Of all of the crochet-related posts I read this week, these were the ones I thought you shouldn’t miss!
Before we dig in, hoewel, just a reminder about the deal that I’m running this week where you can get free advertising on the sidebar of Crochet Concupiscence in exchange for a contribution to my Hook to Heal crochet fundraiser project. Spend just $10 and get a digital copy of the book when it’s ready PLUS $50 worth of advertising on this site.
Something Special
De New Tunisian Crochet
Nota: Doris Chan and Lily Chin were both recently featured in my post on top crochet shawl designers and Charles Voth was included in my roundup of 20 top male crochet designers.
Smart Crochet Posts
- Discover Your Inner Child. Loved this @crochetme post that’s about using crafting to regain the wonder of childhood, something that I’m exploring right now in the research for my Hook to Heal project, which is all about stuff like this!
- Vintage Styles for Today. @lionbrandyarn did a post I liked showing four knit/crochet patterns of theirs from 1912 and offering a side-by-side comparison of similar patterns of theirs from today. Goes along well with the vintage crochet series stuff I’ve been doing lately!
- On the News Stand. JD over @CraftGossip recently stopped in a Barnes and Noble and checked out a few magazines like Inside Crochet and the new Simply Crochet. She shares some thoughts.
- Sugar Coded Apps Releases New Crochet Decoder App. I wrote about this crochet app previously but now they’ve released some updates.
- Vintage Needlework Mags. Pop over to @anastaciaknits to see a visual post of the covers of some great old needlework mags; the crochet outfit on the top image is my favorite!
Beautiful Crochet Makes
Lucy of Attic 24 says about this colorful crochet doll blanket: “This has been the sweetest project, so much so that I am almost sad to see it finished. Everything about it was a complete pleasure. Werkelijk, that should read Pleasure with a capital P. The scale of it (dinky), the colours (delicious), the yarn (delightful) and the end result (darling) have all combined to make it a most wonderful hooky experience. Meer, there was the extra dimension of knowing that all my time and effort was being put into something very worthwhile indeed. A creative endeavour for a really Good Cause :: to raise money and help those in need.” Lucy also made a mini crochet ripple blanket that you can check out this week.
I love large granny square blankets like this Billow Blanket just completed by @knitpicks
@creativejmom shared her version of this easy crochet ruffled scarf, crochet pattern from Red Heart
Hoe om te Haak
- How to Crochet the Double Zig Zag Stitch. Via @crochettoday.
- How to Join Crochet Squares with SC. Via About.com Crochet.
- How to Crochet the Adjustable Ring. This is one post in a 3-part crochet basics series from @lionbrandyarn this week.
- How to Crochet a Flower. This one is a video tutorial from @molliemakes. Once you’ve learned to crochet a flower, you may like the post that @mooglyblog did this week linking to ten free crochet flower patterns.
- How to Crochet the Lacy Lattice Stitch. Via @newstitchaday with video tutorial.
- How to Crochet Standing Legs for Your Amigurumi. Van @ freshstitches, met video.
Haak Patronen
This is the gratis haakpatroon (on Crochetvolution) for the pineapples shawl that is actually part of the newest CAL from Underground Crafter. Need a project? Join in!
@molliemakes shared the gratis haakpatroon for this heart granny square by @Emma_crochets
Greedy for Colour shares a free crochet pattern to make a crochet toadstool. Love the magical colors she choose for hers!
Sesame Street Amigurumi Patterns, spotted via The Courageous Creative
I am excited about several of the crochet patterns that will be in the May/ June 2013 issue of @crochettoday, like this Pixy Pullover.
@crochetme shared links to some great free crochet bag patterns
I’m loving this crochet bird rattle pattern for sale from Mamachee, who happens to be my newest sponsor. Check her out!
@vickiehoweel has published her next crochet pattern book, a book of crochet hat patterns, available in @joann_stores
Crochet Quote of the Week
This week’s crochet quote comes from the Talking Crochet newsletter, which lands in my inbox regularly.
“While enduring the cold snap of winter, many crocheters start nesting in their homes more than usual and find the warmth of the fireplace as well as the warmth of their crochet to be comforting on those long and cold gray days.”
Video
I’m a little bit late sharing the news on this one as REAL LIFE has been slowing down blog life for me lately. I wanted to make sure to give the shout out though to recognize the efforts of the crocheters and knitters who helped the Stitch Red campaign meet the goal of getting featured on The Today Show. I’d mentioned in a link liefde bericht last month that they were trying to do this and seeking help. You guys all sent your support and the effort succeeded. Here’s the news clip from the Today show:
De Stitch Red folks said explained in the press release that “They held up a couple of red knitted items that were generously donated by supporters (thank you again to all of you who made something/sent something red!). They said the pieces were “beautiful” and that it was “so cool” and thanked us for making the items.” They also made sure to add: “For those of you who made items that didn’t make it on air, please know that without your support we wouldn’t have been able to get on the segment. It was the huge splash of ALL the Stitch Red items that were made/sent in and subsequently shared with the anchors that caught the eye of the producers and convinced them they should give Stitch Red a mention.” So if you sent something in and don’t see it here, that’s okay; it was useful in spreading the word about heart health through crafting!
One More Crochet Video!
This is the latest video about the Trochet Project via @fruitfulfusion. Meer informatie over trochet here.
Yarn News
- @lionbrandyarn Donated $1,000,000 in Proceeds from Vanna White Yarn Line As Gift to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
- @heysweetgeorgia shared a recap of the TNNA experience
Other Crafty Stuff
- There’s a new competition show in the works and it’s for knitters! Het heet The Fiber Factor. It may be for knitting but I think it will be fun to watch even as someone who crochets and doesn’t knit.
- TKGA Frand Retreat. If you’re a crocheter who does also knit then you may want to know that it’s time to sign up for the May retreat of The Knitting Guild Association. It’s an intimate weekend of knitting workshops in Michigan via @TKGAGuild.
- Yarnia Yarn of the Year Contest. Happen to be in Portland? You can try your hand at making a knit or crochet swatch in a @yarniaPDX yarn blend and enter to win. (Gotta be an Oregon local for this one but it’s fun to look at it all play out online too!)
- @sexonastitch had her gehaakte pasteitjes for sale again at this year’s annual Toronto Erotic Arts and Crafts Fair.
- How to Sew a Crochet Collar onto a Shirt (Anthropologie style). Tutorial from @sewcandoblog, spotted via @craftgossip.
Some Special Thanks
- Barbara of Made in K-town has invited people to guest post about their crochet worlds and I was honored when she extended the invite to me.
- Tamara of @mooglyblog for asking some amazingly smart questions in her interview of me about my Hook to Heal project.
- Sara (MomwithaHook) shared my guest post about the Hook to Heal project.
- Andee Graves for letting me be part of the blog tour for her first crochet pattern book. So sweet of her to say in her post about my blog: “Just be warned, her site is a bit addictive and you can easily find yourself spending a few hours reading and exploring links.”
- Crochet Today for sharing my guest post last week on the Ultimate Guide to Crocheting for Men and this week on Cross-Crafts for Crocheters.
- Gebreide Art for linking to the post I did about terrific crochet artist Helle Jorgensen.
- DIY & Craft Ideas for sharing the link to my post of 25 haak technieken te leren, which is just one article in my series of 25 inspiring articles for crocheters.
I also want to make sure to thank all of the amazing people who are supporting Hook to Heal with their contributions. You’re wonderful! The project is now more than 75% funded and there are two weeks left to go. Keep on spreading the word!
Happy weekend and happy reading! If this isn’t enough creative reading for you then you may also want to check out the “arts and smarts” link love roundup I’ve done over on my personal blog, Dagboek van een Smart Chick.
