The Block Receipt Has Begun

Two weeks ago I wrote about blocks I'm making for a current swap. I've managed to send out two, and have several more made (which I'll post at a later date), but since I received several comments concerning seeing the blocks I receive in the swap, I thought I'd post the first four:

These two were the first blocks I received earlier this week. I really like the color combination - more on the green side, with the browns as accent. These next two I received yesterday:

Aren't they lovely? I am enjoying the creativity that each person is bringing to their choices. Can you all see the froggy color theme? I've already got some ideas on how I might put my blanket together, but I'll know more once I've received all of my blocks. We have until the end of September to mail them out - good thing, because I need to kick my own block making into high gear.

On a slightly different topic, there's a knit and crochet show going on right now in Reno. The Executive Director of the Crochet Guild of America, Karen Knies, contacted Crochet! Magazine a few weeks back to ask if Karen might have my La Symphonie Jacket Wrap sent to her for wearing during the days of the show. I was thrilled by the request - so if anyone should happen to see Karen this weekend wearing a red cardi that looks like something they saw in a magazine ... well, they'd be correct!

Now don't forget to make it to Andrea's blog show this Friday, cause you never know what's going on with the fiberistas over there.

And have a great weekend, everyone!

All Good Things Flow from Shepherd’s Crook

Lyn Robinson's Festival Shawl,
a free pattern released on Ravelry 

Yesterday was a busy, fun and amazing day. Remember the pattern that was languishing, the one I wrote about here? Well, it was released today from the designer – utilizing my photos. I cannot tell you how thrilled I am not only to see my photos used in this way, but also to see the creative interpretations of this shawl that are certain to follow. The designer, Lyn (the Crochet Guild of America's book reviewer) released the free pattern on Ravelry (under the pattern name Festival Shawl), and as I wrote to her earlier today, I think I’m more excited than she is about the release! To see more of her original designs, feel free to visit here.

Lyn is also an adept instructor. She, along with a few other Ravelry crocheters, started their own crochet discussion group on Ravelry at the beginning of the year – the Crochet Small Talkers. (An aside: there’s nothing small about the volume of talk generated or the beautiful finished objects crafted by these Ravelers.) In connection with this new group, Lyn is currently leading a “class” on reading crochet charts – utilizing a Japanese organic cotton scarf pattern. Not only has she provided useful links to key resources for non-Japanese language readers who wish to make these incredibly designed Japanese patterns, but she has been so generous with her time and wealth of crochet knowledge in helping us demystify the instructions, which are fairly uniform across Japanese hand-craft publishers.

For the uninitiated, all hand knit and crochet patterns contain written instructions. Many (although not all) utilize craft-specific charts – a series of symbols that instruct the hand crafter which stitches to use, in the appropriate sequence, to achieve the garment or accessory’s design. Depending on one’s learning style, charts are either a blessing or a curse. For some, these charts can be a real deterrent when choosing a pattern to craft, so there’s some incentive to increase skill in order to widen one’s crafting options.

Lyn has superbly walked us through how the pattern is structured, where to find specific information, and how to (with a little deductive reasoning) translate what’s there into something an English reader can understand.

I admit: until this experience, I have used written instructions and charts together. In many instances, charts and written instructions inform each other. While I am generally proficient in reading charts, since virtually all of the written instructions in this pattern are in Japanese, I am without an important piece of the instructional puzzle. I am forced to rely solely on my chart reading abilities. The result? It’s making me a much better and intuitive chart reader.

A big thank you to Lyn for absolutely making my day … and making me a better, more crafty crafter. She rocks!