Wintergreen Cowl CAL

Thanks everyone who participated in the Wintergreen Cowl CAL.

Here's Aimee's gorgeous project! 

Next up... the Bonus Scarf CAL... JOIN US! 

Get the pattern for the Bruges Lace Crocheted 'Bonus Scarf' HERE.

Wintergreen Cowl CAL

Say that three times fast! Now that everyone had so much fun crocheting the Saturday Beret CAL, it's been proposed in the Ravelry group that the next CAL could be the Wintergreen CAL!  Check out this thread on Ravelry if you want to join in.

Here's the link to buy the pattern from Interweave if you don't already have it.  It comes with 3 other beautiful winter themed patterns in a booklet called "A Snowflake Story". 

Here are past posts about the Wintergreen Cowl and Bruges Crochet:

Bruges Lace
Bruges Trend
Wintergreen Cowl's Debut

Saturday Beret CAL

Crochet A Long! At least 14 Saturday Berets are in various stages of completion!  Are you one of them? There is plenty of time to join us in this CAL. The hat whips up quickly.  To get your finished photos up in time to be considered so I can show some here on the blog and on the new Monthly Go Crochet Newsletter, have your project completed by January 26. (Plenty of time!) Follow everyone's progress or ask questions on the Ravelry thread.  Don't have the book Clever Crocheted Accessories yet?  You can get it at Interweave or Amazon, or request it at your local library. 

Need more help with your Saturday Beret or are you bitten by the Bruges Lace bug and want to learn more? Instructional photos like this one are in my book Learn Bruges Lace. 19 pages of how-to Bruges Lace exercises before the 8 patterns. Available in softback book or on digital download at www.Anniescatalog.com  You can learn Bruges Lace Crochet, it's really easy.

Saturday Beret CAL Starts NOW!

ArtLikeBread (aka Cami) on of my Ravelry group moderators is facilitating the Saturday Beret Crochet A Long. It starts today!  Here is a message from ArtLikeBread that she posted on Ravelry: 

Hello, GoCrocheters! I am thrilled and honored to welcome you to the Saturday Beret CAL, which will start on Monday, January 7, 2013. Yaaaay! Ellen was nice enough to entrust the administration of this CAL to me. I hope we all have a lot of fun!
This will be a casual, post as you go CAL. There’s no firm schedule, but lots of encouragement and fun! Also, if you have any questions about the pattern, this is the perfect place to get help. :)
We’ll begin on Jan. 7, which will be in a few days. Here are a few OPTIONAL things you can do between now and then:

1. Grab your yarn, hook, and pattern. Read through the pattern, and do your gauge swatch.
2. Recruit your friends and tell them to check in here on the thread.
3. Set up your project page and use the tag “SatBeretCAL” so we can find you quickly.
4. Show your enthusiasm by tweeting, plurking, and facebooking about the CAL. A sample post would be, ”I’m participating in the @gocrochet Saturday Beret CAL on @ravelry.”

Remember, the point of the CAL is fun and camaraderie, so enjoy every moment of crocheting this beautiful pattern that Ellen’s designed for us!
If you’d like a chance for your picture to be posted in Ellen’s newsletter, post your pics here by Jan. 26! Don’t worry, though, you can still post afterwards!!

ArtLikeBread is referring to the Ravelry group for questions and posting a project page.  Here's the link to the Ravelry thread.
You may also post comments here on the blog. 

Here's ArtLikeBread with one of her Saturday Beret's she made in advance of the CAL so she could help with questions. Thank you Cami!

Saturday Beret CAL

Are you interested in a Crochet A-Long?  Gather your supplies, order the book,  we're doing the Saturday Beret, the cover pattern, from Brett Bara's new book, Clever Crocheted Accessories!  How about we start the first week of January?  It's made in the Bruges Technique with my own stretch twist on it. :)

If you are game, comment with an "I'm in!"  It's open to everyone whether you reply or not. I just want to see how many of you are interested!

Tunisian Scarf CAL OCTOBER WINNER!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Tunisian Patina Scarf CAL.  Everyone who completed a scarf in September and October got their name in the drawing.  Everyone who pledged to donate a Patina scarf project got their name in the drawing an additional time.


The winner is.... Cookie45!

Cookie gets to choose from either 4 skeins of Red Heart Supersaver in Carrot or 6 skeins of Vanna's Choice in Linen.  Send me a Ravelry message, Cookie, with your choice and your mailing address and I'll send out your prize!

Be thinking about the next CAL to start after the first of the year.  We are leaning toward doing a bag/tote/purse type CAL with a guest expert to help us do a Sewing A Long, if you wish to line your bag/tote/purse.

Floating Ripple CAL

The Floating Ripple Blanket pattern is still available on the right sidebar of this page, most of the way down. There is a "buy now" button and the cost is $5. Thanks!

Floating Ripple CAL

Here's the Floating Ripple blanket stitched by Therese! Thank you, Therese for sending a photo. How is everyone coming along with your blanket? Are you bored yet? Do you want a challenge? Do X number of rows by Monday? If you are the goal type, set yourself a number. Let me know your goal if you want some extra motivation, otherwise, keep up the good work!

Design Journey: CAL purse

I've been observing shapes of bags lately. I started some sketching with some goals. On my sketch, I have notes: What kind of base do I want? What shape base? How do I introduce color and texture? Overlays? What do I want the tote to hold? A project? is it to be a day-trip bag? I'd like to do some color work. Should the colors reflect the season? I think I want to keep the handles option open. I can both design a crocheted handle and also place it so that I can purchase handles.

I need to work out closure ideas. It would be cool if I could work out some kind of magnet, strong magnets, long skinny bar magnets, that could go into that top band and hold shut. Does anyone know where I could get something like that? I guess I could do a zipper, but if it's a tote for yarn, I don't want yarn to get caught in a zipper... snaps? I like Snaps, but for a big bag, we would need a couple... flap and clasp? I've done that several times before... tie closure... done that, not sure I want to do it again on this project.... buttons? Hmm, it would have to be the right buttons. Toggle buttons? I'll have to keep thinking and thinking how it would go with the design.

Have you ever heard of Bag-e-bottoms? It's a store that makes these acrylic plates that go in the bottom of purses to help them stay flat. Do I want to design the base to fit one of these? Maybe the size "D" which is 5.5" x 11"?

Next step? Start stitching and see what I come up with. It will be interesting to see how much the finished product looks like the sketch and how much it has evolved.

Purse CAL and Design Journey

WooHoo! The first CAL is about to get underway! We have some planning to do!

Your comments are critical here!

This is where I start a design... brainstorming....

What kind of bag do we want? I tend to go more for the casual everyday bag rather than an evening purse or clutch. Does that mean I should try something different?

I love tote bags, but even more, I love bags that I can carry as a purse. Which are you interested in doing? If I made a tote bag... what would it's function be? to carry WIPs? To take to the library? To take to the pool?

I'm feeling somewhat inspired by COLOR right now. So, likely, I'll want to incorporate tapestry crochet or color work in some way.

We could either go with a structured (stiff) bag or a more slouchy bag. I love backpacks, but I don't know if I want to do a backpack this time...

I love felted bags, but I'm thinking that not all of you might like a felted bag. If I designed something that could be either felted or not, that might please more people.

How do you feel about straps/handles? I like something that I can throw over my shoulder, however, maybe something with a short handle would be a nice change. Also, I have on hand a leather shoulder purse strap that I bought at theLeisureboutique that it might be good to use... Oh! use the leather strap with a felted colorwork bag.... with pockets! It's gotta have pockets. If it's felted, then it will be more like something to carry in the fall and winter. Would I rather have something I can carry right away into Spring and Summer?

Everyone interested in the Purse CAL, please comment. Do not worry about hurting my feelings, because when it all comes down to it, I won't be able to please everyone and I'll likely have to go with what inspires me.

Interested in a 'GoCrochet' Crochet-ALong?

Here's what I'm thinking.... if enough of you are interested, vote in the poll to the right. Choose the type of item you would like to CAL. Whatever gets the most votes, I'll design. I'll post the pattern for purchase. If you like it and want to join in, I'll set a date and a schedule and we'll do it together!