Crochet Flamie Awards

A short note to my readers:
Well, they're doing it again! The Crochet Liberation Front is holding their 3rd annual Flamie Awards - to honor and recognize crocheters for their art. There are many awards that will be given in April on the Getting Loopy podcast. The voting is open now, through March 30. And, anyone can vote. You don't have to belong to the group. So check out the website:

http://www.crochetliberationfront.com/2011-flamie-award-nominees/vote/

Once you're there, you can see who's nominated, and look at their blogs or websites and designs. You can read about the candidates, and then you can vote. And when you do go to the site, you'll see that I'm nominated for 2 awards: best technical (tech) editor, and Lifetime Achievement Award! I would love it if you voted for me!!!! 

Thanks,

Marty Miller

Tunisian Crochet Wrap

One of my favorite techniques in crochet is Tunisian crochet. It used to be popular in the 60s and 70s, and probably even earlier than that. It's coming back now with a vengeance! And the great thing about it is that there are so many techniques and patterns and stitches to discover with Tunisian. One of my first efforts at bringing Tunisian crochet back to the masses is now a free pattern at Caron Connections. Check it out, and see for yourself how easy Tunisian crochet is - even if you are a beginning crocheter, or mostly a knitter. I like to say that Tunisian crochet is a marriage between Crocheting and Knitting. You use one hook, but you load stitches onto that hook like in Knitting, and then work them off.
I'll be teaching two different Tunisian classes at TNNA (The National Needlework Association) trade show in Columbus in June. Come see me and learn so much more about Tunisian crochet.
Here's the link to my pattern at Caron Connections.

Crochet Today! The Ultimate Blankets Handbook

I have been crocheting for umpteen years - and designing for just about that long, too. And I still am thrilled when I see a pattern of mine in a publication.  I tend to remember how easy, or difficult, it was to come up with the design and then to crochet it and write the pattern. I remember how many ends I had to weave in, and any finishing steps I had to take (sewing on a handle to a purse, putting a lining in a crocheted sleeping bag, and then sewing in the zipper, etc.) It's as if I were taking a walk down memory lane when I see my patterns published. Last week I saw the new issue of Crochet Today! The Ultimate Blankets Handbook at the book store, and had to look inside to see if they republished any of my patterns. And I saw that they did! Four patterns - afghans - that I really like. Here are pictures of them:

Big Love Blanket

Green Dream Throw

Homework Blanket

And Single-Skein Blankie

When I first started designing for publications, I never thought that I would enjoy designing afghans as much as I do! I like to see what I can do with different stitch patterns. Or figure out how many ends I have to weave in. When I design an afghan I find that I often push myself to do something or design something that I've never done before. I like to work with motifs, figuring out different ways to join them, and I like to work with solid pieces. I like few ends to weave in, but I like the bragging rights when I have hundreds of ends to weave in. I like to make the motifs when I'm riding the recumbent bike, or riding in the car. I like designing afghans in the winter - they keep me warm while I'm crocheting them. I like designing afghans in the summer - I think of how cuddly they'll be in the winter. I guess I just like designing afghans.

How to Crochet Anywhere - Part One: the Recumbent Bike

I am a crochet designer, teacher, tech editor, editor, independent publisher of my own patterns, past president of the Crochet Guild of America, and author of 3 crochet books (one is out of print, 2 will be published soon). Sometimes I wish there were 48 hours in one day, just so I can get everything done that needs to be done. But, there isn't, so I have to multi-task a lot of the time. One way I have learned to multi-task is to crochet anywhere and everywhere I can. And "anywhere" includes on an exercise bike at the club I go to. It's a recumbent bike - it has a back rest, and the pedals are in front of, not under, the seat. On a recumbent bike, there are usually hand grips or handles at the sides of the seat, and also handles in front, by the controls. I exercise most every day, riding the bike or taking or teaching a Body Pump class. When I ride, I listen to a pod cast on my iPod, or listen to NPR, or even watch a tv program on one of the tvs in front of the bikes. And I crochet. I thought you might like to see what I take with me to make crocheting on the bike easy to do. The most important thing to have is a tote or a bag to hang on the side handles. This bag will hold your yarn, your hooks, scissors, and directions if you need any. Also, you can add your water bottle (just to carry from the locker room to the bike) and your iPod and ear buds. And maybe some reading glasses, if you need any. I have tried many bags - some I crocheted myself, and some I purchased - but the best one that I've tried so far is my Nantucket Bag. It's a short version that I got at the Chain Link conference in 2010. I also have the full size one, and I know that would work, too. I LOVE my Nantucket Bags! Check out the bags here: The Nantucket Bag
A funny story about Nantucket Bags - my husband and I were at a Boat Show in Philly, a few years ago. We saw the Nantucket Bag booth - the company had just started up, and I think this was their first retail show. We stopped at the booth, and my husband said - what a great bag for boating - well, I'm sure he really said sailing. I looked at the bags, and said - what a great bag for crocheting! And so we both bought one. And I have been a devoted fan ever since!
Here's a picture of the one I'm currently using for my bike crocheting.

Now, the other thing to think about is what kind of projects are you going to work on when you're on the bike. I'm talking from personal experience now. They have to be small - a large afghan, or even the beginning of a large afghan - is going to be too cumbersome to work on. And it might get caught in the pedals. Projects that are made with lots of little pieces may be too "busy", too detailed, to work on. Projects with lots of color changes might be too "busy", too detailed, also. All those different colored skeins can get tangled in the tote, and if you have to use a scissors to end off too often, you might be cutting more than you're crocheting. I also have found out that if I have to concentrate on a pattern, it's better if I don't work on it on the bike, while listening to a pod cast, and talking to the curious person on the next bike who's never seen anyone crochet on a bike! Mindless patterns are best!

So what can you crochet while sitting on the bike? Lots of stuff. I swatch a lot when I'm on the bike. I play with yarns. I make small bowls, dishcloths, and hats. I try out different stitch patterns. I make up my own stitches and stitch patterns. I have fun - and I try not to sweat too much on what I'm making. (That's one reason that I don't work on any project that has to be sent somewhere for publication.) Here's a picture of some of the projects/swatches I crocheted just this past week.

Have you tried crocheting while you're riding a recumbent bike? I'd love to hear from you if you have. And if you have any other hints, please share them.

I will write another post about crocheting in the car during an evening ride, and crocheting in a movie theater. If you have any questions about crocheting in any other "strange" places, please let me know. I'll try to give you some hints about how to do it.

Crochet Geometric Washcloths

A few years ago I designed some geometric washcloths for a book - and I had such a lot of fun making them! My purpose was to show crocheters how to crochet 3 shapes, a square, a triangle, and a circle, all starting from the middle and working outward. I used cotton yarn, in different colors and different patterns, making 2 variations for each washcloth. I just found out that these patterns are available for free, on-line, here.
You can use these wash or dish cloths for more than washing dishes, though. I have one underneath a basket on my dining room table, because I don't want the table to get scratched. I also keep one on my counter to put various things on, and use one on my table to put under the salad bowl. They're good for coasters, and you can use them whenever you want to protect the finish of a table or countertop. They put a little pizazz into the kitchen. And dining room. You can make them with any colors to match your kitchen, and for holidays. (I have a red, white and blue circle.) They're quick and easy to make, and make great presents, too.
Hope you try them! And if you do, I'd love to see some pictures.

The Crochet Dude(r) - Sunday, September 19, 2010

If you want to find out about The Crochet Dude (r) and his new book, I'll be blogging and posting about him and it on Sunday, September 19, 2010, on my other blog: the crochet doctor (tm). Well, I may post late Saturday night, Eastern Daylight Time, so check the blog then. Until then, read the other blogs that have posted on the blog tour. Find out about them on the Dude's blog. And get to know all sides of the Dude!

Caron Dazzleaire

This past weekend I had a pleasant "yarn" surprise. I had been happy to hear a few weeks ago that Caron Yarn had brought back their Dazzleaire yarn. I remember using it back when, (years ago) and really liking it's softness. In fact, one of the first sweaters I crocheted for myself that I actually wore, I crocheted in Dazzleaire. The denim blue color. I wore it so much, I actually wore a hole in the side of it. So when I found out that they brought the yarn back, and in a bulky weight, I had to get me some to swatch with. I was happy to see that the crochet hook they recommended on the ball band was not the same mm size as the knitting needles they recommended. Which meant to me that the company knows something about the crochet stitch – that it's thicker than a knit stitch, and the crochet hook that is used to get the recommended gauge on the ball band should be about 2 sizes larger than the knitting needle size that's recommended. And it was. One point for Caron.

So, on Saturday, I took the skein I had of "Linen", which is an off-white color, and started crocheting with it. With the recommended hook size – an L/11 (8mm) hook. I forgot that I was wearing black. (I was at the gym, on the recumbent bike, where I like to work and swatch while I get my aerobic exercise.) I thought that I would be covered in off-white fuzz when I was through, like what often happens with other soft yarns like this. But – much to my surprise, there was no fuzz. I didn't have to brush anything, no stray threads or fuzz, off of my lap. Yay! Score another point for Caron.

While I was crocheting, I had to do some frogging (ripping out a "design decision"). When I do this with other fuzzy yarns, I have to be very careful, because the "fuzz" tends to wrap together, and it's difficult to undo. With Dazzleaire, however, I found it fairly easy to undo, as long as I didn't try to speed things up and just rip away. I took it slow and steady, and my "design decision" came out easily. Score another point for Caron.

Since Saturday, I've used some other colors of Dazzleaire in swatches, and so far, none of them have left any fuzzy bits. That means it's a super yarn for sweaters and scarves - it won't shed on your clothes.

I am really excited about this yarn. It works up very quickly – so what a great yarn it is for last minute baby or full-size afghans. And hats, scarves, sweaters. You name it!   :-D

Check out this swatch I did - look at the stitch definition, which is good, even though the yarn is fuzzy. 

And here's a close-up of the same swatch.