Crochet Savvy Magazine | Summer 2013 Issue

SAVVY

Volume II | Issue 2 | Summer 2013 | www.crochetsavy.com

20

2013

crochet Renaissance Austin The Perfect Hook An overhaul review of unique crochet hooks.

Giving Artfully Charity Crochet

WEAR CROCHET:

SUMMER 2013 Fashion Sedruola Maruska from Yarn Obsession on Business, Crochet & Making Money

Yarn Bombing @ it s ďŹ nest...

Crochet Grenade s GIANT RUBIX CUBE PROJECT

table of contents.

Letter from the Editor .......... 2 About Us.... 6 Meet the Team .......... 8 Crochet Poetry! ..........! 12 Tom Baker’s scarf for “Whovians”.......14 The Giant Rubix Cube .......... 26 WEAR CROCHET: 2013 Fashion ...... 32 Sedruola Maruska’s ! Business Tips .......... 34 Charity Crochet: Giving Artfully .......... 38 Featured Designer: Jill Reed ...........42 Summer Shrug Pattern..........46 The Perfect Hook: Our Overhaul !! ! Crochet Hook Review .......... 50 Events .......... 66 Book Reviews ..... 67

20

Renaissance Austin

staff Founder & Editor-n-Chief LaTonya Keturah Malinconico Assistant Editor Akua Hope Featured Profilers Marcy Kraft Shauna Howard Sedruola Maruska Design Team Bohemian Design Solutions

Find Crochet Savvy Magazine & Blog on www.crochetsavvy.com http:// crochetsavvymagazine.blogspot. com FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/ crochetsavvymagazine TWITTER www.twitter.com/crochetsavvy GOOGLE+ www.google RAVELRY www.raverly.com/groups/ crochetsavvymagazine

BE UNIQUE. DO SOMETHING FABULOUS. KNITFABULOUS.ORG FOLLOW ME AS I COOK, SEW, CREATE, CROCHET, KNIT, TORAH, PARENT, INSPIRE, MUSIC, LIFE, ART...EVERYTHING! www.knitfabulous.org

letter from the editor.

Thank you all for your continued love and support for Crochet Savvy. We are gaining new subscribers everyday and more likes and shares via social networks. I personally love when our viewers and fans interact with each other, play games and tag along. Recently we had a great friend tag game and selected the first 5 people as winners for free Lion’s Brand Homespun yarn! Last season, we where able to give away a $50 gift card to Michaels as well. This summer, we have some great books to give-a-way. All of this is possible because people like you read and support us and then companies and sponsors then see our impact and invite us to show off their stuff and bless you with it. I have also made a few friends along the way and for that I am very thankful that the love for yarn and creating things with our hands can bring people together from all over. I really love you guys, keep up the participation and we will see how much much free things we will have by the end of the year for you all. Hugs and kisses from Toronto...

L. Malinconico Founder/Editor-n-Chief Crochet Savvy Magazine

about us.

“We take care of the independent designer, the new artist, and that special crocheter who has not made it into those big name books & magazines yet... I love to search for new talent, I used to do it when I worked in hip hop & it is a gift that suits me.

Our magazine brings the spotlight to hidden talent all over the world. I see Crochet Savvy as our own special place, a safe haven to discuss and talk as we see fit- independently, doing as we please and going against the mold, all while supporting other crocheters in this business who are also like-minded. That is what it means to be FABULOUS & SAVVY- Doing you and doing it big.”

-Keturah, Founder of knitFabulous & knitFAB Charities / Crochet Savvy Magazine & Blog

Crochet Savvy began in the Spring of 2012 and has produced 5 magazines thus far, one for each season. Gaining followers and supporters, the free magazine and blog also incorporates many charity projects that its viewers can participate in and share with friends via the knitFAB Charities network of knitters and crocheters around the world.

This online magazine “ezine” is all about fashion and how we as crocheters have the freedom to create and make anything work! Traditional features include video tutorials and podcast broadcasting from some of your favorite teachers in the crochet world and monthly charity crochet projects. While also featuring a

blog style dialogue, photos and outfits of the day to help foster your creative side and tips and secrets for helping you “crochet savvy” in the home, at work, or wherever you are.

Each season we will publish a downloadable magazine featuring our savvy content so that you can go anywhere with it.

Crochet Savvy Magazine is about fun, fashion and crochet! Join us online via our favorite social networks, subscribe to our blog RSS feed to get the latest updates in the world of fashion and crochet.

We have interviewed the likes of Crochet Guild of America, Crochetville, Kathryn Vercillo of Crochet Saved my Life, Dope Crochet, Aisha Frazier, TurquizeBlue and many many others!

EDITOR-N-CHIEF/FOUNDER LaTonya Keturah Malinconico

Keturah is a debut author on women’s studies in Judaism and has been in the hip-hop industry for more than 13 years. An advocate for charity and having joy through trials, she teaches through motivation and inspiration a message of hope and balance for people, especially stay-athome-moms, who feel that they are completely lost tending to children, husbands and house duties.

She currently has a BA in Liberal Arts and MBA in Business Administration and is a self proclaimed graphics designer guru and networker. She loves to use her creativity through arts, music and crafting (crocheting & knitting) to encourage others. Keturah currently resides in Toronto, ON with her family. For more about her, check out: www.knitfabulous.org and follow her on Twitter.com/iknitfabulous.

ASSISTANT EDITOR Akua Lezli Hope Akua Lezli Hope was freeforming before she knew what it was, as a young crocheter creating wild hats for herself and friends in New York City. Her participation lapsed until she reconnected with dimensional crochet in the late 90s. Her crochet designs have been included the Crochet 2010 and 2011 Calendars, Interweave Crochet, Knit Picks IDP, Sanguine Gryphon and Tangled Magazine. Her crochet patterns are available on Ravelry, Etsy, Craftsy and DaWanda. An Associate Professional member of the Crochet Guild of America, and she has qualified for crochet instructor’s certification from the Crafts Yarn Council of America.

Her crochet blog is www.zencrochet.blogspot.com. Her fiber love extends to hand papermaking. She also creates using glass, wire, words and sound. A NEA award-winning poet, her work is included in several groundbreaking collections including Dark Matter, the first anthology of Black science fiction, Erotique Noire, the first anthology of Black erotica and, most recently, The 100 Best African American Poems (2010).

our team.

FEATURED COLUMNISTS/BLOGGERS MARCY KRAFT- of Crochet Grenade My full name is Marcy Kraft and I go by the alias Crochet Grenade. I got started yarn bombing because I was sitting around with a friend talking when I asked her hypothetically if it would be cool if I could cover really large objects in yarn for music festivals or events. When we both agreed that it was a fantastic idea, I jokingly said not to look it up because if it had been done I would be really disappointed. She started sending me articles about "yarn bombing" and I jumped in action. I put up my first yarn bomb that night and decided that I really loved doing it and wanted to make more. Everything around me inspires me to yarn bomb. People can find me online by going to m y F a c e b o o k p a g e w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / crochetgrenade.

FEATURED COLUMNISTS/BLOGGERS SHAUNA HOWARD- of DIVA-in-Training Shauna’s creations are one of a kind. They are fun, flirty, diva-licious! Shauna’s motto is “Where style is handmade”…and it is evident in her work. This is why she was picked as Crochet Savvy’s first cover feature of the magazine. Shauna will be providing us with guest designer feature articles, blogs, and commentary on fashion today from a diva’s point of view. She is: a Salsera. Soprano. Scorpio.

Designer (crochet). Sudoku geek. Sapiosexual.

Evolving feminist. Natural sistah. Popcorn lover.

Nurturer. Visual learner. HUGE Wendy Williams fan. Class clown. Vegan wannabe. Night owl.

Ashiest woman alive. Huger. Foodie…and more!

She owns Diva-n-Training Designs and has so much to offer the crochet fashion world. For more about Shauna, visit her at her Facebook Fan page a t : https://www.facebook.com/ DivaInTrainingDesigns

fundraiser.

The Road to CGOA 2013

Our spring fundraiser has passed, however, the doors are still open for more donations.

While we didn’t met the mark of becoming an official Corporate Sponsor in the CGOA, we are close to becoming a Corporate Retailer under the Corporate other category. If you would still like to donate to our cause, please visit our website and donate via Paypal.

Thanks to Lori S. for her fabulous donation!

Tracey Nguyen traceybeauty on youtube: a place full of creativity and beauty ‒

fashion, makeup, crocheting, DIY projects, and more

http://www.youtube.com/user/traceybeauty

poetry corner

Po! Stitch Post stitch enables the braid back or front, stacked or staggered as it lifts, raises, stipples, hoists ushers your eye along fiber lei lines forming gulleys or roads hills and valleys braids and grillwork runnels and veins fissures and crevices architectures of texture that weave pleasure in patterned surfaces fluvial cables of clustered elevations tendrils and terraces thread summits diamonds and ridges linear enscriptions configuring your fabric.

Akua Lezli Hope

DIY There was a bright girl from Australia who'd always felt fashion had failed her "Well By Crikey", she said "with a Hook and some Thread I shall make my own Awesome Regalia."

Lianne Peters An Aussie trapped in an English body, Lianne Peters began crocheting 11 years ago. She loves working with sari silk and banana silk yarns in her free form creations and is an active yarnbomber.

Her work can be found here http:// www.etsy.com/shop/ BerthasBizarreBazaar and her public exploits are described here http://mrsberploudest.blogspot.co.uk/.

Tom Baker’s “Doctor Who Scarf” Crocheta-long Summer Project Celebrating 50 Years of Fabulous Time Travel in a Blue Box All Doctor Who images and color scheme -Copyright BBC

I am a long standing fan of BBC’s Doctor Who. I have been a part of a new generation to see three different Doctor regenerations.

In addition to this, I have fallen in love with the love story of Rose and the Doctor, his beloved companionship of Amy and Roy, his marriage to River Song, and the mystery of Cara.

Now it is time for the latest Doctor, Matt Smith, to once again regenerate and move on. The mystery now is who will be the next Doctor...all will know in November’s new season- which marks Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary!

So to commemorate my love and many crocheters love of the most wonderful Doctor, we have decided to make our Summer project a Crochet-along for our viewers. We will all be making the Fourth Doctor’s scarf. It is a multicolored scarf, also named the “Tom Baker Scarf”. Given to the Doctor by a friendly alien race, this scarf is known all over the world as a direct representation of Doctor Who.

Materials: 2 skeins each in following colors:

•red/marroon •plum/purple •mustard yellow •gray/blueish gray •rust brown •olive green/chartreuse or army green •cream/tan Hook size US 10/6.0mm Abbreviation: HDC-half double crochet

“There’s something that doesn’t make sense. Let’s go and poke it with a stick.” -The Doctor hooks and yarn unite ... and “exterminate!”

TM

Color Scheme: Color Scheme obtained is based on free Behr paint chips listed on the official website for the scarf @ www.doctorwhoscarf.com: for a Season 13 Doctor Who Scarf (but other season colors and choices are there as well...

Instructions: Crochet 30 stitches. Then Hdc the amount of wanted rows each color. Your end result should be about 12 feet long.

Be#creative,#there#really#is#no# count...well#there#is#but#they#are#generally#all#done# in#inches# for#length#of#each#row.#I#will#keep#that#open#to# you.#Just#base#it#off# the# photo#and#you#are#cool!#I#based#my#inches#per#color#on#the#knitted#pattern#from# the# of>icial# Doctor# Who# scarf# website# that# I# listed# above.

Fasten off when at last row and cut yarn. Then make tassels.

You can make single color tassels or group them together.

Insert tassels along both ends. Now you can rock like the Doctor!

The scarf is easy to do and you can do your own scheme or pattern. I make this pattern less wide. Normally it is knit garter stitch using 60 stitches, however, we are doing 30 stitches for an updated look. Upload your scarves to our Facebook page and we will post them on the blog!

I am barely finished with the first half of the scarf as you can see lol...

Cre8tion

Crochet

is

an

online

blog

offers many free crochet patterns.

that

Patterns

are pre tested for accuracy and ease of use.

You will also find helpful hints and crochet tips, information on blogging and owning your own crochet business.

www.cre8tioncrochet.com

Subscribe here!

www.wix.com/keturah/bohemian

The brilliant mind behind Raghouse International...

Cover Story

renaissance

austin.

SINGER. dancer. DESIGNER. entrepreneur.

a!s

&

CRAF TS.

TEACHER. fabulous. BLUE ministry. FOUNDER of Raghouse International... based in California... h"p://raghouseinterna0onal.com/ h"p://www.facebook.com/RaghouseInterna0onal h"ps://twi"er.com/RaghouseIntl h"p://www.ravelry.com/people/MsRaghouseFiber h"p://ďŹ berstyle.blogspot.com/ h"p://pinterest.com/Fiberstyle/

Austin’s work featured in several magazines...

“Here are preview photos of the Raghouse International Chain Reaction which is now in the Spring/Summer 2013 issue of Diva Magazine Austria.

Website: http://typischich.at/home/diva/ index.do “ Renaissance Austin with designers from The Collection at Icis, Glendale where Raghouse International resides @ an Saturday Night Salsa dancing event.

Renaissance Austin, jack of many trades and master of them all, is someone who truly knows about transformation, both personal and business.

With just one simple crocheted head tie, Renaissance Austin launched her luxury handmade business.

Years later, Ms. Austin and her Raghouse International is moving mountains!

"It's the internet that has grown me the most and the fastest. I had no idea I would be running a handmade business with sales flying through the roof upon starting my Etsy shop. Features came from everywhere. This really helped me see how important notoriety can be and how to use it positively.

It's the feedback of customers that helped me to see how passionate I was about creating wearable fiber art." -R. Austin

Renaissance puts forth great effort as a very hip crochet teacher making sure that she is passing her skills down to the next generation as well as showcases her love for the arts and crafts, even when she is doing her music.

"I don't separate my design world from my music world", she says. "When it's time for me to create wardrobe for album or marketing photos, I run to my bright little corner and get to work on crochet dresses, head pieces, and accessories. I want people to know that I live fiber and texture on the daily. It's not a light switch I turn off and on."

Renaissance Austin encourages every person to follow their dreams and passions, whatever they may be. "Your dream can be a reality with hard work, persistence, consistency, and education. The only thing you can't do is give up."

http: //raghouseinternational.blogspot.ca

www.furlscrochet.com

the giant rubix cube CROCHET SQUARE PATTERN Hook: I Form a magic ring OR ch 6 and join with SL ST Round 1: Ch 3, *3 DC in ring, TR in ring, * repeat from * three more times, join with SL ST to the top of Ch 3 Round 2: Ch 3, * DC in each DC to TR, ( 2 DC, TR, 2 DC) in TR. Repeat from * three more times, join with SL ST to top of Ch 3 Repeat round 2 until square reaches 7- 7.5 inches (no bigger) Finish off and weave in ends!

Squares can be mailed to: Crochet Grenade PO BOX 17188 San Diego CA 92177-7188 Deadline for delivery: July 1st, 2013

Crochet Grenade is asking for donations to yarnbomb giant rubix cubes to cover 60 cement cubes in a local park. Contact Marcy Kraft at the address and email listed here to help volunteer to make these squares or to donate money or yarn in the following colors: Yarn: RED HEART RED: Hot Red ID# 0390 (Super Saver) YELLOW: Bright Yellow ID# 0324 (Super Saver) ORANGE: Pumpkin ID# 0254 (Super Saver) GREEN: Paddy Green ID# 0368 (Super Saver) BLUE: Blue ID# 0886 (Super Saver) WHITE: White ID# 0311 (Super Saver)

wear crochet summer 2013.

You know how we do...each magazine issue features our top picks from our Polyvore.com page, featuring stylist all over the world who blog about fashion, accessories and shoes. We show you how you can rock the latest trends for each season and how to pair your crochet with it. For more of our season’s picks, visit us on the web at www.crochetsavvy.com Enjoy!

for Moms’to-be!

sedruola maruska.

Warning: Crochet business truths no one wants you to know Crochet business truths Running a crochet business is very special.

Being able to create items from scratch and offer them for sale is an incredible feeling because you know your items are out there in the world. Items you made with your love and care and passion. That’s why these crochet business truths will be hard to digest. Here are a few things you need to know and understand before your crochet business will move forward: “Handmade” is not a benefit The first thing we need to understand as crochet business owners is that “handmade” isn’t a benefit. By that I mean it is not something that is fulfilling a need for most of our audience. It is a feature of the item.

Although “handmade” tends to be the thing we pride ourselves in offering, it’s not generally what our audience is looking for.

Don’t get me wrong, there are people out there who are looking for handmade specifically, but is that number large enough for everyone to make a profit month in and month out? I don’t think so. Once we stop

of Yarn Obsession

looking at our items as handmade and as fulfilling a need for our audience, we’ll sell more.

Crocheters are not your audience I know I mentioned it in the article “The Shocking Truth about Selling Crochet” but we need to hear it until we really understand what it means. As a crocheter I will gladly pay to buy something I don’t think I can make, but if I think I can make something, I don’t see myself spending money on it. Unless what you’re selling are tools to help crocheters complete projects such as hooks, stitch markers or patterns, your audience is not found in the crochet community. Use the community for support, networking and even giving clients referrals, but don’t believe they are your audience. You’ll be sorely disappointed.

Making everything will get you nowhere As crochet artists I know the great temptation to say “yes, I can make that” when anyone asks you to make something for them. However, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. The more focused your business is to your target audience the more likely you are to be successful. So, let’s say your target audience is teenage girls so you make cute trendy hats, wrist

warmers, scarves and shrugs that you know they’ll love. Then someone comes along and asks you to make a baby blanket. Sure you can make it, but is it in your interest to divert your attention from your target audience and make that blanket? Once you begin to dilute your efforts the more likely your business will suffer. A great thing to do there would be to refer that client to a fellow crochet business owner who specializes in baby items and keep focusing your target business.

Using cheap materials doesn’t create quality products Would you go to a restaurant that sold food made with old ingredients. If you knew they used “almost bad” ingredients to make their food, you’d steer clear away right? Why? Because you know there is no way to get the best food from almost bad food right? So why is it that so many crocheters choose to use cheap materials for everything they make thinking they’ll get a quality finished item? There is a yarn for every audience and every price point, but as a crochet business owner we need to be well aware of our audience and what they’ll want to buy. I hear a lot of complaining from crochet business owners about how they can’t get the price they want for their items or how expensive yarn shop yarn is. However, that comes down to two things, who is your audience and are you providing them with the quality they expect? If not, reconsider. What if you were to buy a more expensive yarn, create a more upscale product and offer it to a more upscale audience, what do you think might happen?

As always this information is provided to help you consider your crochet business practices and weed out what isn’t working. If you have other ideas I’d love

to hear them in the comments. Better yet, I’d love to hear a story where you adjusted one thing in your business and it worked out well. We need more success stories in the crochet community!

This article is featured on Sedruola’s website “Yarnobsession.com” and can be found here: http://yarnobsession.com/warningcrochet-business-truths-no-one-wants-youto-know. So take a momment to subscribe to her site, get your free ebooks about running your crochet business and join the Yarn Circle!

Sedruola Maruska is a yarn enthusiast and taught herself to crochet back in 2002. Not only does she crochet, but she knits, makes paper beads, quilts, paints and recycles everything that comes into her home.

Connect with Sedruola Maruska of Yarn Obsession, aka Sedie, online through social media everyday for free crochet business advice!

Website/blog: http://yarnobsession.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ yarnobsession Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/sedruola Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/people/ sedruola Craftsy: http://www.craftsy.com/user/ 306159 YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/ sediesells

http://www.etsy.com/shop/yayhookdcrochet

by:

Rachelle Smith

Giving Artfully

charity crochet.

What%is%Giving%Artfully: Giving&Artfully&is&a&new&web& marketplace&that&connects&crafters&with& volunteer&charity&crafting& opportunities.&It&helps&crafters&;ind& opportunities&to&volunteer&their& crafting&skills&to&the&crafting&needs&of& community&organizations.& • Crafters&have&a&"one@stop&shop"&to& ;ind&volunteer&opportunities&to& meet&their&skill&sets&and&interests.& • All&essential&information&will&be&on& the&platform&as&well&as&the&ability&to& commit&to&donating.

• Community&organizations&have&an& alternative&and&free&avenue&to& procure&the&goods&they&need Volunteers&can&easily&browse&the& website&to&;ind&current&opportunities.&& The&website&will&provide&all&the&details& for&donating,&for&example,&organization& description,&current&need,&and&contact& information.&&Volunteers&have&the& ability&to&commit&to&donating&and&when& needed,&Giving&Artfully&will&also&help& with&shipping&costs.&& Launched%in%late%November%of%2012,% Giving%Artfully%has%posted%over%50% projects%from%30%different% organizations%with%over%4300% handcrafted%needs.%%The%crafting% community%has%embraced%Giving% Artfully,%with%approximately%830% donated%items%and%5%completed%

projects.%%We%have%people%of%all%ages% donating,%ranging%from%4%to%101.

Though&Giving&Artfully’s&target&audience& was&adult&crafters,&I&have&found&it&as&a& great&opportunity&to&teach&children& about&philanthropy&thru&crafting.&&We& have&had&an&afterschool&program&from& children&between&K@8&use&one&of&our& projects&as&a&way&to&teach&children& about&giving.&&We&are&also&working&with& a&local&Montessori&to&implement&charity& crafting&as&part&of&the&schoolwork&cycle.&& We&are&excited&that&we&can&use&Giving& Artfully&as&a&platform&to&teach&children& about&philanthropy.& Why%was%Giving%Artfully%created?

As&an&avid&crafter&and&philanthropist,&I& wanted&to&;ind&a&way&to&combine&my& two&passions.&&I&am&a&believer&that& people's&talents&can&be&used&to&help& those&in&need,&and&that&includes& handcrafted&talents.&&I&was&frustrated& that&after&scouring&the&web,&there&was& not&an&ef;icient&way&to&;ind& organizations.

After&spending&an&evening&with&a&dear& friend&who&is&one&of&the&crowd@sourcing& pioneers,&I&wondered&if&this&idea&could& be&broadly&applied&to&sourcing&products& versus&money.&&Instead&of&people& coming&together&to&;inance&a&venture,& why&couldn't&people&come&together&to& ful;ill&the&crafting&needs&of&an& organization?&&After&many&months&of& thinking&of&this&idea,&I&decided&to&put&it&

to&action&and&thus&the&start&of&Giving& Artfully.

Contact%Information: If&there&are&any&questions,&&you&can& contact&us&&at&sitinee@givingartfully.com Social%Network%Sites www.givingartfully.com http://pinterest.com/givingartfully/ http://www.facebook.com/GivingArtfully http://www.ravelry.com/groups/giving@ artfully Pictures:

My&youngest&volunteer&–&my&4&year&old& daughter& loom&knitting&a&preemie&hat&for&the& Precious&Preemie&Project

Hats&crocheted&and&knitted&by&our&oldest& volunteer, 101&year&old&woman&named&Edith.&&Here& are&some& hats&she&made&for&Outreach&to& Appalachia

An&adorable&bear&crochet&by&Rachel&B&for&& Don’t Be&Afraid&Because&I&Am&Here&Bears

Chemo&Caps&by&Muriel&C&for&Halos&of&Hope

Generations&loom&knitting&together&for& charity

Preemie&Hats&by&Kae&for&Precious&Preemie& Projects

Little&hands&loom&knitting&a&preemie&hat

&

Scarves&by&Mandy&for&Handmade&Especially& for&You

CALLING ALL CRAFTERS!!

We need your help!

We have over 50 organizations that need help fulfilling their 4,300 handcrafted needs.

Please visit

www.givingartfully.com

for opportunities that best fit your interests and skill sets

Find a project by skill set, location, or item.

Giving Artfully is a platform to help crafters find opportunities to volunteer their crafting skills to the crafting needs of community organizations.

Visit us at:

www.givingartfully.com

Jill Reed

featured designer.

Although I have only been crocheting for about 6 months, I seem to have the knack for it; if there is such a thing. My progress is much faster these days, which is helpful for getting orders made up quickly – with 3 little boys running around, time is of the essence.

How it all began:

I’ve always been the crafty-type, scrapbooking, stamping, jewellery making and a whole host of other fun stuff.

An office manager by day, crafting is the best way to unwind and has the bonus outcome of something fabulous! I am currently a very busy stay-at-home mom to 3 crazy boys (1, 3 and 5) and married a wonderful man who allows me to feed my passion for crochet!

I typically find myself crocheting into the wee hours of the night, listening to Disney Junior on TV (or whatever my kids were watching before bed) just to keep up with custom orders, but I wouldn't have it any other way! It’s like an addiction…I just can’t get to bed until I finish one last row… and one last row…and one last row…

I like to think of myself as an ‘accidental mompreneur’…I basically fell into my business when I wasn’t looking. My hooking addiction began a very short time ago, early in the new year of 2013...I blame it entirely on Pinterest. I'm a big fan of anything cowboy, and happened across a picture of some adorable crochet cowboy boots. I didn't know anything about crochet so I headed off to YouTube to teach myself the basics and endeavoured to master the art – or at least make something that looked like I knew what I was doing.

About 10 hours of videos later and several trips to the hobby store later, I was ready to hook. My mom, a knitter, was kind enough to donate some yarn to my cause and I loved the way that 100% cotton yarn felt and decided on that for my first project (those elusive Pinterest cowboy boots for my then 9 month old son). I find that cotton is stiffer and much less fuzzy, giving a more authentic feel to my cowboy boots (and later, prop sets). I looked up a few free patterns and went to work. The first attempt took many hours (and required many rip-outs) but I got them done eventually and fell in love with crochet all in one foul swoop!

After posting the pictures of them on Facebook, I was swamped with questions and comments... That's Off The Hook! was born. Since I loved crocheting so much, and I was running out of kids to make things for, I set up a business page on Facebook and got to work. I had orders for cowboy boots coming in like clockwork and was having a difficulty finding time to try out all of the new ideas I had. Eventually, I made the decision to make time, and worked up some bibs, hats and other baby accessories.

I’ve recently become interested in photo props and had a few ideas I wanted to try out.

I put together some cute 'theme' sets and have had a great response from some very talented photographers like, Chelsea Lynn Photography and Jamie Meile Photography, who have taken some stellar shots of my work in action.

working with a great customer who loves finding adorable outfits online and sending me pictures of items she wants made for her great-grand kids. When my hands need a break, I cruise around the net checking out photo props to see what’s hot right now and use what I see as inspiration for more original outfits and prop sets. When my brain needs a break, I’ve got a stash of preemie hats going that I make from my mom’s unused yarn. I work on them a little at a time and when I have a dozen, I’ll be taking them to my local hospital. Once I have a little down time, I plan to have a go at writing some of my patterns out, but until then, I plan to keep crocheting adorable custom order clothes and props that make little cuties even cuter!

Inspiration is everywhere, but I have been so busy with custom orders lately I haven’t had much of a chance to get anything new made up - I have a ton of fresh ideas floating around in my head and can’t wait to get them on (and off) the hook!

The Future: I am always thinking ahead to my next project, even in the midst of my current work. I’ve just completed a set of sweet little ribboned leg warmers and matching head band, and a sailor suit prop set - a crisp pair of navy/white striped short pants with removable Y shaped suspenders and a matching hat and neckerchief.

I don't purchase patterns for my creations; I see something I like and figure it out as I go along - it's more of a challenge and makes my work more personal. I’m currently

That’s Off The Hook!

Custom Crochet and Photo Props www.facebook.com/thatsoffthehook www.etsy.com/shop/thatsoffthehook

www.craftwich.etsy.com

Summer Mesh Shrug

summer pattern.

by Keturah Ariel

Materials: • Bernat Handicrafter cotton yarn: Pale Yellow- 100% cotton 1 huge giant skein or 3 skeins (est. 400 grams) per skein • 1 multi colored cotton skein for the edging.

• Hook size US 9/10 (6mm/7mm) • Measuring tape & yarn needle for weaving in or sewing ends.

Instructions: Notes: First you will measure the width of your back from one side to the next (under the left arm to under the right arm). Then measure the height of your back from the end of your neck to wherever you want the shrug to stop. My shrug comes to the bottom of my back- before adding on the ruffled collar.

The shrug is simply made as a rectangle then turned to add on the sleeves to the rectangle. The pattern is how you make the rectangle. Then when finished, you will attach the short ends together for sleeves.

After the sleeves are finished, then you will begin to work around the opening only to create the ruffled collar.

To begin: Foundation row: Cast on amount of stitches needed to achieve your measurements in width (from one side of your back to the other, under left arm to right arm).

Row 1-10: TC entire rows.

Mesh Pattern: To begin mesh pattern we will work in multiples of 5. Once you get towards the end of the row, if you are uneven, don’t worry about it, you can work in a multiple of 3 or 4 at the end of the row or work whatever is needed to finish the row.

Row 11: Chain 5 stitches, insert hook into the 3rd stitch and TC into that stitch and continue to connect every 3rd stitch until you reach the end of the row (as shown in the above photo). Turn work when you are at the end of the row.

Row 12-16: *Chain 5 stitches, then TC in the middle space of the chain space.* Continue to do this for the entire row (as the photo above shows).

Row 17: TC 3x into each chain space (as the photo above shows) Row 18-21 TC every stitch.

Row 22: Chain 5 stitches, insert hook into the 3rd stitch and TC into that stitch and continue to connect every 3rd stitch until you reach the end of the row (as shown in the above photo). Turn work when you are at the end of the row.

Row 23-27: *Chain 5 stitches, then TC in the middle space of the chain space.* Continue to do this for the entire row (as the photo above shows).

Row 28: TC 3x into each chain space (as the photo above shows) Row 29-33 TC every stitch. Fasten off; cut yarn.

Creating the sleeves: Measure from top of the shoulder to wherever you want your sleeves to stop. My sleeves go to my elbow.

On the short sides of the rectangle, you will work along the end and start to TC the entire row.

For the rest of the sleeve you can either TC entire sleeve and then fasten off or you can work the same pattern from the body piece.

If working body pattern on the sleeve, just reference the above mesh pattern. When you have reached the end of your sleeve. Fasten off and then do the same on the other short side of the rectangle for the other sleeve.

Now fold the rectangle in half. Line up your sleeves and turn entire piece inside out.

Crochet, sew or mattress seam your sleeves together. Weave in the ends.

The Collar: The collar is worked in TC all around the opening of the shrug in a circular motion until your collar measures as big as you want it. By triple crocheting each row, you will achieve a cool semi-ruffled effect by the time you are finished. I made my collar about 5 rows wide.

ROW 1: Begin by TC 3 times in same stitch in the crease where you seamed your

sleeve. Then TC into each stitch around the shrug’s opening until you reach the crease of the other sleeve.

TC 3 times into the same stitch in the crease on this side, then continue to TC around until you reach back to your first TC stitch in the opposite crease.

All ROWS afterwards: TC into each stitch, when your collar measures as big as you would like it to be, fasten off, weave in ends and then work on your edging.

Edging: I finished my edging by SC into every stitch around the collar with a multi-colored yarn. I also did the same thing to the edging of my sleeves but you can finish your edging however you like. Since my collar was ruffled, I wanted a simple edging.

Your shrug is finished. This is a shrug/bolero in the sense that you can flip it upside down to wear as you like. When my shrug is upside down, the collar around my neck is larger, so I pin it. When its normal, I just wear it open.

I hope that you enjoyed this pattern and that it was easy to understand. If you need help, you can always contact us via email or website. All of our Crochet Savvy Magazine patterns are also found on Ravelry.com under the pattern library, so be sure to share your photos of this shrug for all of us to see!

Copyright 2012. Crochet Savvy Magazine. Do not sell this pattern. You can create pieces to sell based off this pattern as long as you state Crochet Savvy Magazine as its source. You may link to this pattern but you may not include it as an archive on your own page, only as a link. If you need this pattern for charity or any other reason other than linking to us, please contact us first. Thanks.

The Perfect Hook...

Our Overhaul Crochet Hook Review by: Akua Lezli

On Crochet Hooks Crochet hooks are made of many materials, from glass to gold. Most commercial hooks are made of metal or plastic. Some recent designs include both metal and plastic where the plastic or polymer is used for the handle and the shaft to head portion is made of metal. Wood is also prevalent as a crochet hook material.

It is helpful to be familiar with the range and options available of hook styles, hook configurations and hook materials, because what is comfortable and efficient for you today may not be so tomorrow. The right design may make what’s going well go better and faster. The right configuration may ease pain or enable you to crochet for longer periods.

Even when labeled the same (letter) size, different brands of crochet hooks may be, and often are, different shapes and sizes. So the next best determination (still not absolute, but 95% certain) is to go by the designated millimeter (mm). The best approach is to get a hook/needle gauge and to measure the hook yourself. The other way to know what you’re getting is to understand how your hook is designed.

Naming the Parts Head — for me this is the most critical part.

Point — at the top of the head. It may be sharp, it may be rounded or something in between.

It’s where the hook enters the fabric.

Thread Guide — a slight indentation at the side of the head. It’s surprising how many manufacturers don’t include it.

Lip — the overhang. Some are short, others long, some are rounded, and others are flat.

Bowl — The area under the lip, above the throat, may be deep or shallow.

Throat — the angled front of the hook, just below the head.

Neck — of which the throat is the front.

Shank/Shaft — below throat, above thumb rest (if there is one), above handle. Lengths vary. It holds the loops you’re working on and determines their size.

Thumb Rest — below the shank/shaft, above the handle, a flattened area, not always defined on all hooks.

Handle — the rest of the hook, the area most figured, turned, carved by hand hook makers. It usually extends beyond the hand.

The Crochet Guild of America has an extensive crochet hook classification based on material used to make the hook (not the handle) and the method of manufacture here: https://crochet.site-ym.com/?page=HookClass.

Familiarity with the parts of a crochet hook helps distinguish the difference between different designs. Hook makers vary any and all of these. For instance, early on, I realized I preferred Susan Bates hooks. I didn’t know why, other than that their heads seemed more sharply pointed and the shape underneath the head, that (bowl/throat) angle seemed to suit me.

I remember the BIG A-HA when Mark Dittrick, in his book HARD CROCHET, instructed the reader to amend the little/steel hooks’ narrow handles by wrapping them with masking tape to enable you to grip better as you worked with heavier yarn. I still have a couple of those hooks encircled by now immoveable masking tape. At long last manufacturers have caught up and you can find even steel hooks with polymer, wood and bamboo handles.

Inline and Tapered hooks One of the major, identifiable areas of distinction is not shown in the illustration.

Crochet hooks can be separated into two camps: inline and tapered.

Susan Bates is the manufacturer of record for the inline shape and Boyd is the manufacturer for the tapered shape. The head of inline hooks is "in line" with its body. The throat and neck are the same width as the head. Tapered crochet hooks have a narrowing or tapered throat.

Only in the last 15 years have I embarked on the journey of finding the right hook. And along the way I had the joy of learning that for me, it depends on what I'm making, my desired outcome. Now I know that I prefer an inline hook, a certain depth of bowl, and throat angle, a longer shank, a wider handle and no thumb rest. I know my preferred width and handle/body length. What joy to find out that there are makers who provide a variety of configurations for crocheters. I hope to save everyone the time of seeking, or the time spent not knowing how good it can be, by encouraging everyone to consider these particulars.

Following is a list that summarizes options and manufacturers.

Materials Aluminum Bamboo Glass Steel Plastic/Polymer Precious Metals Wood Combined (generally metal heads with plastic, wood or bamboo bodies)

Head Styles Pointy Traditional Bates Rounded Boye

Throat Styles Inline – e.g. Susan Bates - the head is exactly inline with the shaft of the hook.

Tapered - e.g. Boye In between – e.g. Tulip Etimo Shaft Styles Straight Bates Tapered Furls

Types Crochet Double-ended Crochet Bullion Hooks Afghan/Tunisian straight Afghan/Tunisian cabled Croknit/Crochet knit/Cro-hook (double ended) Croknit/Crochet knit/Cro-hook (double ended, cabled) Lighted Interchangeable

Lengths Commercial 5- 6” Handmade generally 7+ inches (BagSmith are 9”)

Manufacture - Mass/Commercial Susan Bates (steel, aluminum, plastic, bamboo) Addi Turbo (plastic body metal head) Boye (metal, rosewood) Clover (metal) Clover Soft touch (polymer body, metal head) Clover Amour Denise (plastic handle, interchangeable metal heads) Hiyahiya (nickel plated, aluminum) Lion Brand Pony Prym Soft Handle (polymer body, metal head) Sharp Crochet Hook (metal) Skacel ergonomic hook, polymer body, metal head) Symphonie (wood and interchangeable) Tulip/Etimo (polymer body, metal shaft and head)

Manufacture - Handmade ArtYarn Yummies (wood) BagSmith (wood) Brainsbarn (domestic & exotic hardwoods.)

Brittany (white birch) Celtic Swan (hot forged sterling silver, 14k gold) Chiaogoo (bamboo and bamboo body with metal head) Citadel Jewelry (aluminum, hand forged) Daystar (various woods) Dewberry Ridge (exotic hardwood) DyakCraft (colored woods) Eleggant Hooks (wood egg-shaped handle, metal shaft) Grizzly Mountain Arts (Birch and dark East Indian Rosewood) Jenkins (maple) Jimbo (various woods) Knitting Glass Guy (glass ) Laurel Hill (forest palmwood, Nam Oc wood) Lantern Moon (rosewood, ebony) Michael & Sheila Ernst (glass) rparishwoodworks (various woods) Sistermaide wood Surina (red wood) Turn of the Century (various woods) Twin Birch (Birch)

Where to Buy Online Commercial Amazon.com Accessories Unlimited http://www.accessoriesunlimitedinc.com Chiaogoo Bargain Yarns http://www.yarnmarket.com/knitting/Crochet-Hooks-586.html Colonial Needle (Sycamore wood) http://www.colonialneedle.com/cgi-bin/quikstore.cgi?search=yes&category=CROCHET Ebay http://www.ebay.com/sch/Needlecrafts-Yarn-/160706/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=crochet +hooks HiyaHiya http://hiyahiyanorthamerica.com/crochet-hooks-c-43.html Joann http://www.joann.com Purple Linda (UK) http://www.purplelindacrafts.co.uk/crochet-hooks-59-c.asp Karp Styles Crochet and Knitting http://www.karpstyles.com/maincat_Crochet%20Hooks.html#.USIPLei1n9h Walmart.com Yarnmarket.com http://www.yarnmarket.com/knitting/Crochet-Hooks-586.html

Handmade ArtYarn Yummies https://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtYarnYummies?section_id=10950163 BagSmith Big Stitch Crochet Tools http://www.bagsmith.com/big-stitch-knitting-crochet-tools/ BrainsBarn Handcrafted Wooden Crochet Hooks http://www.brainsbarn.com Brittany http://www.brittanyneedles.com/bkdistrib.

Celtic Swan Forge http://www.celticswan.com/ Katharine Kowalski/Daystar http://www.daystarhandworks.com/ http://www.etsy.com/shop/daystar07?section_id=5122793# Dewberry Ridge http://www.dewberryridge.com Dyakcraft http://www.dyakcraft.com/crochet.htm.

Furls Crochet http://furlscrochet.com/ Grizzly Mountain Arts http://www.etsy.com/shop/grizzlymountainarts Jenkins Yarn Tools http://www.yarntools.com/ Jimbo http://jimbosfrontporch.blogspot.com/index.html Knitting Glass Guy http://glasspens.com/crochethooks/crochethooks1.html http://knittingglassguy.com/pages/crochet.html Lantern Moon Handcrafted http://www.lanternmoon.com/Crochet_c_13.html Laurel Hill Forest Palmwood Hooks http://www.laurelhillonline.com/catalog/Laurel_Hill_Crochet_Hooks-2-1.html Needlelite http://www.etsy.com/shop/needlelite rparishwoodworks http://www.etsy.com/shop/rparishwoodworks Sistermaide http://www.sistermaide.com/ Surina http://surinaknittingneedles.com/crochethookplain.html http://www.skokist.etsy.com Turn of the Century http://www.turn-of-the-century.com/hooks.htm

— 10/32 cotton upholstery piping. I pulled out my three 19mm/S hooks: a new Surina, an old wood Bates and a Plastic Susan Bates. The Surina, prettier than the other two with its figured handle, couldn't hold the piping. The lip was too short and the bowl (the area under

An additional consideration in the hook selection process is how a particular yarn/fiber feels or interacts on a particular material. Does it slide or does it grip? Do you want the slide or do you want the catchiness? I find metal to be the surface that is the fastest and slickest for the most yarns. But sometimes this additive effect, as in a slick fiber on metal is harder to control.

Working Extra Large Embarking on my third giant doily rug, I’m working with a new-to-me fiber

Crochet Savvy Magazine would like to thank all of the different crochet hook manufacturers and companies for allowing us to feature photos of their hooks for our article and hook review. the lip) was not deep enough. This was a big surprise for me, and a reminder of yet another thing to consider in choosing a hook. Perhaps bowl depth and shape is more critical at the large size; but consider how you hook and whether bowl depth will affect your process.

Carbonized Bamboo Buyer Beware, I’ve a number of sellers assert that their bamboo hooks are carbonized and are therefore stronger.

My research has found that opposite is true. Carbonizing is a heat treatment process that, according to EcoTimber, makes it "is as much as 20% softer than natural bamboo". What it does, or the reason bamboo is carbonized is to change and darken its color. Chiaogoo,

the noted manufacturer. says their tools are “made from Chinese Moso bamboo which is the largest and strongest bamboo out of over 1,000 different species. We offer two different colors, natural and dark patina, but not throughout the whole line. Our dark patina needles go through an additional thermal process to obtain the darker color.

No dyes or paints are used to attain this richer color.”

In the spirit of full disclosure, Akua Lezli Hope owns lots of Susan Bates, (wood, bamboo, plastic, steel, aluminum, lighted), Addi turbo, Annie’s bullion hooks, an Amour, Boyes, Brittany (old and new), Chiaogoo, a Clover Soft Touch set, Crochet Lites, an Etimo set, Needlelite, Surina, Turn of the Century, Twin Birch, unknown vintage wood, unknown vintage German and English metal/steel, and unknown 20 and 21st century carvers. She invites any Boye lovers to take her Boyes in exchange for some others. She loves good tools and welcomes new ones.

Thanks to Jenkins, Brittany Hooks, Jimbo’s Crochet hooks, Ultralight from Needlelite, Diane from Sistermaide, Surina Hooks, Laurel Hill, Robert Parish’s Crochet hooks, and Katherine Kowaiski for photos of your wonderful hooks!

Britanny Review

Inline hooks, the head configuration seemed to vary somewhat between the sizes -- the K and L are the same, the D similar, the G is different.

Made in California, by a family of artisans from sustainably harvested birch, Brittany hooks come with a 5 year guarantee. They are labeled on the shaft by both letter and mm, no thumbrest with turned (formed on a lathe) finials at the bottom of the handle. The hook overall is 7.5” long with the finial/figured part of the handle being 2.75” long.

I had a G project in progress and switched out my Etimo to do a couple of

rows with the Brittany.

It was lighter than I expected, but a bit long and uncomfortable as the decorative finial rubbed the side/heel of my hand. It was discernibly slower for me, though more esthetic. It felt good – smooth, nice to the touch.

When I asked about the visual difference in the G hook, Brittany said “All our hooks are made using the same design. The only thing we change is the diameter. The hooks are done by hand…We really are a family operation.”

-Akua

Needlelite Review NeedleLite ComfortGrip Hooks NeedleLite SlimGrip hooks I received a L hook.

I was struck by the great balance, the comfortable feel, the clear lettering, indicating the letter size as well as the mm. When lit, accomplished by a half turn of the knob at base, the light pours from the head.

The head is my favorite head type -- pointed point, deep bowl, rounded lip. It is very comfortable in my hand. I like a deep bowl, angled throat, mounded/rounded lip, moderately pointy point, no thumbrest, inline head and this had it all.

The hook body is about 5-5/8” long the lighting mechanism is about 1-5/8” long.

-Akua

The hook is very light in my hands and since I use a lot of jumbos for creating double and chunky pieces, the hook works great. At first, it took me a second to figure out to turn the top to get it working. It's quite easy to do, however, it seems that if you turn too hard or much, the hook top feels as if it will unscrew, come off. I did not like that feeling. However, it glows in the dark and lives up to its name of being ultralight. I could crochet in the dark and not disturb my husband.

On to the physical features, I like that it has the size written clearly and prominently on it. Other hooks that I have tried only have the size on the package or use small print that is the same color as the hook — which makes it hard to see.

However, I did not like that the silver label kept peeling off. I removed my label.

The crochet hook itself does not pull or snag at yarn and I was using double strands to crochet with in jumbo sizes.

The hook also does not slip as others do. On a scale of 1-10 for usage and overall appeal, I would give the lighted crochet hook a 8.5. I would suggest that the designer create a way to make the top part of the hook slightly different, which screws left or right to turn the hook on. I would prefer a click button at the top like a pen. This way, you do not feel as if the top will unscrew or fall off by accident if you twist too far.

-L. Malinconico

events.

reviewing books is awesome! crochet books at first glance... by: Akua

The$New$Encyclopedia$of$Crochet$ Techniques,$a$comprehensive$visual$guide$to$ tradi<onal$and$contemporary$techniques by#Jan#Eaton.#$19.95#Running#Press#Book# Publishers,#ISBN#978A0A7624A4749A7#160# pages,#paperback,#8.75#x8.75 # This#rather#slight#encyclopedia#of#only#160# pages#is#far#from#comprehensive,#though#it#is# highly#visual.#Just#four#chapters:#crochet# essenOals,#techniques#and#sOtches,#projects,# and#surprisingly,#a#gallery#comprise#this#skimA theAsurface#collecOon.##I#say#surprisingly# because#that#real#estate#would#have#served# the#reader#beSer#had#it#been#spent#on#more# projects#or#more#sOtches. #Indeed#there#are#clear,#colorful#images#and# brief#the#sOtch#collecOon#organizes#them#as#I# wish#some#more#extensive#collecOons#would.# There’s#a#comprehensive#index#but#so#much#is # missing.#Even#beginners#should#have#more#to# consider.

Missing#are#sOtch#symbols#for#some#of#the# very#sOtches#for#which#they#provide# abbreviaOons#like#the#extended#single# crochet,#the#double#treble#crochet#and#leW# out#enOrely#is#the#half#treble#crochet# (American,#one#of#my#favorite#sOtches).

Missing#are#Bruges#Lace#technique#and# making#a#circle#with#a#magic#or#adjustable# ring#–#a#stunning#omission.

FoundaOon#single#crochet#and#its#variants#are# not#included.

Chainless#turning#chain#starts#are#not# included.

There#is#no#hat#project#(though#there#are#hats # in#the#gallery).

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stripes# but#the#technique#of#weaving#in#crochet# (where#dc#or#ch#space#leaves#room#for# contrasOng#yarn)#is#not#discussed,#though# surface#crochet#is,#and#it#is#shown#mainly#as#a# stripe#and#described#as##“rows#of#decoraOve# crochet.”#Though#the#aSenOve#may#get#the# hint#at#one#image#of#a#fuzzy#circle,#beginners# might#miss#out#on#the#technique’s#wider# possibiliOes. It’s#curious#how#some#of#the#most#interesOng# things#are#said#parentheOcally.#For#example# the#inspiraOon#for#braids#shows#three#lovely# examples#but#these#are#done#in#Ony#type#and# as#an#aside,#thought#they#are#far#more# interesOng#than#the#one#that#gets#the#big# space#on#the#page.

There#are#a#mere#two#pages#of#flowers,#cords# get#two#pages,#and#edgings#get#two#pages,#as# do#fringes#and#tassels#—#all#of#these#are# wonderful,#extensive#topics#that#get#short# shriW. There’s#a#strange#depicOon#among#the#very# few#sOtch#symbols#shown.#The#raised#double# crochet#work#around#the#back#post#looks# nearly#exactly#the#same#as#the#raised#double#

crochet#worked#around#the#front#post.#While#it# says#other#books#use#other#symbols#–#that#the# symbols#are#nearly#indisOnguishable#put#it#at#a# variaOon#with#common#pracOce##(usually#the# direcOon#of#the#hook#changes#between#front# and#back#post#sOtches).#Books#have#errors#but#if# you’ve#only#got#a#few#symbols#it#is#more# puzzling,#where#are#the#rest#of#the#sOtch# symbols#that#could#have#been#included?##Then# there#is#this#descripOon#“symbols#on#a#curve”# explanaOon:#“someOmes#symbols#are#drawn# along#the#curves#depending#on#the#construcOon# of#the#sOtch#paSern”.#I#don’t#think#that’s# sufficient.

With#all#the#discussion#about#ergonomics#it’s# also#disappoinOng#that#the#image#of#crochet# hooks#at#the#end#of#the#book#shows#no#real# variety,#are#all#sOck#type#crochet#hooks#that# look#very#similar.##Hooks#shown#in#the# Equipment#secOon#are#also#disappoinOng.#In#its# summary#misdirecOon#–#Clover#soW#touch# hooks#are#described#as#“specialist#hooks”#when# they#are#one#of#a#number#of#alternaOves#to#the# unadorned#sOck#handle.#Small#sizes#of#steel# hooks#are#said#to#“oWen#have#plasOc#handles.”## Few#inline#hooks#are#depicted.##Only#split#sOtch# markers#are#shown.#(I#prefer#to#use#a#closing# plasOc#safetyApin#type#or#to#weave#in# contrasOng#thread#because#open#and#split#sOtch# markers#always#slip#out#of#my#work.)

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20$to$Make Crocheted$Flowers by#Jan#Ollis Search#Press $9.95#ISBN#978A1A84448A706A6 If#you#are#an#ardent#admirer#of#flowers#and# lover#of#crochet#flowers,#as#I#am,##there#won’t# be#many#surprises#in#this#book.##What#the#book# offers#in#abundance#are#gloriously##colorful#and# clear#images#of#the#flowers,##a#handy#visual## summary#of#contents,#and#great#ideas#for# mixing#media#in#flower#creaOon.#The#twenty# blooms#are#peony,##pink#cosmos,#gazania,# Tudor#rose,#clemaOs,#hibiscus,#foxgloves,# waterlily,#poppy,#freesia,#daisy#chain,#African# violets,#camellia#passionflower,#anOque#rose,# retro#daisy,#carnaOon,#scabious,#black#orchid## and#orange#blossom.

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I#parOcularly#liked#the#water#lily,#freesia,# passionflower,#and#black#orchid,#and#was# charmed#by#her#use#of#fabric,#beads,#ribbon# and#buSons#in#flower#construcOon.#At#8.5"#by# 6",##the#paperback#is#a#great#size#for#carrying# around#some#fresh#inspiraOon. Twenty$to$Make$$Crocheted$Granny$Squares By#Val#Pierce Search#Press#ISBN#978A1A84448A819A3 8.5"#x#6"#$9.95

terms#of#markeOng,#that#was#more#compelling# than#saying##“crochet#moOfs”,#a#more# accurate#descripOon#of#the#collecOon.# Hidden#in#the#book#are#8#projects.#They#are# not#listed#in#the#table#of#contents,#so#you# would#have#to#search#to#find#them.#They#are:# a#vase#cover#of#square#dance#squares,#hand# warmer#of#the#tudor#rose#squares#(a#mustA do),#a#pillow#of#cappuccino#lace#squares,#a#pin# cushion#of#floral#rings,#a#scarf#of#daisy#loop# squares#(lovely),#mat#of#dog#rose#triangles,# shoulder#bag#of#alpine#meadow#squares,#baby# blanket#of#filet#hearts.##While#most#are#just# joinings#of#the#moOfs,#they#suggest#some#of# the#many#items#you#can#create#with#them.

# The#venerable#granny#square#is#updated,# refreshed#and#explored#in#this#exuberant# collecOon. As#in#the#other#Twenty'to'Make#Otles,#this# booklet#has#large,#richly#colored,#sOtch#by# sOtch#detail#in#its#photography.#This#is#a#real# plus#and#aid#to#its#glaring#lack#of#diagrams#or# symbol#charts.##Charts#would#have#assisted# the#small,#lightweight#text#whose#flow#is# interrupted#by#reminders#that#dc#is#(UKtr)#(for# example).#It#seems#aimed#for#the#advanced# beginner#as#the#basics#are#not#reiterated#or# illustrated#as#one#finds#in#many#new#crochet# books.

The#twenty#are:#tradiOonal#granny#square,# poppies#and#daisies,#square#dance,#daffodil# square,#twisted#treble#hexagon,#cappuccino# lace#square,#nursery#granny#square,#scalloped# circle,#tudor#rose,#Catharine#wheel#(not#like# the#sOtch),#circle#in#a#square,#floral#ring,#circle# &#shell#square,#daisy#loop,#pinwheel#circle,# dog#rose#triangle,#picot#hexagon,#alpine# meadow#square,#autumn#square,#and#filet# heart.##As#their#names#aSest,#not#all#the# moOfs#are#squares,#which#begs#the#quesOon#–# why#call#them#“granny#squares”?##Perhaps#in#

All#of#the#moOfs#are#made#with#crochet#coSon# size#3#and#a#D/3mm#and#the#sizes#of#each#are# noted.#This#enables#you#to#understand#the# relaOve#sizes#of#each#and#to#have#a#clue#as#to# the#size#your#own#hook#and#yarn#combinaOon# will#yield. #At#$9.95#for#a#mere#20#uncharted#moOfs,#the# crocheter#on#a#budget#might#be#beSer#served# to#get#250#moOfs#with#charts#for#$22.95.##The# virtues#of#this#preSy#liSle#book#are#its# portability#and#engaging#images#of#aSracOve# moOfs.

The$New$Tunisian$Crochet,$Contemporary$ Designs$from$TimeEHonored$Tradi<ons by#Dora#Ohrenstein Paperback#8.5#x#101/4,#144#pages ISBN#978A1A59668A553A6#$24.95 Many#years#ago,#my#godmother#on#hearing# that#I#was#deeply#involved#with#crocheOng,# suggested#that#I#explore#Tunisian#crochet.# While#I#acquired#some#hooks#and#made#bits#of# Tunisian#fabric#for#freeform#pictures,#it#didn’t# click#unOl#now.#This#wellAorganized,# thoroughgoing#book#presents#more#than#30# Tunisian#sOtch#paSerns#and#11#compelling#

resulOng#fabric#to#accompany#each#sOtch# descripOon.##The#sOtches#are#organized#in# groups:#Basic,#Intermediate,#Lace,#Textured# and#Tunisian#and#Standard#Crochet.#The#wellA explained#projects#—#Marisol#Cardigan,#Mago# Vest,#Rivuline#Shawl,#Shantay#Skirt,#Lorelei# Pullover,#Terra#Hat#and#MiSs,#Ariadne# Sampler#Throw,#Natalia#Scarf,#Sierra#Bag,# Eleanora#BooOes,#and#Najmee#Rug,#include# sOtch#charts#and#schemaOcs,#informaOon# which#makes#the#making#easier.#In#addiOon#to# a#resource#list,#index,#symbol#key#and# glossary,#the#book#illustrates#regular#crochet# basics,#making#this#accessible#to#crocheters#of# all#levels.

projects#that#include#garments,#accessories# and#home#décor.

Tunisian#crochet#is#a#unique#technique#with# parOcular#tools#—#a#lengthened#or#long#shaW# (like#a#knisng#needle)#with#a#crochet#hook# head#at#one#end#and#a#stopper#at#the#other.# These#come#in#many#different#sizes#like# crochet#hooks.#The#author#beings#with#a#brief# history#where#we#learn#that#Tunisian#crochet# is#not#from#Tunisia#or#Afghanistan##(as#it#has# also#been#called#afghan#crochet).##We#begin# the#wonderful#journey#as#she#traces#Tunisian’s# origins#and#various#names#from#1858#to#now.

This#is#a#wellAwriSen,#handsomely#designed,# insightul,#inspiring,#informaOonArich#book# that#will#expand#your#crochet#repertoire#and# fabricAmaking#possibiliOes. Easy$Crocheted$Accessories,18#fast#and#fun# projects#compiled#by#Amy#Palmer CraW#Tree/Interweave#Press#LLC ISBN#978–1–#59668–738–7 Paperback#$12.99,#size#10.75”#by#8.5”

The#projects#include#a#reinterpretaOon#of#a# paSern#from#Tunisian’s#recorded#beginnings# —#a#slipper,#as#well#as#a#project#for#men.##The# techniques#are#well#and#thoroughly#explained,# illustrated#with#clear#visuals.##I#applaud#how# throughout#the#author#cites#precedents#and# connects#the#reader#with#other#explorers#as#in# the#chapter#on#special#techniques#and#effects# where#we#are#introduced#to#double#ended# hooks#(a#technique#I#enjoy#immensely),# working#in#the#round,#combining#regular# crochet#with#Tunisian,#color#work#and# entrelac#Tunisian#crochet.

The#sOtch#dicOonary#secOon#has#large,#clear# symbol#charts#and#clear#images#of#the#

Easy#can#be#clever,#insightul#and#fun,#as#it#is# in#this#bright#collecOon#of#contemporary#

projects.#It’s#delightully#expressed#in#this#nice# range#of#crochet#paSerns#and#wellApresented# in#this#large#format#paperback.

The#projects#include: u#####The#Road#To#Bruges#(Scarf) u#####Julia's#Hat u#####BeSy's#BuSon#Up#MiSs u#####Blueberry#Trellis#Hat u#####Twist#Bag u#####Digory#MiSens u#####Snowdrops#Scarf u#####Candy#Cloche u#####Granny#Bag u#####Leaf#Peeper#Hats u#####Float#Away#Scarf u#####Marigold#Headband u#####Adirondack#Socks u#####Crochet#Bobble#Beret u#####Boteh#Scarf u#####Gilded#Mesh#Scarf u#####Cheerful#Earmuffs While#not##everything#in#this#book#is#new,# there#are#some#old#golds#that#I#recognize# three#from#the#past.##Kathy#Merrick’s#Boteh# Scarf#Interweave,#spring#2007),#is#one#I’ve# long#admired#and#desired.##The#Twist#Bag’s# presence#gave#me#a#thrill#(from#Interweave# Crochet#Accessories,#2011)#because#I#coveted# and#admired#it,#too.#One#of#my#new,#wantAtoA make#favorites#on#sight,#is#the#Cheerful# Earmuffs#previously#published#in#Gi.ed,' lovely'li3le'things'to'Knit'and'Crochet,#as#I#

am#weak#for#floral#touches.#Also#familiar#to# folks#who#follow#crochet#on#the#internet#is#the# (free)#Float#Away#Scarf.##On#the#other#hand,# Twist#Bag,#Crochet#Bobble#Beret(#Knitscene,# 2009),##and#Adirondack#Socks#are#also# available#online—but#at#$5.50#each,#these# three#paSerns#together#exceed#the#price#of# the#book. # Not#every#paSern#has#a#chart#but#those#that# are#there#are#clear#and##helpful.#I#wish#every# paSern#were#charted,#if#only#as#a#maSer#of# consistency. # This#is#a#beginnerAfriendly#book,#as#there’s#a# secOon#at#the#back#where#each#sOtch#is# illustrated,#there#is#a#wonderful#list#of#all#the# abbreviaOons#used,#standard#yarn#weight# system,#and#informaOon#on#gauge.#Also# illustrated##are#different#approaches#to# crochet#seams#and#three#foundaOon#crochet# sOtches.#This#secOon#is#aWer#the#paSerns,# which#I#appreciate.#If#you#need#the# informaOon,#it’s#included,#but#if#you#don’t#,# you#don’t#have#to#wade#through#it,#when#you# open#the#book.

As#the#book#proclaims,#here#you#can#find# great#ideas#for#weekend#giWs#and#last#minute# projects.

The$Crocheter’s$Companion,$Revised$and$ Updated by#Nancy#Brown !##Hard$cover,#SpiralEbound:#132#pages#7#x#1# x#5#inches## !##Publisher:#Interweave#Press;#Revised# EdiOon#(April#2,#2013) !##ISBNE10:#1596688297###ISBNE13:# 978A1596688292 # # This#new#ediOon#of#The$Crocheter's$ Companion#is#said#to#have#more#sOtches,#over# 70#new#illustraOons,#and#stepAbyAstep# techniques#than#the#previous#version.##I#didn’t# see#the#previous#ediOon,#however,#this#book## has#undertaken#to#be#indispensably#easy#to# use,#and#it#is.

It#includes#nearly#all#of#the#essenOals: u#####Tools,#Yarns#and#Gauges u#####How#to#Read#Crochet#InstrucOons u#####Basic#Crochet#SOtches u#####Basic#Crochet#Techniques u#####Familiar#SOtches#and#Favorites u#####Advanced#Crochet#Techniques u#####MoOfs#and#Medallions u#####Tunisian#Crochet u#####DecoraOve#Furnishings u#####Finishing#Techniques u#####Helpful#Hints#and#TroubleshooOng #

It#was#in#the#last#secOon#that#I#found# something#new#and#Omesaving.

There#I#was#reminded#to#always#leave#a# generous#length#of#yarn#before#my#starOng# chain,#for#should#I#miscount#and#crochet#too# few#sOtches,#there’s#an#easy#fix.##I#remember# my#big#aha,#when#I#first#learned#how#to#fix#a# tooAlong#starOng#chain.#This#was#another# smackAmyAforehead#moment.

Not#much#is#missing,#but#a#couple#of#things# popped#out.##While#there#is#a#chart#of# internaOonal#crochet#sOtches,###not#all#the# symbols#for#sOtches#described#in#the#book#are # included#(e.g.#extended#single#crochet,# extended#double#crochet.##One#of#my#favorite# sOtches##A#the#U.S.#half##treble#(taller#than#a#dc,# shorter#than#a#treble)is#also#not#included. # AWer#the#list#of#crochet#symbols,#they#don’t# appear#again#–#it#would#be#useful#to#see#the# symbols#when#the#moOfs#are##explored,#or# accompanying##exploraOons#of#filet#and##Irish# mesh.##I#want#U.S.#crocheters#to#be#more#at# home#in#the#world#of#charts#and#if#beginners# meet#the#symbols#as#they#are##learn#the# abbreviaOons,#and#the#sOtches,#it#eliminates# later#hurdles. # “ComparaOve#hook#sizes”#is#another#criOcal## chart#that#ends#too#soon.##It#only#goes#up#to# K#/7mm#and#lists#G#as#4.5#mm#and#F#as#4#mm.## In#recent#years#I’ve#seen#a#few#more#4mm#G’s# than#4.5#mm#and#the#F’s#I#use#are#3.75#mm,#so# again,#it’s#great#as#a#start,#but#strangely# doesn’t#cover#the#ground,#especially#when# this#parOcular#chart#has#a#number#of#empty# lines. # Another#technique#I#had#hoped#to#see# included,#parOcularly#in#a#2013#book,#is#the# noAturningAchain#technique.#The#different# foundaOon#chain##approaches#are##described# and#well#illustrated.

# I#wish#the#same#deW#summary#insight#had#been#turned#on#broomsOck#lace,#hairpin#lace#and#Bruges# techniques,#in#the#same#lovely#and#efficient#way#Tunisian#crochet#was#introduced. # I#was#delighted#to#see#Irish#crochet,#bead#crochet,#half#granny#squares,#tassels,#trims#and#buSons# among#the#offerings.#Yarn#sizes,#plies#and#subsOtuOons#are#clearly#explained. # The#book’s#format#is#one#of#its#intrinsic#delights.##A#hard#cover###opens#flat#to#reveal#a#spiral#binding# of#sturdy#pages.

This#small#volume#seems#made#for#trips,#as#its#size#is#conducive to#being#tucked#in#a#handbag#or#project#bag. # While#advanced#crocheters#might#yearn#for#those#techniques#not#included#or#a#bit#more#depth#on# those#areas#explored,#like#merits#of#different#increase#and#decrease#techniques,#and#how#to#create# invisible#decreases,#this#is#an#excellent#compact#reference#for#beginner#to#intermediate#crocheters.# I#wish#it#was#around#when#I#was#started#this##fiber#journey.

About$the$Author Nancy#Brown#is#the#author#of#the#original#ediOon#of#The$Crocheter’s$Companion.#A#crocheter#for# almost#40#years,#Nancy#served#as#execuOve#viceApresident#of#the#Crochet#Guild#of#America,#and#was# the#west#coast#representaOve#for#Skacel#CollecOon#Inc.#She#lives#in#the#Pacific#Northwest.

We#hope#that#you#enjoyed#our#book#review.#If#you#are#an#author#and#write#about#anything#yarn#or# crochet,#you#can#get#your#work#reviewed#by#us#and#featured#in#our#next#magazine.#To#do#so,#please# contact#us#at#info@crochetsavvy#ATTN:#Akua#Lezli#Hope.

Past Designers. updates

We love to hear updates from past designers that we have featured here in our magazine. Here is one of those updates from Leslie Tucker, featured last year. Enjoy!

Leslie Tucker Owner of Surprise Designs, located in Newark, DE. www.facebook.com/surprisedesigns www.etsy.com/shop/lesdenae â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am very active with the business. I have at least around 8 to 10 craft fairs and events scheduled until the end of the year.

I was a featured fiber artist with The Newark Arts Alliance. I am working to get my designs into local boutiques. I want to work with customers to designs custom skirts, dresses and accessories. I am also reaching out to the yoga community to sell my yoga mat bags. Crocheting relieves my stress, fills my heart with joy and allows me to meet new and interesting people each day.

My next goal is to start a non profit that will allow me and others to make hats and accesories for children with hydracephalus. Hydracehalus is water to the head. Children born with this condition often have surgeries to the head and sometime brain. The child's head has to get shaved and the surgery leaves a long scar. My daughter So-nia has the condition. So-nia is 10, she had her second surgery this past March. I made So-nia wonderful handbands and hats to wear until her scar healed.

I want to make things for other children and adults for their hospital stay and to wear out in public.

This will allow them to feel less self conscience. My ultimate goal is to run my crochet business full time. This will allow me to travel and spend more time with my husband.â&#x20AC;?

-Love, Leslie Tucker

Surprise Designs

by Leslie Tucker www.etsy.com/shop/lesdenae

Doshie Dior Photography www.doshiedior.com

Tabitha Dellahousye OfficeBWebsiteBandBBookBTrailer:Bh"p://thejenesaisquoi.wix.com/dellahousye FanBpageB–Bh"p://www.facebook.com/pages/TabithaKDellahousye/ 394611503952673 GoodreadsBKBh"p://www.goodreads.com/TDellahousye SalesBlinksBKBh"p://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CEMH2VW Twi"erBhandleBKB@TDellahousye A$Love$Unfulfilled (WIP$–$due$Summer$2013) # Everyone#will#have#a#first#love,#the#person#who#helped#shape#you#into#the#kind#of#person#you#are# today#in#your#relaOonships.A#love#so#strong#that#at#the#Ome#you#would#have#sacrificed#everything# for#it,#so#sure#that#it#would#withstand#anything#that#stood#in#your#way.#The#first#Ome#you#uSered# the#words,#“I#Love#You”#and#the#first#Ome#someone#said#it#back#A#it#leaves#such#a#lasOng#impression# that#it#has#its#own#scent#and#texture,#so#strong#that#it#is#someOmes#hard#to#recover#when#that#first# love#goes#SO#wrong.#You#will#eventually#move#on,#learn#to#love#yourself,#as#you#should,#and#then# learn#to#open#your#heart#up#to#others#to#love#again,#to#trust#again,#to#feel#pain#again.#Now#that#Alex# and#Olivia#have#found#each#other#A#have#they#really#leW#their#past#behind?#The#quesOon#then# becomes#when#you#move#on,#HAVE#you#really#moved#on?#How#far#will#Anthony#go?#How#low#will# Felecia#stoop?#How#strong#is#a#love#unfulfilled?

Click here to read our Special Savvy Moms eBook online! If you are a mom that crochets or blogs/business about crafting or yarn, you can still participate in our project. The deadline has been extended until AUGUST 1st, 2013. Find out more at our website!

Doshie Dior Photography www.doshiedior.com

Crochet Savvy Magazine www.crochetsavvy.com info@crochetsavvy.com

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