Hagley Museum Yarnbomb Is Up!

It's April 2nd, a warm, breezy day with crocuses finally blooming and daffodils considering it. What a difference from last week, when I installed the yarnbomb of Hagley Museum's gates and pillars. It was the culmination of months of planning and crocheting, weeks of help from Hagley's handwork volunteers, and four days of enduring freezing temperatures, snow flurries, fog, and rain to put everything in place. I had pictured myself like an artist hanging a gallery show, albeit outdoors, perhaps wearing all black clothing and a chic scarf, scrutinizing placement to see if a piece of art should be moved an inch to the left or right. Instead I was dressed for the arctic, complete with quilted ski pants and a hooded parka. Oh, the glamour! It was quite challenging to get my fingers to work. I had warming packets inside fingerless gloves and I could curl the fingertips in once in a while to warm them, but that was only partially effective. Day 1 was spent sewing all of the green stems around the iron bars. The needle kept getting tangled up in my gloves, slowly destroying them.

Here are some photos of the preparations and of the Day 1 installation (apologies for how these render--they look one way in Draft mode, another way in Published mode, and not right in either mode):

Stems in place

Stems ready to attach

Days 2 and 3 were for flowers and leaves, and the eagle filet crochet panel.

Small gate

Left-hand gate

Right-hand gate with peach blossoms

Finished left-hand gate 3-26 (Small)

Cattails 3-26 (Small)

Finished right-hand gate 3-26 (Small)

Fleur-de-lis panel 3-26 (Small)

Hagley crew helping 3-26 (Small)

Lily detail 3-26 (Small)

Portrait of the artist 3-26 (Small)

Roses closeup 3-26 (Small)

Yarnbombed gates 3-26 (Small)

On Day 4 some Hagley folks helped me out with two 8-foot ladders and some extra pairs of hands to get the fleur-de-lis panels in place on the large stone pillars. Nobody fell into the Brandywine, so the effort was a success!

This Monday I returned to Hagley to thank the handwork volunteers, to donate some books and lots of yarn, and to have our pictures taken at the finished gates. Hagley put up a really official-looking sign! The yarnbomb was written up in Chadds Ford Live here in a piece by Kathleen Brady Shea, and in the Wilmington News Journal here in a feature by Betsy Price. Both of them mentioned the exhibit "Unraveling Stories" that was the inspiration for the yarn art. It's wonderful to have this publicity--I hope it sends lots of people to Hagley!

Come on in

Hagley Volunteers

Signage

With that behind me, I turned my attention to finishing four projects (of ten) for a Leisure Arts book. The items needed to be sent to Arkansas for photography by April 1. Check! With the yarnbomb finished and the Leisure Arts things in the mail, it was a good opportunity for some spring cleaning and tidying-up. Now I can focus on the remaining six projects that are due May 1.

I'm working with Stackpole Books to figure out whether to attend TNNA in Ohio at the end of May. Might be the perfect opportunity to do a book-signing of Tunisian Crochet for Baby, which came out in January. I'd love to attend the designers' dinner that Marly Bird is arranging, too.  I have two books for Stackpole in the works, and two for Leisure Arts.

My next task is to propose another large-scale installation to a local cultural institution. I'll let you know how it goes!

Yarn Installation at Hagley Museum & Library Coming Up!

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.

Hand-hooked rug, 10 x 12 feet

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.

A bare gate...but not for long!

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.

Design concept for Hagley gate

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!

Book Review: Formal Jewelry

I had the opportunity to review a new Leisure Arts title by Karen McKenna, Formal Jewelry. (Full disclosure: I also write for Leisure Arts, and Karen recently reviewed my Tunisian Shawls book; you can see that review here.)

I like crocheting with beads. One of the HGTV "Uncommon Threads" episodes I was on with my two crochet pals Julianne and Naomi was "The Need to Bead." We demonstrated a beaded wrap, a bracelet, and a round container. Several of the patterns in my private line are beaded shawls. I'm always glad to see people using beads creatively in crochet projects.

Projects

The book has twelve projects, all rated Easy, and will let you adorn yourself from head to toe! I mean that literally: there's a headband, necklaces, bracelets, a garter, and barefoot sandals. No earrings, though. Detailed technique instructions are included, as is information about supplies. Karen uses the pre-stringing method for all of the projects. (There is another way to incorporate beads by actually putting the hook through each bead and pulling the thread through, but that's a lot more time-consuming and requires removing and replacing the hook every time you want to add a bead.)

It was fun to browse through the pages and think about special occasions for these projects. I can definitely picture them at a wedding or prom. Wouldn't it be nice for a bride and her bridesmaids to get together and make their own jewelry?

Some of the projects have instructions for multiple sizes. It's very helpful that each size is color-coded, minimizing the possibility that a crocheter will read the wrong line somewhere in the middle.

I chose the "Sparkle Necklace" for my test project.

Sparkle Necklace

The colors and sizes of the beads appealed to me. My local JoAnn's didn't have exactly what was specified in the pattern, so I bought a variety of beads to get close to what Karen's finished project looked like.

Supplies for Sparkle Necklace

The instructions were clear and understandable. Some of the beads didn't have large enough holes to fit onto the elastic. Rather than risk fraying the cord by forcing the beads on, I omitted those. Information about the size or inner diameter of the beads, or the name of the specific "variety pack" used in the sample, would be a good addition to the supplies list.

Video instructions provided by Leisure Arts were helpful. It had been so long since I did single crochet with beads that I couldn't remember whether to snug the bead up before the stitch or after the first part of it was complete. Good to refresh my memory on that.

My one question about the pattern as written is how to get a long strand of cord at each end. If you start with a chain, Row 1 and all odd-numbered rows work back toward the initial tail. If you end after Row 5, the final tail will be on the same end of the necklace as the starting tail. That doesn't leave you with a long tail on each end for securing the clasp. Have I misunderstood something?

The beads I chose were probably chunkier and heavier than the ones Karen used. Two beaded rows were enough for me to get the look I wanted.

My version of Sparkle Necklace

I'm very happy with the way my Sparkle Necklace came out! As you can tell, due to my bead choice my finished version isn't nearly as tailored and formal as the one in the book, but it suits my taste and lifestyle (do I actually have one of those?) perfectly. I'm going to try the headband next.

Looks great on black!

Closeup of Beads and Elastic

I recommend this book to anyone who likes to crochet and wants to try some fun projects that are easy to make and fun to wear. Most of the projects are one-size-fits-all, which makes them ideal for gift-giving. If you have a special occasion coming up, consider making your own jewelry to dress up your look.

The models are lovely, and the photographs throughout the book are inspiring. I would have liked seeing a view of the back of one of the necklaces; the clasps aren't shown in any of the pictures.

Congratulations to Karen on this new publication. She has also designed for Cascade Yarns, Windy Valley Muskox, and Red Heart, and her work has appeared in Crochet!, Crochet World, and Crochet 123. She is an Associate Professional member of the Crochet Guild of America.

Correction to "Sherbet Stripes Hat"

There is a mistake in the published pattern for the "Sherbet Stripes Hat" in Tunisian Crochet for Baby, which could result in your hat being too large. The correct instructions are below. I apologize for the error.  

CORRECTION to initial chain count: For size Newborn, chain 60. For size Baby, chain 70. Stitch counts will be 60 (70) up to crown shaping.

Here are the stitch counts for Newborn crown shaping: Row 1: 50 lps on hook (there will be no extra sts after pattern repeat) Row 2: 50 Row 3: 40 lps on hook (there will be no extra sts after pattern repeat) Row 4: 40 Row 5: 30 (there will be no extra sts after pattern repeat) Row 6: 30 Row 7: 20 lps on hook (there will be no extra sts after pattern repeat) Row 8: 20 Row 9: 11 lps on hook (Tks in final st) Row 10: 11 Row 11: 6 lps on hook (there will be no extra sts after pattern repeat. Fasten off, leaving long tail.

Here are the stitch counts for Baby crown shaping: Row 1: 59 lps (Tks in each of final 4 sts) Row 2: 59 Row 3: 48 lps (Tks in each of final 4 sts) Row 4: 48 Row 5: 36 lps on hook (there will be no extra sts after pattern repeat) Row 6: 36 Row 7: 24 lps (there will be no extra sts after pattern repeat) Row 8: 24 Row 9: 13 lps (Tks in final st) Row 10: 13 Row 11: 7 (there will be no extra sts after pattern repeat) Row 12: 7. Fasten off, leaving long tail.

"Yarnboa Delawarensis" Has Slithered Into Place

TWO UPCOMING EVENTS: ***Saturday, December 13, 2014, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Chester County Book Company--one of the few remaining independent book-sellers still around, and an excellent one at that. I'll be signing copies of Tunisian Crochet for Baby as part of a multi-author event. My bag is packed with samples to show you, but the signing is BYOB (Bring Your Own Baby). More information here.***

***Sunday, December 14, 2014, 1-3 p.m., at the Delaware Museum of Natural History, informal meet-and-greet. I'll answer all of your questions about the yarn installation and will teach finger crocheting to anyone who is interested. Hope to see you there! Find information about the Museum, including hours, admission fees, and directions, here.***

I now return you to your regularly scheduled blog post...

The past month has whizzed by with so many exciting things happening that I can hardly believe it. At the top of that list is the yarn installation at the Delaware Museum of Natural History in Wilmington, my first fiber art exhibit. Indoors--with the help of some volunteers who crocheted snake segments for me, and Museum staff who hung it--is Yarnboa delawarensis, a 40-foot yarn snake. Approximately 9,000 yards of yarn, including a box donated by Plymouth Yarn Company, went into the critter. That's five miles of yarn. Yarnboa is stuffed with recycled plastic bags and newspapers. When it is taken down on January 26, the segments will be reconfigured into blankets, which will be donated to the Friends Association for Care & Protection of Children in West Chester, PA.

Here are some photos of Yarnboa from the first segment, through partial construction at my home, to its move to the Museum, to its hanging place.

But wait, there's more! I wanted to do a real yarnbomb, not just a finished object. There were some wonderful opportunities outdoors with the Museum's statues and signage. Multi-colored motifs blanket the tortoise to create "Shell Game." 'The grizzly bear sports a web of snowflakes to turn him into "Polar Bear." A young fawn sports a Tunisian crochet coat in "Flawnt." Thanks to a wonderful suggestion from Helen in the Museum's exhibits department, I also made leg-warmers for a couple of the signs.

Things went remarkably smoothly during the two days of installation. Helen and I got started on Monday, December 1, aided hugely by unseasonably warm temperatures and dry weather. I didn't even need my coat or gloves. Helen was indispensible; I learned how important it is to have a teammate to make suggestions and to provide an extra pair of hands. I had crocheted some of the bear's snowflakes together into panels at home, but there was still quite a bit of work needed to attach the front to the back and fill in blank areas. As for Yarnboa, I had sewed and stuffed about eight separate sections; in the afternoon of Day One we joined those together and got the snake ready to hang in place.

Day 2 was all about hanging the snake. Chris got the lift ready, and up Helen went! It was not an easy task to knot monofilament line and feed it through the ductwork, but Helen had tremendous stamina for the job. I wasn't much help: my role was pretty much to stand around and say, "That looks great!"

We started before the Museum opened and were finished mid-morning. It was gratifying to see and hear the reactions from visitors. One mom used the segments to ask her child about colors. A grandmother and her grandson were fascinated with the lift itself. A group of students couldn't stop smiling and pointing. We also got some nice press coverage in a Chadds Ford Live article by Kathleen Brady Shea. You can read it here.

I am very grateful to the Halsey Spruance, Executive Director at the Delaware Museum of Natural History, for his enthusiasm and his permission to do this installation. When I asked him whether I could do a yarn-bombing, he suggested "Yarnboa" to go with the Museum's "Titanoboa: Monster Snake!" exhibit. I also owe a huge thank-you to the Museum staff, especially Helen Bilinski, Chris Hayes, and Daniel McCunney, and to the volunteers all over the country who sent in snake segments. I would love to do more of these fiber art exhibits, and I couldn't have gotten this experience without all of them.

The exhibit runs until January 26th, 2015.

A lot more has been going on in my work life, including the imminent release of Tunisian Shawls Leisure Arts, another book I submitted to them that will be out mid-year, and a compilation/update of my first two crochet titles into Basic Crocheting Plus Projects from Stackpole Books, scheduled for release sometime in 2015. More details in the next blog post, which I will try to do in the near future.

Meanwhile, I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are enjoying December so far. Decorate, bake, visit...and get some crocheting in, too!