of crochet patterns: designers going direct to their public. With its first release entitled “Crochet Belts from the Hip: Raw, Uncensored Designs Straight From Today’s Designers,SFTD offers no less than eighteen original belts from top designers, a veritable treasure trove of wearable art and innovative stitching. The thirty-four-page booklet is available for instant download from www.SFTDonline.com for Fifteen Dollars.

The list of participants include some of the best-loved names in contemporary crochet, as well as talented up-and-coming designers. In alphabetical order, along with their projects, they are:

Angela Best Beaded Lacy Sash
Gwen Blakely Kinsler Yummy Licorice Belt
Vashti Braha Barbed Wire Belt
Robyn Chachula Bubble Sash
Doris Chan Hip Hemp Belt
Noreen Crone-Findlay Autumn Leaves Belt
Pam Gillette Waist Cincher Belt
Lisa Gentry Beaded Hip Cable Belt
Kim Guzman a-Maizing Ribbed Belt
Mary Jane Hall Feminine Lace Belt
Tammy Hildebrand Easy Beaded Belt
Margaret Hubert Freeform Belt
Christy McMahon Lilac Waves Belt
Marty Miller Spiderweb Sash
Dianne Moyer Circle on Circle Belt
Dora Ohrenstein Popcorn Medallion Belt
Carrie A. Sullivan Pretty Tunisian Knit Stitch Belt
Mary Beth Temple The Felt Belt


Belts were the project of choice for this launch, as they are a must-have accessory, quick projects with no complex shaping, and ideal for experimenting with new yarns and techniques. The beautiful designs in Crochet Belts from the Hip use a variety of techniques, including freeform crochet, felting, lace, beading, cables, Tunisian crochet, surface embellishment, motifs, and much more. Yarn choices range from perennial favorites to the adventurous, such as hemp, jelly yarn, ribbon and wire.

Each designer writes “straight from the hip,” creating instructions in her own voice, free of editorial agendas, imposed formats or word count restrictions. The personality of each designer shines through in these pages, providing a unique opportunity for crocheters to get to know their favorite designers better.

SFTD is a new model representing the wave of the future in crochet publishing: designers making their own assessment of what crocheters will enjoy making and wearing, eliminating middlemen, and cutting costs by distributing patterns via the web. This new business model also allows designers to realize sales income directly, a promising alternative to the depressed design fees paid within the industry. The savvy designers behind SFTD have combined their considerable expertise in technology, graphic design, marketing, and packaging to bring the project to fruition. Layout and graphic design of the booklet is by crochet designer Amie Hirtes.

Purchasers can buy Crochet Belts from Hip by credit card at www.SFTDonline.com for the price of $15. Ravelry members can purchase it at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/crocheted-belts-from-the-hip/patterns.