Love Laugh Crochet Pop-up Store Now Open!

 Love Laugh Crochet is finally OPEN!

Thank you so much for being patient with me while I figured out the online store.  I placed most of the goodies I have left from my booth at Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival online.  As you know, my products are all things that I myself would buy at local yarn festivals and shops.  There is a mix of tshirts, bags, mugs, and other extras. I also have a few crochet kits for some of my online patterns.

All the tshirts feature the same "love laugh crochet" logo.  They are all printed locally here in Pittsburgh.  I designed this tshirt for the 2015 Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival to wear in the booth on a whim.  The following year I made more for all my mannequins to wear and the next year we sold out of the tshirts with in the first day of the market.  I now own 6 of them and wear them nearly every day.  They all feature one of my own stitch diagrams from one of my patterns.  All printing is in antique white, lighter then an offwhite.  They come in Ladies size, Unisex size, and Premium super soft.  More styles will be added after this year's Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet show.   

Besides tshirts, I have lots of other goodies.  There are project bags.  Perfect size for bringing any project on the go.  Or just showing your love of crochet on your next outing. There are 11oz white ceramic mugs.  I tend use mine as a pencil holder on my desk to hold all my crochet hooks that I am forever losing.   I have grocery bags, notecards, post-it notes too. 

My favorite things on the site are the crochet kits.  I used yarn from a few of my favorite people in the industry.  Quantities are very limited after the last show, but there are a few really wonderful ones left.  I had a hard time sharing some of them, wanting to keep the yarn for myself!  I offer free winding by request.  Just leave a note in the comment area when checking out. 

Kristin Omdahl Yarns
I have 3 kits with Kristin's yarn.  I can't get enough of bamboo yarn!  I just love the way it wears. 

Dortchen Filet Shawl Kit that uses 2 hanks of Be So Sporty
Julia Colorwork Cowl  kit that uses 2 full hanks and 2 mini balls of Be So Brave
Wee Bonnie Shawl Kit that uses 1 hank of Be So Fine


ModeKnit Yarns
I have 4 kits in Annie and Kathleen's beautiful yarns.  I adore them, and their yarns are so soft and wonderful to crochet with.  Annie's colors are inspired by TV shows, and she hits it right on the head!  I have a lot of their wonderful yarn in my studio.  I can't get enough!


Gustav Tunisian Chevron Crochet Kit uses 2 hanks of ModeWerk DK, one in a flow transition color and one in a solid color
Opal Solomon's Knot Cowl Kit uses 1 hank of ModeLux which is ridiculously soft.
Allegheny Cable Cowl Kit uses 2 hanks of ModeWerk DK
Eda Anne Colorwork Shrug uses 5 hanks of ModeWerk DK, 4 in different flow colors and 1 in a solid color.  (I only have 1 left) 


Stunning String Studio
I very few kits left of the amazing Cindy's yarns.  Not to worry, she has a number on her site too.  Her yarns are wonderful to crochet with and make the projects truly stand out.  Luckily, this year at Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival we will be next to each other.  I can't wait!

Butler Street Cowl Kit uses 1 hank of Serenity (one of the most beautiful yarns I have worked with)

I do have one kit left of Cateline Motif Shawl and Floating Shawl.  I just need to re-shoot the photos.  Will be up soon.

Please let me know what you think of the pop-up shop.  Anything you want to see me feature?  Anything you wish I had?  I am all ears! Please drop me an email and let me know!

Lion Brand... A little Q and A

Did you know that YarnCraft is getting ready to launch its 100th show? Yup, Lion Brand's informative and fun podcast is about to air its 100th episode on Sept 13th. In honor of their great run, Liz and Zontee sat down to answer some of my burning questions.

RC: Liz and Zontee what do you do at Lion Brand?

Liz: I do product and yarn development at Lion Brand. That means I work with mills to create the yarns that will eventually be on the retail shelves. Yes, this is every bit as awesome as it sounds.

Zontee: I edit our various newsletters, our company blog which is the Lion Brand Notebook, produce the YarnCraft podcast, and oversee marketing initiatives like our booths at yarn events. I also work on content for our website, and I work with artists and designers who use our yarns, which means I get to spend a lot of time out and about in the wonderful yarncrafting community.

RC: Lion Brand has a great Podcast, interviewing lots of designers, authors, teachers; and coming up with project ideas, organization, and techniques. Where do you get your ideas for each of your podcasts?

Zontee: Liz and I do a lot of brainstorming and try to think about topics that will be interesting to other yarncrafters. Sometimes we’re inspired by suggestions from our listeners, coworkers, or friends. Other times, we start with a guest that we’re interested in speaking with and build the topic around their expertise. In the world of yarncrafting, there’s no shortage of creativity and inspiration.

RC: We know that a ton of work goes into each podcast, how early do you start planning shows and how long does it take you to edit all the segments into a show?

Zontee: We usually plan several episodes at a time, so we have our ducks in a row usually a few weeks before the episode airs. Once everything’s recorded, it takes me a few hours to go through all the segments and put everything back together again.

RC: How do you keep your sanity being surrounded by all the great yarn colors and textures all day?

Liz: Well, I think the matter of my sanity is definitely a topic for debate! Honestly, at this point I start to feel anxious if I am NOT surrounded by piles of yarn, since that is such a big part of my work and home life. You should see how much yarn I bring when I travel.

RC: What is your current favorite Lion Brand yarn to crochet?

Liz: The LB Collection Cotton Bamboo – I love how smooth and silky it is. It just flies through your fingers. I made a granny square baby blanket out of this and it went so fast!

Zontee: For everyday projects, I’ve crocheted a lot with Vanna’s Choice, which makes a really lovely dense fabric, and is very versatile. For special projects, I like crocheting with the LB Collection Silk Mohair, since you can crochet a

seriously fast-finish project that’s lacy and open.

RC: You know I am in love with the LB Collection. Can you tell us how that came about?

Liz: We wanted to offer our loyal customers high quality, natural fiber yarns that unfortunately are too expensive to be carried at our normal retailers. By selling them direct to customers on our website, we can make luxury fibers like cashmere, alpaca, angora, and mohair available at reasonable prices. An important part of our Lion Brand philosophy is to provide high quality but value priced yarns for every type of crafter – whether someone is looking for an inexpensive acrylic yarn for their child's classroom project or for 100% cashmere to make an heirloom gift.

RC: How does Lion Brand decide out of the millions of fibers and weights and colors, on a new yarn line?

Liz: When developing new yarns, we try to balance the newest fibers and yarn construction techniques with practical applications for our customers. We want to make yarns that are new and exciting for people, but not so unusual that people won't know how to use them!

Zontee: In fact, we’ve done an episode about this very topic, so be sure to listen to episode 90.

RC: LB Collection Superwash Merino is one of my favorites to use, it has been featured in a number of my books and DVDs. What was the inspiration behind that yarn?

Liz: I am so glad to hear you say this, because the LB Collection Superwash Merino is one of my favorites too! It was created to be as versatile as possible, so we went with a DK weight and a multi-ply construction that resists pilling while staying lofty and soft to the touch. This means that you can use this yarn at a variety of gauges, all with great results. I've used it for everything from socks to sweaters to baby blankets.

RC: LB Collection also has a really cool yarn with Steel in it, that will be in my new book, Simply Crochet. It can be crocheted and then the project can be formed into different shapes, it is really neat. What was the inspiration behind that yarn?

Liz: The LB Collection Wool Stainless Steel is such a fun yarn to experiment with. At the time we were developing the LB Collection, we were approached by a Japanese mill we had worked with in the past who wanted broader distribution for their Stainless Steel yarn. We had already been big fans of the yarn, so were thrilled to included it in the LB Collection.

RC: What is coming up next at Lion Brand that we should keep an eye out for?

Zontee: This fall, we have a couple of awesome things coming out. First off, we have a brand new collection in conjunction with Martha Stewart Crafts that features 8 yarn lines, as well as a Knit & Weave Loom Kit that’s one of the most versatile knitting loom/weaving tool combinations I’ve ever seen. Second, we have several new yarns in chunky and bulky weights that feature great textures. These will be great for gift projects for the holiday season. Be sure to keep an eye on our newsletter, The Weekly Stitch, and LionBrand.com for announcements. We’ll also, of course, be talking more about them on YarnCraft!

Thank you Liz and Zontee! I can't wait to see what comes next on YarnCraft!

Continuing the celebration, We will be giving one lucky winner a copy of my DVD "Design Your Own Crocheted Baby Sweater" and a few balls of LB Collection Superwash Merino (my favorite for crochet). The cabled cover sweater is made with Lion Brand's Microspun, which is another good yarn for kids.

To enter: Leave a comment here (or email me) your favorite yarn at Lion Brand or your favorite YarnCraft Episode. Enter by Sept 16th at midnight (EST) and I will announce the winner the following week. Good luck!

TNNA Treasures. part 1

TNNA (the national needlework association) this past weekend brought me home with so many goodies that I can not keep them all to myself. I just need to share. Marly Bird (designer, author, podcast host) always arranges for a dinner among the designers where we can all relax and chat. It is always the best way to start the conference. This year she got the sponsors to donate products for goody bags. There were so many generous companies that I have to give them a big thank you.

I thought , sure, I could tell you all about them; but how about giving them away so some of you can see first hand how cool these are! I will have 4 sets of goodies. I plan on giving one away each week, so check back to see what else you might be able to get your hands on.

First up:

Goodies #1: Sheep(ish) [which you can check out my post on here], 1 Boye wooden [very pretty] hook, and a Knit Kit [which you can check out my post here]

Everything in this first lot I use. Boye is my go to hook, if I can't find my Clover or Tulipe. Sheep(ish) I am designing a project in as we speak. And the Knit Kit lives in my purse. That puppy has everything in it (down to a crochet hook!)

For a chance to win, leave a comment here on the blog or a comment over at Ravelry by Sunday June 19th. I will pick a winner and announce on Monday.

New Product Weekly

For a bit now, I have had this great inspiration to gaze at while I have been writing the books. It is Vickie Howell and Caron Yarns newest collaboration, Sheep(ish). I LOVE the name. The yarn is a little bit wool and a little bit acrylic, like a little bit country and a little bit rock n roll, hence Sheep (ISH). The yarn you can get directly at buy.Caron.com or in Joann stores (to find exactly where check out this app); which means it is affordable and who doesn't love that?

Details

Weight:

Worsted Roving Yarn

Content:

70% Acrylic, 30% Wool

Yardage:

167 yds, 153 m in a 3oz (85g) ball

Suggested

Hook size:

H-8 US

Care:

Machine wash cold on gentle cycle. Dry flat

My Take

The yarn is a single ply of soft halo yarn. In crocheting a number of swatches it had not split once. I would recommend trying a larger hook size if you are a tight crocheter like me. I have been using a J/10 (6 mm) hook for the swatches (to the right). For blocking, I would try machine or hand washing in cold water, the full immersion is wh

at the yarn wants. It will behave very well for you after a cold bath.

Project Ideas

It is a bulky yarn for crochet. It would make quick and fun accessories, toys, or afghans.

But that is my take, Vickie was nice enough to sit down and answer come questions I had about the yarn. Here's our chat:

RC: The first thing I noticed with Sheep(ish) was the colors. What was your color inspiration when designing the yarn?

VH: I worked really hard on getting the palette just right, so it makes me happy when people notice the colors. Thanks for mentioning it! First and foremost, I wanted to be ab

le to bring some of the amazing colors you find in higher-end yarns to the mass market. Affordable doesn't have to look cheap. It was really important to me that the grays and browns in the line looked rich and luscious. I'm inspired by shades from the 5

0's, 60's & 70's, so in the line I went for super-saturated, retro-chic colors. Each Sheep(ish) color is meant to bring some pop to otherwise plain outfit or room, giving your existing wardrobe or home furnishing pieces more milage.

RC: You live in TX and this is a worsted weight wool blend yarn. For me, I love it but I am in Pittsburgh; for you how did you decide on a wool medium weight?

VH: I live much of my knitting & crochet life in denial, really. Just kidding. Honestly though, we don't wear much of the stuff I make because it's so hot here a good portion of the year. That's a drag, but certainly doesn't stop me from loving working with wool blends. I love 'em!

RC: The yarn has this great halo while having this really shiny sheen. What projects would you be drawn to making from it?

VH: Thanks--the halo is from the wool and the sheen from the acrylic--they work like Wonder Twins together! Because of the aforementioned combo, Sheep(ish) works great for kids items, comfy hats, gloves & sweaters, and home decor items. It's pretty versatile.

RC: The yarn is also silly soft, much softer then you think of when you think wool. Was that a key item for you?

VH: Absolutely. Kids won't wear things that aren't soft, so as a mother of 3 that factor was important to me. Also, softer yarn is more enjoyable to stitch with--I want people to love working with it as much as they dig their finished projects!

For some other project ideas, check out the free patterns on Vickie's pattern page.

To hear what others have to say, here is the full tour schedule:

May 25th: BlogHer.com (Kathy Cano-Murillo)

May 26th: LindaMade.com (Linda Permann)

May 27th: Kitschy Digitals (Danielle Thompson)

May 28th: DOUBLE POST DAY:

CraftyChica.com (Kathy Cano-Murillo) + JustCastingOn.net (Deb Steenhagen)

May 29th: Susan B. Anderson

May 30th: CrochetbyFaye.com (Robyn Chachula)

May 31st: CathieFilian.com (Yarn Wreath Project by Cathie)

June 1st: Craftzine.com (Review by Sister Diane)

June 2nd: Knitgrrl.com (1 Skein Project by Shannon Okey)

June 3rd: CraftyisCool.com (Allison Hoffman)

June 4th: Coquette Blog (Natalie Zee-Drieu)

June 5th About.com (Sarah White)

June 6th: Manhattan Craft Room (Brett Bara)

June 7th: BetzWhite.com

June 8th: TheCrochetDude.com (Drew Emborsky)

June 9th: Naughtysecretaryclub.com & Ilovetocreate.com (Dual post on the same day. Yarn-wrapped mobil by Jennifer Perkins)

June 10th: Craftzine.com (Ladybug Outfit Pattern by Vickie)

June 11th: StephanieJapel.com

New Product Weekly

I have a bunch of really really cool yarn and books surrounding me in the studio, so many that I hope to weekly show them to you. To inspire me and hopefully some of you to give them a go.

Up first is an amazing yarn that I have already dove into and made a project for the new book (uh, the last secret book that is- I don't know, number 6, I think.)

Anyway...

Blue Sky Techno

Details

68% baby alpaca / 10% extra fine merino / 22% silk

109 yds in 50g hanks

I'd recommend using a K/10.5 hook

From the website:

A modern take on 1970’s neon and natural, the line includes seven groovy pop colors perfectly balanced with six granola-lover neutrals. Modern technology makes Techno a feather-weight genius: baby alpaca is blown into a mesh tube of silk for really fast knitting with literally no

splitting.

My take

Everything above is 100% true. It is a really fun yarn to crochet with, it doesn't split like they say. You can see in the picture of the yarn cakes that there really is no ply, so there is nothing to split. Clever, no? The yarn also gives this cool halo around pretty defined stitches. It and project are ridiculously soft. I mean, silly soft. So soft that CJ has taken my project and run off with it so many times I can't even count to cuddle with while she is reading.

Project ideas

Since it is pretty bulky for crochet, I'd use it for accessories. Especially since it is so soft, I would wrap your face in it. Scarves, cowls, hats, ascots, shrugs; are totally up its alley. Plus, the color range is so much fun you could make the best pillows and toys from it too. A little bit retro and totally funky. I really had a blast envisioning what to make with the neutral and neon bright colors. My project for the book uses Rogue, Cha-Cha Red, and Tonic Orange; just those names alone bring a smile. That being the case, this yarn is definitely something you want to do with a stitch pattern that has color work in it. It will make it jump off for sure.

Overall, I think it will make a fabulous yarn this winter. Not only is it soft and warm, it is bright and cheerful for those gray cold days. Definitely something to keep in mind, when shopping in the future.

TNNA Recap

One Word...

WHIRLWIND

Some Highlights:

Fashion Show- Calla Lily Cowl (cover of Mission Falls) walks the catwalk. Nearly die at how well it was received. Try to thank every friend that cheered for me!

Dinner with Marly- So much fun! Exactly what you think it would be like. With in 5 mins, you are best friends chatting away like you have know each other forever. She also brought me a gift. How sweet was that?

Beyond the Afghan Class- I was SO tired, but the students were awesome. I am just hoping I got one or two of my ideas across ok. No matter what, it was obvious Yarn Stores love crochet. So if yours doesn't move on, I just met 25 that do.

Stitch Cooperative- 9 friends who just happen to be indie designers- what couldn't be more fun? We were so well received we just beamed. We are finishing the website- then LYS will be able to sell our patterns anytime. So cool. More soon.

Interweave Party- Not only did everyone get to see a real sneak preview of the book, but they told me they liked it. Yes, I could have fainted again from my excitement! Best part- Sandi Wiseheart (yes, the guru of all things yarn! I know!!) loved the blue cover sweater so much she wore it on her segment of Knitting Daily TV. I'm still beaming! (I love you Sandi!)

Knit and Crochet Today Party- We didn't win the Emmy, but we sure were proud to be nominated. And we partied like we did win! Speaking of, I got to see previews of myself on the new format. Totally cool, then I made Brett pose with me with the DVD running of us on TV. I don't care how dorky that is either!

Potter Craft Party - Such a nice place! Got to cheer on Amy and her new book. Its so cute, you just fall in love with all of the projects.

Mission Falls New Yarn- Not only did they display the new book, and put Calla Lily in the fashion show- they displayed the new yarn. I got to brag on it and show it off to anyone who would listen. I just love the new DK merino- can't wait till you guys can see it too!

Soak's New Campaign: Soak Worthy- LOVE IT. Plus, they are teaming up with Lexie Barnes for a new product, that I adore. Stay tuned for details.

Sheep Shop New Yarn- I am going to be playing with Sheep One and Three for a new project, but while in their booth I was quizzing them on their new yarn, Sheepfeet. Their colorways are awesome!

Blue Sky Alpaca New Yarn- Skinny Cotton- amazing colors. I am in love with the salmon and kelly green. Can't wait to start swatching.

Lorna's Laces Folks- And I can't leave off with out saying Hi to Lorna's Laces crew. You guys totally make the weekend a blast!

So from the yarn picture, you can kind of see I have my work cut out for me for the next few months. CAN'T WAIT! (what an awesome birthday gift, right? (I turn 30 today!))

Yarn Preview

Yarn Preview:


Mission Falls 136 Superwash Merino

Yup you heard that correctly, Yarn PREview! On my doorstep last week was this little package of yarn from Mission Falls, plus some copies of the promotional materials for the new booklet. All I can say is WOW. I think the first words out of my mouth were, "Oh, crocheters are going to love this." And really we are.

So how new is this yarn? Well the label only has the name of the yarn on it. So that's so new that no gauge info was on the ball band yet. So what's a designer to do with no info? Yup... Swatch her heart out!



I grabbed my trusty H hook (the size I run to almost immediately on every project), and started doing a basic sc swatch (yes, boring- but important!). The sc swatch can tell you so much about the yarn, since its the most stiff of all the crochet stitches. It can tell you pretty immediately if the fabric will have elasticity and/ or drape on its own, or if you will need deal with that in the hook size and stitch pattern. Well, my initial thoughts were that my H hook was a little big, so I switched to a 4.5mm hook. The resulting fabric is VERY soft (really really soft-you can definitely tell this is merino wool) and was light. Drape would have to be achieved by the hook size and stitch pattern, but that's normal for wool too.


Ok, boring over. Bring on the granny squares, motifs, fun stitch patterns. My next move is always to check out the classic granny square. Its always nice to see what stitch definition I'll get and how well the yarn holds up to the rounds. I'd say very well.* It didn't pill for me, or look odd in any way. I also noticed that it did not split for me while working it, which is wonderful news for us crocheters. Nothing more annoying then yarn that untwists while you work, right?


Now, I start thinking projects. So of course, I moved on to motifs and they turned out really lovely. I can easily see this yarn being used for motif shawls, scarves, sweaters. It is a super wash and it will be coming in the 1824 range of colors; so kids clothes would look adorable. Home items would look incredible, like beautiful pillows in gorgeous intarsia. Especially since it is sportweight, you can get away with intarsia and not have the fabric be bulky. Speaking of weight, you could also do crocheted cable patterns - it would make lovely cabled scarves and hats. I wanted to test how lacy I would go with my stitch patterns, so I swatched in the Ballet Shell pattern. It came out ok, I'm not wild about it like I am the motifs. I really think the less lacy, more intricate would really stand out in this yarn. What it did do nicely is block. I laid the pieces down, and just slightly sprayed with water. They all came out with very nice drape. Sometimes with wool, I have to do a full soaking bath or entire steam to really get the fibers to cooperate, but not this time. Which mean, that will make finishing projects much nicer.


If you couldn't tell, I am pretty darn excited about this new yarn. I really think us crocheters are going to like using it. Maybe I'm biased since sport weight merino is my favorite yarn, that only means that you will have to try it yourself. It will be available at LYS this fall.


SUMMARY:
136 Superwash Wool
Sportweight
G/4.5mm hook, 18 sc by 17 rows in 4"
Nice stitch definition, super soft to touch
Great for garments, colorwork, cables, kids
Available in same colors as 1824 Wool
In LYS this fall

*Ok, so my photography is pretty bad. I just can't ever seem to photograph red correctly; so you will just have to take my word for it that the yarn does have stitch definition.

Eco- Friendly from The Hook and I

Amy over at the hook and I put together a fantastic post on eco-friendly yarns. Its so informative and really gives you something to think about. Amy is my guru when it comes to the environment and fiber, she really knows her stuff. I highly recommend you wander over and have a read.

Interesting

Here's a little article on how Yarnmarket got started.

Pretty neat.

Belle's oscar

Belle's oscar
Originally uploaded by rchach.

My 4 year old (soon to be 5) neice made an Oscar the grouch out of yarn and a film canister at school today. She thought I would like it because the yarn was the "most important part" and Aunt Robyn "really likes yarn from lots of people" . (She reads the blog everyday too) She's pretty smart, huh?

Vegan: "The cool thing to do?"

Go check out the article from the NY Times, Uncruel Beauty. (via: Inhabitat)

I have thought about this debate for a long time. How to get vegan (not hurting animals) fashion not to look crunchy. Not that there's anything wrong with crunchy, I just don't want to look like it all the time.

Luckily for me, I design. I can use the organic fibers that were harvested in animal friendly ways and turn them into classic designs that even I would wear. But the mass market doesn't get that chance. So I thought this article was pretty cool.

Speaking of organic fibers, have you tried any that you love recently?

As you know I adore, the CRAFT, ROCK, LOVE line from SWTC. There's the cotton/ milk blend (yes, I said milk), soysilk/ hemp blend, and bamboo blend. Have you tried the Tussah Silk (that's gathered from silkworms that are not hurt) or Fawn Hemp from Aurora Silk? Totally cool too, soft and hemp. How neat. AND Lion Brand just came out with an organic cotton. how much does that rock? an organic yarn that you could pick up in a big box store. Now that's moving forward.

What else? What do you guys like to use when you are feeling eco-friendly?

Got Yarn?......I do!

After a rough workout yesterday, I came home to a surprise that made me want to jump up and down a whole lot more then my aerobics instructor.

I came home to these: OH YEAH!

The poor hubbie got lug the 4 boxes in. Yup, I got so much yarn they came in boxes. (the last box was a surprise I bought on Target for us, so much for a surprise, when he beats you home) He (who in undeniably the best supporter I have) looked terribly worried at the sheer volume. Not so much for storage, but in knowing that he will literally not see me until spring.

I am SO excited! (Can you tell, I couldn't hold still to take the first picture) All this beautiful yarn is for designs for another book I am helping with. I am totally daydreaming about how much fun it is going to be to work with all this great stuff. Especially since most of it is either wool or alpaca, and I get to play in the winter (instead of the summer - I usually play with the warm yams in the summer and cool yarns in the winter- since most magazine publishers work 6 months in advance).

Plus, I am on the finishing stages of my IC project and frankly was starting to come up with 54 other projects I could do (like finishing the kitchen remodel or bathroom remodel or cleaning or any of those silly little things). But nope, I get to play.

Ambrosia on sale

Just got an email from Knit Picks, that Ambrosia is on sale.

Ambrosia is my all time favorite Alpaca yarn. Its cashmere and alpaca blended together. Its super soft and luxurious.

I really wanted to let you know, in case you are just waiting to dive into the Kimono from Not Your Mama's Crochet. Speaking of the top, check out Amy's blog and another version of the kimono. Isn't she a great photographer (in addition to author, crocheter, knitter, felter, yarn store owner...)?

I love this yarn

So I know I have mentioned Kraemer Yarns before, remember they are the ones from my hometown in PA.


But just look how cute (uh, I mean cool- bad form to call an almost 7 yr old cute) my nephew's vest came out. And the greatest part was that the yarn was SO awesome to work with. Now, maybe I'm nuts, but I swear this yarn actually made my hands feel softer while working with it.


The yarn is their Summit Hill wool. Its washable and soft and just plain fun. I will be writing a lot more on this project and the yarn in the next CrochetMe issue, so stay tuned. But I urge you, go check them out before then.


And Jack, I'll be bringing it with me to Henry's party. Get ready to smile!

Yarn Fun

While on vacation, I got to splurge a bit and play with some new yarns (to me at least). Here are my top three new favorites to crochet with:

Frog Tree Merino Wool: Oh my, its incredibly soft. Like alpaca or cashmere soft. Plus the money goes to a non-profit co-op to help women in Bolivia. Definitely worth a look next time you are at your LYS.





Debbie Bliss Pure Silk: Purely wonderful. The definition in the stitches are beautiful. Definitely would make heirloom quality gifts.







Southwest Trading Amaizing: This yarn made its debut at the last TNNA. Since then all the news has been good, so I gave it a try. And by goly, its a great yarn. Who would have thought corn as fashion, but it is.

So what have you guys been playing with lately?

Sexy Alpaca

Sexy Alpaca

All I can say is, duh!

Alpaca is awesome. Anyone who has touched it can tell you there is no other yarn for them.

I have used an alpaca blend in almost every winter project. Beautiful versions can be found at Misti Alpaca. And less expensive versions are at Knit Picks and Elann.com.

If you haven't tried it, try it. Its so wonderful.

TNNA yarn

TNNA yarn
Originally uploaded by rchach.

So I breifly mentioned the yarn i saw at TNNA, but I forgot to show you the amount I took home!

Click on the picture to see my notes.

So much swatching and ideas that are floating through my head, I need 48 hours in a day to jot them all down.

Yarn News!

Yarn theft over 13,000$ worth All I can say is Holy Cow!


Too busy to surf all day for great fiber news? Check out RE:Knit They have all the great fiber blogs of the day compiled into a neat blog. VERY helpful! Its like a TiVo Version of blogs. I'm hooked!