Sneak Preview: Reims Baby Quilt

Here's a quick look at one of the projects I finished up this week. It will be offered as part of the Crochet By Faye Line and Stitch Coop. It will be this summer when its released, but you will be able to get it here and in your local yarn store. If your local yarn store isn't familiar with Stitch Coop, you should have them look us up online or at TNNA.

Reims is made with SWTC Tranquility which is a wool bamboo blend and an I (5.5mm) hook.

More info on it soon!

Treasures from the Vault

As you guys know, we are in the process of cleaning and consolidating a couple of the rooms in the house to make room for the new addition. CJ is going to pretty much have full range in my current "office" (aka the spare room). Needless to say, I have been up to my eyes in sorting through old books, yarn, proposals, swatches, and more. (My cousin will attest to this since I just sent her a box of yarn full of discontinued yarn that I know I can't swatch with. Hopefully she will love the treasures.)

But speaking of treasures, hidden behind and almost wedged in to the wall was this magazine (to the right). It's McCall's Summer Crochet from 1975. I have been going back to it at least once a day.

The garments are definitely styled from the 70's, but from my view there is nothing wrong with that. Take a look at some of my favorites (to the right). All of these, with really minimal effort easily can be updated (if at all) for today.

The hooded tunic in the magazine, I think is the whole reason I bid for it on eBay. You can immediately whip that up and wear it today. It is made from fashion thread, so it could be a great beach cover-up.

The mom's and daughter's dresses also caught my eye for easy whip up and wear. Couldn't you see them being worn to the park this summer?

My new favorite is this butterfly winged top. It would definitely need to be updated, but I would keep the style the same. I think all it needs is a new stitch pattern in the center (thus getting rid of the spider motif) and a different pattern at the arms (getting rid of the suspender effect). But in general, the lightness and flowing sleeves are totally in. You could definitely find that at Antro or Free People.

I am know trying really hard, not to go on a search for more of these magazines. All I need is more, but man am I tempted!

Speaking of, I'll be offering up a ton of magazines and book on the blog here soon. Probably in the next two weeks, just in case you would be interested.

KCT Giveaway Explosion!

You guys are the best! I received a ton of emails, PMs, and comments, that I think we have enough material for 2 seasons. Honestly, I received over 50 different episode ideas. How cool! And I can tell you first hand, that Brett and Candi were blown away! So can almost bet you that you might see your idea on the screen.

I know you are wondering about what some of the ideas were and who is the big winner. I'll start with the winner.

Winning Entry

I chose this entry since it was so informative and creative. You can really tell they thought out an entire episode top to bottom, which I think is great. Here's what they had to say:
"Now, with summer just around the corner, I would love to see some lighter weight, more tropical things done in interesting ribbon-like or combo yarns...cotton, bamboo, paper. How about a long open weave bathing suit cover-up (emphasis on sizing the pattern) with a coordinate crochet beach bag and then little crochet tie on flowers for flip-flops. I almost forgot the coordinating super big floppy beach hat trimmed in crochet flowers with tie on strap so it won't blow away. This could even be shown as mother & daughter.....so woman and child size patterns. I can tell you we would love to win the DVDs of the show. Then maybe one day we will know what we are doing since right now we are walking around in the dark looking for the . Thanks for listening"-- Marcia. Congratulations, Marcia! I'll be emailing you today.

Favorite Technique Entry
This was actually brought up by a couple of readers. How to finish a project to make it look sensational. I love this! My whole "Crochet Like a Pro" class is all about just this topic. There are so many great finishing techniques that I would want to watch a show on it too.

Favorite Project Entry
Again, this was mentioned by a number of readers. Projects with unusual materials, like plastic tape, strap fabric, wire, rope, recycled plastic bags, etc. I love creating with what I have in the house, and a show like this would be so much fun!

Favorite Interview Entry
"And what if, instead of interviewing well-known people (who are very interesting in and of themselves), you could feature some up-and-coming designers? There are so many great people on ravelry who design amazing things, and I'm sure most of them would be modest - but I always love the features on etsy that tell you how they began, how they learned what to do... etc." -- Jenny. I couldn't agree more!

Favorite Overall Episode Entry
"I'd like to see more history of crochet and knitting. Like exploring the development of techniques and their relationships to the region it originated in (ie: crocheting vs. tatting lace, Irish crochet, hairpin, tunisian). Another history thing that comes to mind is the history/origination of the crochet vs. knit snobbiness." -- Robyn. I'm a huge history buff and I'd love to watch this episode as well.

Thank you all so much for all your ideas. We all truly appreciate your comments and thanks for watching!

Good News Revealed

I know you were all wondering what I was going on about last week with my marathon of crochet outfits for good luck and mystery weekend project.

Well, now that the contract is all signed, I can spill the beans. (well, some of the beans)

I'm officially working on a new crochet book with Interweave Press.

Woohoo! I am very excited. I adored writing Blueprint Crochet and Mission Falls Goes Crochet, and I can't wait to jump right in again. I really had no idea last time, if I would enjoy the process, but I totally loved it. I'll be honest there are parts I am not a fan of, but those by far are nothing compared to the joy of writing. So I am beaming and charged and ready to go.

The surprise part of last week, was that I had told my editor I would send her a proposal for this book in December. And you all know now, what happened with the first couple months of the year. So 2 weeks ago when I was finally feeling strong, I started the proposal. I got the table of contents done, and half of the sketches and swatches; and decided to contact my editor. (You know, just to be sure that she was still interested, seeing that I was like 5 months late. Meaning this book was originally a Spring 2010 book and now it is slated for Fall/Winter 2010.) Her response floored me. She said they were definitely interested and if I could get them the proposal by Monday (this was Friday) she could pitch it last week to the company. Needless to say, I got my butt in high gear, and banged the rest of the proposal out; and overnighted it.

Well, I'd say the pitch went well! Within a week, they accepted the book, we dealt with contract stuff, and I signed the contract (it's in the mail today). Crazy!

Just like last time, I'll be blogging my process as I go. It will be a bit longer then the last few. I have until the end of the year to turn in the manuscript, so I am going to try to use my time as wisely as I can with CJ joining the staff in September. I see the summer being all pattern writing and the fall being all crochet time. Just like last time, I am keeping the book name and concept a secret (a girl has to have some, right?); but I'll be sharing sneak previews, swatches (some of the ones here were in my proposal), and my ups and downs along the way.

Can't wait to get moving! Off to ask some lovely yarn companies to donate yarn for the book.

More Books to Add to your Library

Over the last few months, I have noticed I have turned to the same couple of books over and over for inspiration.

Beautiful Crochet Autumn/ Winter and Beautiful Crochet Spring/ Summer 16 are two of my current favs. They are Japanese Crochet Pattern books. I got them over at YesAsia.com which I have ordered from a bunch of times.

If you have never flipped through a Japanese Craft book, let me tell you they are amazing. Simply stunning from cover to cover. Yes, I can not read them per say; but I can read crochet symbols and that is all you really need. There projects are diagrammed to the level, I only hope I can achieve one day. (see the pic below) All their stitch patterns and granny motifs are fresh and innovative. If you are not sure what a symbol is, they have illustrations for each symbol so you can just follow the hand movements. Brilliant.

I notice that when I am stuck in a rut, I grab the closest ball of yarn and one of these books and test out a new stitch pattern. So far, by the time I have finished my swatch, whatever was blocking my design process is gone and usually a new design has popped in my head.

So if you are looking for designs that unique and fresh, I really recommend checking them out. If you are someone who needs everything written out for you, these are not the books for you. But if you are confident in reading symbols, then jump right in. I know you will find some great ideas inside.

Crochet Maternity Clothes

Who knew posting one (not so good even) belly shot would get so many questions!

But I keep hearing over and over, "What can I make for me/my sister/ my daughter/ my best friend that she can wear during her pregnancy?". Hmm, good question. I am by no means an expert (especially since this is my first), but I can tell you what I have been wearing. Keep in mind, that all of these are my patterns since that's what I have around my house.

My favorite top is the Dream Motif Tunic. It is super-oversized, and with the belt gives a cute glimpse of the bump. It's my favorite since you can wear it with long sleeves or a tank. I'm wearing right now.

My favorite cardi is the Comfi Cardi from CrochetMe. It basically has the belly cut out, so I can layer it over any of my tops. It adds some nice lines to the back which can be very flattering when those maternity tops want to wing out back there.

I have been also wearing the Lucky Clover Shawl a bunch as well. I have been freezing these last few months. (Think chills that you can't get rid of kind of cold.) I have never really been a shawl person, but I find that gravitate to it all the time.

The Rochelle Ripple Jacket has been really nice to throw on as well. It is really light weight, and even though I can't close it. I can close it right under my bust and let the bump peek out.

My last suggestion is the RaeAnne Shawl Sweater from Blueprint Crochet. I am actually making this one right now. I am following the pattern, but will not do the ribbing at the bottom. Instead, I am going to buckle it on the side right under my bust. The fronts have so much extra fabric that I know it will encircle me for a while. Granted once September comes, I'll be too big; but it still should be cute for a number of months.

If you have any suggestions for other crochet patterns, feel free to leave a comment on the blog. I am sure it will help out a number of crocheters.

Knit and Crochet Today Giveaway!

Thanks to the wonderful Candi Jensen, KCT producer and my personal crochet mentor, I am going to host a little giveaway this week.

I have a copy of both Season 2 A and B DVD's of Knit and Crochet Today to giveaway to one lucky reader. That's 26 episodes of our PBS Show, plus all the patterns.

How to enter?

Leave a comment or email me one thing you would like to see on the show. It could be a technique we haven't covered. It could be a person we haven't interviewed. It could be a pattern we haven't broken down. It can even be really specific, like "I'd like to see a Drew and Robyn crochet marathon." or "I'd like to see Drew where more crochet fashion" Or "I'd like to see how Brett really walks around on those crazy platforms Robyn talked about". Basically any suggestion for future seasons. I am going to be tricky, and disqualify any suggestion that we have already covered on the show. I want these DVD's to go to a fan, so I want real suggestions from real watchers.

I'll choose my favorite and send you both DVD's, but I'll post my top 5 on the blog. I'll collate all the suggestions and send them to Candi. Who knows we might take your advice and you will be able to see your comments being put into action on a future episode!

So leave a suggestion by Monday April 13th. I'll announce the winner on Friday April 17th. Besure to leave your email address or some way of getting a hold of you in your suggestion, so I have a way to contact you.

Wish Me Luck!

This past week I have been keeping a bit of a secret from you all. Instead of working on some designs I have, I took a break and worked on a new secret project.

I am not going to tell you what it is just yet. Mainly because I am super superstitious*. But it is something that you all knew I have wanted to do for a while, and if accepted I'll spill the beans right away.

Till then, keep your fingers crossed for me this week. I'm hopeful I'll have more good news soon!


*I'm so superstitious, I am going to wear crochet all week long to try to boost my karma. Today's choice is Ridge Swing. And here's a belly shot for those of you wondering how it really fits.

Urban Wave Top Revealed

This week I got my copy of the new Crochet Today May/ June Issue. In it you will find, the Urban Wave Top. Here was the sneak peek.

If you remember, I created this guy in 3 days. That's 3 days for the design, crochet, sewing, and writing. Brett gave me the inspiration. Her idea was an Urban Outfitter-ish chevron top half then a fabric body. We chatted about the stitch pattern a bunch, I sent her a bunch of swatches and sketches. From my swatch and sketch, she picked out the fabric. Then I assembled it all together. It was a definite collaboration, which I absolutely love.

The top half is actually not that hard at all. It is 2 panels. The are parallelograms in shape. The wave pattern is all sc, dc, or dtr. No fancy stitches. They are connected by a chain under the arms, and a few rounds of sc. The fabric body is one tube, that you gather at the top and sew to the body. The sewing is really basic, since I have no idea how to write anything more complicated.

I love the final look. I think it totally looks like its from the summer collection at Urban Outfitters or the like. If I wasn't so huge at the moment, I would definitely make one for myself for summer. Especially since I know it only takes 3 days to make!

Here are some more of my pictures on flickr, with a close-up of the zipper and side seams too.

Hope you enjoy the issue!

Hey Designers! Crochet Diagram Tutorials for Free

I get asked a lot about how I draw my crochet diagrams. And as most of you know, I use AutoCad. It's a drawing software package, that is not specific to crochet at all. Thus, I draw all my symbols and diagrams from scratch. I prefer this immensely over a canned crochet software package, since I can have total control over where I want to put my symbol, how it looks, etc. (To be honest, I know there are crochet software programs out there, but I don't even know their names, since I like drawing from scratch so much.)

I am not alone. Most designers I know use some form of a drawing software package too, whether it is Adobe Illustrator or another drawing package. We are all designers, and you wouldn't think our anal-ness would end at the design would you?

But there is great news for you guys looking for help using those drawing software packages!

Amie, from Nexstitch, is doing an amazing series of tutorials on using Adobe Illustrator to create symbols and diagrams on her blog. It is really in depth. Actually, I am totally blown away by her generosity. Her information is really valuable and she is giving it away. If you are looking to learn how to draw crochet diagrams, I would RUN over there. While you are there, be sure to give her lots of love (or buy a pattern, since I know they are planning a wedding and could use all the help they can get) for her amazing work that she seriously should charge a fee for. Yes, It is just that in-depth! Amie, you are amazingly awesome!

Knit and Crochet Today DVD

This just in:

You can now purchase the second 13 episodes of the 2nd season of the Emmy nominated PBS show Knit & Crochet Today at KCT's website.

Series 200 “B”
13 episode, 3 DVD set
plus CD of 24 free patterns

(see website for more details on cost and shipping)

Featuring host Brett Bara and knitting experts Kristin Nicholas and Maggie Pace, and crochet experts Robyn Chachula and Drew Emborsky.

Every episode is chock full of helpful tips, free patterns, interesting interviews and a bonus square for the “Afghan of the Week”

Featured designs by your favorite designers including: James Coviello, Amy O’Neill Houck, Susan B. Anderson, Edie Ackman, Melissa Morgan Oaks and many more.

Be inspired by our guests: Brandon Mably, James Coviello, Jennifer Acherman-Haywood, Erica Knight, Shannon Okey, Melissa Morgan-Oakes, Clara Parks, Mary Beth Temple, Karen Kendrick-Hands, and Isela Phelps.

Oh and I almost forgot! You can tune into Yarn Thing on Thursday at 11pm (EST) to try to win a copy of the DVD. Candi will be on Marly's show talking crochet and pbs. Check it out!

Inside Crochet Goes Digital

This week Inside Crochet (the new crochet mag from the UK) opened up their digital subscription.

So of course, I ran out and had to download a copy immediately. That way I could tell you first hand how cool it is. I love magazines, but I don't love trying to find space to store them all. Knowing that, I was pretty sure I was going to enjoy a digital subscription.

The reading panel is very easy to navigate. You can zoom in or flip pages with ease. The table of contents is all linked up, so you can click directly to the pattern that interests you instead of flipping through all 100 pages. So far, I have really liked it. Best part is the price. If you get a subscription, the price per issue is 2 pounds (that's less then 3$).

One note of warning to US readers. The crochet terminology is all in UK terms. So you will have to learn to convert from a UK dc to a US sc. I know I can't do that in my head, so I would have to mark it all down. The good news is that all my patterns have their crochet diagrams, which are international; so you will have no translation issues if you just use the diagrams.