It's Finally Spring!!!

I am pretty sure it is anyway, at least around here.  The robins have come out of hiding, the redwing blackbirds are singing, our cats have decided it is safe to venture outside and our little Westie will now stay out longer than 2 minutes at a time.

I've seen crocheters ask:  does crochet sell in warm weather?  Many think of hats, scarves and afghans when they think of crochet, but there is so much more--not to mention although in the northern hemisphere we're moving into spring and summer, the southern hemisphere is moving into their fall and winter!

For warmer weather:  airy, cotton floppy hats; lightweight wraps for cool days and evenings; accessories in seasonal colours; brightly coloured table settings; dolls...
**Unfortunately, the treasury tools that I have used before no longer work, so individual pictures here are not clickable, however, if you click on the picture, it will take you to the treasury page where each image will take you to that listing.

 

 

Winter Weather and Crochet

I have to say this winter is more like the ones I used to know.  Very cold, windy, blizzards, and snowfall on top of snowfall.  I will say though, that it was much more enjoyable when I was 13; schools actually closed during really bad weather and without having to be somewhere, the day could be spent outside building forts, snowmen, or playing games of fox and goose.  You didn't feel the cold when you were young and having fun.

But the bad weather isn't so much fun when you're an adult and have to shovel it, or drive in it to work (cause work rarely closes, even the schools rarely close any more).  And the cold is just plain cold now.

It was nice to see something great amidst this cold and snow, a new sort of yarn bombing:  knitters and crocheters would leave scarves in handy places for anyone out in the cold who needed one to take.  I thought it was an awesome idea, and although the 'old-style' yarn bombing was fun to see, this one is fun AND useful.  A great way to use up stash, spend time doing what you love, and give to others.
I may just have to try this next year somehow.  Another idea is to make winter accessories up and take them in to the local foodbank.  I have been told there is a table there for those who have need of the foodbank, where people can pick from the table non-food items they may need.


Some of our team members sell yarn in their shops so I thought I would post a few of those today.  Keep in mind, some people do have allergies, so if you do plan on scarf bombing, a content label might be a good thing, especially if you are using wool.

Some vintage mohair yarn from BerthasBizarreBazaar

 

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A wonderfully bright, bulky weight yarn from crochetgal:

 (crochetgal has a shop full of yummy yarns!)

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From HeavenSpunCreations a thick and thin handspun merino yarn in beautiful teal ombre:

(check out her other handspun yarns while you're there!)

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Some destash from Smudgekitty, 24 oz of  bulky Baby Anna yarn:

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SixSkeins has some gorgeous handdyed yarns, including this merino cashmere nylon yarn:

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Lastly, MandalaYarn has several silk yarns in her shop, I am not sure how warm they are, but they look like such fun to 'play' with, this one is banana viscose!

Five days...maybe?

Yes, it has been several days since I posted to begin a countdown to an event unseen for a few years.

I had hoped to spark interest in the event, and continue to post with comments to build up to the final day, but due to lack of interest, the event may not happen at all, or may happen, but on a smaller scale....or, *I* may be surprised too, and there could be several 'last minute' participants.
Either way, event or not, I will post later this week.

Many of our members offer wonderful gift ideas for everyone on your list, not to mention yarn, hooks and patterns to keep any crocheter busy on cold, snowy days.  Over the next few weeks, I'll post some ideas here for different recipients, so check back every few days for new ideas.

Shopping this time of year can be especially tense, even online.  To help keep frustration levels low, when shopping be sure to check where the item ships from and decide before ordering whether there is time for the item to get to you.  Yes, overseas shipping *can* be quick, but often depending on the country, it can easily take 4 weeks, and sometimes 6.  Surface mail can take even longer:  I once had a postal employee tell me that a package sent surface could take 3 months to get to Australia from Canada.
Also, this is important, know before purchasing your country's duties for importing goods from outside your own country.  This is a tax/fee imposed by the country's government, so this is something buyers are liable for, not the sellers.  Sellers have no idea of knowing every country's rates, and cannot collect the money from you to pay on your behalf.  A seller cannot lie on the customs form and fill in a lower $ value to save the buyer money, this is highly illegal and could result in huge fines for the seller. 

It's coming....

It's coming...back!  An event forgotten by all but a few:  we're blowing the dust off and setting things up, watch here for more info....

Calling all hookers!

I was contacted on Etsy about an opportunity for crocheters, as well as those who knit, sew and weave.
I will quote the information sent in the conversation.  Please note, this is open only to US residents, so if you're like me, and get all excited reading about opportunities like this only to find out you can't enter, I apologize.  And of course, give you the heads-up so you can choose not to read  :)

Winter Accessory Design Challenge
-Grand Prize: $500 and an UncommonGoods Vendor Contract
-Knitted, crocheted, sewn, or woven designs (all sorts of materials are welcome as long as they are safe and animal-friendly)
-Guest Judges: One Sheepish Girl, Meredith Crawford, longtime UncommonGoods vendor and the owner of Green 3, Jim Martin, and UncommonGoods Assistant Jewelry & Accessories Buyer, Sharon Hitchcock
-Submission Deadline: July 31, 2013 at 11:59 PM ET
-Questions? Email winter-accessory@uncommongoods.com
-Submission page: www.uncommongoods.com/designs/winter-accessory (use “click here”, “UncommonGoods”, or a bare link when including this link in post)
- Judges will provide runners-up with a critique of their work, tips for marketing and growing your business.

Happy Embrace Your Geek Day!! A few days late...

...and several dollars short, if I may misquote a well-known saying.

Embrace your Geekness Day has come and gone (July 13th) without even a whisper here. 

I am sure this little guy celebrated in style, with plenty of WD-40 and microchips and cookies for all.
The crochet pattern to create your own robot (or one of several other amigurumi  creatures) is available from HerterCrochetDesigns

Celebrating Teddy Bear Picnic Day!

Okay, so Teddy Bear Picnic Day was actually yesterday, but today (here anyway) was a much better day for a picnic.  :)
This cute teddy bear by Debbie from Wigglysee Crocheted Toys looks like he enjoys a good picnic with lots of fuzzy friends.

(Pssttt....I think I see a couple of his friends from the picnic in Debbie's shop as well as other sweet toys!)