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Monday, December 30, 2013

Patience

Patience is a virtue that you, dear readers, have had!
Thank you for your patience! Here's what I've been up to lately...

TODAY... I shipped the projects for Book 5.  The book title has not yet been revealed but the book will likely be released in summer.

The Cover of Book FOUR is now up on Amazon (Have I shown it to you yet?)

Go Crochet! Skillbuilder: 30 Crochet-in-a-Day projects

I'm developing another online class, so hopefully that will be a "go" in 2014.

Now that I just shipped book 5, I need to clean my office, sort all my 2013 receipts and check-stubs and in general, get my bookkeeping in order.

My goals for 2014 are narrowing greatly.  I'll be working on the magazine, the tv show and efforts related to those two things mostly.

On a personal note, I'm going to train to run a half-marathon in 2014 and work to get the kitten to cuddle with me.... (she's not a cuddler...)

What are your plans for 2014? 

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Topiary Scarf Revealed!

My Topiary Scarf is in the Spring issue of Crochet! magazine.


 The scarf is join-as-you-go hexagons made in Universal's Nazli Gelin Garden 3 Yarn, you can find it in more colors here.
The E-version of Crochet! magazine Spring goes on sale today! The print version will be in stores 1/7/14. Go to CrochetMagazine.com for all the information about the magazine.

For MORE sneak peeks, view and "like" the Crochet! magazine Facebook page.... Here.

Saturday, December 7, 2013

The BEST Crocheted Hat Ever

Now that we are into our second day of shoveling and deicing the cars... I'm supremely grateful for the BEST crocheted hat EVER.

The Driftwood Cap. 
It's warm, it stretches, it stays on, and I can (and have) made one for everyone in the family.

Get the pattern HERE. Dive into your stash and have one made by tonight. 238 of them have been made and shared on Ravelry with rave reviews.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Crowning Achievements

You may remember this blanket from Crochet! magazine, now it is a FREE PATTERN offered by Red Heart!  Thank you Red Heart!



Wednesday, December 4, 2013

NEW Title!

Two big headlines for you today :)

Crocheting Clothes Kids Love... is now available for pre-order!  Woohoo!  I should be getting my advance copy any day.  I'm so excited to see it in print.

Here's my initial sketch from the dress/tunic in the book. 
You'll be able to see the finished project shortly, a glimpse of it on the cover in the upper right.

The second announcement is the reveal of the updated and final title of Book 4, coming out in July....
Drum roll please....

Go Crochet! Skillbuilder: 30 Crochet-in-a-Day Projects to Take You from Beginner to Expert

 

Friday, November 22, 2013

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Bamboo Pop!

Have you tried it yet?

I'm intrigued!  It's Universal Bamboo Pop, 50/50 cotton bamboo, machine washable in great colors. What should I make with it?

I'm kinda liking the Pink joy....





What new yarn are you loving right now?

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Podcast Wednesday 11/20 1:00 EST

I THINK this is the right link to listen to me and Kristin Nicholas on the Ready.Set.Knit Podcast, 1:00 EST on Wednesday 11/20/13.  If you miss it, it should be archived. We'll be talking about Season 4 of the Knit and Crochet Now Show.

:) 

Monday, November 18, 2013

Many Updates and Random Kitten photos

Minnie the Couch cat....

4 months old


What's up with me?

I'm doing my Author Review for Book 4... which is now listed on AMAZON! Add it to your wishlist or sign up for an alert when it is ready.

Yarn is arriving for my next Annie's Online Class...

I'm currently stitching on Book 5, which is due at the end of the year... (breathe!)

And I've just chosen projects and yarns for the Autumn 2014 issue of Crochet!

On the personal side of things...

I'm co-coaching Chickee's volleyball team...

I'm preparing to run (for the second year...) the Annual Thanksgiving Day 10K race.

and the Captain and I just celebrated our 15th Wedding Anniversary. 

What's new with you?


Friday, November 8, 2013

Crocheting Clothes Kids Love Peek!

 Here is one of the earliest sketches of the projects for Crocheting Clothes Kids Love.  Less than 3 months now until the release of this book with my co-author, Shelby Allaho. The sketch gives a sense of the wavy stitch pattern, gives a sense of the overall size and shape.  Now that I look at it, I think it's funny that I call it a "crazy" color scheme!  It's crazy for ME because I don't usually favor colors in the orange/yellow wedge of the color wheel but I knew that kids would love the colors and combination.  What you don't see, is how the bag evolved over time!  There is a little secret hidden in side the bag. Can you guess what it might be? 
You can get a glimpse of the final backpack in the upper photos on the cover.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

When life gives you flowers...

When life gives you flowers, post them on the internet.

:)  Our neighbor got married and these were the table decoration bouquet that the bride let me take home. Gorgeous!


Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Sneak Peek!

Shelby Allaho, my co-author on Crocheting Clothes Kids Love offers a sneak peek of one of the projects today!

Stitch-Story.com


Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Review of 'Learn to Crochet' Class

Wow, I couldn't have timed it better had I tried. The stars must have aligned...

AllFreeCrafts.com did a nice review of my 'Learn to Crochet' Class!

Learn to Crochet! Online Classes at Annie's :D

AND... If you are ready to go beyond 'Learn to Crochet', check out my other online class... Crocheting with Beads!

Crocheting with Beads Online Class at Annie's

Monday, October 28, 2013

Give the Gift of FUN this Holiday Season

How do you feel when you create a crocheted item? Happy? Satisfied? Proud?

Did you have FUN making it? Of course you did!

Why not pass along your love of crochet to someone this Holiday?



Learn to Crochet Class DVD Learn to Crochet Class DVD

Also, our school and Church often have Basket Raffles... why not throw in a copy of the DVD, a few untouched skeins of yarn from your Stash and a few hooks? I do this for our Summer Festival every year and it's always a big hit.

Will you give Crochet related gifts this year? What kind? Tell me your plans maybe it will help me brainstorm for my own friends and family.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Book 4 Title is listed...

Lookie!  Lookie!  The title of my Book 4 is now up on Amazon with a release date of July 25, 2014 (a few months earlier than I had expected....)

Sign up for an Amazon alert to get information as it is known.

Thanks!

And, if you don't have my other books, here's the links so that you can pace yourself, get caught up on those before the new ones come out in February and July :)




Friday, October 18, 2013

Photo Friday

I feel like I'm finally making headway on my to-do list! (Despite contending with this mischievous Minnie-monster)

Monday, October 14, 2013

Behind the Scenes: Knit and Crochet Now

We taped the 5th Season of Knit and Crochet Now last week.


Here is Kathy, a camera operator, who was helping set up the stage. The table is the table we use when demonstrating projects, but it is protected by a cloth while the crew looks at photos of seasons past to update the set back-drop. There is Keisha, an intern, in the background. 

 When I'm standing at the table during a taping, if I look to my left, I see this big video monitor with me on it. (I try not to look that way!  It's kinda like a mirror during childbirth, I really didn't want to see it happening....) LOL

Me goofing around.  The pictures on the wall behind me eventually came down, because when we are standing at the table taping, the pictures on the wall were "framing" our heads, looking like square halos. So the crew took them down. in the show, the mannequins are dressed.


 When I stand at the taping table, I'm wearing running shoes... with every outfit.... no matter how fancy.  The floor is concrete and all the standing can get tiring.

 Here's the whole set from the back of the studio.  Sometimes we have observers hanging out back here. Sometimes we watch each other tape from here or in the control room. We also have a monitor running in the "work room" so we can crochet and knit and prep while watching the other segments film.
Here I am with the lovely Amanie right before my first segment. Amanie has won a few Emmy's (I don't know exactly how many...) for her make-up artistry.  Every time I tape, I have her tell me a few more products I need to add to my home make-up bag. It's really a treat to have an expert tell you EXACTLY what to buy, because really, for me it's just a guess.

The crew were teasing me about my "Texas" sized hair, but looking at it now, it really wasn't too big. 

Friday, October 11, 2013

I LOVE YARN DAY!

Today we celebrate our love of yarn! (next week, I'll post some photos of my behind the scenes fun at the Knit and Crochet Now Season 5 taping!) 




Tuesday, October 1, 2013

I Love Yarn Day!

I Love Yarn Day is coming up!  October 11, 2013

Last year, I designed the Icy Day Cowl for the event... and this year it's the new I Love Bruges Crochet Bracelet! 





Get the free pattern for the I Love Bruges Bracelet here.

Remember, Bruges Lace is a Crochet technique that uses basic crochet stitches with no special tools.

When this elegant little introduction whets your appetite to do more Bruges Lace, Find my how-to book with 8 Bruges patterns HERE.  At AnnieCatalog.com TODAY it is on sale for $6.95

See all the details, free patterns, events and inspiration at ILoveYarnDay.org

On the right, is last year's pattern, the Icy Day Cowl.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Online Class Review: Crocheting with Beads

Robin at Crochet Nirvana did a very thorough review of my Annie's Online class, Crocheting with Beads!  Read all about her adventures and get a time-limited discount code.

Thank you Robin!


Crocheting Clothes Kids Love

Goes to the printer TODAY!  WooHOO!  February can't come soon enough!

And as an ADDED bonus... It's going to have "lay-flat" binding.... not sure what that means, but it sounds good.  That's a new development! YAY!

Crocheting Clothes Kids Love is available for PRE-ORDER.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

BIG NEWS: Revealed!

Annie's has made an announcement, a successor to Carol Alexander in the Crochet! Magazine Editor position... and it's ME. :)  Virtual Milkshakes for everyone!

Here's the link to subscribe to either the print or digital edition.


Thursday, September 19, 2013

My Secret Life

Crochet Designer, April Garwood, asks me about my "secret life" on her blog today!

Here I am with April in 2011 when we met at one of the CGOA Knit and Crochet Show events. I can't remember which city we were in... Minneapolis? Manchester? We met at PDD that week, and I got to sit next to her in Darla Fanton's Tunisian Entrelac class.

April is a terrific designer and I expect to see so much from her in the future. You can read more about her on her blog, Banana Moon Studio and see her work on Ravelry. 

Here's one of her designs that is among my favorites... the Goin' to a Party pattern that was in Crochet World Magazine in December 2012.



Monday, September 16, 2013

Calm vs Busy

Amidst all the busy...
 (Minnie, who can't even sit still for a photo... who is supposed to be a barn cat but is on my lap at this very moment)
Is the serene calm of the older, wiser, Charlie. Who is, at this moment, tucked in slumber in a bed somewhere away from the baby cries of Minnie.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Loyalty....

I'm usually SO committed to the project that I'm working on...
I'm crochet monogamous even. I don't cheat. But there is a lovely box of yarn taunting me... But I have to finish the project that I'm on... 

Must.Stay.Focused.

Can you relate?


Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Minnie!

We have a new edition, Minnie the barn kitten. 
She's 7 weeks old. :)  While Chickee was drinking a MINute Maid, it only took a MINute to convince me to keep her. She might only be Mini but she's BIG on personality.

More Big news coming soon.  You really won't want to miss it.