Pamela Veller Crochet Blog

I 'm sitting here crocheting at my desk and I began to wonder "where do you crochet" or "edit" your patterns?  Do you restrict yourself to a specific spot in the house or do you spread your craft everywhere?  Hmmm, things we ponder as we create ♥

W hat do you see when yarn inspires you?  A blanket, an accessory, a chic outfit or household item?  Does color entice you in a specific direction?  When you follow that inspiration with hook and yarn in hand does it often become something else or what you first envisioned?  O h, quell my curiosity please and tell me!  Are we alike in that most often what I envision becomes something else entirely?

I 'm going to get ahead, more wonderful ideas pop into my head!  It is the strength of character and personal diligence that keep one on track to complete those other wonderful ideas before more playing with crochet hook and yarn can begin.  Lately, I'm thinking small.  Small items versus making blankets which I love making but my creativity is leaning on the small side with some new and inventive creativity.  I will share but for now they have to rest on the rails until I can devote time to them.  Not to mention its Spring, so the grass, birds, bulbs, lawn mower, work gloves and tired muscles are also clamoring for some yard time....my dirt caked clothes from yesterday are tumbling in the dryer as I write this so off I go, there's only about a 6 foot section left to be opened up.  Have a super day everyone with whatever catches your fancy.

"To Gauge or not to Gauge" that is the question.... "Why do I need to In-Gauge?" "How to get my Hook to In-Gauge?" "Do I In-Gauge before or after the project?" "What if I don't want to be In-Gauge'd?" G auge in crochet is important my mentors demand! How will you know how much yarn your design will take? How will you know what size your design will be? Okay, OKAY! I'll admit it and accept that gauge is important, I can't ignore it any longer. But, dang not so simple for a fledgling! I'm not a math expert by a long shot and the calculator isn't talking to me. So, what to do about this important element of designing? STUDY...STUDY...STUDY! I have found Edie Eckman's little book "The Crochet Answer Book" to be most enlightening on many subjects including gauge. And, I started comparing how others write up gauge instructions in patterns. It is interesting how differently they are pre...

It runs, it tangles, it attaches, it bundles, it has a mind all its own!  Spent the morning taking apart my closet, trying to decide do I organize the yarn bins?  Then I asked myself, well, ok, if you do that, will you organize in colors, manufacturers, textures, projects, what?  So, I put the newest members into a bin, closed it up good and tight, grabbed my needles, laughed all the way down the hallway! There are better things to do today!  TEE HEE

Oh, my the modern woman would never agree to this!  We have come far in our independence in over 150 years, enjoy Crochet March everyone!

Don't you just love that there is a month to celebrate this FAV craft! Perfect timing to get ready for Spring and Summer goodies!  I can't wait to take this tour down Crochet Lane!  What better way to enjoy my coffee breaks visiting my friends and fellow crocheters participating in this Crochetville event, heh! and I don't even have to get dressed up!!!!!

Met the sweetest Alpaca down the street from me at "Hobo Alpaca Farm" named Banjo. You know I never knew Alpaca's can't eat apples, what a shame because we have so many apple trees around here. Banjo is a runt and is very small for an Alpaca, cute as ever with black, some brown and a patch of white. While I was visiting to hand over bags of apples, that the horses and goat will eat, the owners showed me how to "dry felt" with a tool that has some nasty looking hooks/needles coming out of it. So NEAT, but I have enough trouble keeping on track without starting another craft! But, I won't forget how to do it...some day you never know!

If you crochet you might be wondering what in the world is going on. What I mean is crochet is EVERYWHERE and seems like EVERYONE wants to learn. Google it and see; crochet on water towers, crochet on bicycles, crochet on trees, crochet on benches...see what I mean? Not to mention the colors and combinations of colors of yarn that has just exploded like flowers in the field in Spring. There are conventions for crochet, clubs for crochet, software for crochet, there are special hooks for crochet, with detachable heads, strings attached, knitting needles with hooks on the end and both ends! So, if you find yourself reading this and your curious about crochet, just shout "CROCHET ME" and trust me you will get a response!

Time sure has a way of stacking up in the corners! I've spent the last 6 months designing and swatching with my crochet hook and yarn and my work space and living area sure reflect it. The last couple of days has been spent putting tools away, yarn colors together, bins back on shelves, bits and pieces of yarn put out for the birds to use as nesting material, designs put in boxes. If I had a smaller place would it make any difference I wonder? But, to love thyself is to know thyself and NO it wouldn't matter, I'd sleep on my crochet items after falling asleep from exhaustion! Tee Hee Have a wonderful Spring everyone :)

March is "National Crochet Month", I never knew this until I joined this lovely community of Crocheters on Ravelry. And in keeping with the world of acronyms I will remember this one for sure! So many artists have entered this medium that was once reserved for the retired and our Grandmother's making new things for the home and their new grandchildren. We've gone from layettes of blankets, bibs, booties, runners, doilies and dolls to gorgeous clothing and something called Amigurumi; a fun crochet project making little things and whimsical animals, that aside the saying "You've come a long way Baby" couldn't be more appropriate for the Yarn industry. Thank you to whom ever created NATCROMO and long may you wave!

You crochet.  You can't remember a time when you didn't.  You were taught by a mentor; Mom, Grandmother, Friend, Aunt, somewhere along the way, or you picked up a book and taught yourself.  Now, your inspired by all the exciting new fibers and design ideas are popping inside your head, your dreaming about new stitches, different ways to connect them, every waking thought is about CROCHET!  You might be or could be a designer. Before embarking on this huge step take stock of what you know about your craft, your supplies, your pattern books, your research library, your tools, your time!  Most of all analyze yourself.  That's right, analyze you.  Your skills, your craft knowledge, computer software knowledge, your ability to fail time and time again.  Do you get frustrated and determined or do you despair and quit.  This is an important analysis of your traits and what will work for you or against you. Some of the skills a designer needs i...

What a wonderful comprehensive conference, I'm still recovering. Took lots of classes; Bullion Stitch, Aran Crochet, Hairpin Lace, Double Hook, Tunisian Crochet by the end of the conference I was creating new stitches because everything started to mush together! Met lots of wonderful women, both professionals and hobbyists and shared everything under the sun about this craft we call Knit and Crochet.  I plan to call many of them friends and mentors for a long time. Join CGOA and come play in Reno in 2012!

A big thank you to Margret Willson for this great pattern.  Being a newbie at this craft I was thrilled and proud of me when I finished this lovely bookmark.  I will make again because I see where I interpreted her instructions differently and can correct on my second one.  Quick and easy and fun!  Looks like I'll be adding a "Hairpin Lace" folder to my library!

Never made a portfolio before and it's kicking my butt!  Lots of design time and printing but I think it's coming along ok.  Really need to have this done before I leave for Greensboro, NC to the CGOA Conference.  You never know who you might meet and I'm on the hunt for Editors :)

I have decided to attend.  Not a decision made easily as its a 7 hour drive for me but hey live, live live :) I've also signed up for some kick-butt classes to really expand my knowledge: Full of Bullion (If you've never tried this stitch it will scare you blind!  The instructor is going to "make it easy!" Double Hook Crochet Knit & Purl with your Crochet Aran Crochet Hairpin Lace All are so exciting, I can't wait.....now planning what clothes to take!