Great things afoot at the CLF

Hey there folks :)

Well we have some lively discussions happening on the CLF Message Board on Ravelry.

Plans, dreams and goals for 2009 abound, we are currently organzing the first ever Crochet Awards (like the oscars but you know for crochet :)) all are welcome to help in the planning, we're shooting to host those in March, which as you know is National Crochet Month (or International Crochet Month, since we decreed it so to not be exclusive of folks outside the US of A)...

We'll have a nominating process up soon :)

We also have ideas of having a "Christmas Present" Challenge for each month so we don't get caught behind again next holiday season (or like we do every year)

We have the yahoo group for file downloads and now have them on Box.net, see the Ravelry thread for more information for the box.net, or join the yahoo group to have access to these great downloads.

I have finally drafted the letter to Michaels Stores Inc, and have a copy for minions to send en masse, you'll have to send it snail mail though, because I haven't had a lot of luck finding email addies for those folks. I have my own letter I shall be sending and will post a copy of it once I have it mailed off...

Finally, the last podcast is finally up...and I promise to do better getting those up in 2009!

Looking forward to 2009

The CLF has grown, and to some extent matured, (though I hope we haven't gotten too mature part of the fun is our silliness!) we've gone from a joke, to a making our presence known to the world of fiber arts and caused a few people to take notice. How could they not, aren't we too cute for words?

We've stirred it up, shaken it up, and made people pause for thought. One of the funny realizations that happened to me personally is idea that some people held/hold of our group. Some people feel we are "militant", or are a bit frightened by our name in fact more than one person said, "It just sounded too much like Patty Hearst to me…" That was until they got to see what we really do, and are about…

For those of you who don't know who and what we are, we are indeed a group of committed crochet enthusiasts who want to see crochet get it's fair share of the market, and fair share of the press. We're tired of being lumped in with the sticks, and we want to have recognition of our craft in and of its own right. That doesn't make us militant, it makes us proactive.

The book took up a fair amount of my energy in the past six months, and I was unable to do everything I wanted to accomplish this year in the CLF. But beyond the tangible tome of crochet goodness, I want to share our absolute greatest accomplishment…We, together as a group, have bonded, empowered and uplifted each other, spurred each other on to greater endeavors both in the virtual world and in real life. We have connected with each other in ways that defeat the 'dog eat dog" dictum of 20^th century capitalism, and are creating a burgeoning market that doesn't dislike finances, but doesn't leave people out in the cold either. For this I am proud, as we support each other's work, skills, talents, we all benefit, we all get a slice of the pie. That counts for emotional support too, many of our membership have found the CLF a safe haven in a world of tempestuous upheaval and change. Making the CLF stand for more than a silly play on words and a pseudo political movement, it created a far more worthy title for our group: Crochet Liberating Friends, or Crochet Liberating the Future….

What does our future hold? Who knows, but it's bound to be fantastic.

A few reminders...

Hey, gang just a few fun reminders...

1) We have a Yahoo Group for the sole purpose of downloading CLF Certificates for Local Yarn Stores, that's right we certify Yarn stores for being LYS Friendly! You can also find a letter to go with the handy dandy certificate thanking your LYS for being so great, and if they aren't or a yarn company isn't up to your fancy and you want more we have a nice letter template for you to use.

I still owe you the one specifically for Michael's and I promiss that will be up and available next week.

2) The book will remain on sale for only $24.50 through Valentine's Day. Click on the link with the book cover to your right on the blog and it will take you to the page!

3) We have a podcast and it is my intention to have a very belated episode up and running next week...fingers crossed.

4) Our group on Ravelry is as busy as ever planning Global Domination, please feel free to join in!

Just some friendly reminders! Oh and I still write on my personal blog, feel free to check that out from time to time.

And what a great year it has been!

We decided we needed a blog of our own in December of '07 and so we started this...and with over 22000 views I say thank you to the readership! How awesome and cool!

I hope all of you have had a fabulous year, a wonderful holiday season, and your stash has both grown and lightened with creative strides!

The CLF has had a remarkable year...January saw us hit 1000 members, and this month we have hit 2765! We grow by leaps and bounds every week, and to that I say WOW and THANKS!

We began our book work in earnest in March of 2008, and saw ourselves in Portland for The Knit and Crochet Show! That was quite the time! We didn't have the books in time for the show but we launched them that week, and we have sold almost 300 since I last checked! Thank you to all who have reviewed the book online, in real life, and on Ravelry!

We even got awesome mention in Yarn Market News, and the Crochet Insider reviewed our book...Frankly I think it's beyond cool...from a joke to this...Where else can we go with the CLF?

What does 2009 hold for the CLF? Well you never know what our collective genius will come up with, but I can tell you these things for sure!

January 2009 will see us begin to take submissions for the "Adult" crochet book...that should be an interesting endeavor! LOL

Our dear member "Crochetgo" (Ellen) suggested we have an 2008 crochet awards, you know like the Oscars? So, we are going to gladly sponsor this activity awarding designers, companies and more ... We'll post more as we solidify information! If you have ideas or want to help out in this process, check out our thread "Crochet Awards 2008" on Ravelry.com.

I will be making an appearance at both the Knit and Crochet Show Spring Show in Portland, Oregon in May...and ta da...I AM GOING TO MAKE IT TO CHAINLINK! WHOOT...Yes, I shall shuffle off to Buffalo! I can't wait, I hope to meet so many of you CLFers there!

I don't know exactly what we are doing, or where we are going, I think our organic approach to life has it's own chaotic charm, and it suits me just fine!

What I do know is this, I thank you for giving me lots of interesting things to do and think about, you've kept me out of trouble by giving me trouble to make...I love you all!

Happy Holidays, Happy New Year...and thank you so much for wanting to help Crochet Dominate The GLOBE!

Fearless Leader's Gnome Wishes You Warmth

illusivenorweigian gnome
Originally uploaded by CMHS yarn & designs (laurie wheeler)

Baby it's cold outside....Here's my little illusive Norwegian gnome, and that was last week, this week he's tucked up in a little mound of snow...

He wishes you warmth, and happy holidays...and offers proof that indeed, I do love gnomes ;)

Happy Holidays !

Well, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire inside's delightful.... let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Like much of the northern USA we're snowed in here on Camano Island, I have to say I am SO glad I crochet. I have made a pair of mittens, two hats, a long hooded scarf, and now am designing some soap bags, and some socks. I'd be stir crazy by now if I didn't have something to do with my hands!

I didn't have the opportunity to get out and finish the last of my Christmas shopping, but I have enough stash that I can easily make up the rest of the presents...and it's cozy and nice.

I was bothered most about not being able to ship off the rest of the contributor copies, or get the third round of revisions uploaded for the book...but you know, I guess this just gave me some much needed crochet time ;)

I hope this blog post finds you all happy and healthy and hooking away not with frustration or fear of not finishing, but with a contented joy of the winter holidays...

I want to thank all of you for reading the blog, and for those of you who have purchased the book many thanks to you....it will make the next round more wonderful...

I am really looking forward to next month and the beginnings of our second publication :) I can't wait to put all of my new found knowledge and skills into action!

If I don't get back on before Christmas, I wish you all the best, happiness and joy, and peace everlasting in your hearts. I've got everything I've ever wanted really, my family, my friend's and my own little liberation front, man that makes life really cool!

Hooks Raised, CLF Salute!

Crocheting in the Deep Freeze :)

Well, at least I'm not AS cold as some of you folks in the Mid-West and North East of the USA, but man it's sure colder than normal here !

We did great with the storm, and luckily only a little bit of ice managed to stay near my house but the hill is clear, which is why I can work on this blog today...but tonight and tomorrow? More snow....

So we'll see when I get back here :) I hope you all stay warm, dry and have enough stash to keep you home and busy!

If Fearless Leader Disappears for a while...

Ok, we got a doozy of a "Winter Storm" (we never get cool names like Typhoon, or Hurricane, but we get the storms) blowing in...and if the weather folks are correct we'll start getting snow in about two hours...If we get the "up to six inches" I'll be snuggled all cuddly in my bed, or couch, crocheting and drinking hot cocoa...

I cannot,and I repeat, cannot make it up my hill in the snow....sigh...So we'll see how things play out, and if I have to get on the dial up I will...but oooh I hope I don't have to!

So for now...Chins up, Hook Up!

CLF Salute!

Giving it away...

I know 'tis the season of giving, but I want to have a chat with you about this...Yes, you...Because this isn't about making gifts etc, this is really about how so often we just "give it away."

Women tend to be the worst about giving "it" away, whether "it" is their time, talents, patience, caring...After look at all the somewhat traditionally female job roles those that involve creative nurturing (nursing, teaching, seamstress work, childcare, elder care) almost all of these kinds of jobs are low paid, certainly lower paid than the traditionally male job roles.

So, let's look at our making things and designing things...I have been to so many bazaars where crocheters have made BEAUTIFUL things and had them priced at dime store discount prices, often the price didn't even cover their materials, let alone their time. And the plethora of free patterns on the web, I'm not talking about the simple scarf, or the basic hat, I'm talking about dresses, and skirts, and large table cloths, and baby sets with intricate color work or stitch patterns....Why are these free patterns?

My friends when you sell below the value, you cheapen it for everyone, especially yourself. In fact you are sending the message, "It doesn't matter to me, it's just something I do, why should I get paid?" It is NOT greedy to want compensation, everyone deserves compensation. It is greedy to charge a billion dollars for a pattern, but it's not greedy to charge $7, why? Because the base cost of printing, then mailing, not to mention the design time, graphing, charting, frogging, testing, and marketing....Giving all of that away? For why? For what reason? You are not a bad person for wanting to make something in return for your talents and time...

Why? Because it does matter, you matter, I matter, the designers matter, the yarn companies matter, the publishers matter, we're all in this mess together, and if we get into this get it cheap or free mode, we do what we fear most, hit rock bottom financially.

This whole drive to be known, or published and get out there for FREE is driving down the economics for all of us. In fact, here's a grand REAL LIFE example.

Right now Time Magazine is soliciting photographs from people on Flicker and stating that they can't pay the photographers for their photos that they want to use in their Year End issue....Excuse me? Time/Warner can't afford to pay for photos? Give me a break, of course they can, but some people will fall for it and submit just so they can be in Time Magazine...They are just get credit and retention of their copyright...Hell I did better than that giving contributors copies of the book they submitted to and I'm doing this out of my personal bank account, I have not been listed as one of the 50 biggest companies in the W H O L E F R E A K I N world. (For more on this subject check out Bec Thomas's Blog .)

Ok, so how does photography fit into what I am saying for we who crochet? Because it's the same dang difference. Folks if we all work together to support each other at a fair level of compensation, not Oil Company CEO style, but more like Farmer's Market style, then we're ALL better off...Cause here's the real deal, we'll lose the great designers who do sell their patterns, if people choose to go the freebee route and not purchase the patterns...And if you do make great patterns charge SOMETHING for them, anything is better than free...

And for those of you who make items for sale, charge something that gives you a profit! And if you make gifts for people don't give them to people who are snarky about it, just make things for people who appreciate the gifts!

Why? Self Esteem people...What we do is a SKILL, do you here me!???? A skill is something that takes time, practice and talent to achieve, it's not just something you're born with, and that skill has value....

As long as we give it away, who's going to value it?

The Hunt for Ms. Zimbel

CLF Member StitchnFrog sent me a link that may assist in sending Ms. Zimbel her CLF T-shirt...I mean if one is really going to cover things like tanks in crocheted cozies then they MUST have one of our t-shirts...

Our CLF Member StitchnFrog will be sent one as well!

Vive Le Crochet!

Fearless Leader Speaks Again...

A few things of note! Dora at Crochet Insider gave our little book a BRILLIANT review, I feel all cool now and so should you! We're the coolest group on Ravelry in her opinion....(and mine too but I'm like soooo biased!)

Next on the list of things to speak of...since I'm speaking.... Is that if you haven't seen this video from the Colbert Report then you MUST watch it :) You'll laugh, you'll cry...and then you'll think a moment and say "HEY! All the really cool protesty stuff was crocheted...." I have commented on the Colbert Nation site, and I hope you do too!

As for the subject of the video, Ms.Jerilea Zempel I would like to put out a call for her to find us, if you can find her and let her know we want to give her a CLF t-shirt, we'll give you a CLF t-shirt...you know you want one all the cool kids have them! CLF T-shirts will show just how radical and subversive you really are ;)

Uncommon Crochet...what a fabulous book!

Hey all you rascally crocheters out there, have you seen Julie Armstrong Holtz's book Uncommon Crochet? This book is a delightful read, the projects are interesting and different from the norm, but what really makes this book shine is the FANTABULOUS information about crochet from how to design, to materials information, hints and tips galore!

I love it...my daughter loves it, and it will find it's place on that new little amazon widget to your right :)... BTW Julie is a CLF member you can find her on Ravelry as Skamama! Check her out! Yay for you Julie this book is phenominal!

Here's all the pertinent information (and yeah it came out in April, but like I ever find out what's going on first? Nope never...I'm so outta the loops)

International Shipping and other thoughts....

Ok, so a few more pennies have hit the old bank account and I can now start shipping the International Books....Sigh...I had to first wait on a shipment of books to get to me, and then the moolah to send out the books...and THEN today I drove all over to actually ship the books.

You see I do not live anywhere CLOSE to a post office...stupid rural unincorporated area....I live about 30 mins away from one. I thought I could go to the little mailbox place that is on my island, but nooooo they do not ship internationally...so I had to drag my sorry self into Stanwood, and brave the post office.

BTW they were very helpful and kind and showed me a quick but cheaper way of sending off books...so the FIRST of the international copies for contributors has been shipped and next week I'll start getting out the rest....

Sorry it's taken so long to get out all of the books, but all the royalties come in a month behind so I have to wait that long to buy books, and get them off ;)

Slow but steady we're getting there ;)

Much Love to all of you who contributed and know I'm workin' on it :)

Laurie

Hookalicious Christmas Trees!

littletrees8
Originally uploaded by vegancraftastic

CLF Member Kala designed these cute little trees! I thought these were adorable...and yeah I have to say at first it was the little penguin that caught my eye...I have a thing for penguins (and gnomes as you well know)....but these trees are really cute, and more realistic looking that the usual crocheted ruffly X-mas fare....

Kala you are duly awarded the CLF Hookalicious award for these great trees!

The pattern is a free download available on Ravelry.com

Crochet in the News...

Nothing says the holidays like crochet...oh I know there's a lot of other crafting that happens...but this is the time of year that when I have hook in hand people actually ask me if I'm crocheting...why? Cause "Grandma crocheted me slippers every Christmas..." or "Aunty Suzy made me crocheted snowflake ornaments every year...." or " My mother made me the most awful hats and scarves.... but I wish I had them now...."

That's why...for some reason people remember crochet at Christmas time...and here's a news story that shows one woman's dedication to the holiday and her craft: crochet....It's a heart warmer...

Thanks to Kdmay28 for bringing this story to our attention on the CLF board on Ravelry....Timely and wonderful!

Have Faith Crocheters...

If you haven't heard the news yet (the jungle drums beat quickly on the CLF board on Ravelry), Kim Werker, editor of Interweave Crochet Magazine has both stepped down as editor and has sold CrochetMe.com to Interweave.

There is a bit of grumbling over this, not for Kim making a personal decision that would make her life more enriched, and really her blog says it all and I think it was a very hard but insightful decision on her part...The grumbling is the worry about what Interweave will do to CrochetMe.com and what it will do to crochet online...

Are we going to be lumped in with the stick people, are we going to be treated less than what we are?

My first thought is this: We have been very loud about wanting a Crochet Daily, and CrochetMe.com has the natural customer base to do such an endeavor. If Interweave is as smart as I think they are (and I do believe they are as I have been a reader of SpinOff for almost a decade, and have EVERY issue of IC including the first IK crochet edition, I also own a buttload of their books from Spinning to Crochet...) they will use this to deliver we who wield the hook that which we have asked for...

My other thought is, if they tank the magazine or if they don't serve well we have the wonderful option to take action, both in letter writing, and economically.

I don't think they will tank the magazine, and I don't think they will tank CrochetMe.com I think there is a real revenue potential there and they wouldn't have bought it if they didn't think so either.

So, we'll watch what happens and be alert...because that what we do in the Crochet Liberation Front, and if we have to take action we will...but you know I don't think we'll have to...I hope not cause 2009 is a busy year for us...we have TWO more books starting soon!

BTW If you want to contribute to the Adult book or the 400 yd or Less book check out the CLF Writers Guidelines here

Crochet and the sticks....some thoughts

I spent all afternoon on Friday at Pinch Knitter's in Stanwood, WA crocheting and signing copies of the Crochet Liberation Front First Ever Book.

As usual I was surrounded by Pointy Stick people and they were very nice, most of them felt the same way about the hook that I do about needles, which is they just can't get the hang of it...No blame, no shame, we all shared our ideas, and enjoyed each others projects.

As we talked of what we like to do, we both seemed unimpressed on a certain level...One gal just loves to do knit lace, and I'm thinking, "Meh, lace, I've done so dang much of it, and it's so easy...." and I'm talking about making plain fabric and cables and they were probably thinking the same thing....Here's the epiphany folks...

Making holes with crochet is dead easy, we love it, it's quick and not hard to do once you practice a bit, with the sticks it takes quite a bit more practice and is not the natural activity of most who do stick work...

Making a good flat piece of fabric in crochet is hard to do, and keep even, and keep polished looking, not so with the sticks...

Does this mean people should not do it? (Either one?) Nope...It just means we need to understand that making holes is simple with the hook and hard with the needles...making plain fabric is easy with the needles (if you can use them) and more difficult with the hooks (if you can use them)....

I don't know why I never thought of it before, but it's probably because I don't use sticks, any more than the person I was sitting with uses hooks (other than to pick up stitches)....

But we call keep this in mind...

Happy Hooking!

Happy Holidays CLF

This is the week of turkey eating in the US of A. And I for one am looking forward to making all of the holiday fare...mostly for the left overs, because I love nothing more than an open face turkey/stuffing and gravy sammich....OOOOOOOOh lalala....

Anyway...For the holidays I have a gift for the Crochet Lovers of the WORLD....our book is now only $24.50 at the Crochet Liberation Front Website!. This includes shipping.

I've fixed the paypal button to exclude shipping charges (we had a little glitch, it's all better now :) )

Happy Holidays from me to you!

I'm also gonna be at Pinch Knitter's Yarn Store in Stanwood Wa this Friday from 12-4 signing CLF books for interested parties....and if no one is there, I'm gonna show them stick users what cables really can be :) WHOOT.

See ya there!

Dorky Leader

You know some days I wonder at my level of sanity and then I remember that I never have claimed to be a sane leader, just fearless...

I have been beating my head against a table to try to figure out how we can make the CLF First Ever Book more affordable for members.

DUH... I can do it the same way I am for wholesaling :) LOL.... I know, some days I am a little slow...some weeks I'm down right like molasses... so here's how you can get your copy for LESS than on Amazon! I can only take US orders though...so if you are wanting it and are not in the USA Please PLEASE use our International Distributor !!! (Thanks so much Gail)

So happy HOLIDAYS! The book is a total of $24.50 and that includes the price of shipping (US ORDERS ONLY!) Follow this link!

Book News...CLF Talkin

Well, we're doing well with the book, getting copies out as fast as I can, I'm waiting on the other royalties to hit my account so I can send books overseas....

The book remains in steady sales which is great...especially since we're independant, and don't have an agent, or PR person, or anything but our own little selves...As I work on these things I just remember how much I love the "Little Engine that Could" story, and mutter, "I think I can, I think I can..."

I would love us to hit 10,000 copies...Being that the ultimate goal is to pay for patterns...and pay well...That would be so cool....

I could also use some good equipment etc :) LOL...Some day...Some way we'll make it happen.

With the holidays approaching and the economic circumstances being tight, I want to remind you that you are doing the world a favor by making gifts. If you are having a hard time thinking up ideas that are pretty, and not expensive...

here are some small projects.

1) Neck Warmers/Pillows...Crochet a tube of about a yard long, (I felted mine) but you can use acrlic yarn too...make it so it has a DC edging on each end so you can run ribbon through it to tie off the ends...Using nylons or stockings, fill with dried beans/lentils and herbs if you have em...or essential oils if you have em (no harm if not) and then stuff nylon with fill into the tube, use a ribbon or cord to tie the ends...and voila...

I used two skeins of Cascade 220 to make mine and used less than a full skein each for a two color, so I would say it's a one skein of that yarn project ;)

2) IPod holders, or cell phone covers

3) Hotpads, Washcloths, dish clothes in cotton done in pretty colors and different stitch patterns, what a great way to learn how to do cables!

4) Little cotton soap bags...I just crochet a rectangle and crochet it together into a bag, put in some handmade soap (made by a friend) and make it a draw string, great for the shower :)

5) Christmas Ornaments. If you go to my Secrets of Yarn Blog I have a pattern for flannel ornaments with crocheted edging, and you can always use the Irish Crocheted Rose as an ornament...

6) Hair accessories or jewelry, earrings...that crocheted rose again works in that capacity depending on what kind of yarn/thread is used.

Don't let the economy get you down...The more we focus on the negative the more we feed it...let's be crafty and cunning and beat that market at it's own stupid game...I believe in postive thought breeding positive outcomes...some day when I write the story of my life you'll understand...(Really, no reason on earth for me to be on the planet personally...but Positive thought has made all kinds of cool things!)

Hooks raised and oooh are you so ready for Turkey? I am...

Billie Setting Our Picot Free!

billie1a
Originally uploaded by toddapaschall

Can I say how much I love this? Can I tell you how much I love Billie H for all those deep blues that make our hearts cry and our ears want to sing....Can I say how much I love this?

CLF Member Toddapaschall used a crochet by numbers' pattern to make this stunning piece....

I am left with no words to describe the collective in take of awe struck air that both my daughter and I made in the library when we saw this...Wow is such a week explicative...This is stunning.

Toddapaschall you are duly awarded the Set My Picot Free award for crocheting this wonderful, phenomenal work of art....

Check out Crochet By Numbers on the web, it's a fantastic way to do tapestry crochet....

Minions! A call to action!

Hello Minions...It's time we did a little bit to motivate those from whom we purchase our fuzzy goodness!

The yarn company Bernat is hosting a Survey, please take it, make your voice known...

Also, if you are a CGOA member, you have probably received your copy of Crochet! which also has our membership newsletter, I encourage all of you to vote on this years board members, and the proposed by laws change. I don't care how you vote, who you vote for, just use your membership ability to vote! Make your voice known!

Interviews, Book Events, and a little walk through on local marketing

Wow...When it rains it pours!

First of all I have to say a big thank you to Leslie who wrote a brilliant article for the YMN (Yarn Market News) and really show cased the CLF. I was really honored to have been quoted and accurately so as much as I was, and it was too cool to see the CLF mentioned! I was interviewed like back in August or so, and at the time we only had 2172 members, today we have 2586! It's so awesome to watch us grow!

On top of that really cool article, the yarn store I plugged Knot Just Yarn in Burlington, WA is now carrying our book, so if you are a local to that area head on down and grab a copy! I signed em!
My local yarn store in Stanwood, WA, Pinch Knitter, has placed an order for 10 books, and we'll be doing a book signing event at her store on Nov. 28, 2008 from 12-4.

This Sunday, at the Camano Lutheran Church I am participating in a Fair Trade Fair, and though I will not be selling the book there (because Sirkku is going to sell it in her shop) I will be taking orders and promoting her store. I will be handing out information about how shopping in the local economy actually does increase local financial maintenance. A dollar spent in your local economy circulates at least five times before it leaves your local economy! WHOOT! That's how we save our skins in this world of interesting times!

This leads me to working in a micro economy such as ours. If we work together, refer each other and help support local designers, authors, yarn manufacturers and stores, we call all stay afloat!

In light of that I am mulling over an idea to make a list of Indie Designers for Yarn stores to access. Once again today I got asked for good patterns by both yarn stores, and I started rattling off names. Of course these are all crochet names I know, when they rattle off knit names I'm clueless...Well, if you aren't big into crochet yourself, how the heck are you going to begin to know where to look!

So in the spirit of crochet solidarity, let's put our brains together to support those indie designers, because they are just that talented!

Homespun Granny Shawl totally Picot Freeing!

Homespun Granny Shawl
Originally uploaded by ladylinoleum

Kudos go out to CLF Member Lady Linoleum for this brilliant use of her first handspun yarn! (Which looks pretty darn good for a first shot at spinning I may add...being a hand spinner myself).

Lady Linoleum made this great shawl just using a simple half granny square motif and allowing it to grow!

Most of the best designs are simple designs, and I just love this! Totally cozy, and yet fun and funky!

Congratulations Lady Linoleum you are awarded the Set My Picot Free Award!

Leif's Retro Blankie

Leif's Retro Blankie
Originally uploaded by cerdeb0317

CLF Member Cerdeb made this beautiful afghan using the Granny Square Sampler Afghan by Jackie H. Curry found in the
Better Homes and Gardens Treasury of Needlecrafts.

It may have some retro aspects but I love the use of natural colors and the shapes in the squares are just wonderful.

Well done Cerdeb you have been awarded the Hookalcious Award for an afghan I would contemplate making (and if you folks don't already know, I really don't do afghans!)....Gorgeous work, and looks perfectly cozy and comfy!

Fearless Leader Speaks

Hey gang! Fearless Leader here...

Well, I've not posted as much as I'd like mostly because off line the CLF has been a movin' and a shakin' :)

I actually met with an accountant about making some business changes that very much affect the CLF...and I found out I'm no slouch at plotting and scheming :) GRIN...It's all to do with compensation of those who submit to the book, and making sure I do it correctly for all of us :)

Starting in January I'll have more news....but boy I can tell you I feel so much better after the meeting. I mean it's not like the CLF is rolling in dough at the moment, but someday maybe we will and then I can actually hire people, and we can move even more mountains, and take real advertising space, and host parties and all of that fun stuff, and pay living wages...a girl has to dream right? That's right! My accountant listened and nodded, and finally understood the business model I planned and was like, "Wow, that's a very out of the box idea and I love it!"
In fact I even made the dude chuckle a few times, I must have talent!

I've been busy working on updating the look of the website, and I'll be putting up downloads of our files on Yahoo tonight...for now you can join the Crochet Liberation Front Yahoo Group, this won't be a discussion board, just informative and a place to get downloads etc :)

The good news is we have now made enough on the book to cover the cost of producing it, and it looks like I'll be able to pay a small fee for contributions to the next book! WHOOT... As I grow others will grow, that's a promise I'm more than willing to keep...

Very Versatile Striped Beanie...

Feb2008+011crop
Originally uploaded by karlaamm

This very Hookalicious Hat has been getting some attention on the group on Ravelry.com!

Featured in the CLF First Ever Book, and designed by Karla McCalmont it's a quick, and fabulous pattern! One of our members made four of these last week!!

So to our dear member Karlaamm who designed the hat, You get the Hookalicious award for truly awesome design work, and a funky doodle cap that is quick, easy and very attractive!

Crochet Liberation Front...what's on our hooks lately...

First of all I want to remind you all that we have a Website for the CLF where you can find our Crochet Friendly Local Yarn Store List, it covers the globe folks, so please check it out if you are not on Ravelry and don't have access to our Group Page that has the most current list. I will be updating that list on the website soon. Feel free to contact me with your favorite LYS so I can put it up on the website. No one pays to get on the list, it's member driven.

I encourage you to let yarn store owners know you are a member of the CLF and that you are coming to them based off the recommendation. Why? So we get even more support out in the world! Besides, compliments and thank yous go so much further than anything else!

Remember we're working off the theory of abundance here...when you spend local dollars that money goes so much further than when you let it slip away out of your community.

I love my local yarn store in Stanwood, WA...Pinch Knitters, that's right, it has the K word in it, but that's cause the owner has spent years doing commissioned knitting :) She crochets too, and is so wonderful to all of we who love fiber...in fact she's going to carry the CLF First Ever Book...

I encourage you to purchase the book, because that helps our cause...If you are on Ravelry, or enjoy Getting Loopy please use their links because it gives them a few pennies too...

In these trying financial times (which contrary to what the news says, I've seen coming for a long time they are more than a month old) it is important to look at where you spend your dollars. Spending money on items that help you make things for yourself, or support local businesses (your local yarn store) can help the economy...self sufficiency, being able to produce things really does help. Remember our book is printed and bound in the USA, which helps keep a few people in jobs....

Fun News!

On the CLF Front we have some fun news! Over the weekend Fearless Leader had a "blog interview" over at Creative Construction...Of course I've toot toot tooted the CLF Horn! Go check it out if you have any deep dark desire to know what Fearless Leader thinks about mothering and creativity :) LOL

And our very own Fignations (rav user name) has officially launched CROCHET UN-CUT! WHOOOOOOOOT! The Unofficial Offical Magazine of the CLF! Yay!!! This is one more manifestation of the CLF that is just totally awesome....One more way we join together and support each other's taking risks!! WHOOT! Way to go!!

Check it out here!!

Let's Represent...Political Hooking...

Ok guys and gals, it's an election year. Are you tired of hearing it? Or are you energized? If you are eligible to vote in your state of residence in the USA or by mail from Overseas do so! I don't care what party you vote for, but exercise your right to vote!

If you have to stand in line at the polls, why not give crochet a little political PR fun! Bring a WIP and hook it up in the lines at the polls! Who knows you could find people for your group, start a group, or even inspire someone to learn, or to pick up the hook again...if nothing else if you are in one of those states with REALLY long lines, you won't be bored ;)

Hook on! Live Long my minions!

The Fearless Leader Award

woodhand28
Originally uploaded by 203gow

Words escape me with this project...the inventiveness...the shear GLORY of the creation that is this "Wood Hand" by CLF member
203 gow...

It is amazingly well made, polished, a work of fiber art that defies the use of common adjectives!

I could have given this kitchalicious, but it goes so far beyond that humble title...

203gow you have been awarded the Fearless Leader Award for really funky cool and awesome crochet!

Shaking it up...

Since I have had some time to ponder the world, hook in hand, yarn sliding ever so smoothly through my fingers, I have come to a firm decision....

IT IS TIME TO SHAKE IT UP!

Ok folks, our members have taken huge risks from getting out of their social shells and reaching out and starting real live groups, to starting businesses, and publishing patterns for the first time. From these experiences I am sure that something changed in their lives to the more positive because of that one little leap....

You have to remember that when we change one thing in our reality, other things move to meet the change. The more positive the change (no matter how small) the more positive the change to our reality.

We don't have to change the world, we just have to change our view of the world. By merely changing how we say things such as changing "I can't" to "I can" or "I wish I could..." to "I am going to..." voila these changes make a vast rippling effect into all aspects of our lives...

THIS IS LIBERATION!

It can be done alone and without support, but it's so much easier to do this with support....And man do we have support or what in the CLF...almost 2500 people willing to jump together, hold each others hands, and press forward TOGETHER...That is the most profound and inspiring aspect of our group....How unusual, no vying for position, no politicing for attention, no flaming, no bad attitudes...a positve wave that gets us resonating at the positive.

I have no doubt that we SHALL change things, little things in our own lives, and rippling out into the wider world...what will those changes be? Heck if I know, as long as they are positive and benefit more people than myself I'm happy...that has always been my personal goal...

I do not lie when I say, I am so very proud of you, and thank you for being the positive people you are...

This more than any angry mob mentality will bring about that which we seek.

What's up Fearless Leader?

Ok, I did get back from vacation and I did get well. Funny thing is I was soooooo tired. And I had to finish cleaning my house. Some where along the book writing, editing, and publishing thing, plus the fair, plus Portland, I had ended up with an UNHOLY mess (is there a holy mess? I'd like to see one)...Anyway, the house is now mostly respectable and family is duly chastised for letting me ignore them ignoring it ;)

I've oddly enough spent the past four days crocheting! Oh that felt so good...I have rediscovered surface crochet, and I have to say I'm in love...If you have a fun yarn, but not a lot of it, it's a great way to use it up, and embellish something...it's easy and only limited to your imagination!



The other thing I've been doing is working on the book...yes, marketing folks...I'll be featured on a blog called Creative Mothers, and in the interview shamelessly promoted our wonderful BOOK!

It's back up for sale now! And you can get it on Amazon.com for $27.75 plus free shipping! I can't come close to offering that good of a deal so please have at it! If you are on Ravelry, or Getting Loopy use their links and they get a few pennies ;)

Hookalicious Mitts

mitts3
Originally uploaded by sylvchezplum

Ok these Granny Mitts by CLF Member SylvChezPlum (Sylvie Damey) are just too adorable! What a great way to use Granny Squares!! I can think of a ton of motifs to use for something like this! I just love it!

You can download her pattern on Ravelry, it's a great deal at $5!

Too cute and the possibilities are endless!

SylvChezPlum you are duly awarded the Hookalicious Award for these inventive fingerless gloves! Too cute!

Uncle Cancer by Crotcheteer

Fearless Leader's note: This is an article by Crotcheteer...she will be blogging here from time to time as the muse strikes. This is about her mother not mine, though I know those same loving thoughts go out from you to her, as you did to me. We can all give our darling Crotcheteer virtual hugs in this time of struggle in her and her mother's lives.


I’m a spiritual person by nature although not terribly religious. I seek order in the disordered ways of the world – which is probably why I speak in similes and analogies. I try to make sense of things by likening them to other things.

Part of my order-seeking is believing that things happen for a reason, sometimes multiple reasons. There was a reason I had resisted learning a fiber art for so long. It wasn’t time yet. Now that I have learned, it is something to fall back on in times of worry for the calming effect of repetitive motion as well to as use it to assist in whatever small way I can.

My small way this time will be making chemo hats for the one person on this planet who really knows me.

Up until now, Cancer for me has been like that weird uncle in the family no one mentions. The guy no one wants in any of the family photos for fear that they would have to acknowledge his presence. The reason your parents never want you to tell a stranger on the phone that no one is home. Recently, however, Uncle Cancer showed up and knocked on the door.

And he asked to speak to my mom.

In the coming months, he will eat everything in my mom’s fridge, burn cigarette holes in her furniture, kick her dog when she’s not looking, and scare my grandmother. My mother is a stubborn woman who taught me to slay the dragon first and then cry over my ripped skirt later so she’s not asking the doctors for a prognosis. She doesn’t want any preconceived notions about the outcome. I support that. I also know that there may come a time where she decides enough is enough. I support that too.

She's a tough broad, so I almost hesitated to ask her if I could make her some cool hats for when the time came that she would want one or two and she agreed, to my surprise…but not because she needs them…she can buy them if she wants. She’s letting me make them because all the hats she’s seen so far were ugly.

Thanks, Mom!

No really...thanks, Mom. Thank you for letting me help. Thank you for choosing to fight.



- Crotcheteer

Power to the Picot!

Do I have a story for you...it involves conquest, danger, intregue...ok well none of those except a minor feeling of conquest...

Once a month I host an all fiber arts group in my town. I never know if there will be three or thirty people, we have a potluck, kids are welcome, and you don't even have to bring things to work on...if you're in need of community we're there...if you want to learn something, this is the place to ask! We network with each other, swap stories and techniques, and spin a hell of a lot of yarn.

So, my group happened last night, I didn't really want to go, I was tired, and had had a very small group the last month so I just thought, "Ugh I have to drive into town for two people?"....

But lo and behold I walked in late (I pick up one of the group memebers), and there are already four people there, five more were walking in behind me! WHOOT now that's worth the 2o minute drive!

Here's the funny part, all of the folks I know there are primarily spinners and knitters, they dabble with other techniques. Just like I'm a spinner and crocheter and I dabble with other techniques...anyway, all of them decided to CROCHET at the meeting! Two people bought the CLF book, and I got to sign it...that felt cool.

But after seven years of living here, I have finally made a dent...They were even bragging to some new people that "Oh she can crochet ANYTHING!" LOL...I suppose I could, but their conffidence in me was lovely...

So hook on and live long my friends...If I could witness what I did last night I just know that nothing is impossible!

Thoughts from Fearless Leader

Well for the past two weeks I've been too ill, too away, and too busy fixing the book to really cause much trouble...hmmm...I must be feeling better. I'm starting to feel itchy. You know that itch to stir the pot, shake things up, run around with sharp objects, and scream into the silence....Either that or I've drunk decidely too much coffee today. Either way here goes...




When I was on the first part of our family vacation we went to a lovely little musuem in Cashmere, WA called inventively enough Historic Pioneer Villiage... Which indeed it was a museum of pioneer history and indeed had a villiage of pioneer era cabins made up like a little town from the late 1880's in Eastern, WA.

They were all old cabins, many had been in use up till the 1950's by folks in that area.

What was cool was how they outfitted each cabin as it may have looked "back in the day." I actually remember some old towns having furnishings, and insides much like what the cabins were like when I was a child in Oregon. These were in out of the way places like the Oregon Coast, or Eastern Oregon in my childhood.
The people who lived in such places were interesting and colorful characters, not in the least pc or tolerant of much nonesense and tough as nails. They had to be, they were the kind of people that came from the stock that civilized the West and made it more comfortable for the people who've now moved to such places with their "million dollar" homes, with "great views"...oddly enough many of the million dollar homes are built on hillsides that will fall down, or slide, and are made out of materials that won't conceivably last as long as these old tongue and groove cabins.

How the hell does this correspond to crochet? I'm getting to that...

I come from that kind of stock, mine just chose to live in a more comfortable clime earlier than the die hard folks who settled the more interesting and rugged terrains of Eastern WA, and Or.
What does my family have to do with this? Just hang on, I'm getting to that... I come from not only Pioneer stock, but folks that helped found Quebec in 1530, fought in the French Indian War (on the French Side), moved to NY in the 1700's fought in the Revolutionary War, and when Westward expansion happened after Lewis and Clark, they went close on their heels to the great NW in search of the Fur Trade (not to mention my Spanish ancestors that were on the expidition that founded San Franscicoin 1775)...Yes, Fearless Leader comes from a long line of trouble making French folk and Spaniards (throw in some Irish, and now I start makin' ALL kinds of sense don't I?)....the women in my family can only be described best by my late great uncle, "Beware a Rivers' woman (my maiden name, "de la Riviere" before anglocized) they are intrepid beasts made to civilize the uncivilized...don't argue with 'em you'll never win..."

Ok, you really think I'm side tracked now...but again bear with me...

As I walked through the buildings, I looked at the decor.

Most of it was somewhat period in feel, but most of the crocheted table cloths, and hand towels, dish rags etc were more modern, but they kept the feel... I thought of the hands that made these items...and why they made these items.

The same reason the ladies of my family would have made things in their rudimentary homes (waiting for the nice house to be built). A table cloth not only beautified their surroundings, but saved the pretty wood from the table that had been brought around the Cape by boat from Boston. The rag rugs saved the wood floor from spills, and mud, was much easier to replace than the floor that had to be swept, mopped and waxed.

Doilies provided some cheer, and still protected the beautiful things that they treasured...


It wasn't peasant work. An educated woman like my great-grandmother who not only ensured that her husband couldn't buy a car without her learning to drive (the tales of her ostrich feather hat whipping in the wind as she sped through our town are of legendary proportion), and her roofing a church on the same day as kicking her brothers out of the local tavern, axe in hand while fighting for the right of women to vote, would not have purchased doilies unless to help a neighbor who needed cash...she made her own, in her spare time (little that she had) to preserve the good furniture and provide her home with some pretty things...


No wonder people who have never had such stories in their background, or history known to them think of crochet in terms of peasant/not peasant. Instead of considering that the situation was more like this: people worked hard building a civilization that we can enjoy, and used their hands not only to work hard but to make pretty and useful items for their homes. It was leisure, it was pleasure, and those who didn't like to do it, might have paid a widow, or poorer housewife for their labor (ever heard of buying local?) to help out and save someone's pride...

This is where the snobbery stops... Right here! Right NOW!

Here's the deal folks, in the total of human history we have in general (but for a few and I mean very few individuals) have had to work hard to survive. At one point in our history this was a valued thing...people took pride in what they did, no matter what they did...and to dismiss said acts with snobbery is just plain wrong...

Given the current economic climate, many of us may turn to making our gifts versus buying them in a store...Does it make our gifts less meaningful?

NO! In fact, compared to the cookie cutter, imported plastic doohickies we can pick up in any large impersonal big box store, maybe making something is the RIGHT thing to do, both economically, environmentally, ethically and morally...may it's not...I don't know, only you can judge that for yourself...

Let us value these things, dated as they may be, historic as they are, they are OUR crocheting heritage...Anyone want to snob on that one?? And frankly, I DO value things made by human hands no matter what social class the hands come from...I'm just that kind of people person.

CLF Book News

Ok, the books files are all up loaded YAY! It will still be a week or so before things are back up and running the way we'd like them too, but in the mean time Gail's Yarns has 10 copies of the First Ever Printing of the FIRST ever book and a wonderful insert for the errata made by yours truly!

If you are itching for a great book, it's just as gorgeous as the second printing, and the errata is all nice and neatly there for you! PLUS Gail can offer GREAT shipping to International buyers!

So head over to Gail's to get these fabulous books!

Her store for US sales and shipping

International Orders go HERE!! (She can give the BEST deal on international shipping!)

So speaking of Errata...more to come on the website... I missed most of Andee Graves article on how to keep your hands healthy...That's a nice long article I'll give that baby it's own little web page ;) And for some reason, and I think it happened when I resized the book, I missed the end of Jennifer Reeves Dragon Scale Sock pattern... Now if you are on Ravelry, all the Errata for patterns is listed up on our Errata page.... I have yet to get Andee's article up...but it's coming, this afternoon if all goes to plan actually!

So hooks up! Keep hookin'!

Back from Vacation and to work....egads...

Hey there folks...

Ok, I'm still sick, but finally recovering. Had a great vacation, I even got to crochet! WHOOT! And as I wait for the PDF to finish distilling I will be uploading the revised book, with all the necessary changes. Hopefully tomorrow AM our beloved Technogoddess will upload the new version of the book cover...which should me a better thumbnail on Amazon.com....YAY...

Some of the very nifty changes that we made since we were redoing things anyway was to include page numbers...They would have been in the first version but unfortunately my computer was not cooperating, and I was stressed and tired and opted to live without it versus killing my laptop.

In a more relaxed frame of mine I have included these things so that they actually show on each page (long story), and now have a table of contents that reflect the page numbers (time consuming by worth it)...Also, Carol Ventura granted permission to flip the skull chart for the Tapestry Crochet UFO Bag so that lefties don't have to flip the chart in a mirror! YAY...I'll try to get that posted on the errata page tonight for you wonderful lefties who already purchased the book!

So hopefully in a day or so I can approve the book to be a go again, and we'll be on our way to Crochet History!

HEY, HEY, my my…

I’d venture to say at this point that in hook years, I’m a teenager. My edges are pretty straight, my stitches mostly uniform (although I can still tell the difference between crocheting while watching CSI and crocheting while watching whatever hack Science Fiction movie my son has going on.) I can single, half-double, double, triple, double triple, back handspring triple lutz with the best of them. I can granny square, doily, beanie, scarf, sweater, and shrug as long as the pattern is clear.

Yet despite my seemingly precocious talent with the hook, my family insists on requesting things that require nothing but the simplest of stitches. My grandmother’s shawl for instance…it’s a simple half granny square. You’d think I could whip it up in the time it takes for my son to go through a pitcher of juice, but I have one fatal flaw.

I bore easily.

These simple stitches feel like being forced to box-step, one, two, three, chain, one, two, three, chain when I want to Tango - step - turn – cha-cha-cha…or Samba…or even Hokey-Pokey for gawds sake!. I’ve started and stopped unnumbered blankets and throws for the simple reason that the repetition is more than my constantly buzzing brain can take.

Am I doomed to a life of drooling in a half-double haze or will I be immobilized by the soporific single to get these gift requests finished?

Take heart, my children. Come…gather ‘round the altar of the hook. I have a revelation to impart.

My deliverance…my salvation…has come in the form of a HEY! A Highly Entertaining Yarn. I found that if I choose a yarn that has unpredictable color repeats, or some interesting bleed of one color to another, it keeps me engaged enough to want to know what’s going to happen on the next new round or row. It’s like all of a sudden this boring stodgy box-step has become a BIG! HOLLYWOOD! MUSICAL! complete with costume changes and – if I don’t mind the cats- LIONS AND TIGERS AND HAIRS!! OH MY!!

Now granted, my mother told me to use pale pink and green when I asked about colors, but I don’t think Grandma will care. Her eyesight isn’t what it used to be, and if I tell her that the color reminded me of her, she’ll accept that because it’s mostly the truth.

The real truth is that this yarn actually reminded me of grandma’s hair. Somehow, through consumer chemistry, my grandma maintained a head of hair that boasted varying shades of red and brown – sometimes both - throughout my childhood and while it might have looked odd…it certainly wasn’t boring.

I'm getting better...really....and vacation news...

Hey there folks...we'll I got home Friday from the "mini vacation", slept Saturday, and I mean I slept saturday...was I ever ill! The trip to Leavenworth, WA is a blur...Saturday did not happen (cause I wuz asleep) and Sunday with a better brain, and pain free face I was able to make the biggest revisions to the book...I have files now from a few people that had some fixes, and hopefully will have the rest of the fixes by the weekend so I can finish operation clean up, and have the book re-uploaded by Monday morning...then I will order a proof, and I will have that expidited to me, then I will review it and put it up for sale again...

Currently, we owe a huge round of applause to the hubby for finding me a motel with wifi internet so I could check email and messages...This is his first vacation in over a year, and he's had his own busy year...I have been quite good about not mentioning all the work I have to do with the book...and he was so considerate ;) "Um...I bet you want to check in on line..." he said to me as we drove into Forks, WA (which gets 13 feet of rain a year...yeah, the heart of the temperate rainforest!)..."Yup," was my monosyllabic answer....

Tomorrow we head for La Push and lovely beach front cabins for storm watching and jaccuzzi tub :) No, I will not be online, no I will not regret that...yes, I'm looking forward to a nice warm toddy and some R & R

For now...here's the slipper I made (almost done crocheting on the sole of the other slipper/sock) today in the car...(OH, and I got to shop at a Dropped Stitch again in Sequim...always worth the trip)

Book Fix before more get sold...

Ok guys...I have put the book on hold until I can get home and make revisions. The book re-do had some "issues"...if you have purchased the book, all the errata will be online... I will create a pdf as well...but in the mean time I'm going to redo the book...After I get home.

Sick, Tired, and Errata

Hey Gang...

Yeah, I know I'm SUPPOSED to be on vacation...actually I am SUPPOSED to be sleeping right now, but my face hurts so, I'm not. (Stupid cold, sinuses...yeah...)...

So, I have a second apology to make to Julia Vaconsin...a fabulous designer... the errata for her pattern is now listed on our website...This is important, cause it's the thumb gussets for her fingerless glove pattern. We've also noted such on Ravelry.

Arg.

Here's the Link to the Errata

Book Selling biznez

I tell ya, it's a dog eat dog world out there :) LOL...The book sold like hotcakes coming out of the starting gate, and now things have slowed down a tad (still selling very steady to my mind) but Amazon decided to "undiscount" the book back to the list price...so folks here a deal for you
Use this code and go to the Create Space Website and let's show Amazon.com who's the boss :)

5Y5EYU78 CreateSpace

This will make the book price as good as I can give it :) So have fun :) Let's show em :)


BTW: Fearless leader is supposedly on a mini vacation, but is sick as a dog and playing on her computer in the hotel room...cause she's about to fall over...

More about the book!

Origami Socks by Deborah Berger!

WOW...aren't these nifty! This pattern has full schematics and great instructions! It's in the book!!


Ok folks, if you didn't know that there is a reading of the book on our home page at http://www.crochetliberationfront.com/index.html, well now you do! I'll try to get more up for your listening pleasure as we go along...





CLF Fingerless Glove by Elisa Cleveland Me likey :)

And now it's not...

LOL....now it's plunked back down the list...I think things bounce around a lot ;) LOL

#17 and rising!!!

Wow! I just checked where the Crochet Liberation Front First Ever Book stood on Amazon.com's list of Crochet Books! We come up #17 in the search! WOWOWOWOWOWOWEEE!

That's beyond cool guys! The more books we sell, the more we can do in the future...I'm hoping the Christmas season influences our "market" a little so that I have money in the bank when we finally get to the place for submissions with book #2 that I can pay for patterns...We're getting there!

Did you notice the ticker? The $880 is what I need to reimburse my grocery money for contributor copies of the book ;) After that we get to start the ticker towards 10,000 books! If we get to 10,000 copies I will write a gift check to each person who contributed!

Like I have said repeatedly I will not be satisfied if I am the only one who benefits, it must benefit as many as possible!

Call to Action!!!

Ok folks, it's been a while since I've run the bell, but it seems that we who hook have been ignored long enough...The minions are fomenting and frothing on the message board!

Interweave had promised us a Crochet Daily early on in the "K...Daily Newsletter", we have not seen it appear. It disturbs us greatly, here we have interest, in fact if they but threw us a bone I got 2300 PLUS (almost 2400 members now!) who would be potential customers if Interweave just caved in and threw us a bone!

If sales of Interweave Crochet are any indication (such as I can't GET a copy around my area because it is SOLD OUT) I do believe there is a market for such a newsletter. It's about priorities...

There is a new survey on KD take it and let them know we want a crochet daily. We don't want scraps, we don't need to be talked to like children, we've been patient...I've been rather good about leaving them alone on the topic, especially since I've been annoyed about the "we'll be nice and include Crochet in KD" tude they've always had....

I don't need inclusion, I want parity. I don't know what you want, but take the survey and let them know directly. I mean for the love of all that is fuzzy...if you DON'T MARKET TO US why should we buy/use/or WANT your product?

Placation is not the issue... we want results.

TAKE THE SURVEY

MINIONS Call IN!

Ok...I'm dorky leader, I got the time wrong...The show starts at 6pm Pacifc/9Eastern...You guys can call in...Mary Beth is looking for massive CLF Participation...

Also I'm offering up a book as a prize for her drawing....COME ON IN and WIN A BOOK!

Tune in to Getting Loopy!

Hey Monday Sept. 29, 2008 I will be on Getting Loopy with Mary Beth Temple...First I am honored to be invited to be a guest on her very cool show ;)

You can join in the action via chat! Ask questions, feel free...So tomorrow night at 9:30 eastern (that's 6:30 pacific) ! I'm really excited and looking forward to this interview! I have a huge amount of respect for Ms. Temple, and I have enjoyed listening to her shows...sadly I never get to listen to them live, because my internet options are limited on Monday nights...sigh...Remember the bad dial up situation...GRRRR...

So, tune in...what's going to happen in the interview? Oh heck, you never know, but I pinky swear to be my honest, irreverant, and silly self! Oh and I solemnly swear to shamelessly promote our book too!

How can you join in? Go to GETTING LOOPY

I'm sooooooooooooooooo ready to get LOOPY!

Crochet Wisdom for the Week...

Well folks...Looks like good ol' fearless leader will be away from her desk (or not) starting next thursday...Hubby has 3 weeks of vacation that are "use or lose" and so we're gonna take off to parts unknown...well we kind of have a general direction planned.

I have to say it's a little on the bad timing side for moi cause you know I have a ton of stuff to do with the CLF etc...But on the other hand I have demanded that there will be internet time every other day if only to check my email ;)

So, I won't be blogging (or maybe I will), I know I will be crocheting because I hate sitting still in the car with nothing to do! So I'll at least get some christmas presesnts made....Without further ado here's some crochet wisdom for the week...

Ok it's not wisdom, but here's the deal....Michael's...it's on my bad list...

MICHAEL'S WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!

The yarn supply is getting less and less, and the thread supply is even worse...COME ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!

All I want is some freakin' thread to make up poinsettia pins for a freakin' christmas bizarre! WHAT IS THE DEAL!!! Must I shop online?

I mean even my LYS didn't have thread, and they were like "Well everyone goes to Michael's for it..." and my response was, "BUT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY GOOD COLORS IN!!!"

I'm getting really annoyed, I had to go to five shops to get the right kind of thread for my pins...Let's not talk about the lace hooks...let's just not go there...

I guess it's gonna be more and more online shopping for me...and when I find that mecca of thread, I'm gonna hug 'em and kiss 'em and call 'em George...

OMG I LOVE THIS HAT!

IMG_7036
Originally uploaded by sraedi

Ok folks...I just don't know what to award this hat...I mean yeah it's kitschy (in the most fabulous of ways)...but it's so PICOT FREEING...I mean this is like a slug thing from Futurama...This is a work of art...this is wearable performance art even! I LOVE THIS!

Thinking fast, while typing here...MUST...CREATE....NEW... AWARD!!!!

Ok...... Here it is...

The Fearless Leader Global Domination Award...That's what we'll call the new award cause man...this is just awesome :) (You wonderful at my sanity...cease wondering my friends...I'm just not that normal...if you hadn't guessed already)....

This splendi-wonderful chapeau was fashioned by one of our NEW members in the CLF sraedi. Check out her projects folks! FABULOUS stuff!

sreadi, you are duly awarded The Fearless Leader Global Domination Award for creating a hat that just says..."Take that humans!"

Sweet Hat!

Picture 3068
Originally uploaded by Crisssti

I don't know about you folks, but Fall has flung itself firmly down in my part of the world. We had our first of the autumn winds blowing my car around the road yesturday, and it was back to sweaters, scarves and hats. In fact it almost froze the other night! That's a wee bit early even for us!

So with cold weather on my mind (and in my bones) I give you this stunning hat made by CLF Member Cristi. It is a totally hookalcious offering, love the colors she chose and she has a lovely hand!

The pattern is available for free on the internet and is by designer: Rheatheylia. You can get the pattern from her website

So the Hookalcious award goes to Cristi for this very cool hat!
Congratulations Cristi!

Errata Page

Hi Folks...

As promised in the introduction of the book, there is now an errata page for the First Ever Book. I have to say, I did my darnedest to make sure it was error free, but let me tell you that is a near impossible task in and of itself.

Check out the Errata section on the CLF Website to make sure you have all the goodness that is. My first of several apologies (I'm sure it can't be the only error to come to light)....is to Barbara Hillery Van Elsen for somehow losing the last words of her fabulous Very Simple Yet Versatile Scarf pattern...I don't know how the end got left out, and I swear it was there when I went to upload it...but perhaps my eyes were too crossed...no matter the reason it was left out and I apologise. I will announce here on the blog and in the Ravelry Group when new information is added.

ERRATA PAGE

iGnome totally kitschalicious

iGnome
Originally uploaded by eightlegs

Ok...CLF member eightlegs and I are kindred spirits...I love gnomes and all things gnomage...she made this cute little fella to hold an ipod and it's just too fun for words :)

Congratulations Eightlegs you are awarded the Kitschalicious Award for making one handsome gnome!

Exciting News...

Hello minions!

Today I have some fun news for you. First of all, Amazon.com has discounted the CLF First Ever Book to 27.99 with the option for 2day free shipping. Feel free to use their special discounts, I had nothing to do with this, other than our marketing has been so good that for a new book (from an unknown) to sell as well as it has out of the starting gate that they think we have something! WHOOT!

So, again please feel free to take advantage of Amazon's great deal, it's cheaper than our member price and I just can't afford to offer that good a price to you all!

For LYSes please contact me directly and I DO have a special deal for you to carry the book!! YAY...Even better than I thought I could do...so it's all win win...

MORE NEWS!!!

I feel so honored! Mary Beth Temple is going to be interviewing me on Getting Loopy, Monday Sept. 29!!! CHECK IT OUT! Oooooh I feel so real :)

Wedding Afghan...wow...

031
Originally uploaded by wiscck1

Ok this is just AMAZING! CLF Member wiscck made this GORGEOUS Quilt Pattern Afghan for her friend's wedding...OMG That's astounding!!!

The pattern is:Casablanca Crochet Quilt by CL HALVORSON...

WOWIE!

Ok wiscck you are One TOTALLY HOOKALCIOUS Person...I feel unworthy at your hooking prowress....

WOW!

Website and more...

Well, in honor of the messed up thumbnail on the Amazon page and the Createspace page for our book... I've fixed our Website...

It's much better looking, and includes a reading from our First Ever Book, "My New Hooks" by Aimee Woolwine.

I've also, finally, got the Crochet Friendly List up online....I've taken down the interactive because it was misbehaving, and I'm not a genius coder like Casey from Ravelry, so I'm just gonna update our pages from time to time. I figure we're lucky I could do this much on the site with me building it...

CHECK IT OUT HERE...NEW AND IMPROVED :)

I'll be doing more on the site as time goes by. Especially getting a page of sample readings...I'm trying to get a media player that doesn't automatically start playing as the page is loaded...grrrr...workin' on it :)

Beyond the website, the book is selling nicely...Thank you all for your support. This revenue helps for me to purchase the copies that go to the authors./designers. Remember the CLF started as a joke, I've been running to keep up ever since :)

Oooh btw on Sept. 28 I'm being interviewed by Mary Beth Temple on Getting Loopy :) That's exciting :)

And keep your eyes peeled in the Yarn Market News, because I was recently interviewed about the "Crochet Scene"...Ok, it's kind of cool when people start asking to interview you! LOL...who knew my little joke could go so far!

Le GRAND sigh...

Ok folks...The thumb nail of our bookcover looks really bad on Amazon/Createspace...That's something they did to dork it up...I'm currently having at them for it, cause it does NOT print that way...I have no idea why the layers went all boobly but they did...THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE at all...

The book prints out BEAUTIFULLY I must say, and well they are gunna have to give me a better answer than "You need to resubmit your cover art and wait 15 days, and order another proof"...I mean honestly, they should be able to use ANY jpeg... I've converted the pdf into a jpg on my little computer which isn't anything like they would have with ZERO issues...so ahem...Anyway...that said the PROPER small thumbnail of the book is now on our blog with a convienient link to the store....

OOOH I learned a new trick....

Ok, I know the official website needs some work, so I've ACTUALLY had some time to work on it a little...I figured out how to put my readings there...If you aren't into the podcast thing that's understandable, but you know even on the podcast you don't have to down load it, you can actually just hit play and listen to it online ;)

So, I'm going to make a page for the book with readings from some of the articles ;)

YAY....

Reading from the book...

Hello Minions and Great Hookalicious folk!

I thought I'd remind you that not only does our fabulous hooking compendium of yummy goodness have 36 totally Picot Freeing patterns...it has 13 useful, inspiring, touching articles as well...

Since people are so used to things being "all biznez" in crafting books today, I wanted to let you know I modeled the content a bit like the old Women's Day Magazines and Work Baskets (modern approach of course). I own a ton of the vintage tomes and one of the things I've loved about them most are the articles....

So, in honor of the great articles in the book I'm giving readings of those articles...the first reading is now available on our Podcast uploaded fresh today! You get to hear my incoherent ramblings about the PDX experience (btw did I mention I got to meet Regina of MONSTER CROCHET...OMG I am so not worthy!)... I end the podcast with a reading of CLF Minion Extraordinaire: Alia Smith's (crotcheteer on ravelry) article entitled: "The Five Mistakes"...

A humorous take on the five worst mistakes LYSes can make when serving/not serving crocheters...It made me laugh, I hope it makes you laugh too! CHECK IT OUT HERE!

Oh YEAH it's in the book!

One more reason to buy the book! Yavanna Coulter (Datenshi on Ravelry) designed this Totally HOOKALICIOUS tote for the book. Not only is it a very detailed pattern (taking the guess work out of things!) she charted the base and all of the special stitches!

You can now get the book on Amazon.com it qualifies for free supersaver shipping... but remember if you went to the Portland Show and picked up a post card use the Create Space E-store (like wise for CLF members) to get your special discount! It's a $5 savings!

I wore this on Saturday Night in Porltand...

Pirate Costume 1
Originally uploaded by CMHS yarn & designs (laurie wheeler)

So, now the world shall know me as Capn Hook! Yay!
I wore my pirate outfit to the banquet on Saturday night at the Knit and Crochet Show in Porltand...I tell ya, I got a few funny looks, but not from our fearless and creative crocheters.

It was WAY too warm in Portland to be wearing over ten pounds of chenille! I love this outfit though, my Irish Chemise has those great wide sleeves that can be used as pockets so I had my crochet etc tucked up inside!

The fashion show was ok, I think I have to say that our crochet designers had the edge on cool, and pretty...Though there were a few nice stick made creations.

I got to see Doris Chan's fabulous little black dress up close and personal, and all I can say is WOWEE! That's even better looking in person and I thought the photo in the magazine was phenomenal.

Drew Emborsky previewed garments that are in his men's wear book! Drew finally gave us the men's patterns we've all been asking for! An amazing Aran style sweater and a cabled vest were two of my favorite projects, heck I'd make them for myself!

I'll be writing more about Drew's book soon, since I got to fondle it up close and personal after the fashion show!

Speaking of after the show, we retired to the Doubletree's lounge after the show. I got to hang out with Vashti Braha, Doris Chan, Drew Emborsky, Marti Miller, Bonnie and Bill Piece (of free form fame) just to drop a few names! A fun time was had by all!

I have to say though, I doubt I'll go to another regional CGOA event again. I think I'll save my pennies for the Chain Link convention.

Stay tuned for more reports about the Portland experience...I'll get the pics on the computer and speak more of the great people I met at the show.

Also, I'm working on our next podcast...I'll be giving a reading out of our Crochet Liberation Front first ever book. Now available on Amazon.com.

Speaking of the book...sigh...the thumbnail of the cover just isn't right on either the e-store or the Create Space store front...We're working on resolving the issue....but I am uploading previews of the book onto Amazon.com so folks can see what kind of lovelies are in the book!

Happy Hooking Everyone...