CROCHET CLUB, JUNE, 2011

Our local crochet club had its regular meeting last week on June 15, 2011 at Hearthstone Knits in St. Louis, MO.  Our club is now more than ten years old, still small, but meets regularly, gathers new members from time to time, and creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere for crocheters and knitters.  We also enjoy seeing other craft projects our members have created, no matter what the method – sewing, beading, etc.

So, here’s the round up of the favorite part of each meeting, Show ‘n Tell where we get to oooh and aaah over each other’s handiwork.

Mandy shared some socks she made from a knit-along.  They’re made of Reggia yarn and are for her husband’s feet.  Then Mandi showed us her  wonderful Summer Mystery Shawl from Wendy Knits in Suzanne Trekking Yarn.  She’s just begun a new full time job, so her crochet/knit hours have been limited.

Rita also showed knitted socks for her husband, knitted from some Lion Brand yarn that she overdyed with Kool Aid or food coloring.  The yarn colors she turns out are far better than anything I’ve seen produced by LB.  Maybe they should hire Rita to be a color consultant!  Rita presented several shawls – a Southbay Shawlette in fantastic Alpaca Fino lace weight and one in a gray mill ends type yarn.  Then we got to see her Homespun babyghan created with a simple stitch pattern of ch 1, sc that worked perfectly with the chunky weight of the Homespun.  A pink Pompadoodle scarf for her grandniece was petted by everyone around the table.  In addition, Rita showed more hanks of her overdyed sock yarn and some shorts she sewed with flannel fabric.

Georgia had a WIP of a kit scarf, knitting in the round which was just in the beginning rows.  Plus, we got a tiny preview of some yarns she had ordered at Yarn Market the week before.  We are in for some real lovelies this Fall!

Marti started off cleverly showing us the coasters and coaster bowl she had crocheted with cotton yarn and several seat belt cozies, squares embellished with functional buttons to protect one’s neck from the annoying edge of the seat belt.  Next came some cotton dish cloths.  Then……Then!  Marti pulled out this stunning shawl made from Japanese Flower Motifs in 12 colors of Takhi cotton.  See for yourself how magnificent this shawl is!  An additional thread Japanese flower motif is going to be a necklace.

MARTI'S JAPANESE FLOWER MOTIF SHAWL

Mary, Marti’s talented daughter, is working on only her second ever crochet project, a pretty baby blanket for her baby cousin, Easton.  It’s being crocheted in Sugar and Creme Summer Splash, a cheery blend of yellow and turquoise.  Mary’s stitches are uniform and her speed is impressive.  A new crocheter comes forth!

Jana, new to our group, is determined to re-learn crocheting.  She had only a handy knitted 32 ounce soda cozy to show off, but is working on one of the same cotton yarn in crochet.  You go, Jana!

Ronnie has had her son visiting, so she had fewer than usual projects to share.  First was a Danish pattern Queensland Rustic DK shawl.  In addition, she has crocheted a number of blue scarves (against violence) in eyelash yarn and a beautiful blue shawl in dark blue with flecks of red, yellow, and white (from cone yarn I had de-stashed cuz I could NEVER figure out what to do with it!)  Also shown was a lovely Romantic Wrap in white cotton.  Ronnie’s WIP is the Sprout Chains Shawlette from the Crochet So Fine book which she is working in a cantaloupe colored Memphis (cotton/rayon blend) yarn.

Carol, another newbie to our group, was knitting a basic tank in some stashed linen yarn – much softer stuff than any linen the rest of us were familiar with.

Valli – the Swatch Queen – showed off her almost finished Shades of Cantaloupe and Papaya rectangular shawl crocheted with a double ended hook which shows off nice color play between the melon colors on both sides of the shawl.  And, more swatches!

The swatch most of us preferred.

Swatch #2 - another good choice.

Another good swatch - minus the brown.

Valli is swatching for a skirt pattern she is determined to make, despite the wildly misleading gauge given in the published pattern.  Thus, the variety of swatches.  Don’t doubt that she’ll figure it out.

My small showing was a pattern of my own design (although it didn’t start out that way) with several balls of LB Amazing yarn with which I am totally in love.  More on that one once I get the last few rows of the thing frogged and figured out!

We missed several ‘regulars’ who we hope will rejoin us next month and two new friends who had planned to attend.

As usual, the two hours passed very quickly.  Next month, we have a meeting in (third wednesday night) PLUS a yarn crawl!  I’ll post more on that once I get all the shop names.

PS – Again, thanks to Ronnie for taking the pictures!