Faeya You are ONE HOOKILICIOUS Hookster!

wolfthrow2
Originally uploaded by moonfyre_2000

The Wolf Throw is a personal Pattern by Faeya! Done in Tapestry Crochet using Caron Simply Soft...This is a lovely throw!

Well done Faeya! You have been awarded the Hookilicious Award for outstanding crocheted goodness!

National Crochet Month...

Hey March is National Crochet Month! It's time to party! On Ravelry we have a group called Natcromo Party...join us! Propertrappings (CLF moderator) is in chart of the party)

Craftkitten (CLF Moderator) has made up a great flyer to get LYS's an Crocheters to celebrate the month long of Crochet Celebrations!

What can you do?

• Join the Crochet Guild of America
• Join the International Freeform Guild
• Get one of our handy Crochet Month Flyers!
• Let your local yarn store that the Crochet Liberation Front has a Crochet Friendly Buyers Guide and that we'd love to add them to the list when they meet our criteria!
• Teach some one to crochet
• Learn something new
• Start a crochet blog, it's not hard!
• Sign up for Ravelry and join the burgeoning ranks of crocheters!
• Join the Crochet Liberation Front
• Crochet in Public
• Don't apologise for crocheting, be proud!
• Watch this blog!

What does this pretty view have to do with Crochet?

Sunset from Camano Island State Park
Originally uploaded by CMHS yarn & designs (laurie wheeler)

This is the view you could see if you come to the 2010 event in the Pacific NW!

There will be room for about 250 people if they share cabin space, and if they like tent or RV camping there is room for more at Camano Island State Park (where the photo was taken!)

Yeah, nature inspires!

Just whetting your appetites!

MissPiggott! You have set our picot free!

Crochet Hook Case
Originally uploaded by Alice Piggott

This awesome crochet hook case was made by CLF'er MissPiggott!
Yay! This is a lovely lovely hook!

MissPiggott used a pattern by Sally V. George from The Crochet Works.

If you get a chance stop by this project page in Ravelry, because she has great notes!!

MissPiggott you have been awarded the Set My Picot Free Award!!

Diggin' You get a Hookilicious Award

owl board shorts
Originally uploaded by diggin'

These little shorties are too cute! Our dear member DIggin' made these for a charity auction!

I love the little owl!

Well done Diggin'!! You have been awardedt he Hookilicious Award for inspiring crochet!

This Capelet Sets All our PICOT FREE!!

Flower shawl
Originally uploaded by knitbook

Made by CLF member amberbryant this lovely little capelet is too cute. She used Titania's Capelet by Sandi Wiseheart from the Spring '06 issue of Interweave Crochet Magazine!


M'dear You have been awarded the Set My Picot Free Award!

SparkyAlbatross This is Hookilicious!

Ravelry Photos 016
Originally uploaded by bracicot

Ok, it may make no sense to you non-Firefly Fans, but this hat was done by CLF member SparkyAlbatross (a man, btw!! Yes, men do crochet!)...It is a :"Jayne Cobb Hat"...

Beings I'm a fan of the t.v. series and movie (it should have NEVER been cancelled!!) I have to give this hat of tip of my own chapeau!

Sparky Albatross you be one Hookilicious Dude!

An Obligatory Rant

I haven't ranted in a little while, so I feel that I must. It's my duty to rant on behalf of crochet and those who wield the hook.

So here's my top ten list of assinine things people who think they know about crochet get wrong...

1) Crochet is limited
2) Crochet is stuck in the 1970's
3) Crochet makes poor fabric for garments
4) You can't be a professional designer if all you know how to do is crochet.
5) Crochet makes too bulky of stitches
6) The posts look ugly
7) Crochet doesn't stretch enough
8) Crocheters are not as polished as other crafters.
9) Crochet is a poor substitute for real needle work.
10) Crochet just doesn't look as nice.

These are the first ten things I could think of that I have heard repeatedly.

Answer to #1: Are you kidding me? We can crochet anything, anytime, anywhere! Just because you can't find the books in an LYS doesn't mean the information isn't out there. The materials aren't to be found in most LYS's because most LYS's are owned by people who know butkiss about crochet. Those that do known about crochet and own yarn stores DO have the materials.

Crochet can make anything from evening gowns and wedding dresses to the most KITCHILICOUS toys and accessories. We can be two or three dimensional on our WHIMS.

2) The whole 1970's thing...Oh puleez...give me a break. I won't even go into this, that's just an ignorant thing to say.

3, 5, & 6) Once again ignorance. That's what happens with a little bit of knowledge folks...it's dangerous. Crochet can be bulky, usually when someone choses the yarn one would use in a pointy stitck project. In general we have to go down a yarn size. It's YARN choices people. You cannot just use yarn willy nilly...There are many pointy stick people that also do not choose the right size/weight of yarn for projects. How do I know? I run a fiber department at a fair, that's how I know, I see the entries, all of them.

The posts only look out of place in sweaters when you want a knit look, and that is only in double crochet and larger stitches...try out an hdc and work in the vertical versus the horizontal and see how your fabric turns out!

4) Well, that is just ludicrious...why should you have to know how to design in another craft to be a professional. I do not believe the pointy stick people are required to understand crochet, I could be wrong and if so I will stand corrected. However, this is just stupid. I'm tired of watching really great crochet designers feel like they HAVE to learn to use the sticks in order to be valid. Sheesh that makes my blood boil. If you want to learn another craft, great! That's awesome! I just don't feel that people should feel forced to do so!

7) Once again, a statement made by someone who just doesn't have the expertise to speak on the matter. It truly depends on the stitches and direction in which you are working, and your yarn/fiber choice...Some times we do not want flexibility...for example: Making corsettes...you really want support, crochet can give that to you. You can get stretch too! Make a net shopping bag and find out what happens!

8) That's just mean spirited and rude. I wish such people would keep their mouths firmly closed. It's so lovely that people have opinions isn't it? What ever happened to if you can't say anything nice, do not say anything at all!

9) Ditto 8 on this one. And, what could anyone POSSIBLY MEAN BY THAT???!!! Give me a break. Frankly, all handwork is comprised of those who know what they are doing, those with experience, and those who are in the middle and at the beginning of the learning curve. I've seen projects in every kind of fiber art you can imagine, some have been polished, some have not, some are finished well and some are not...that's a skill set...Frankly, these are foolishly stupid comments.

10) Another opinion often not based in fact. Funny enough, just after having made that statement I have been asked what pattern, yarn and "needles" I used for what ever project someone wanted to make...Frankly, I'm tired of hearing it. It's untrue and it's spewed and regurgitated nonesense. Yup, you heard me, it's non-sense. Perpatrators of this kind of idiocy should be regarded with raised eyebrows and silence.

Don't excuse our work! We are talented, we are proud...WE ARE THE CLF!

Keep hooking people!

Weavernom You have Set Our Picot FREE!

DSCN1942
Originally uploaded by weavrmom

This gorgeous! Gorgeous shawl/wrap comes to us from our beloved member Weavrmom!

This is so delicate and elegant! She call's it her Crochet Feather Stole...and it sure does remind me of feathers! Beautiful work!

According to her notes on Ravelry! "This design is adapted from a Japanese crochet book, Let’s Knit Series: Crochet Lace, ISBN # 978-4-529-04342-7, pattern # 19."

Wonderful work! Well Done! You have been awarded the Set My Picot Free! Award for crocheted excellence! WOW!!

Ibby's Hookilicious Hot Pad!

tapestryhotpad2
Originally uploaded by Ibby46

Ibby! This is down right too attractive to be a hotpad! Stunning work!

You have been awarded the Hookilicious Award for outstanding crocheted excellence!

This hot pad has been made using the Tapestry Crochet or Crocheted Jacquard technique.

Lovely!

Missblonde winner of Kitchilicious!

Heather the Hippo
Originally uploaded by chemicallyblonde

Missblonde is our Kitchilicious winner this week! This lovely hippo named Heather started life as a Lion Brand pattern...It can be found on the Lionbrand website.

Ok this is just too cute! I really do need to trot over to that site to check out all the fun toys and stuffed goodies :)

Missyboo! You have SET OUR PICOT FREE!

Cables Interrupted
Originally uploaded by New Missyboo

Hookalueiah! Oh my, for all that is fuzzy, warm and wonderful, our dear member Missyboo out did herself in this GORGEOUS Cabled CROCHET sweater!

The pattern is called : Cables Interrupted by Jane Snedden Peever and is from More Crocheted Aran Sweaters!

AMAZING!

Missyboo you have been awarded the Set My Picot Free Award for crocheted excellence!

Hooks Raised! CLF SALUTE!

Licraftgal This is HOOKILICIOUS!

cathedral rose afghan
Originally uploaded by craftgal1061

The hookilicious award goes to Licraftgal, a member of the CLF on Ravelry!

Wow! This pattern is called Cathedral Rose Afghan and is from Annie's Attic...

Amazing and well done!

Beautiful work, and what a cool shape, texture, and INSPIRING!

National Crochet Month: March

Minions! It is almost upon us, the fated 31 days of nationally celebrated hooking!

That's right, March is National Crochet Month... On ravelry we are planning a NatCroMoParty check it out in the Crochet Liberation Front Headquarters Group...

What can you do to celebrate crochet?

1) Wear your crochet! Let people see how great you are!

2) St. Paddy's day and Easter fall in March this year make fun things for friends, family, charity!

3) As local businesses (cafes, stores etc), libaries etc to let you display some great crochet information.

4) Teach someone to crochet

5) Learn something new and post it on your blog

6) Blog every day in March about Crochet!

Why? Well, heck and darn if we don't root a toot toot our own craft-wise horns who will?

Fiber Art & Crochet...Marketing

Marketing to Crochet Enthusiasts 101.

Fiber arts Festivals, retreats, yarn stores, LEND ME YOUR EARS (I promise I will give them back).

You want to know why crocheters don't come to events, or when they do they sit in their own corners?

Because it is blatantly obvious that crochet is "out" in a large portion of the fiber population's mind. I don't know how that happened, but I'm about to get really rude if I keep hearing the tired statements about crochet when I go to events and gatherings.

It is amazing, vendors say crocheters don't spend money on their items. My response is a) Crocheters aren't even here! Why? Because they are not marketed to, to begin with and they are made to feel less than comfortable when they do attend gatherings on the off chance they brave an LYS.

How to market to crocheters:

1) People who crochet, especially crochet only, do not associate what they do with knitting. Therefore the words "knitting" ,"knit","Needle" mean zip, zero and nada to a crocheter (unless they are bi-crafty). Crochet uses hooks, and we do not knit. So, believe it or not, many crocheters don't even go into yarn stores because so many are named for the pointy stick past time that many hooksters don't even realise they can go buy yarn in those stores!
(Crazy? Well, would you think to buy a car in a place called Boat World?)

2) The myths about crochet get old: Crocheters do more than make doilies and edging. We are not stuck in the 1970's. Crochet is NOT limited. And there are plenty of brilliant teachers available to teach wonderful, technical and exciting classes. And yes, we do in general spend money if there are things we want to buy. (That is a future article.)

3) Advertise if you can in local crafting newletters and magazines. Let large crochet groups know about your event. Notices in libraries, shops and other venues that people frequent.
Heck, if you are having an event, let the CLF know! We'll help you plug it to crocheters.

4) Crocheters are not lesser, or lower class than knitters. Regardless of what the history of crochet may or may not be, no one has really been able to give diffinitive proof of it in my book, today crocheters come from every walk of life, every country, all beliefs, pocket book sizes and in both genders.

So, festivals, retreats, and gatherings if it has to do with fiber arts, then include crochet too! We're a fiber art as well!

Remember, the CLF would much rather have you on our NICE list :) (We don't keep a naughty list).

Hooks Raised CLF Salute.

Crochet Friendly LYS List!

We at the CLF believe that we need to put our money where our mouth is! That's right, if someone IS crochet friendly, give them your business!

This is the current list of Crochet Friendly LYS as compiled by our dear member and moderator Smurf/Alison! She's a gem and I owe her much thanks for her organisational skills!

All recommendations here have been made by members of the Crochet Liberation Front!

Don’t see your favourite crochet-friendly LYS listed? Come and sing their praises here!! (Last updated 15 Feb 08)
Stores are ordered by state/region, then city, then store name.
USA
AL - Serendipity Needleworks, Tuscaloosa
AZ - Yarn N More, Phoenix
AZ - Tempe Yarn and Fiber, Tempe
AZ - Kiwi Knitting Co., Tucson
AZ - Purls, Tucson
AZ - Tucson Yarn Company, Tucson
CA - Ewe-phoric Yarns, Arnold
CA - Yarnology, Arroyo Grande
CA - Unwind, Burbank
CA - Babetta’s Yarn & Gifts, Fair Oaks
CA - The Yarn Boutique, Lafayette
CA - Lakeside Knits, Lakeside
CA - A Mano Yarn Center, Los Angeles
CA - The Knitter’s Studio, Menlo Park
CA - Unraveled Yarn, Monrovia
CA - The Stitch Cafe, North Hollywood
CA - Rumpelstiltskin, Sacramento
CA - Artfibers, San Fransisco
CA - Cottage Yarns, South San Fransisco
CA - Imagiknit, San Fransisco
CA - Commuknity, San Jose
CA - The Knitting Room, San Jose
CA - Betty’s Fabrics, San Luis Obispo
CA - Nine Rubies, San Mateo
CA - Simply Knitting, Santa Clarita
CA - The Village Spinning and Weaving Shop, Solvang
CA - Purlescence Yarn, Sunnyvale
CA - Temecula Valley Yarn Company, Temecula
CA - Fashion-Knit, Walnut Creek
CO - The Recycled Lamb, Lakewood
CO - Knit Knack, Old Town Arvada
CO - Colorado Fiber Arts, Pueblo
CT - Sit ‘n Knit Too, Old Wethersfield
CT - Sit ‘n Knit, West Hartford
CT - Creative Fibers, Windsor
DC - Stitch DC, Capitol Hill
FL - Uncommon Threads, Palm Harbor
GA - The Knitting Emporium, Kennesaw
GA - The Whole Nine Yarns, Woodstock
IL - Gene Ann’s Yarn Shop, Barrington
IL - Needleworks, Champaign
IL - Mosaic Yarn Studio, Des Plaines
IL - Ewe Knit, Normal
IL - Wool Warp & Wheel, Richmond
IN - Stitches & Scones, Westfield
KS - Yarn, Hutchinson
KS - The Yarn Barn, Lawrence
KS - Twist Yarn Shop, Wichita
KS - Heritage Hut, Wichita
KY - Stone’s Throw Artisans, Georgetown
KY - Sophie’s Fine Yarn Shoppe, Louisville
MA - Windsor Button, Boston
MA - A Good Yarn, Brookline
MA - Webs, Northampton
MD - Fiberworks, Ashton
MD - Knitters Nest, Eldersburg
MD - Keep Me In Stitches!, Frederick
MD - Woolwinders, Rockville
ME - The Irish Ewe, Norway
MI - Lavender & Peonies, DeWitt
MI - Woven Art, East Lansing
MN - Bella Lana, Minneapolis
MO - The Studio Knitting & Needlepoint, Kansas City
MS - Double Ewe Yarn Shop, Circle Pines
MS - Yarns Downtown, Columbus
MS - That Yarn Shop, Hernando
MT - Stix, Bozeman
NC - The Tail Spinner, Richlands
NC - Spin A Yarn…Weave A Web, Warrensville
NE - The Yarn Shop, Lincoln
NH - The Elegant Ewe, Concord
NH - Ewe’ll Love It, Nashua
NJ - Stix N Stitches, Montclair
NJ - Knit-A-Bit, Westfield
NY - Alfred Knitting Studio, Alfred Station
NY - Downtown Yarns, NYC
NY - Habu Textiles, NYC
NY - Knitty City, NYC
NY - School Products, NYC
NY - Seaport Yarn, NYC
NY - The Yarn Connection, NYC
NY - The Knitting Cove, Port Jefferson
NY - 3-Corner Field Farm, Shushan
NY - Catskill Merino, Swan Lake
OH - Knitters’ Mercantile, Columbus
OH - Miss Chickpea’s Funky Fibers, Hudson
OH - Cast on Cafe, Willoughby
OR - Rose & Ram Knit Shop & Studio, Independence
OR - Nestucca Bay Yarns, Lincoln City
PA - Olga’s Living With Art, Coudersport
PA - Bloomin Yarns, McMurray
PA - Valknitz, Montoursville
PA - Loop, Philadelphia
PA - Nangellini, Philadelphia
PA - Rosie’s Yarn Cellar, Philadelphia
PA - Sophie’s Yarns, Philadelphia
PA - Natural Stitches, Pittsburgh
PA - Glory-ous Knits, Watsonville
SD - Athena’s Fiber, Sioux Falls
TX - Yarn Heaven, Arlington
TX - Hill Country Weavers, Austin
TX - Bluebonnet Yarn Shoppe, Cedar Park
TX - Knitivity Dyed Yarns, Houston
TX - Yarntopia, Katy
TX - Stitches N Stuff, Longview
TX - The Knitting Nook, North Richland Hills
TX - Yarnivore, San Antonio
TX - Apple Leef Farm, Van Alstyne
VA - Capital Yarns, Chantilly
VA - Aylin’s Woolgatherer, Falls Church
VA - Old Towne Needleworks, Manassas
WA - Hilltop Yarn East, Bellevue
WA - Knot Just Yarn, Burlington
WA - Yorkshire Yarns, Lakewood
WA - Let It Rain Yarn, Mukilteo
WA - Hilltop Yarn, Seattle
WA - A Dropped Stitch, Sequim
WI - Loops And Links, De Pere
WI - Needles N Pins, Delavan
WI - The Dragonfly Yarn Shop, Janesville
WI - The Shaggy Sheep, Manitowoc
WI - Spin, Sturgeon Bay
Australia - NSW - Tapestry Craft, Sydney
Canada
AB - Make One Yarn Studio, Calgary
AB - Wool Revival, Edmonton
BC - Birkeland Brothers Wool, Vancouver
BC - Homecraft Importers, Vancouver
BC - Urban Yarns, Vancouver
ON - The Purple Purl, Toronto
Germany
Die Luftmasche in Trier
Die Maschenkunst in Köln
Nach Strick und Faden in Dresden
Ireland - Celtic Memory Yarns, Cork
Wales - Yarns N Yarns, Penarth


Online:
Asciano Fiber Arts Tools, USA
Crochet Guild of America, USA
Crown Mountain Fibers, USA
Ernst Finely Crafted Glass,USA
Frugal Knitting Haus, USA
Knitting Asylum Yarns, USA
Patternworks, USA
Sonny & Shear, USA
SpinBlessing, USA
Stitch Diva, USA
Foreign Strand, UK
Kay’s Creative Crochet, UK

Elleemmiss You Have Set Our Picot Free!

100_0236
Originally uploaded by weirdsoup

WOW! This is a phenominal Bolero Cardigan!
Well made!

Elleemmiss is a CLF Minion and she crocheted this lovely piece using the pattern: Comfy Cardi by Robyn Chachula

Her notes are excellent, a must check out in the Ravelry Projects!

Elleemmiss you have been awarded the SET MY PICOT FREE AWARD!

Hookilicious PugMomma!

JeannettesStole1.JPG
Originally uploaded by pugmomma79

This beautiful stole was created by PugMomma a CLF Minion!
She made it to showcase the Handpainted yarn she used!
Check it out on Ravelry!

PugMomma you have been awarded the Hookilicious Award of Excellence :)

Sukigirl74!! Kitschilicious! oreo tape measure

oreo tape measure
Originally uploaded by sukigirl74

Ok I have a new award now! it's Kitschilicious!

Sukigirl74 is a CLF member and she made this fabulous tapemeasure using Beth Doherty’s book Amigurumi Super Happy Crochet Cute.

I love it! That is just darling!

Sleepycat! Behold! A Set My Picot Free Winner!

Beholder 2
Originally uploaded by sleepycat3x

Ok, maybe it's just me...I mean I did kill off one of my favorite Barabarians by having him jump into a fray against a 20th level Beholder (not smart for a sixth level barbarian to do without back up...what can I say... I was bored)...

To those of you who do not play D&D or other role playing games this may make no sense whatsoever...To those of you that do, well you're most likely chuckling at the moment...

Regardless...This is a fine bit of stitchery! And...it's the cutest little beholder I've seen :)

This was made by Sleepycat a member of the Crochet Liberation Front on Ravelry! She has made many fantastic projects...and some probably more award worthy but this amused me ;)

Sleepy Cat you get a SET MY PICOT FREE award :)

Crochet Perfect World

One of our grand members, Carpenoctem wrote this lovely little satire on her blog!
With her permission I have linked to this MUST see view of a crochet perfect world!

If nothing else can get the point across I think this does ;)

Not that we truly want it that way, in fact in most of our collective CLF perfect worlds we see just being able to find a friendly, and accomodating yarn store as a boon :) We don't want everyone to crochet, or do any other kind of craft. We just want ours to have it's own identity.

Not much to ask really.

So read this wonderful post and enjoy the humor...and maybe, if you aren't a crocheter, or if you are a yarn store owner, you will actually be able to see why it is that we feel so strongly...

Widdershins Crochet Blog (aka Carpenoctem's blog)

Free Form Crochet Mat

playmat3
Originally uploaded by yummyyarn aka yarnmom

This beautiful "play mat" was made by Yummyyarn for her daughter...
Inspired by taking a class by Bonnie Pierce in Free Form, this was the result...

If only we could all be so inspired! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yummyyarn, you have been awarded the Set My Picot Free Award! Because if anything could set our picot free it would a blanket like this....

Amazing, you are very talented!

SZABO! WOW! Look at your work!

purple leaves front
Originally uploaded by szildi

Our member Szabo has recently entered the fabulous, funky world of Free Form Crochet!

This is a Purple Free Form Tunic! WOW! Is all I can say, it's gogeous! Szabo hails from Hungary (and even taught us how to say Crochet in Hungarian!) and now lives in the UK....

Are we not full of talented people?

Szabo you have been awarded the Hookilicious award for outstanding CROCHET beauty!

CLF in the Spotlight!

CLF member Briannamewborn, is host of the podcast, "The Crochet Side". She braved interviewing me (I am honored), and ended up with a two part pod cast!

http://www.thecrochetside.com

Am I truly an alien?

Am I really a strange as you think?

Do I really live on an island?

What are my real plans?

What does the future hold for the CLF?

All of these questions and more (or not) will be answered in the rambling conversation/interview :)

Mucho fun! I hope you listen in and subscribe to Brianna's podcast!

On a personal note, it was a lot of fun, and she is a lovely young lady!