A busy spring with new classes, new projects, and a new book coming!

June 10, 2018

My February trip to Indiana to film two online classes for Annie's went great! The weather even cooperated and it was much warmer than when I was there two years ago. Both classes are live now, so I can reveal that they are "Tunisian Crochet: Beyond the Basics" and "Learn to Crochet Pineapples." Each class has two projects; here are some pictures.

The projects for the Tunisian class are a two-texture scarf and a lacy shawl. The ones for the Pineapples class are a fringed lap blanket and a lacy half-circle shawl.

As usual, the crew was terrific. It's amazing how many people are in the studio, all working to make sure the class is professional and polished. Three camera operators, the producer, director, editors, stylists...no wonder Annie's classes are such high quality.

I was invited to one of my favorite yarn shops, The Knitter's Edge in Bethlehem, PA, to celebrate Local Yarn Store Day on April 21st. What a fun afternoon! The owners, JoAnne and her daughter Amanda, should be used as role models for any shop owner. Their store is spacious--with dedicated classrooms!--well-stocked with yarn for every budget, and staffed with knowledgeable, caring people. They set me up in their beautiful bay window to do a book-signing and some Tunisian crochet demos. I met all sorts of nice people who had come from nearby, and from as much as several hours away. (That goes to show you how valued The Knitter's Edge is.) One of the women I met that day has since invited me to teach two introductory Tunisian crochet classes at the Middletown Thrall Library in New York state in August. A lovely surprise to have that work out.

I'm looking forward to my trip up there. Not sure if I will have time to visit Manitoga: The Russell Wright Design Center then, but I certainly hope so. I have been on the travel/architecture beat recently for The Hunt Magazine. My article about the National September 11 Memorial & Museum just came out in the summer edition; in the fall, features about Ladew Topiary Gardens and the Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise will be published; for winter, I'm covering Hollyhock House (a restored Frank Lloyd Wright site in Los Angeles) and Grounds for Sculpture in New Jersey. Manitoga would fit right in.

I'm excited to report that Delicate Crochet is listed for sale! Check out the "Books" page and the "Sneak Peek" to see photos of the 23 projects included in the book, and the names of the designers who contributed patterns. Amazon has the publication date as 12/1 but it should actually be ready to ship in late October/early November. If you are going to TNNA or CGOA this summer, look for Stackpole Books and some of the designers showing off some sample garments.

My photo as part of a response to a question

Asking a Designer a Question

July 25, 2017

Recently I received a very polite question from a crocheter, which got me thinking about the way designers and crocheters interact. Why do some encounters go smoothly while others ruffle feathers? I've seen this from both sides--as the questioner and the one being questioned. Here are some suggestions that I hope will make for better communication.

For the crocheter:

1. Read the text slowly and carefully for the row or round that is tripping you up. (Doing this aloud can be helpful.) To clarify the instructions, re-write them in list form to make sure you are not missing something. For example, did you repeat what is in parentheses or brackets the right number of times? Are you doing EXACTLY what the instructions say? It is very easy to jump over something and then think it is a mistake in the pattern.

For example, my recent questioner was having trouble with this round of Lilytopia:

Round 7: Work beg 6-dc cluster. (Ch 6, sc in next ch-4 sp) twice, *ch 6, work 6-dc cluster over next 6 dc, (ch 6, sc in next ch-4 sp) twice. Repeat from * around, ending with ch 6. Join with sl st to top of the beginning cluster. Total 30 ch-6 lps.

Writing the instructions for that round in list form would look like this:

Work beg 6-dc cluster.
Ch 6, sc in next ch-4 sp.
Ch 6, sc in next ch-4 sp.
Ch 6. [This is where the repeat starts]
Work 6-dc cluster over next 6 dc.
Ch 6, sc in next ch-4 sp.
Ch 6, sc in next ch-4 sp.

That should give a better picture of what this round looks like, with three ch-6 lps between each two clusters. Ch 6, sc, ch 6, sc, ch 6, cluster. (My correspondent was short on the number of ch-6 lps and was trying to figure out why.)

2. If you are still having trouble, contact the designer directly. I can't speak for others, but I would much prefer a private message to a public post. It is really deflating to see a post that could undermine people's confidence in my pattern accuracy when it is actually the questioner's mistake that's to blame. Even if you post again later to say, "Oh, actually it was my fault," the impression can linger. If, however, you contact the designer via email, FB, and/or Ravelry and don't hear back in a day or two, go ahead and share the question.

3. Be polite and respectful. (I wish I didn't have to mention this, but I've received some pretty aggressive questions; interestingly, when those crocheters learn that it was their issue, they usually disappear without an apology.) My correspondent had just the right tone, which made it easy to want to help her.

4. Whitelist the designer's email so her response doesn't get trapped in your spam filter. And please include your phone number in your inquiry so if she doesn't get a response to her "Please confirm you received this" email, she has a way to contact you to check.

5. If possible, send photos of the area in question.

6. Understand that anytime you contact a designer and say you're having trouble, it is an unsettling experience. I'm immediately thinking, "Uh-oh, did I make a mistake? Am I going to have to issue an erratum? How long is it going to take me to figure this out?" It's a lousy feeling, even if it turns out that my instructions are fine.

7. Recognize that you are putting an unexpected demand on the designer's time. My schedule is packed with deadlines and commitments. When your question comes in, I have to figure out when to address it. That's made doubly difficult because I don't know how long it will take. Will I be able to spot the trouble right away and solve things with a quick email? Will I have to dig out the sample (which I might not even have anymore) to verify that my instructions are correct? Will I have to crochet multiple rows or rounds to get to where I feel confident in responding to you? All of that time has to come from somewhere.

8. Confirm that you received the designer's answer. Say thank-you for the help. If you have been pleased with the designer's response, shout it from the online rooftops!

Before I go on to the designer's responsibilities during the interaction, I need to mention an uncomfortable possibility: sometimes it's you, and there is no reasonable amount of time or help a designer can give you to solve your problem. Perhaps the pattern is at too advanced a level for you. That is not the designer's fault. She is also not responsible if your pattern-reading skills are poor. Maybe the style of the instructions doesn't suit your learning preference. (Even sadder to contemplate, perhaps you have a cognitive problem that is preventing you from understanding the pattern. I have often thought that seeing how someone reads and executes a pattern could be used as a dementia screening tool.) By all means, take the pattern to a crocheting friend or someone at your local yarn shop to see if anyone can help with your problem, but unless you want to pay the designer to come teach you privately, it may not be possible for her to help any more than she already has! Please don't trash the designer. If she has tried her best to help, the two of you may have to agree that this time it just didn't work out.

And now, some guidelines for the designers. (Did you really think I'd let you off the hook?):

1. Respond ASAP, even if it's just to say, "Thanks for your question. I will review it this evening." Nobody should have to wonder whether you have received their inquiry.

2. Don't assume that the questioner has made a mistake. Sometimes there really is an error in the pattern. It is your responsibility to check thoroughly to see if that's the case. If so, apologize profusely and issue an erratum so others who are working on the project have the benefit of the correction.

3. Be polite and respectful. Someone who asks a question should not be told to "figure it out" on her own, or blown off because you are "too busy" to answer. Pattern support is a designer's responsibility.

4. Be understanding. The person writing to you is likely frustrated at having to stop mid-project because something isn't working. The more quickly and thoroughly you can offer help, the faster the crocheter can get back to crocheting your wonderful pattern. You are working together to solve a problem.

5. Send photos. I forwarded my correspondent the picture at the top of this post because I thought it would help her see where she had gone astray.

6. If you're comfortable with a Skype or Facetime session, you can offer that.

7. If, after you have made a good attempt to help, the crocheter is still having trouble, it's okay to extricate yourself from the interaction. Apologize for not being able to solve the problem, and suggest that the crocheter take the project to a friend who crochets to see if that person can help. Wish them the best and say you are sorry it didn't work out this time.

Feel free to share your suggestions--and any humorous encounters--in the Comments!

Book Review, Top-Down Crochet Sweaters by Dora Ohrenstein

February 13, 2017

I recently had a chance to review Top-Down Crochet Sweaters by Dora Ohrenstein. (Disclaimer: Dora is an experienced designer, author, and teacher, and we have met several times. I admire her work, her enthusiasm for crochet, and her desire to help crocheters learn. The book's publisher, Storey Publishing, sent me a copy of the book to review; as you know by now, that doesn't influence my opinions.)

There are seven pairs of patterns in the book. Each pair has the same stitch pattern but a different finished project. For example, Luna is a pullover in double trebles, and Janelle is a long, loose cardigan. Both are done with linked double treble stitches.

There is a nice variety. Jade and Magda use cables; Nanette (on the cover) and Erde have crossed stitches. Some of the other patterns use openwork. Whether those appeal to you is a matter of taste, but there is no question that the book's first fifty pages, "Part I: The Techniques," should be in every crocheter's library!

Dora approaches top-down stitches like an architect, explaining the overall structure and then teaching how to build each part. Here are just a few of the things she covers: Necklines; Yoke Shaping; Creating the Underarm; Working the Sleeve. Next she addresses special techniques for top-down garments include gauge, drape, blocking, and yarn choice.

The final part of the Techniques section is "Making Your Garment Fit." What a concept! Understanding what "ease" means, learning how to measure yourself, deciding what length fits your body best, and changing things up to customize fit are important techniques not with top-down sweaters, but with all garments.

I tested the Isola raglan sleeve top.

It took me a few rounds to understand exactly what I was doing, but things moved along once I got the hang of it (I did wish for some shorter sentences in the instructions--I don't know what publishers have against using a period somewhere and then continuing with instructions for a round--because having 11 run-on lines of text for one round makes it too easy to lose your place.) The symbol chart was helpful.

Here's my garment-in-progress:

The top of Isola, past the armholes to the middle of the bust.

I didn't finish the top because it's not something I want to wear, but I went as far as the middle of the bust. That was enough to verify that the instructions are correct.

The photography in the book is top-notch. Symbol charts and schematics are clear and helpful. Dora's thorough explanations about top-down construction are brilliant and much-needed, and I know that I will turn to those insights as I continue my own design work.

Top-Down Crochet Sweaters, Dora Ohrenstein, Storey Publishing, October 2016. Full-color; photographs and illustrations throughout. 176 pages.

TNNA Recap

June 15, 2016

What a great weekend at The National NeedleArts Association trade show! Here's my recap. (I apologize for having so few photos. I'm still getting used to my iPhone.)

Friday after registration I attended the Yarn Group fashion show. There were almost 100 pieces and most of them were quite lovely. A lot of shawls and scarves, the usual assortment of sweaters and tops, and also some dresses and skirts. I took notes on the yarns that were especially appealing to me.

"Sample It" was next. I've missed a few shows, and this was different from what it used to be. Formerly there were a lot of products displayed in a hallway, and you could take little pieces of yarn. Nothing was for sale. The new Sample It is a small (but intense!) cash-and-carry area. Folks were selling kits, bags, books, and other items. It was a bit of a madhouse but nice to see that business was brisk.

Quite a scene at Sample It. Love the shawl. Less excited about the hair.

I caught up with designers Karen McKenna (website here) and Dora Ohrenstein (website here) in the reception area. Karen gave me a copy of her new book, which I'll review in a subsequent blog. Dora is also working on a new book. Nice to catch up with them, if only for a short time.

After a late dinner with my husband at a Korean restaurant a few blocks from the hotel, I sat down to map out my strategy for Saturday. I wanted to make sure I got to all of the manufacturers whose yarn I used in my upcoming "Crochet Cowls" book so I could show them the finished projects and some sample pages. I also wanted to talk to some publishers, check out the yarn that really appealed to me at the fashion show, and chat with some smaller yarn companies to find out if they would be receptive either to purchasing independent designs or offering yarn support for designs published in books or by the designer.

(An aside--D.C. drivers are crazy! In the span of a few minutes we saw a driver in the right lane turn left by crossing over two other lanes that were going in his direction, and another driver who completely blew through a stop sign to make a right turn. Not to mention the constant sirens. Washington is a wonderfully walkable city as long as you watch out for nutcases behind the wheel, but isn't for drivers who are faint of heart.)

Saturday was the big day for me. I had my finished samples, some books, and promotional postcards in a rolling suitcase, and the show directory and a notebook in a lightweight tote bag. ("Stuff management" is key to surviving these shows without exhaustion!)

I was very pleased that some of the small manufacturers and/or those who are relatively new to TNNA were enthusiastic about the idea of crochet and Tunisian crochet design. It's nice to feel like there are opportunities out there for designers. It was also wonderful to see folks whose products I use regularly, including Plymouth, Blue Heron, Brown Sheep, and Louet North America. I'm delighted to have finally met Stephanie from Space Cadet Creations. The people at Madelinetosh could not have been nicer! I had purchased their yarn for one of the cowls in my book, and they seemed thrilled with the sample and eager to provide yarn for my future projects. I saw designer/author/instructor Mary Beth Temple only for about two minutes but it was better than nothing!

Some absences were felt as well. I missed Crystal Palace and Abuelita. I learned from the Westminster Fibers rep that they will no longer be distributing Rowan yarns; I hope the new distributor works out well. All of the designers were working hard, so there wasn't much time to sit and chat. Apparently we are part of "Business and Creative Services" now. There was a BCS meeting from 3-5 p.m., but since I had signed up for a focus group meeting the next morning, I didn't want to sit in yet another meeting so I skipped it. I hope the group will publish a summary of what was discussed.

It was a long but productive day. I've learned to take good notes so it's easier for me to follow up once I'm home. When I emerged at 4 p.m. it was over 90 degrees! Glad I only had to walk a block to get back to the hotel. My husband and son had been at the Nationals-Phillies baseball game. After cooling off and cleaning up, we walked to Chinatown for dinner. My son is in D.C. for the summer, working at a company in Arlington. It was a lucky coincidence that TNNA was in Washington so we could see him.

Sunday morning I participated in a cross-disciplinary focus group. You may have heard that the company that has been managing TNNA's trade shows is no longer going to be doing it. As part of the decision process for picking a new management company, TNNA is trying to get a feel for how the shows and the organization can best serve its members. It was interesting to hear the perspective from people in manufacturing, wholesale, and retail, especially because not all of them are in the yarn group. I was able to express my exasperation and that of other designers about the lack of transparency in selecting classes. We would like to know exactly what TNNA is looking for so we don't waste our time writing proposals that have no chance of acceptance. The photo below shows comments from a class I taught at TNNA in January 2008. None of my class proposals have been accepted since then--and nobody has ever given me a reason why. Go figure.

With comments like these, no wonder I haven't been asked to teach again!

All in all, a successful show and a good way to get energized for some new designs and projects. Now it's time to do the necessary follow up and start working with some of the luscious fibers I saw on display.

New website, new blogging tool

April 27, 2016

My old website was just that: old! The design was done seven years ago and was due for some brightening up. Categories needed to be redefined and reorganized, new books and patterns needed to be added, I wanted to be able to link to my videos, and I was desperate for a blogging tool that was less balky than the one I was struggling with. Most of all, I wanted to improve the user experience, whether you're coming to my site from a PC, phone, or other mobile device.

FolioFLY Website Solutions listened to my goals for the website and came up with a complete redesign (they had done my previous site and were familiar with my work). They migrated me to SquareSpace and developed a nice, clean look. We went back and forth many times over the last 4-6 weeks honing each page to perfection. One really great feature is on the books page, where you can click on "Sneak Peek" and see photos of all of the projects in a book.

A crucial thing for me was the blogging tool. I would have blogged more regularly if it hadn't been so frustrating trying to position photos in WordPress and getting the text to wrap properly. (If you love WordPress, feel free to blame me for any issues I had with it! Suffice it to say that even after much instruction and many attempts--including working with the html code--it was not the right platform for me.)

And now the big day is here: my first blog post using SquareSpace! Let me bring you up to date with the news.

One-Skein Baby Projects has received several published reviews. Marty Miller wrote about it on Not Your Granny's Crochet, Kristine at Ambassador Crochet blogged about it here, and Sue at Crochet Addict UK posted her review here. Even I got into the act with a guest blog for Leisure Arts in which I talked about the design process.

Meanwhile, things keep moving through the pipeline. Easy Afghans will be released next week!

The class I filmed for Annie's will be live on May 17th! As soon as I get the go-ahead, I'll share the details with you.

And Crochet Cowls is making its way through production. I've started talking with some yarn shop folks about doing release events, book-signings, and master classes.

Due to popular demand I am finally creating some instructional videos. I learn something new with each one, and continue to improve the lighting and editing. If you're interested, please subscribe to my YouTube channel here. Let me know if you want to see a particular stitch demonstrated. So far I've been concentrating on Tunisian crochet, but I'm not going to limit the videos to that branch of crochet.

I still have a lot to learn about how my new website works, and how I can update it myself. For now, I'm thrilled with the way it looks and works, and I'm very grateful to FolioFLY for their immense patience with me as we went through the redesign process!

Yarn Installation at Hagley Museum & Library Coming Up!

February 11, 2015

I'm fortunate to live in the Brandywine Valley, where Pennsylvania and Delaware meet. The region is rich in history, culture, art, and natural beauty. Longwood Gardens, Winterthur, and the Brandywine River Museum of Art (think Wyeth) are just a few of the many attractions.

Most of you know that I am a travel writer as well as a crochet author. In 2004 I wrote Brandywine Valley: The Informed Traveler's Guideabout the area I call home. One of my favorite sites is Hagley Museum and Library. As I was inspired to write in my book:

It's almost a shame to call Hagley a `museum,' since it's so much more than the term implies. Located on 235 scenic acres along the Brandywine River, on the site of the first du Pont black powder works, Hagley tells the story of life and industry int he nineteenth century through exhibits, tours, restorations, and demonstrations.

You can tour Eleutherian Mills, the du Pont family home; stroll through the French-style garden; use the interactive exhibits in the Henry Clay Mill building; immerse yourself in the lives of the workers on Blacksmith Hill; and simply enjoy a beautiful walk along the water near the sluice gates and millraces. (And for anyone planning a wedding, wow, Hagley does these well!)

(For all you punctuation and spelling sticklers out there, be aware that there are as many ways to construct "du Pont" as there are du Ponts. In general, du Pont family members use a lower case d and a space before Pont, except for Alfred I duPont, who dispensed with the space--and who, mercifully, is not part of our story today. Then there's the DuPont Company, which prefers the capital D and no space, unless it's the complete company name, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Inc., in which case the rules are reversed.)

Hagley has an upcoming one-object exhibition, "Unraveling Stories," which features a 10-foot x 12-foot hooked rug designed and created by Mrs. Edward W. Cooch, Jr., in 1950. The images in the rug tell the story of the du Pont family in the United States. In addition to visually representing history, the hooked rug is history: it is the first hooked rug made of nylon, a DuPont product.

As soon as I heard about the rug exhibit, I thought, "This is the PERFECT opportunity for a yarn bombing!" I saw a photo of the rug and could picture using the themes and colors in a complementary way elsewhere on the property. Hagley is just down the road from the Delaware Museum of Natural History, where my outdoor crochet art was exhibited in December and January, and where the 40-foot crocheted snake Yarnboa is still on display indoors because the Museum begged me not to take it down yet! Both sites are part of the Brandywine Museums & Gardens Alliance, a consortium of local institutions that work together to promote the region, so all of the directors, exhibits managers, and public relations people know each other. (Many of them know me, too, because I was the BMGA public relations liaison for several years.) Anyway, I guess I got a good recommendation because Hagley was very open to the idea of a yarn-bombing proposal, and they accepted my design with enthusiasm!

The idea is to decorate Hagley's imposing pair of gates at the main entrance, as well as the brick pillars that hold the gates and a smaller gate nearby. The yarn-bomb gets its inspiration from the rug, with fleur-de-lis and flowers.

We (I say "we" because volunteers from Hagley's handwork group, and possibly other volunteers, will be helping me) plan to transform the bars below the diagonal into a garden that matches the flowers in the rug. Above the bar will probably be fleur-de-lis and lace. I'll save the rest of the details for later, when I'm more certain of how the design will translate into reality.

I'm meeting with the handwork group next week to figure out how much they are interested in and capable of doing; Hagley volunteers knit and crochet a lot of items that they sell, using the proceeds for a scholarship fund, but I think they will be excited to spend a little time working on the yarn-bomb. It will give us a chance to connect with fiber folks in the Brandywine Valley and the larger area, including Philadelphia, and introduce them to Hagley Museum. People who have never been there won't believe what they've been missing!

Installation is scheduled for the week of March 23rd. I am very grateful that the staff has been so energetic and welcoming. I think the process will be a lot of fun and the results will be beautiful!