Saturday of the Crochet and Knit Show

Ok, so it's officially Sunday early AM right now, it was a really long day, and I should be in bed right now, but you know me...le sigh :)

Anyway, this morning at "bleary eyed o'clock" I had Myra Wood's Advanced Free Form class. I loved every minute of it! Now, I already knew most of the stitches, but I didn't take the class to learn a new stitch, that's what my stitch dictionary collection is for! No, I took the class to be in Myra's aura, her creative spirit and energy is vast and glorious. I have never met a person, yet, who has taken her classes and left disappointed!

I got inspired to do some very useable art...yes, useable art. Art for artsake is freakin cool, but I have this real practical streak and I like to use my art...it is both amusing and fullfilling!

After class, my dear friends Gabrielle and Thomas Chavez, met up with me, and I went to the Portland Raw Food Meetup's potluck. That was a great deal of fun, and met a lovely lady who knits, and told her about the show, and showed off a little crochet goodness, she may now be tempted by the hook ;)

After that little bit for Crochet-Evangelism, I came back to the hotel with daughter and we relaxed for a while. WHOOT...

Then came the dinner and fashion show. Oh my, what a nice show it was too. Garments both crocheted and knit festooned our evening and tickled our eyeballs (and brains, lots of inspiration).

What was the coolest part of the show, to me, was how many crocheters there were! In fact when the "raffle prizes" were drawn folks were asked for their preference in the prizes! "Knit or Crochet" was the call about half of the lucky winners were heard to shout proudly and in a distinguished manner, "Crochet!" I had to root and cheer for each one! YAY for Crochet!

I am too tired to take photos off camera and get them on the blog at the moment, but I will most definately be doing that either later this morning, OR Monday :)

Tomorrow holds checking out from the hotel, seeing if I have enough cash to do one last dash through the market, and then off to the Museum of Contemporary Crafts because of this exhibit!

Then it's to the Batmob... I mean the train station and back to Camano Island where my hubby, son, cats and dog are waiting for us!

It was sure fun (if not a little too warm for me)...but it was a HOOKALICIOUS convention, I'd say it rates hand over fist from last year! Live and learn I always say, but thank you Portland you were a fabulous host as always!

Off to the CGOA Regional in Portland, Oregon!

I'm excited!

Tomorrow morning my daughter and I head up to Mt. Vernon, WA. in order to take a train to Portland, Oregon. Our destination is the CGOA Regional event at the Doubletree Hotel in Portland, Oregon. It's also called the "Knit and Crochet Show" and well, I have protested the name in the past (what else who you have me do), but the name of the show has nothing to do with the Crochet Guild of America, the "show" is owned by Offinger Management. But, they've done better listing crochet in their literature, and class notes. So, I give them a crochet nod.

I am taking a class on broomstick (jiffy) lace from Jennifer Hansen of Stitchdiva Design Studio, and a class on advance free form with Myra Wood.

I am also looking forward to going to Voodoo Donoughts because even though I grew up in the Portland Area, I have never been there, and I don't know how on earth I ever missed such a place! I mean donoughts shaped like voodoo dolls? With red "blood" filling? I mean really! Me, who loves the first Shrek movie specifically because of the "Gingerbreadman" getting tortured? "No, NO! Not the MILK!"

I digress.

So, it's a good thing that as part of my last minute preparations for the trip, that I have double checked what I need for the class. Um...Yeah. Sure I had it memorized, NOT!

So, I don't think I have the correct sticks for Jennifer's class, nor do I have the kind of yarn Myra called for in her class. Sigh...I barely EVER work with worsted weight yarn, so now I have to go digging through my stash one more time.

Yes, I will blog from the event! Yes, I'm taking pics! Yes, I have cool stuff to wear! I even made special elven slippers for crocheted yarnie goodness to wear in the halls ;)

March: In like a Lion out Like a Lamb...

Well the wind did howl as March first came...and so did the wirlwind of voting for the Flamies!
The votes are in, and tabulated, now dear Ms. Fignations (Darlisa) will be a busy bee engraving names onto the plaques for the winners!

Ooooh, this should be just nerve wracking for all of the nominees! Egads, I'm sure glad I'm not them! (*evil chuckle*)...oh, did I make it worse? MUWAHAHAHAHA...

Ok, I'll stop and be nice, I won't torture the nominees (much) in the ensuing weeks :) )

In the mean time please remember that the CLF First Ever Book is available for sale via Amazon.com, our CLF Website, and now in PDF version on lulu.com.

Last year I was so busy putting life together in March, I didn't get a chance to do the Natcromo Free Form Game hosted by Kaet, I'm making myself do it this year! She's working via inspiration, and it's been fun so far! Especially to see how everyone interprets her "prompts".

If you are ravelry, check out our projects! If not, you can see what I'm doing on my personal blog. March 3rd is kinda funny....at least it was at 11:30 pm when I was trying to photograph my stuff and a certain feline got into the act! Egads!

Back to work...

Well gang, it's time to get back to work... I want to thank all of you great people who have sent notes and thoughts, and prayers. They have all been welcomed and I am so grateful that we have such a supportive group of people in the CLF. As much as you did this for me and my family, I know you would do for any other member of our community (CLF or not)...I applaud you.

So, now on with the crochet side of business...I do have a piece of advice...when emotions are high please don't work on a project that matters...um...VOE (voice of experience)...I'm almost tempted to show what I did to a funky doodle shawl I was working on...EEK another project doomed to the UFO bag or more like me Free Form time :)

Free forming isn't just for art you know, it's a great way to fix mistakes, embellish, embellish, embellish.

Prudence Mapstone at Seattle Yarn Gallery

(CLF Members Smurf, PrudenceM, and Camanomade (aka, Alison, Prudence, Laurie)

Ok gang! I got to meet THE Prudence Mapstone today...sigh...she is not only brilliantly talented, but also very kind and sweet! It was indeed a pleasure to meet this vibrant, innovative, and creative person!

(Left to Right: Virginia, beautiful vest, Prudence)

On top of it all I got to meet Virginia, owner of Seattle Yarn Gallery, and let me tell you they go STRAIGHT to our Crochet Friendly LYS list! Great shop, good selection of everything. Virginia is a wonderful lady, gracious, informed, and a jewel! Her daughter (who's name I didn't get) is quite a talented needle worker, and as accepting of all that is fibery goodness too! located in West Seattle on California street, good parking and not hard to find! Check out their website HERE.

(Alison/Smurf and baby Smurf both sweet as can be!)

BEYOND on top of it all I got to meet our dear member, Smurf (aka Alison in real life) and her new wee baby who was such a dear through the whole workshop! He slept like a little lamb, and is cute as a bug! So awesome to meet her face to face, especially since she'll be heading back to Oz in the late fall/early winter!

I also got to meet Kathleen (who's card is in my jeans at home, and I'm borrowing bandwidth at a friend's house...long story don't get me started!) who organized the cruise that is taking Prudence and some very lucky folks up to Alaska! So glad they got to deport from Seattle! Kathleen is a lovely lady, so glad to get to meet her!

And LaCheryl, last but certainly not least her, I got to meet her in Oakland last fall, and boy were we surprised to run into each other at the workshop! LOL...She's one of the lucky one's heading up to Alaska with Prudence! All in all it was a great day and very cool to represent to CLF and enjoy such grand compnay! (And find another yarn store!)

Official CLF Blog has moved to THIS HOME!

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

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

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

Rock on with me!

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