Delicate Crochet weeks away for publication! Plus fall events and classes

With the return of cooler temperatures, things in my crochet world are heating up! The most exciting bit of news is that Delicate Crochet will be out next month. Here is a sampling of pre-publication comments from librarians and other qualified reviewers:

“This is an extremely well-planned and organized book. The patterns are delightful…”

“As expected, there are wrap/shawl/scarf designs and several tops/sweaters/cardigans, but also a pretty skirt (with directions for optional lining), a beaded necklace and a very fun cowl done in Tunisian crochet.”

“This is a lovely book that does a lot to show just how versatile and beautiful crochet can be..”

The book, with 23 original patterns including written instructions and charts, came in at 176 pages. Besides my own designs, there are patterns from Kristin Omdahl, Vicky Chan, Karen McKenna, Vashti Braha, Rhonda Davis, Robyn Chachula, Amy Solovay, Katya Novikova, Jude Butterworth, and Marty Miller. With two Canadians and a Russian in that group, it truly is an international cast. I’m honored that the contributors agreed to be part of this project. Thanks also to photographers Daniel Shanken and Alan Wycheck, and the models who showed off the garments to stellar advantage: Alexis Lebo, Nina Magnani, Aron Rook, and Shay Strawser. Not to mention Candice Derr, Emily Cable, Caroline Stover, Tessa Sweigert, Judith Schnell, and Kristen Mellitt from Stackpole Books.

For a sneak peek at the projects, click here. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy, you can do so here.

Meanwhile, the Wall Hangings book from Leisure Arts is getting some good press. Here is today’s review courtesy of Ambassador Crochet. I really had fun designing and crochet those projects. You can see all of the designs here and purchase the book here.

Add a little color to your decor!

I’m really looking forward to a weekend in Virginia, teaching for the Crochet Guild of Prince William County. Four classes are on the schedule for November 10-11: Beaded Crochet, Tapestry Crochet and Basket, Crochet Patterns Demystified!, and More Techniques in Tunisian Crochet. If you’re in the area, the workshops are open to non-members as well. Here are registration details.

The first week in December I have two Delicate Crochet book-signings and fashion shows set up (I’ll have all 23 items with me): Tuesday, December 4th, 7 p.m. at my home library, the West Chester Public Library in West Chester, PA, and Thursday, December 6th (don’t know the exact time yet) at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio in NYC! More information about both of those events will be coming early next month.

I hope your autumn has gotten off to a warm and cozy start!

Designing for Publication: Upcoming Class at Lion Brand Yarn Studio

I'm excited to be returning to the Lion Brand Yarn Studio in NYC to teach "Designing for Publication." The class is Sunday, December 3, from 2-5 p.m. and is suitable for all crafters, not just crocheters. More information is here. 

I really feel like this class is a return to my roots! I've been a freelance writer since 1987, mostly travel and features (my first crochet book came out in 2006), and I have taught freelance writing and travel writing in adult evening school. Many of my students have gotten their work published.

There is a balance between the creative side and the business side. You can be the most brilliant crocheter, or novelist, or food critic, but that's not enough to get your work published. There is protocol to follow, analysis to be done, self-promotion to convey, and more details than you can probably imagine...and that's all before you get the assignment! When you work in the craft field, there are very specific requirements for how your package should be submitted to a publisher. Ignore those rules at your own peril. Same with deadlines. You'll need to keep track of your expenses, fees, and taxes, too, so there's a bit of bookkeeping involved.

I am not the world's most creative designer. Sure, I've come up with some nice things, maybe better than average, but nothing like the awesome garments I see on Ravelry and elsewhere. However, I am exceptionally good at project management, organization, and communication, and editors value working with me as much for that as for the creativity I bring to the table. I attribute some of those skills to my essential nature, some to my experience as a technical writer, some to learning the value of checklists during aviation training, and some to fear--I don't want my reputation to be tarnished by missing a deadline or forgetting something important! That's a powerful motivator. And I've learned from my mistakes.

I've also had the benefit of wonderful advice from other writers and editors. (I owe a lifelong debt to my former DuPont colleague Paula Diaco, now with Write Stories Now, who introduced me to the concept of a query letter and recommended Writer's Market all those years ago.)

One thing that I will be emphasizing in class is the importance of following through on commitments. Your job is to make the editor's job easier. It's as simple as that...and, apparently, as difficult, as several recent exasperating experiences would suggest. Why does someone promise to send a press kit to me and then need me to remind him three times? Why does someone say he has put aside tickets for me to an event, but not actually do it? Why does a national trade association say decisions about teaching proposals will be made by the end of August, then, when asked on August 31st, change that to mid-September, and then let that date slip as well? (The latter is the type of situation I find the most frustrating--they set their own deadline, so why would they pick one they can't meet? It wasn't like the deadline was being imposed externally. I just don't get it.) Ugh, now I understand why my dentist feels compelled to send countless emails and texts to tell me about an upcoming appointment even though I have never missed one.

Deadlines and commitments are not aspirational. They are not something you "hope" you can make. They are promises. Occasionally things do happen that prevent someone from making good on a promise. If you break your arm, it might be impossible for you to knit a sample. Family situations arise. I get that, and so do editors--they're human, too. But you cannot sign a contract or enter into a commitment with the thought that, "Oh, I'll hand that in on this date if I have time and if it works out for me," or contact an editor on a due date and say you are going to be late. If you are not prepared to be rigorous with deadlines, conventional publishing is not for you (although self-publishing might be--we'll discuss that option in class, too). 

If you are considering moving from amateur designer to published professional, this class is the place to learn what it takes. I'm eager to share my experience with crafters. It's a wonderful feeling to see your work in a book or magazine, or on a yarn company website, and this class will give you the tools you need to move toward that exciting day!

Whew! Is it December already?

The past few months have flown by! I'm sorry I've been away for so long. We had a beautiful autumn here in Pennsylvania (I know it's technically still autumn, but once Thanksgiving is past it seems like winter to me). The leaves were especially gorgeous, and we had many warm days to get out and enjoy them.

I wrote my last blog post shortly after I had taught Tunisian Crochet at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio. Shortly thereafter I returned to the Studio on a rainy Thursday evening a few weeks later for a book-signing of Crochet Cowls, joined by hardy souls who didn't let the weather keep them away. 

 I'm all a-blur showing the Firelight Turtleneck Cowl. The mannequin is wearing one, too.

Because I arrived way early I had time to go out for dinner. The always-helpful Gretchen, the Studio's education director, suggested I walk over to the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art to take advantage of their cafeteria. What a cool place! I didn't have time to tour the exhibits, but it was a lovely little oasis of a place to have a quiet meal of hot soup. It was nice to be able to access the cafeteria without having to pay museum admission. The gift shop had some really interesting jewelry but I behaved myself and didn't buy anything. I'd definitely like to go back and see the artwork.

Back at the Studio, I really enjoyed meeting folks and hearing about the projects they were working on. We passed around all of the cowls for people to try on. I got some good questions about my work, the things that inspire me, and my favorite yarns.

I'll be at the Studio again on February 5, 2017 to teach Intermediate Tunisian Crochet from 2-5 p.m. For more information and to register, click here. 

Locally, I was invited to sign books at the West Chester Public Library, my home branch. The library staff did a great job and I had plenty of table space to spread out. A lot of people were interested in Tunisian crochet. Some of my friends stopped by and were drafted as models for the cowls.

I've been wanting to write a blog post but was thwarted by a DNS error. Apparently there are two access routes to get to my website; one was working, the other was hosed. After much back-and-forth with the hosting company without any success, we finally dumped the original host and are now using one that actually works. I didn't want to send people to a dead link, so I waited until the website was up and running. 

Meanwhile, plenty of crocheting has been going on! I have an assignment for a Leisure Arts leaflet, with the four completed projects and patterns due to them on 12/16. I'm also working on a new book for Stackpole Books, and for that one I'm going to have some other contributors to supplement my own designs. Wait until you hear the lineup of people who have agreed to submit patterns! I also got another assignment from Lion Brand Yarn to do another kit design--yarn should arrive any day! Here are a couple of my recent kits, the Rustic Tuscan Shawl and the Magic Miters Throw.

Rustic Tuscan Shawl

Magic Miters Shawl

I have a copy of Dora Ohrenstein's new book, Top Down Crochet Sweaters, and will review it once I've had the chance to test out one or two of the patterns. Nice to have that to look forward to.

Our local botanical gem, Longwood Gardens, is in its Christmas splendor. I'll leave you with some photos to inspire you this season. Enjoy!

Tunisian Crochet class at Lion Brand Studio; upcoming events

Yesterday I was in New York City. There was a slightly odd feeling in the city; a bomb had exploded the night before, just eight blocks from the Lion Brand Yarn Studio. There was a large police presence. Sixth Ave. was closed off starting at 14th St. I had to detour a bit to come back on 15th St. the right direction, but it wasn't a big problem. Parking restrictions are not in effect on Sunday and I was fortunate to get a spot right out front. 

That's one big ball of yarn!

I was pleased that all of the students who signed up for the class made it, too. 

It was cool to see this chalkboard set up outside:

Honored to be mentioned with Dora Ohrenstein!

One reason I love to teach at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio is that they have a dedicated classroom upstairs. It's nice not to be in the midst of the shop floor. Thanks to Gretchen, the Education Director, for inviting me to teach at LBYS.

The "Introduction to Tunisian Crochet" class went great! I love to see folks get excited about the technique. Reminds me of when I first learned Tunisian simple stitch from a book. I couldn't get over it! It created such interesting fabric and was so much fun to do. I had brought samples of Tunisian garments for them to ooh and ah over. We went through the basic stitches (Tunisian simple, knit, purl, and full stitch), and we talked about how to tame the curl, how to work the final row to make things look neat, and how to read Tunisian crochet symbol charts. 

Some of the students are interested in continuing their Tunisian crochet education with more advanced techniques. Maybe we can arrange a follow-up class to work on Tunisian lace, other stitch patterns, shaping, and working in the round.

We were all so busy concentrating on the class that I totally forgot to ask someone to take a picture of me in action! You'll have to use your imagination. I always spend a lot of time walking around the table to check on the students' progress and help them with any problems. 

Downstairs in the shop, the staff and the selection are top-notch. 

The picture doesn't do justice to the yarn display.

And it was nice to see my classes and book-signing listed on the bulletin board.

There's the Crochet Cowls book and a note about the Firelight Turtleneck master class.

Which brings me to some upcoming events at the Studio and elsewhere:

Wednesday, October 19th, 6:45-8 p.m., Crochet Cowls book-signing and fashion show at the West Chester Public Library, 415 N . Church St., West Chester, PA. Phone 610-696-1721. Register here. Free.

Thursday, October 27th, 6:30-8 p.m., Crochet Cowls official book launch/signing and fashion show at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio, 34 W. 15th St., New York, NY. Phone 212-243-9070. Register here. (All yarn purchased that evening is 20% off with the substitution sheets included with books purchased at the Studio.) Free.

Friday, October 28th, noon-1:30 p.m., Firelight Turtleneck Master Class, Lion Brand Yarn Studio, 34 W. 15th St., New York, NY. Phone 212-243-9070. Register here. Cost: $45 plus materials.

Firelight Turtleneck. (Photo: Shanken Photography Inc.)

I hope to see you at some of these events! It's always nice to connect with other crocheters.

NYC

What fun it was to go to New York City and spend the evening at Lion Brand Yarn Studio!

It was raining and misty on my drive up, but the weather cooperated when I arrived. (Carrying an umbrella always guarantees that the rain will stop.) I enjoyed an hour or so of exploring the Flatiron neighborhood and watching the people. Lots of dogs, too.

Back at LBYS, studio manager Patty Lyons and I did a brief video chat for "Talks from The Yarniverse." Here's the link if you want to check it out. The talk was filmed in the second-floor classroom, a large space where I have taught before. 

Lion Brand likes to do things in the BIG way, so in the classroom they have giant knitting needles and hooks, a giant ball of yarn, and other oversized things. I was honored to receive what I'm calling "The Order of the Hook," a perpweight in the shape of a crochet hook from Lion Brand CEO David Blumenthal. It weighs almost 11 ounces and my best guess is that it is a size Q, although you wouldn't want to crochet with it because your hand would get sore in two minutes. Don't drop that thing on your toe, either! It's a very nice souvenir that I am pleased to use on my desk to keep my patterns from blowing away.

The event on the first floor, in the lovely retail space, was really fun. We had a good turnout. Scarves were enthusiastically modeled by volunteers, people asked lots of good questions, and my lovely cousin Arlette was there for family support.  Here are a few pictures:

 

The evening concluded with a book-signing of Crochet Scarves (and Tunisian Crochet--a few people were interested in that, too). I met so many nice people! I was also happy to be able to donate a hat to the collection Lion Brand is putting together for those in need.

After the event was over, I had dinner with my cousin at Mumbles in her neighborhood. It was great to spend some time one-on-one with her.

Now it's time to work on some new designs, a book proposal, a Crochet Scarves trunk show, and projects for MyCrochetKits.com. I hope all of you are feeling energized and are enjoying what you're working on!

Podcast, NYC-bound, and Thoughts on Windows (the Glass Kind, not the Microsoft Kind)

Happy October! It's been busy around here. Did you have a chance to catch my appearance on Marly Bird's Yarn Thing podcast? Here's the link in case you missed it. I enjoyed the conversation--Marly always asks good questions and is fun to talk to. Thursday 10/4 is my appearance at Lion Brand Yarn Studio in NYC. I'll be giving a short talk and hosting an audience-participation fashion show with scarves from Crochet Scarves: Fabulous Fashions, Various Techniques. Want to model? Now's your chance! The event is free, but you have to let them know you're coming. Did you RSVP yet? Here's the link for more information and to register.  I love the Studio and am eager to return there--this will be my third visit. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and I start doing my thing at 6.

Recently I've been attending to some home chores, including window-cleaning. (Now, before you read on, you have to promise not to give me any window-cleaning advice. I say this not because I am close-minded, or because I don't value your grandma's tried-and-true method, but because I promise you I have tried every technique you could mention. No matter what I still end up with streaky glass and the knowledge that I'm just not good at this! Telling me that you have a foolproof method will only reinforce my feelings of inadequacy in the window-washing department. So, thank you for your restraint!)

Here is a partial list of my unsuccessful attempts. I've tried vinegar (house smelled like salad dressing for a week), crumpled newspapers (ruined my rubber gloves), plain water, water with dish detergent, Windex, paper towels, environmentally friendly glass cleaner, a chamois, soft rags, old towels, and a squeegee. I've cleaned the windows in bright sunlight, when it's overcast, and when the moon is in the seventh house. I even followed a recommendation to wipe up-and-down on the inside and back-and-forth on the outside to make it easier to see which surface was streaky. (Answer: both.)

Even though I'm terrible at cleaning the windows, I am also really slow at it!You may think this is a minor issue, but with 21 double-hung windows, it is a time-consuming enterprise. Or maybe escapade is a better word. Fortunately, the windows tilt in or I'm sure that the caption by my picture would read "Splat!"

I do know to do the upstairs windows before the downstairs ones. Please don't ask me how I learned this.

The frustration of doing the glass is matched only by the disgustingness of cleaning the dead bugs out of the frames and drainage channels. Blecch! I read that there are more than 300,000 species of beetles in the world, most of which apparently sent representatives to die in my window frames. I brushed them out with toothbrushes and flushed them out with water.  Some of the not-quite-dead ones weren't too happy about this, including several torpid stink bugs and a quite angry wasp.

My goal was to finish this chore before the exterior painting began, so I wouldn't be washing dirt and bugs onto pristine new paint. As far as that goes, I am pleased to report Mission: Accomplished. The painters are here today and my house is ready for them. True, the windows could probably be cleaner and less streaky, but the bugs have been banished and I made enough of a difference that I can actually see through the glass now!

Now I can turn my attention back to my crochet projects. I'm enjoying my work for Debra at My Crochet Kits. She packages yarn and patterns together so crocheters have exactly what they need and can start on a project right away--what a super idea! Debra is featuring several of my patterns, including some I designed just for her. Here's the link to her site.

With the leaves turning and a nip in the air, I'm inspired to create nice warm accessories. Hope you are feeling invigorated, too!