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Lace Chairs, Stayin’ Alive & More

May 1, 2009 by cari4

I just ran across this blog the other day . Free People® is one of my favorite sites for design inspiration and what is featured on this blog is no exception. Never would I have imagined crocheted lace seating and lighting like this! I also love one comment that she would love to see what one of those color-changing bulbs would look like in the light – and in a dark room. Anyone for lava lamps??? Ah, that dorm room blue light…..

In Italy
While we all heard the news about the quake in Italy and hoped for a miracle, one miracle did take place:

98-year-old woman pulled from Italian quake rubble
She was trapped for 30 hours. -AFP
ROME, April 7, 2009 (AFP) – A 98-year-old woman was pulled out alive Tuesday from rubble in earthquake-hit L’Aquila after being trapped for 30 hours, Italian media reported. Maria D’Antuono told the ANSA news agency she whiled away the time by “doing crochet.”

Whether or not it was crochet that helped pull Maria through, we applaud her fortitude and stamina through such an ordeal.

In Rwanda
I also wanted to share a few pix of my last Rwanda trip, March 20-Apri 3. The Rwanda Knits project is moving ahead full tilt, with the knitting cooperatives, now numbering over 30, learning how to work together as a cooperative, learning business skills and loving product development and new stitches. They now are selling not only school sweaters, but moving into the areas of selling higher-end sweaters (Rwanda can be very cool at night) in the local markets. At the Sales and Marketing workshop, I showed Faina (on the right with the bags she designed), a member of the Hosiana cooperative, a photograph, gave her three skeins of Simply Soft, and the next day she brought in this shrug, worn by Hosiana member, Caritas.

Knitting (and crochet, as you can see on the edging of the shrug) is also bringing women together who would normally not do so: members of the Mpore Mama cooperative (you can see Rose, a MM member, leading a break-out session at the workshop) are offering their space to the Hosiana cooperative, who recently lost their knitting space. The reason this is so interesting is that all members of Mpore Mama are HIV+ and members of Hosiana are not. In Rwanda, as in many parts of Africa, being HIV+ brings with it a stigma, where affected women are shunned. But not when it comes to knitting and business.

Here is a photo of the graduates of the Sales & Marketing workshop, who are now ready to price their products, write contracts with schools to make sweaters, maintain their inventories of yarn and finished sweaters, maintain sales records and more.

Their primary challenge is getting yarn, but we’re working on that.

And here’s what Rwanda looks like from the beautiful town of Kibuye, where Rwanda Knits had it start. Yes, that’s an active volcano in the Virunga range, where our Dian Fossey cooperative are.

The website, www.rwandaknits.org, has been updated as has the blog: www.rwandaknits.blogspot.com.

Doris & Melissa Do It Again!
For May, what could be a better design for summer-wearing than Doris Chan’s Avalon top? In her signature way, Doris has incorporated an openwork flower motif around the yoke, accenting your greatest assets – I mean your face… What an amazing design for an evening out! Avalon is crocheted in Spa’s Naturally.

And for the knitters – and moms – and grandmoms – there’s the versatile Tumba jacket, designed by Melissa Matthay in Country Spruce. This is an especially great design for those of us in the north country who are still waking up to frost on the windshields, so kids definitely need sweaters, if not jackets. And this one will carry you through cool summer evenings and into the fall.

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And now for something completely…edible???

April 1, 2009 by cari4

Call it “taking knitting to extremes,” I wanted to share with you how yarn and knitting not only keeps our hands busy, but our mouths – and sweet tooths – as well. Cupcakes. Yup, with marzipan knitted toppings. And here’s a “how-to” to do the yarn balls, courtesy of http://www.trendhunter.com. Pretty cool. And tasty…..

Now back to fashion…..
While I’m not sure how many of you get Style.com’s fashion alerts, for those of you who don’t, I thought I’d share with you the “new” hat look for, yes, fall (after all, we DO have to look beyond spring even though the snow here in Vermont is still pretty high). I can always rely on one of my favorite designers, Karl Lagerfeld, to include knitted and crocheted stand-out items in his collection for the house – and at least a third of the models wore hats similar to this one. And check out the wrap and top of the dress as well. You could make one of these hats in time for your local Easter Parade – just make it in a double strand of Spa and it will work for you all spring.

Lastly, I wanted to share with you this message I received from a German knit group (“handarbeit” means “needlework” and “frau” means “women,” but that’s about all the German I know). So if any of you are German, you might want to check out this website. BTW, I told Ruth it was fine to translate the pattern into German.
Dear Cari Clement,

I showed the link to “Sherbrook Elongated Summer Jacket” in my German crochet communitiy and the girls fell in love with the jacket. They are very keen on starting a crochet along.

So I want to ask you if I`m allowed to translate the pattern into German and to publish it in our crochet community?
That would be wonderful!

looking forward to your answer
Ruth
———
address of our craft community: http://www.handarbeitsfrauen.de

Now on to the free stuff!

Nothing says spring more than a bunny sweater, and so many are so cute – but so just for girls. The Louisville pullover, however, has “boy” written all over it! Designed by Kathy Perry and knitted in Country’s Spruce, Sunset, Deep Purple and Gilded Age, this pullover is much easier to knit than it looks. There’s just stripes. The blocks of color in Sunset along the bottom are done in duplicate stitch as is the bunny, who has a purchased pom trim tail and a few wisps of cotton crochet thread for whiskers. You say you’d like it for your niece? Just change around the colors a bit – there are plenty to choose from in the Country line – and you’ll have it.

At first glance, the Tuning Stone crocheted baby hoodie jacket looks like a vest. But designer Kim Guzman had a different idea. Why not create a tromp d’oeil effect by adding sleeves that look like there’s a whole sweater under the vest. With the post stitches of the vest so different from the single crochet stitches of the sleeves, it’s easy to think there are two garments here, especially the way Kim attached the sleeves: under the armhole bands. The vest section uses three colors of Spa: Green Sheen, Coral Lipstick and Soft Sunshine. The sleeves are done in Naturally.

So get busy! Spring’s here!

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Shrunken Knits

March 6, 2009 by cari4

And, no, I don’t mean as in felting or as in when your DH put your favorite wool sweater in the dryer. I mean as in Coraline, the movie. In case you’ve somehow missed all the buzz about the knitwear that Coraline wears in the show, you can check our more info here. And be sure to watch the video on the page.

And for those of you lucky enough to be in the frozen north attending the Knit-Out at Mall of America, you’d see just how many people turn out for this event! I talked to local ladies and those who had traveled a distance to attend the event. Here are a couple of shots from the Mall of America. Recognize the Renaissance Tunic? You can get the pattern here. And that’s Lori Fuller, customer service and Bond whiz for Caron, who helped me out at the booth.

Free is Best

The San Antonio tunic, knitted in Country’s Vicuna and designed by Margret Wilson, is created using an slightly open “hour glass eyelet stitch,” an easy 8-row repeat pattern that mimics mini-cables but is just knit-purl combinations with just two rows having eyelets. The stitch is great for spring but isn’t open enough to be revealing. This is a great design for just about every shape (I’m one of those 80’s throwbacks who loves tunics). And the garter ribbed, “just-right” cowl is great for accenting your best asset: your face.

And just in time for spring, the Grove Isle bag, designed by “bag wizard” Mary Nolfi, is the perfect tote for the season. Crocheted in a double strand of Spa in Misty Taupe and Green Sheen, it uses post stitches to great effect and is perfectly lined. Lining a bag is not only such a perfect finish, but it allows you to insert all kinds of pockets customized to your needs. The shoulder straps are double braids and enclosed with loops at the sides of the bag, allowing the bag sides to gather slightly.

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And the Show Goes On…

February 6, 2009 by cari4

Another opening, another show – that is, the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) show in Anaheim, California. From setting up for 2 days through 4 days of meetings through backstage at the Craft Yarn Council of America (CYCA) fashion show through tearing down the booth, it was lots of work – but lots of satisfaction at the same time.

Hey, Doris – what do you think about Terri O (Oulette)’s fabulous coat? Terri was the host of the fashion show and chose, over all other submissions, to wear Doris Chan’s Amsterdam coat in Peacock Country to commentate the fashion show.

And if you’ve ever wanted to see how wonderful the colors of Country look, here they all are. And were the magazine editors ever happy! While I can’t show you the designs from the show (the editors get to do that first), be sure to check out your favorite knit and crochet magazines to see which wonderful designs the editors picked up.

February Features
Even though Pixatawney Pete saw his shadow this week, there’s no reason you can think of spring – and what better way than with this super-soft and subtly textured Mirabeau baby blanket, designed by Brenda Lewis and knitted in Spa. This easy slip-stitch pattern incorporates nearly every color of Spa and results in a very lofty-feeling fabric.

And the Sherbrook sleeveless jacket is just the design for anyone wanting to make a statement – or just wear a very versatile piece. Designed by Tammy Hildebrand in Peacock Country, this vest is crocheted side-to-side and has a fold-over lapel collar down the front. In Peacock, it’s a great wear-to-work piece – or make it in black for a dramatic evening look.

Posted in crochet, knitting, yarn | 4 Comments »

Holiday Memories

January 19, 2009 by cari4

Every year we all gather early in the year to think about the holiday season that has just passed us way too quickly. Every year is different and every year memorable in some way. For me it was giving my 2-year old granddaughter, Hazel, a tricycle and watching her do her best to ride around a house strewn with ribbon and wrapping paper. I love how 2-year olds give the “layered look” a whole new meeting: Simply Soft hat, scarf and, peeking out under the dress, cabled top, the dress, made in Rwanda mostly covered by a flowered tutu made by my daughter, Hazel’s mom, a former dancer, and the re-purposed giraffe slippers, all over pajamas.

It was also realizing that the best gifts were not only that of having time just being together (actually, the best gift), but giving and receiving gifts that were important throughout the year: a gift of a membership to a zoo or museum (that has the double benefit of also giving-back), a hand-made gift that will be worn many times, a framed photo of a special moment, a hand-made scrapbook that’s updated annually. While kids will always get gifts for learning and growing, it’s those that last all year that I enjoy the most.

And it’s all about traditions. One of mine is to see as many of the NYC store windows and Christmas lights as possible within the endurance level of whoever I’m with – in this case, a 2-year-old – and this year was no exception. But this year I was able to combine that with a photo shoot and a pleasantly long drive with a great friend from college (don’t ask what year…). When Lynda and I stopped at a Starbucks in Albany NY, we met up with Vicki and Laurie Jo, who meet there regularly to, of course, knit. They graciously allowed me to take their picture to share with you. We also have to give kudos to Starbucks, however, for their holiday decorations this year…..

More Sharing …..
For January, we have two treats for you, the Mumbai jacket and the Bozeman baby jacket.

The Mumbai jacket is knitted using two strands of Spa: Ocean Spray and Berry Frappe, which, accented with a terra-cotta colored ceramic button, is perfect for now or into the spring. The jacket was designed by Ann E. Smith and has softly ribbed sleeves and collar with an easy knot stitch accent in the body.

The Bozeman baby jacket, designed by Marty Miller, is crocheted in Peacock Country with Foliage trim and pockets. It’s a simple single crochet and in colors that are perfect for a new baby boy. But you could change the colors to Rose Bisque with Ocean Spray trim and it would be as perfect for a baby girl – with perhaps a couple of flowers embroidered on the pockets.

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Teach the Children

December 8, 2008 by cari4

I hope everyone had a super Thanksgiving, spending lots of time with family and friends. I was in Indiana where many of my family members have moved to. My family’s also a bit “mixed up,” the “new” American family, with lots of Korean, Chinese, Peruvian, Brazilian and African American members – along with those whose ancestry goes back to before the Revolutionary War. I love it all – Kim chi on Thanksgiving eve and Turkey on Thanksgiving…..

Here’s a niece of my sister-in-law’s, showing her cousin how to knit on huge needles. Hannah’s a student who is including knitting in her final art project as part of an installation (large art exhibit).

12 Days of Christmas
….and Chanukah, Kwanza, Winter Solstice, etc……. Whatever you celebrate, we have 12 free patterns just for you. Everything from accessories to baby items to toys to door ornaments as Caron’s holiday season gift to you. If you haven’t signed up for Caron Connections, you can do so at the Caron website – and go to the 12 Days of Christmas archive for your free copies of the patterns.

New in Spa and Country
The Sanibel Wrap, designed by Melissa Matthay and knitted in Spa Rose Bisque, is comprised of two eyelet pattern stitches, one for the body (which is cast on lengthwise) and one for the edging (which is knitted crosswise). The softness of Spa makes this wrap work well in summer – or in warmer climates – but also is a wonderful accent over any winter jacket or coat.

Designed by Doris Chan in multiple colors of Country, the Rockland Throw is crocheted in one of the most interesting motifs I’ve ever seen. Be sure to check out the close-up of the stitch where you can see how well six colors of Country work so well together.

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Recycle, Reuse, Re-wear

December 3, 2008 by cari4

Did you ever wonder where our projects go once they’ve been photographed and patterns written? Well, here in Montpelier, VT, we have a fabulous “previously owned” (aka gently used) clothing store, One More Time, right across the street from our office. A couple of times a year I bring over the garments for the shop owner to drool over and choose from. Once I even brought over the magazines in which the garments were featured. Leslie, the owner, put the magazines in the store window together with the sweaters and they sold out. When a project sells, Caron gets a credit at the store which I use to purchase garments for our photo shoots. It works great for both of us.

Some of our garments have quite a history and the paillette (large sequins with large holes) dress you see here was actually knitted on the Ultimate Sweater Machine for an infomercial we did with QVC. My daughter was modeling back then and wore the tube dress during that shoot. The dress was in the window for two days before it sold.

And for the throws, afghans and baby items, the Fletcher Allen hospital in Burlington welcomes these items with open arms, as they are given to kids with cancer, who are traumatized or who are just plain sick.

Next time I’ll let you know our design process and just how long it takes from the time a design has been submitted or conceived through its final use.

Fancy and Fun

To get you through those hours of play-by-plays after the dinner’s done while you’re trying to figure out what to do with all that leftover turkey, here are a couple, very different projects for you to start on.

Here’s the Fancy: The crocheted Savannah shawl, designed by Randy Cavaliere, is shaped using a step-effect and trimmed using an interesting picot stitch. Circular motifs form the center of the final openwork square. And the contrasting color trim makes this the Savannah shawl really stand out. Use your own color preference – there are 24 Country colors to choose from!

And here’s the Fun: The Turtle Bay baby hoodie vest, designed by Susan Robicheau, is knitted in a three-color slip stitch that results in a colorful tweed look. The bands and hood are done in stockinette stitch in Spa Green Sheen. The other two Spa colors are Rose Bisque and Soft Sunshine.

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Turkey Day—Time to Knit & Crochet!

November 21, 2008 by cari4

While I know many of you, including myself, are preparing to either travel to family or welcome them to your home, what I love so much about the holidays is having time, once all the craziness of dinner is over, to just sit and knit – or crochet. Let all that tryptophan kick in, watch the guys snooze and the kids play – and just get in some quiet time.

OK – enough of the mundane. It’s time for some fun. I did a Google search for crocheted turkeys just for a holiday look but found something very silly – but a great visual. Imagine going to dinner wearing a turkey…. The stuff you find on the web! More of this kind of thing here. Have fun!

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Free is Good!
This is one of my favorite designs because it looks so challenging – but is SO simple to knit. Kristin Omdahl has done it again and created the ideal accessory in this Madrid collar. There’s no shaping, no decreases – just three needle size changes. That’s it! Knit in a modified (reversible) feather-and-fan stitch, one of my all-time favorites for an easy stitch that produces a stitch that looks difficult.

Try this F&F stitch to make a scarf in one of your other favorite colors of Country.

And just in time for your vacation on the Greek Isles – or just in preparation for when the weather warms again – crochet Susan Shildmyer’s long wrapped Lapa jacket in Spa’s Misty Taupe. The accent stitches on the sleeve make this design ideal for anyone who loves a long look and one with little emphasis on the horizontal – except for on a sleeve. The jacket is made using a double crochet throughout with the exception of the first row and the textured stitches on the sleeve.

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Closure

November 10, 2008 by cari4

Well, it’s time to relax, take a deep breath and get on with our non-political lives. It’s closure. But this time, I’m talking about “real” ones – the type that are used to close cardigans and jackets. And there are some amazing ones out there. Some of my favorites come from Anthropologie, which seems to have a focus on interesting closures. Notice the covered snaps attached to the rolled knitted fabric – almost looks like thick i-cord – on the neckline to the left. Pretty cool….. So for the next couple blog entries, we will be exploring various types of closures and how they can impact your projects.

This Week’s Designs
Designed by one of my favorite designers of bags, Mary Nolfi, the Paris Carpetbag is the ideal bridge between a tote that can carry an extra pair of shoes, an umbrella and a spare sweater and a bag that’s roomy enough for one or more of your UFO’s. The Paris bag is crocheted in Country’s Spice House, Charcoal and Black in dense textured post stitches and is surprisingly sturdy and keeps its shape well – and certainly will draw rave reviews!

And the Apogee knitted capelet/jacket, designed by Kristin Omdahl, is another perfect blend design, one that can be worn as a capelet, or, tied around the waist, as a jacket. The flow of the easy feather-and-fan stitch and the drape of Spa makes this piece so incredibly versatile. Misty Taupe is the color, a perfect shade to wear at work or out in the evening.

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Where There’s Sheep, There’s a Wool Festival

October 24, 2008 by cari4

Mid-October, when the maple trees are at their best in the Hudson Valley section of New York, is the ideal time for a sheep and wool festival, and the 2008 event was perfect! Brisk, sweater weather, brilliant sunshine – and knitters and crocheters everywhere. Here are a few shots from the show:

The Jacob sheep on the right is considered a rare heritage breed according to the Jacob Sheep Conservancy. Just wish the guy at the bottom had chosen another time to turn his head!

But, of course, my favorite shot is of my granddaughter, Hazel, in her new Simply Soft sweater (over about 5 layers including another sweater). As you can see, they’re a family that loves knit and crochet (that’s Hazel’s dad in the background).

COZYING UP…
And now for you knitters, here’s the season-appropriate “Scared-y Cat” knitted cup cozy. It should take you no more than a few minutes to knit up so you can make a bunch for that Halloween party for the kids. Just fill go-cups with hot cider or hot chocolate!

SCAREDY CAT CUP COZY
Rated: Easy
Designed by Liz Walsh
MATERIALS
Naturallycaron.com Country: Black #0024: 1oz (makes 3 cozies)
2 buttons
Embroidery floss in Pink and White
Size 9 knitting needles
Size 5 crochet hook
Yarn needle

COZY
Holding yarn double, cast on 30 sts.
Row 1: knit across.
Row 2: purl across.
Rows 3-14: repeat rows1+2

Ears
Row 15: bind off the first 8st carrying the yarn across,
Ear Row 1: *Knit next 5sts. Turn.
Row 2: Purl 5. Turn.
Row 3: K2tog. Knit 3. Turn
Row 4: P2tog. Purl 2. Turn
Row 5: K2tog. Knit1. Turn.
Row 6: P2tog.
Using the crochet hook, slip stitch down the side of the ear to the knitting needle.* Bind off next 4 sts carrying yarn across. * Repeat from * Bind off remaining 8sts.

Finishing
Sew together ends, weaving in ends.
Attach buttons for eyes and embroidery nose and whiskers.
(Eye can also be embroidered)

Featured Patterns
What a perfect accent for an evening out – or a Victorian addition to an otherwise basic look! The perfect little lace squares of the Doral Wristlets are joined together with chains, the circular motifs a Kristin Omdahl signature. Crocheted in Spa Rose Bisque, they’re the ideal portable project to carry with you in your smallest purse.

And for knitters, the Zurich his-and-hers cabled scarves are the perfect gift! Knitted using simple, basic cables and seed stitch, they’re super for those of you who haven’t yet tried cables. You’ll be SO surprised how easy they are! Marilyn Losee designed the pair of scarves in Country, hers in Foliage and his in Plum Pudding.

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