Ewephoric Weekend

Good Morning Everyone,

Looking out my window this morning, I finally see yellow daffodils and forsythia.  We are little late blooming up on my hilltop, but its finally happening.

The arrival of Spring also means it is almost time for Ewephoric Weekend.  This so aptly named weekend was first started over 14 years ago by Pyllis and Bob, owners of The Wool Connection, in Avon Ct.  When Pyllis and Bob decided to retire, there was a hugh sigh of regret heard all over the area. 

Then the good news.  We heard that Marji's Yarncrafts in Granby Ct, was picking up the ball and running with it.  Working with Phyllis and Bob, they started a plan to continue Ewephoric Weekend.  I just heard from Cheryle this morning and registration is going great.

If you haven't signed up and would like to, here's the information:

Date:  May 19th & 20th, 2007

 

Where:  Marji's Yarncrafts 

               381 Salmon Brook Street

               Granby, CT 06035

                860.653.9700

Note:  Marji's is just 15 minutes from where the Wool Connection was located.

 

Some of the Teachers:  Margaret Hubert, Lily Chin, Judy Pascale, Andrea Asars, Barbara Hillery

 

Anyone interested in attending, please e-mail Marji at MarjisYarnMail@sbcglobal.net to be put on Brochure Mailing list or check Marji's website http://www.marjisyarncrafts.com/ .

I will be teaching 2 classes on Sat the 19th.  I wish I could be there for the 2 days, but I have a family graduation on the 20th.

The 2 classes that I will be teaching are:

Spectacular Squares
Sensational Slip Stitches

Hope to see your there for the truly "ewephoric" weekend for knitters and crocheters alike.

Have a great day!

Margaret

Connections

Happy Saturday Everyone,

It feels as if Spring is finally arriving and everything is "greening up", its wonderful to see the sun.

I have said it so many times, but its true, the Internet amazes me every day.  I received an e-mail yesterday, the subject line said - I can't believe I found you-I almost deleted it, thinking it was spam.  I don't know what prompted me to read it, but was so happy that I did.  It was from a young woman, who I worked with over 25 years ago.  She was a college girl, working part time, I was a mother of four teen agers.  We had a connection at work, but as life happens, went our separate ways and lost track of each other.

Re-connecting was such fun and we found out that we do not live too far from one another.  V reminded me that I had taught her to crochet a shawl all those years ago, and told me that she is now an avid knitter and crocheter and also a mother of two teenagers.   She had heard about Freeform crochet and was searching the Internet for information and found me. 

It is very coincidental that this happened on the very day that the International Free Form group launched their new 2007 show, which contains the work of freeform artists from all over the world    http://www.intff.org/ , see the entry just before this to learn more about the 2007 on line show.

People who work in the needlearts seem to form these connections and it has always been a favorite theme of mine.  I see it over and over again at conferences, workshops, or wherever people get together to share a common love.  The Internet, of course, has played a huge part in this sharing of ideas, and I love it.

Several years ago, an Israeli fiber artist, invited several of us in the USA to submit pieces for a fiber exhibit she was putting together for a museum in Haifa.  The theme was figures, in any way that you felt like interpreting it.  This was clearly not my thing, as I usually do fashion, but thought that I would at least try.  I came up with the above "sculpture".  I thought that it was a little child like, but sent it off to M in Israel.  I titled it "CONNECTIONS" .  That child like piece has received some recognition of its own and has been shown in several venues since its trip to Israel. 

V and I plan to meet in the near future and look forward to sharing all of our adventures in the needle arts.

Have a great weekend

Margaret

2007

Good Morning Everyone,

I just received the following e-mail from Myra Wood.  Myra is a member of the International Freeform Crochet list, one of our moderators, and a wonderful crochet and bead artist.  Myra has been coordinating members from all over the world, who have been contributing pieces to the 2007 Freeform Crochet Show.  It is finally ready for viewing and what a masterpiece it is.  Thank you so much Myra, for putting this magnificent show together, and thanks to all who contributed to it. I am honored to have been a part of it all and  I cannot wait to see it in person at Chain Link in July.

When the challenge first came to our list, I was facing a deadline as usual, and thought that I did not have time for this.  I really wanted to be part of it, so I made the time.  The challenge was to interpret the elements, Fire, Earth, Water and Air, the only "rule" was that each piece had to have a gold thread to show unity.   I started with "Fire", which went fairly easily and quickly.  Next I did "Earth", wow I thought,  I can do this.  "Water" came next, and surprise, surprise, my piece turned into a fish, all by itself :-).  I only had "Air" to do, and I was stumped.  How on earth do you portray air with crochet stitches.  Then I thought, air can be shown in the form of storms.  Once my mind went that way, I had less trouble.  The "Air" piece took me the longest time, and I liked it least.   I was running out of time, so I took the pictures and sent them off to Myra. 

Please take a few minutes to view the on-line show, it is spectacular.  If you are coming to Chain Link in NH this July, be sure to stop by and see the booth in person.

Thanks Myra, for a wonderful job.

Have a great day,

Margaret




We are thrilled to announce the opening of our 2007 Freeform Crochet Show now
online at
http://www.intff.org/
Please take a moment to stop by and see this year's exhibitions of incredible freeform
fiberart done by artists from all across the globe interpreting:
Earth, Fire, Air, Water
and Tree of Life/Tree of Peace.
Be sure to click on each scrumble icon to view the artist's page and read more about what
inspired them.
Many of these pieces will also be on exhibit at Chain Link in New Hampshire and the CGOA
Regional in Oakland this summer.
Have fun!!

A Fun Saturday

Hi Everyone,

About a month ago I received an e-mail from Yvonne Tate of Vonne's Crochet & Beading www.VonCroBead.com.  Vonne is a crochet designer and teacher also, and a member of CGOA.  We have met on several occasions over the past 5 years.  Vonne wanted to take a ride up to Pawling from NYC and spend the day at our local yarn shop, THE YARN AND CRAFT BOX, 24 Charles Colman Blvd, 845-855-1632.  We agreed on a date, and yesterday was it.

We had such a fun day.  Vonne's friend Lucille made the trip with her and they had a ball shopping for treasures in the shop.  They both left with lots of bags on their arms. 

The shop owner, Marie Stewart, has fun hosting guild members, and always offers discounts for them.  Marie is usually off on Saturdays, but she came in just for the occasion.

The shop was bustling  with activity, every one busy with their knitting and crocheting, and exchanging stories.  A great way to spend a Sat afternoon.

I have spent most of the day today trying to master using my new Mac.  I managed to get this entry, pictures and all into my blog, so I guess that I learned something today (only after many phone calls to my son).  But I did it!!!

Have a great evening

Margaret

ps  If you haven't seen my You Tube video, scroll down 2 entries and you can see it by just clicking on the arrow.

Funny New Breed of Sheep

 

Hi Everyone,  I could not resist this, click on the link below for a laugh.

http://www.cualquiera.com.ar/notas/arte.html

 

Margaret

Italian Knitted Cast On

Italian Knitted Cast On

Thanks to Dee, crochetingwithdee.com, I was able to get the video to show up on the blog.  Thanks Dee.
Margaret

Italian Cast On

Hi Everyone,

I am so happy tonight.  My grandson is visiting and he filmed me doing the Italian method of casting on that my Mother taught me many years ago.  When people see me casting on they are always amazed, and want to learn how.  I have been asked many times to make a tutorial.  Its not the best, and we could not get the video to appear on my blog, but if you click below, you can watch it.

Happy Easter.

Margaret

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT_KHWDyYmY

This and That

Hi Everyone,.

Its been a few days since I posted because not much new and exciting happening right now.  Many of us are in a holiday preparation mode, and busy doing so many other things.

I cannot believe that I woke up to snow yesterday morning.  Oh no, whatever happened to Spring.  The snow did not last too long, but windy cold weather followed it.  It was 28 degrees this morning, out came the winter coat yet again.

I finished all the deadline stuff that I was working on, now going full steam ahead into my newest book.  It will be knits this time, but after 6 crochet books in a row, I was in need of a change.  I am excited about this book as it is a departure for me. 

There has been an interesting thread on a crochet list, and members have been discussing what they would like if they could design their own magazine.  The answers have been so varied, that it would take considerably more than one magazine to fulfill everyone's fantasies.

It got me thinking though.  About a year or so ago i was trying to come up with some new classes to propose for teaching in several different venues.  I wrote to several different lists, both in knitting and crocheting asking what classes people would like to see offered.  Two of the 3 would not let my posts go through, they stated that I was trying to promote myself and profit from information learned.  The 3rd, Crochet Partners, allowed my message through, and I did get some great responses and have even incorporated them in my schedule.  They were so great in responding.

One of the most favorite things that I do is teaching.  Giving workshops, whether at a huge conference, small guild meetings or yarn shops, is so much fun.  I always come away on a high.  I must admit, I was a little surprised that one list actually reprimanded me for my question and dubbed it inappropriate. 

Now that I have my own blog, I guess I can ask the question again and any one can feel free to chime in.  If any of you have an idea of a class that you would like to see offered at conferences or in yarn shops, please let me know and I will see if it is possible for me to add it to my list.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Margaret

Diamond Days and other stuff

Hi Everyone,

When we were kids, my father sent us out the door every morning, urging us to be sure to learn something new and do a good deed.  Several months ago, I had the opportunity to do two good deeds and learn something new, very early in the morning.  The good deeds were done by helping an elderly couple in the super market, and learning something new happened at the same time. 

They thanked me over and over again, and I said that they had really helped me, by allowing me to help them.  Then I told them about my father.  The old gentlemen looked at me and he said "Some days are like diamonds, aren't they"

Yesterday was one of those diamond days.  It started out with me getting a lovely e-mail from a woman in Ct, who was so happy to have found me on the Internet.  She had been using my book ONE PIECE KNITS, for many years and loved it.  She had no idea that I was still designing and writing books, and found me by accident.  She was so happy, and is planning on attending a workshop. 

Later on, I received another nice compliment from a fellow crocheter and yet another lovely e-mail from a fellow designer/author. 

I worked all day, finishing two projects that I have to get in the mail tomorrow.

By late evening I was really tired, and I got a phone call from my daughter.  She said that my granddaughter wanted to talk to me.  This little chatterbox got on the phone, telling me all about her exciting day.  Non stop, she told me all that she did from morning till night.  I was exhausted listening to her :-).
I said "goodnight, love you", she replied, "I love you bigger than the whole world, the sky and the sea"

As, I said, some days are diamond!

Today, I packed up the finished sweaters to send off tomorrow, then I wanted to make a little felted bag for said granddaughter.  I had already done the flowers, but not the base of the bag.  Before I could play with the felting, I had to test a pattern.  I really hated to give up the time to do this, but it was a must.  I got a brilliant idea (at least to me it was).  I tested the pattern using the yarn for the felted bag.  When I finished the swatch, it was a little small, so I added crochet all around, and I added a shoulder strap.  I had no idea what would happen in the felting process, mixing crochet with such a textured knit stitch, but it worked like a charm.  I tested my instructions, and did the base for the bag at the same time.

Tonight I am truly ready for a rest.

Margaret

There are never enough hours in the day!