Another Hookilicious Piece!

Green crochet blanket in progress
Originally uploaded by Spirelle

This goes to show how a very simple double crochet blanket can just be beautiful! Spirelle (user name on Flickr and Ravelry) put three yarns together to make this stunning blanket!

It doesn't have to be complex to be gorgeous!

Beautiful Spirelle!

So worthy!

butterflybm
Originally uploaded by tiff crochets

This gorgeous Butterfly book mark was made by Tiffcrochets!

So pretty, and dainty, and usable!

Check out her other wonderful crocheted items on Ravelry.com

Tiff you do beautiful work!

This is definately worthy of the Set My Picot Free award!
Hooks Raised! CLF SALUTE!

Nifty concept! Great Carpet Bag!

fulshotof carpetbag
Originally uploaded by dudleyspinner

The Set My Picot Free Award Today goes to....

Dudleyspinner (a ravelry user) who makes really neat crochet items as a TRUE crocheter will! With anything.

This bag is made with unspun roving. She has a tutorial on her blog
http://dudleyspinner.blogspot.com/ .

Check it out!

Dudleyspinner we salute you!

SPECIAL AWARD WINNERS

J&C at maya and steve's wedding
Originally uploaded by frecklegirl

Ok, Jess and Casey get the Set My Picot Free Award for founding, operating, and devoting way too many hours of their lives to Ravelry.com.

Here is the happy couple, who are tooooo cute for words. And even though Jess plays with pointy sticks we still love her. Casey, or so the rumor mill has it, has a fondness for hookers so we give him a thumbs up.

Thanks guys, you've given us a really cool place to play...and um...ORGANIZE!!! We wouldn't have the CLF if we didn't have Ravelry!

YOU HAVE EARNED!

THE SET MY PICOT FREE!!!!
Award
(Bob too, cause we know he crochets when you aren't looking.)

Another Hookilicious Award winner!

Shawl 1
Originally uploaded by ruth4crochet

This beautiful lace shawl was crocheted by Ruth4Crochet another CLF member!

We are so blessed by so many talented folks...I'll be blogging photos till the cows come home at this rate :) WOW!

Absolutely stunning!

OUTSTANDING...

shrug5
Originally uploaded by cata.santiago

I'm awarding this the Hookilicious award...it's a lovely piece...

This is an original design by CLF member Mimicat

Check out her work on Ravelry.com or her blog
http://www.mycrochetstuff.blogspot.com

Beautiful work Mimi! I love the crispness of the piece!

Living with dial up is hard

Some days there may be odd things on this blog...just know I live on Dial UP.

So even if it's an oversight on my part...we'll just blame it on dial up.

Someday Verizon will bring DSL ONE MORE MILE DOWN THE ROAD to my house...and I'll have to find something else to blame for strange, odd, or bizarre happenings on the blog. At the moment, however, we'll just say...dial up did it.

More Award Winning Crochet

crochet sweater
Originally uploaded by audrey_b_morris

Another great piece of crochet work by Craftymom! She sites the pattern as Earthy Delight by Tammy Hildebrand.

Goregous and lovely work :)

You have earned the SET MY PICOT FREE AWARD! Craftymom!!

More Phenominal Crochet!

Majestic Pineapples22007-1
Originally uploaded by wendy_shepard2001

Wow! This is indeed Majestic and is CLF's own Blondi's creation!
Amazing. Truly a lovely specimen of crocheted lovliness.

BTW I live on dial up and that's why I haven't posted more wonderful things!

Blondi! You have eared the SET MY PICOT FREE badge of honor!

TWO Crochet Friendly LYS in Washington State

TWO great yarn stores I was able to spend money, get what I wanted, needed and can use...Sunday it was Diva Yarn and Trim in Port Townsend, WA. They could shout out about Crochet a little more. BUT, they have great resources, good tools, and good products! They were also quite friendly, and had no problem helping me with questions and service!

And Today it was A Dropped Stitch in Sequim, WA! OOOOOH I can't wait till their website is up! I will definately be ordering from them in the future since they carry the VERY things I've been looking for, for a while ;) They were the more crochet friendly of the two stores, having the crochet items merchandised more equally to the other fiber art supplies.


WOW Both great stores!

Which stores do you find most CROCHET FRIENDLY leave a link in the comments section for others to find!

Neopolitan Ice Cream Hat Flap Detail

Neopolitan Ice Cream Hat Flap Detail
Originally uploaded by kibathediva

This got a "That hat is awesome" comment from my hip teenage daughter (who is now ready to kill me for calling her "hip")...

Definately deserving of the Set My Picot Free Award!

Kibathediva! You rock.

healthy lunch

healthy lunch 600x450
Originally uploaded by CopperScaleDragon

The first of many Wonderful CROCHETED pieces to be featured here!

This just caught my attention! Who doesn't need a healthy lunch?
Made by our very own CopperScaleDragon (also known as Jane, but Jane isn't as fun to say as CSD)

This shows the sculpting possibilities that crochet has to offer.
If you get a chance to check out Jane's work on ravelry.com or flickr be sure to let her know how cool she is!

Ma'am you have been awarded the Set My Picot Free Award...

Badge of Honor

setmypicotfree
Originally uploaded by CMHS yarn & designs (laurie wheeler)

This is the OFFICAL badge of honor. I will be blogging photos that meet into this catagory. (My criteria of course, which is COMPLETELY at my whim.(...

Keep tuned in...it could be your lovely item that makes it here!

CLF Begins Diabolical Plans

The CLF is growing beyond anything I had ever hoped to see on Ravelry, and here on the web!

Members are dissatisfied with the current state of affairs in the kind of patterns made available to we, the crochet community.

We're not mad. We're tired. Yes, we are fatigued from the act of thumbing through books that claim to serve us, only to find that we have been thrown a few scatterings of crumbs.

You see they say we don't spend money. Well, do you spend money on things you don't want, need or use? Neither do I! Never fear though, the CLF has plans, big plans, some would even claim these plans are diabolical.

You see starting in the New Year we are planning a collaberative Crochet Liberation Front Pattern book. That's right, with contributions accepted from CLF members. Good old Lauracroft (that's her Ravelry ID) made the suggestion, and I have to admit it is sheer brilliance.

What I've said all along, we have to stop complaining and DO SOMETHING! Tell people what we want, demand it, and yes, design it!

There are some great publications out there, and designs ARE improving, but we still have a long way to go. Let's prove it to the publishers, and designers, and the yarn industry that we are WORTH so much more!

There are more of us people! Let us LINK our selves together, united in cause and we can make a difference!

If you haven't joined us on Ravelry yet, please do so! If nothing else you'll get a good laugh as your read through our posts. Our goals are simple! We want to have a good time, and we love Crochet, and we deserve to have what we want, NEED and USE!

Poll Results

Well folks...

Garments won the poll! As a result I have put a poll about what kind of garment patterns you would like to see published!

Tell your friends, I plan of putting this numbers up loud and clear.

The next runners up were lace patterns, and accessories. Oddly enough afghans and home decor were in last place. Sounds like you all like a challenge!

CLF Wishes ALL the MINIONS a very Happy Thanksgiving!

A very happy Thanksgiving to all of the CLF minions where ever they be in this big wide world!

This the last day to vote on what kind of patterns you prefer! So far garments are coming up as the leader. The next poll will give you choices to show which KIND OF GARMENTS you want to see more of! That one should be a fun one!

Thank you to all who have voted. Tell your friends to vote too, and get ready for the next poll! I look forward to seeing all the results!

Once again a very very happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Laurie Wheeler
Grand High Pooobah CLF

CLF Store will donate to Ravelry

Hi gang! For every $1 made on the CLF store I will donate .10 to ravelry!

They got us started by being there...and giving me something to do in the middle of the middle of the night!

So 1/10th of all earnings from the CLF Store will be donated to Ravelry!

Get the bumper sticker, a button, a sweatshirt, or totebag! Remember for each $ made I will donate 10%!

Thanks in advance for supporting our industry :) CROCHET...BTW did you know the Code Monkey Casey (ala ravelry) is a secret admirer of CROCHET? That's right!!! Let's show em our love too!

Official CLF Blog has moved to THIS HOME!

Well, folks, I moved houses...Partially because not for love nor money could I get that RSS subscribe to work on the other blog...SIGH...and I like this one a little better because we can run polls etc.

Please feel at home here and feel free to pass the link along to friends, and hook supporters a like. I believe in grassroots movements, I believe in the power of the chain, I believe in the power of the lovers knot. I say SET MY PICOT FREE!

Come on gents and ladies! You with me? This isn't just about a craft, this is about our dignity, our self esteem, our economic choices and freedom to create as and how we like...This is about CROCHET LIBERATION!

Rock on with me!

(Btw we are a group that started on Ravelry, if you aren't on Ravelry yet www.Ravelry.com sign up it's free! There is a waiting list but they'll get you in! Then join our HQ!...I made us real in the real world too! Support the effort! Get a bumper sticker...you know you want one!)

Crochet Liberation Front Manifesto

CLF manifesto

We are the Crochet Liberation Front!
We are both male and female, all races, creeds, and nationalities.

We hook and we are proud.

With our hooks we make lace, household items, dresses and sweaters, socks and slippers, tablecloths and bedspreds, we make jewelry and sculptured art.

We are limited only by our creativity and imagination.

That which we make is beautiful!

We refuse to be pigeon-holed into any single category.

We refuse to accept the myth that we are less than other arts and crafts.

We will not apologize for our love of all that is hookable.

We refuse to continue in the need to have other crafts to make us valid.

We are valid in and of our own nature.

We refuse to accept the stereotypes that keep us down trodden and unsupported.

We are the Crochet Liberation Front and WE hold our hooks high!

If you are a person who uses the great hook to create wonderful art, cozy clothes, practical household items, fun and entertaining toys and dolls, if you just like the feel of the hook in your hand, if you have a mother, daughter, aunt, grandmother, father, grandfather, uncle or son who crochets...join us!

How? Just give us your

Name (you can make one up)

Rank (Please make one up, it's fun!)

and Yardage (some people take this to mean how much they have made, how much in their stash, how long they have crocheted).

Just post a comment below and you are officially part of the CLF...

HOOKS RAISED! CLF SALUTES!

Crochet Friendly LYS's

Ok folks, as Grand High Poohbah of the Crochet Liberation Front, I want to fill you in on a pet peeve of mine! (Or TWO)
1) Articles written to knitters to tell them how cool we are. OK pardonez moi to all of you who are bi-crafty types who both knit and crochet, in advance. However, I for one do not see why selling folks who play with pointy sticks on our craft makes our craft any cooler? I mean really, are those who play with pointy sticks the epitome of cool? Cause if so I missed some memo some where.
Frankly we do not need ANY industry or craft to think we are cool. WE need to think WE are cool. And somehow that's gotten lost along the way.
As a former marketing suit type executive (and oh yes I was, but I bought my soul back) I have to say that kind of marketing doesn't really do we crocheters a whole lot of good.
What we need in my very UN-humble opinion is to show that yes indeed we are SUPER cool, and show how much $$$ we have to spend at the LYS. That will get us better tools and materials, cause at the end of the day people, an LYS is a business, and they have rent to pay.
So, with that in mind I urge you to contact me with your Crochet Friendly LYS's and I will list them here. I will NOT make a list of the unfriendly LYS's because that will give them free marketing.
I also would love you to leave me messages with links to COOL crochet websites. These can be art, wearable art, cool designs, freaky designs, fun, and of course silly!
Crochet is a fabulous medium! I know that, both my daughter and SON know that, and so do you, since you crochet. So, let's show our stuff!
Raise hooks! CLF SALUTE!