200th Crochet Design

My 200th Crochet Design on Ravelry was just posted.... Colorful Squares Throw! And it's a free pattern. Go to my designs page on Ravelry to see the other 199...

Year End Crochet

It's that time again!  Here's what's on my Year-End Crochet to-do list:

1. Sort all my receipts and compare them to my balance sheet (boring!)
2. See if there are any last minute purchases I need to make in 2012.
3. Make a motto or mantra to guide 2013 business decisions.  Last year was "dynamic business". Reminding me to be ACTIVE in pursuing my goals.
4. Look back at 2012 goals and see how I did!
5. Make 2013 goals (even if I have to move some goals from 2012 onto 2013....)

I'm sure there are more things to add to the list...cross one off, add two more!

Merry Christmas!

We're celebrating the Christmas Holiday and I'll return soon! 

the 11 grandkids.

Coupon for Learn Bruges Lace!

What to review Learn Bruges Lace and enter the prize giveaway? Do you need the book first? Here's a coupon! If I read it right, it's 25% off the list price of $9.95.

Click Here to go to Annie's

Learn Bruges Lace Learn how to crochet using the Bruges lace techniques, and get 8 fashionable crochet patterns in Learn Bruges Lace by Ellen Gormley!Create colorful and lacy crochet hats, scarves, bracelets and more. Most forms of crochet lace are made using only a neutral color, but Bruges lace can be made in pieces and units before being stitched together. So it's easy to incorporate multiple colors in these crochet designs. Learn Bruges Lace gives you:; Easy, step-by step instructions and full-color photos for 10 Bruges lace stitch patterns.; 8 crochet designs by Ellen Gormley for you to practice your new techniques and create a stylish throw and fashionable accessories.; The opportunity to create amazing results using basic crochet stitches.; Symbol crochet instructions for all stitch patterns and projects.56 pages, all color.

Learn Bruges Lace Learn Bruges Lace

Sale on Craftsy Classes

Have you been wanting to take a Craftsy class?  They are on sale now for 3 days only (12/22-12/24), Craftsy is running a Christmas Sale and all classes are priced between $9.99 and $24.99. That's up to 75% off original prices!

Click here to go check out the HUGE class list. 

I really enjoyed Marly Brid's Curvy Crochet, Stefanie Japel Hat's Four Ways (knitting), but I've taken SEVERAL classes with Craftsy and benefited from them all!

Digital Version: Learn Bruges Lace

Did you know that you can get Learn Bruges Lace by immediate digital download?  Ba bam, instant fun. AnniesCatalog link. 
Go Crochet Afghan Design Workbook is also available on Kindle. (11.99 on Amazon) or the Hardcopy ON SALE at Martha Pullen right now for $15.03

Photo Friday:

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Here I am flashback to Easter wearing a Bruges Lace Skirt that I designed for Interweave Crochet.

 

Review Learn Bruges Lace, Enter to win

If you have any kind words to say about my crochet book Learn Bruges Lace would you please say them on an Amazon review? While I’m a junkie for kind words, I’m really asking because it helps consumers find the book and order with confidence to have some reviews to look at.
Anyone who gives a kind review on Amazon, come back here and let me know and you will be ENTERED to win a prize… (I don’t know what yet… what would you like? yarn? books? patterns? tools?)

 Entries will be taken until January 2nd, 2013, midnight, EST. Anyone can enter, but if someone from outside of the US and Canada wins, your prize will have to be digital in nature, rather than something that has to be shipped. YOU MUST: Post a comment on this post or on my Ravelry group  with your first name, last initial and a location to help identify you from others. You may also offer what type of prize you would like to win from the suggestions above, I'll see if I can accommodate. But you can only enter one Review on Amazon, so you'll only be entered to win one time.

Here’s the link to the Amazon Page:
http://www.amazon.com/Learn-Bruges-Lace-Ellen-Gormley/dp/1596355476/ref=la_B00403OCDO_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1355927822&sr=1-2

The Winner will be announced on January 3, 2013. The winner will need to contact me at Ellen@GoCrochet.com by January 7, 2013 with your email and shipping address. 
This is my Christmas wish! Thanks for participating.

Photo Friday and Giveaway Winners

Here's me and Silk Road Textiles owner, Terry Owen, as we set up for my book signing at her new LYS in Cincinnati, Ohio.  The store carries both YARN and FABRIC and has a great assortment of handcrafted gifts.  I like the artisan gifts because I can pick a little something up for someone else so that I feel less guilty about buying goodies for myself.

Now, for the Giveaway winners!  The winners of the Fashions to Flaunt and Noro yarn giveaway are:

Chels580 on Ravelry
Becky H, commented here on the blog
Marleen T, commented here on the blog

You three! send me an email to ellen@gocrochet.com with your mailing address.

Please make it easy for me to give you prizes, folks. There are tons of Ellen's in the world... I need a LOCATION to go by... "Anonymous" is not going to work.  If you don't put your first name, last initial AND a location like: "Small Village, Colorado" you will not be entered to win. :( 

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!

Fashions to Flaunt Crochet GIVEAWAY

I had the fun of meeting Jenny King this past September in Reno, Nevada at the Knit & Crochet Show and Crochet Guild of America conference.  She blew in from Australia like a breath of fresh air entertaining us all with her stories of the local wildlife in her hometown.

 Fashions to Flaunt, is all garments and accessories crocheted with Noro yarns! (yum).  There are 48 pages, 17 projects including the stitch guide and basic crochet instructions.

 In the book, you'll find this fascinating Crisscross vest. There is a second vest, 5 scarves, 3 shawls, 4 wraps, a pair of slippers, a hat and THIS.... awesome Stripy Skirt.

 The skirt is totally cute.  All the items are pretty loose and drape-y.  The fitted items are the skirt, hat and slippers. The rest of the garments are totally forgiving to both gauge and figure, though you will want to keep gauge for best results.  Many of the items have very interesting construction.  The photography is modern and fresh and done by Scott Campbell, the same photographer who did my book, Learn Bruges Lace. 

You'll love the familiar stitches in Jenny's book.  You'll see shells, traditional dc-3 groupings, filet mesh and v-sts put together with interesting shapes and fantastic yarns.

Giveaway Details: 3 readers will each win 1 copy of Jenny King’s Fashions to Flaunt Crocheted with Noro Yarns + 1 ball Noro Silk Garden super fine (sock) weight yarn (13/4 oz/110 yds/50g per ball) #304 hot pink/turquoise/lime (enough yarn to complete the popular Bobble Scarf featured in the book). Please leave a comment on THIS post or in "Jenny King 'Fashions to Flaunt' Giveaway" thread on Ravelry by Thursday night 11:59pm EST with your first name and town/village or identifying detail. (You may also enter BOTH places, for two entries, but may only win once). The winners will be announced here and the Ravelry thread on FRIDAY 12/15/12. The winners need to email me with your postal address by Monday 12/17/12.  THREE winners will be randomly drawn from the comments.

Go here to order your copy of Jenny’s book: http://bit.ly/TC0vhM

Go here to order Noro Yarn from Annie’s: http://bit.ly/RxJfev

Go here to “Like” the Annie’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/AnniesCatalog

Become a Designer: Ask away!

Many of you like the 'Become a Designer' series, but I haven't written anything on it in a while. What would you like to know?  I'll share what I can. 

Also, as a side note... for those of you waiting on a newsletter from me... I'm hoping to send the first one out in the new year.  (We'll see!)

xo
Thanks for reading,
Ellen

Photo Friday

yin and yang, sort of.

Crocheting with Beads Online Class Coupon!

TODAY!  Here's a discount code for my Annie's online class "Crocheting with Beads"

SAVE $5 on today's featured class: Crocheting With Beads. Use keycode EXL4657 at checkout, but hurry, because offer expires Dec. 6, 2012, at 12 midnight ET.

 

Go here to watch a free preview video & to order the class.

Go here for offer details.

Giveaway Winner....

And the winner of the copy of Clever Crocheted Accessories is....

Melody

Richmond,VA

 YAYAYAYAY!  

 Melody, email me at Ellen@GoCrochet.com with your mailing address and I'll have your book sent to you!

Thanks everyone for participating!

Photo Friday

He was my present years ago, and a gift to me still.

Clever Crochet Accessories Giveaway!

Yes, I'm biased, Yes Interweave gave me a copy of Clever Crocheted Accessories and I'm taking a large measure of joy that my hat is on the cover. 
Here's a link to preview the book. 
Here's a link to buy the book.

When I heard that I had a pattern included in this amazing compilation of big names in the Crochet Business, of course I was thrilled.  THEN, Brett Bara told me that she liked my hat so much, she MADE ONE for herself!  (GASP!) When I saw the cover with my Saturday Hat on it, I nearly fell off the couch. Really, it was exciting.

In beautiful Interweave fashion (Think Unexpected Afghans, Blueprint Crochet, Simply Crochet., etc) the photography is clean and engaging, the patterns clear and tested.  In this accessory book is everything from hats to jewelry, socks, mittens, belts to capelets... no, really, it starts with a hat (mine! squee!) and ends with a Chunky Capelet (Doris Chan!) 25 Quick weekend projects. 
And in between are names you will know and love: Robyn Chachula, Marly Bird, Drew Emborsky, Vickie Howell, Linda Permann, Amy Polcyn... I really would love to carry around Regina Rioux's Amazing Motif Bag.

If you like my Saturday Hat, it's a Bruges Lace style pattern, check out my book Learn Bruges Lace for two more Bruges style hat patterns plus a blanket, a bracelet, a cowl, and two scarves in this exciting style.  Learn Bruges Lace. Or, if you want a signed copy and live in the US, you can buy Learn Bruges Lace from me by clicking "Buy Now" in the upper right hand corner of this blog page.

The Clever Crocheted Accessories Book Giveaway:
Leave a comment on this post by 1:59 pm EST on Dec 3, 2012. with your name and city/town/identifying detail.  The winner will be chosen at random from all entries.  The winner will be announced on December 4, 2012.....the winner should email me at ellen @ GoCrochet dot com    by December 7, 2012.....  Sorry, I have to pay for shipping, so it's open to US residents only.

Cyber Monday Crochet

It's Cyber Monday!  Are you shopping for great crochet deals?

Check out my Online Class "Crocheting With Beads"

or great deals on CROCHET
  Use keycode EXK15CR to get $5 off a $15 crochet purchase at Annie's 

Or use this link to shop on Craftsy for great deals on classes.

We had a really nice Thanksgiving.  I'm so proud of myself, I ran the 10K Thanksgiving Day Race for the first time.  I really didn't think I was ready, but my friend Anne made it impossible to say no by having an answer for all of my logistical concerns.  I finished 7 minutes faster than my goal, so I was thrilled. Of course, I haven't run since. LOL. I took off a few days to recover, and then it got cold, and today is kinda busy.... 
I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving!

If you aren't shopping, are you crocheting? I am!

Crochet With Beads SALE! TODAY!

Sorry everybody, this discount went live over the holiday weekend, (and I wasn't on the computer much, and probably neither were you!) But you have until 11:59 pm EST TONIGHT to take advantage of the $5 off COUPON for my Annie's Online Class 'Crocheting with Beads'.  Once you buy it, take your time to watch and re-watch it as much as you like, whenever you want, forever.  You get all the video instruction on at least 5 different beading techniques and 5 patterns to help you practice the skills.  Here's the link to BUY the class   And this is the Discount Code to get the $5 off:

 EXKCWBC

That code expires tonight at 11:59 pm EST, so go buy the class now, even if you don't have time to watch it immediately.  The class will still be there for you when you get past this busy weekend and beyond!

Free Crochet Pattern!

Red Heart Yarns sponsored this Colorful Squares Throw!  Thanks to them it is now a FREE pattern!  As my buddy, Kimberly McAlindin said, 'It would be a great stash-busting project!' Thanks Kimberly!

Here's the link to the project page at Red Heart. Tweet it, Facebook it, Make it, show it.... :) 

Chanel Cape Revealed!

Take a look at my crocheted Chanel style cape in the new issue of Crochet! Winter 2012. It is one of the very rare times I was able to crochet with black!  (Have you ever noticed how rare it is for a model to be wearing black? Crochet just doesn't photograph well in solid black). But this red and black faux houndstooth really is sharp. :)

I made a little video of me designing this cape... let's see if I can imbed it here. It's a special 2 min video addition of "What was I thinking".   Yes, I cut off most of my face, but I was ok with that and I wanted you to see me sketching.