It's official. I'm the Chapter Coordinator for the SF-East Bay chapter of Project Linus. I sent in my application and I was approved. Penny is my assistant. She says her job is to "make pretty." Alice did bring us all the paperwork we need, and then of course, the Coordinators handbook has lots more great info in it.
So we've been busy making sure all of the blankies from the last meeting have labels and hang-tags, sorting them by size, and then delivery location. Had to go get a couple of big plastic tubs to store them so they don't get dirty while going thru this process of ours.
Ordered my business cards. I think they are really cute! Have new hang-tags on order with my contact info: I know Alice will just send anyone my way that may get some info with her contact on it.
Have received a couple of phone calls already from people who found the website wanting to contribute or get more info on Project Linus.
I just finished crocheting hats for my kids for my trip next month. I have been semi-planning this for several months and it is now less than 3 weeks away. I will be so glad to see all my kids again. Since they all live so far away, it's been a while since I've seen them. And then to see a couple of friends along the way will just top the whole thing with a cherry!
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Project Linus
As anyone who has read my blog knows, Penny and I have been very active with the local chapter of Project Linus. Alice, the coordinator for SF/East Bay, is a wonderful lady. She is always so calm and together. Guess that comes from many years of being a nurse.
We went to our monthly meeting yesterday evening, with our large bag of goodies. Penny had four ghans made from squares and I had 5 fleece blankies with crocheted borders. We also had 2 large granny squares from Mattie and a large ghan done by Anita.
Imagine our surprise when Alice told us that she and her husband are selling their house and moving down to San Jose to a retirement community. They want to live closer to their kids and grand babies and are ready to give up the house they have lived in for 40 years! Too big! Too many stairs!
The biggest shock was still to come! She is giving up the Project Linus chapter. This is a group of about a dozen ladies who show up every month with their quilts and afghans. There are several others who come from time to time when schedules permit. Always willing to share what they know. And very proud that they have donated over 2700 quilts/ghans to children in our area in 3 or 4 years. What in the world will happen to the group without Alice?
Well, we can't let the group die! That would be just sinful! Everyone is just sitting there stunned. No one knows what to do. We don't want to lose the group or Project Linus.
Well, maybe you have guessed by now that Penny and I volunteered to take over the chapter. Hope we have not bitten off more than we can chew. We came home last nite with all the quilts and ghans in the back of my poor, dirty Volvo. We are meeting with Alice next week to learn the ropes of where to go, what to take, and how to report what we are doing to headquarters. Denise of Sisters and Stitches, the quilt shop where we have been meeting, says we can continue on there with same schedule we have been using. Thank you, Denise. All the ladies have said they will help in any way they can.
Kris, who lives in Oakland, says she can deliver to Children's Hospital. My friend, Laurie, said, not to worry, she's here to help. Thank you all!
I know the next couple of months will be a little confused until we work out the kinks, but we can do this!
We went to our monthly meeting yesterday evening, with our large bag of goodies. Penny had four ghans made from squares and I had 5 fleece blankies with crocheted borders. We also had 2 large granny squares from Mattie and a large ghan done by Anita.
Imagine our surprise when Alice told us that she and her husband are selling their house and moving down to San Jose to a retirement community. They want to live closer to their kids and grand babies and are ready to give up the house they have lived in for 40 years! Too big! Too many stairs!
The biggest shock was still to come! She is giving up the Project Linus chapter. This is a group of about a dozen ladies who show up every month with their quilts and afghans. There are several others who come from time to time when schedules permit. Always willing to share what they know. And very proud that they have donated over 2700 quilts/ghans to children in our area in 3 or 4 years. What in the world will happen to the group without Alice?
Well, we can't let the group die! That would be just sinful! Everyone is just sitting there stunned. No one knows what to do. We don't want to lose the group or Project Linus.
Well, maybe you have guessed by now that Penny and I volunteered to take over the chapter. Hope we have not bitten off more than we can chew. We came home last nite with all the quilts and ghans in the back of my poor, dirty Volvo. We are meeting with Alice next week to learn the ropes of where to go, what to take, and how to report what we are doing to headquarters. Denise of Sisters and Stitches, the quilt shop where we have been meeting, says we can continue on there with same schedule we have been using. Thank you, Denise. All the ladies have said they will help in any way they can.
Kris, who lives in Oakland, says she can deliver to Children's Hospital. My friend, Laurie, said, not to worry, she's here to help. Thank you all!
I know the next couple of months will be a little confused until we work out the kinks, but we can do this!
Monday, August 02, 2010
What I did on my Summer Vacation
July has not been quite as hectic as June, but I have still been pretty busy.
I started the Swellegant Elegance sweater designed by Peter Franzi. Peter gifted me the yarn for my birthday in April and it finally came in. Saucon Sock yarn by Kraemer Yarns. It is fingering wt, 44% cotton, 43% acrylic, and 13% nylon. The color is Loganberry, so kinda a purple color. I know, not my usual earth tones, but I decided to try something a little different. As of right now, the sweater only has 1/2 sleeve, assembly and ribbing left to do. I plan to wear it to the next guild meeting on 8/21.
I have taken a couple of breaks from the sweater. I learned 2 new dc stitches this month, so had to make a scarf in each stitch. The first is the linked dc and the other was the herringbone dc. I learned the linked while I was reviewing my first portfolio for the Masters Program and the herringbone dc was used in a border from Edie Eckman's book Around the Corner Crocheted Borders. I will be teaching both of these stitches at the next guild meeting. Come join us.
The scarves will be going to Dawn for her annual holiday packages for the troops.
I crocheted borders on 5 small fleece blankies for Project Linus, using Edie's book. Some beautiful borders in there!
Our friend, Anne, brought a bag of crocheted flower motifs to Penny last week. So I sat down and worked out how to turn them into squares. Penny loves squares and makes several ghans a month for Project Linus.
And, speaking of Project Linus, Laurie and I went with Alice to San Francisco this month. KPMG was having their semi-annual meeting at the Palace Hotel (wow! is the only word that applies here). Part of their meeting is a charity or community project in the city where they are meeting. Vicky, from New York, is part of Project Linus in her area. She and Debbie, from Dallas contacted Alice. We went to help them put together tied fleece blankets. They ordered the fabric, a nice weight and some really cool designs, to be paired with some bright colored solids. Before we even got there, they had done all the cutting and had them ready to cut the strips on the sides and tie. There were about 30 people cutting and tying for an hour and a half.
They completed 21 out of 35. We brought 14 with us to be tied at the next PL meeting. Or maybe we will crochet borders on them. When the meeting was over, we checked our push-pushes at the hotel and went to dinner. We sure looked like a trio of bag ladies trying to get back to the BART station! But I was surprised at how many people offered to help us carry the rolling carts down the stairs. It was great fun, and I would be honored if Alice requested my help again.
I started the Swellegant Elegance sweater designed by Peter Franzi. Peter gifted me the yarn for my birthday in April and it finally came in. Saucon Sock yarn by Kraemer Yarns. It is fingering wt, 44% cotton, 43% acrylic, and 13% nylon. The color is Loganberry, so kinda a purple color. I know, not my usual earth tones, but I decided to try something a little different. As of right now, the sweater only has 1/2 sleeve, assembly and ribbing left to do. I plan to wear it to the next guild meeting on 8/21.
I have taken a couple of breaks from the sweater. I learned 2 new dc stitches this month, so had to make a scarf in each stitch. The first is the linked dc and the other was the herringbone dc. I learned the linked while I was reviewing my first portfolio for the Masters Program and the herringbone dc was used in a border from Edie Eckman's book Around the Corner Crocheted Borders. I will be teaching both of these stitches at the next guild meeting. Come join us.
The scarves will be going to Dawn for her annual holiday packages for the troops.
I crocheted borders on 5 small fleece blankies for Project Linus, using Edie's book. Some beautiful borders in there!
Our friend, Anne, brought a bag of crocheted flower motifs to Penny last week. So I sat down and worked out how to turn them into squares. Penny loves squares and makes several ghans a month for Project Linus.
And, speaking of Project Linus, Laurie and I went with Alice to San Francisco this month. KPMG was having their semi-annual meeting at the Palace Hotel (wow! is the only word that applies here). Part of their meeting is a charity or community project in the city where they are meeting. Vicky, from New York, is part of Project Linus in her area. She and Debbie, from Dallas contacted Alice. We went to help them put together tied fleece blankets. They ordered the fabric, a nice weight and some really cool designs, to be paired with some bright colored solids. Before we even got there, they had done all the cutting and had them ready to cut the strips on the sides and tie. There were about 30 people cutting and tying for an hour and a half.
They completed 21 out of 35. We brought 14 with us to be tied at the next PL meeting. Or maybe we will crochet borders on them. When the meeting was over, we checked our push-pushes at the hotel and went to dinner. We sure looked like a trio of bag ladies trying to get back to the BART station! But I was surprised at how many people offered to help us carry the rolling carts down the stairs. It was great fun, and I would be honored if Alice requested my help again.
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Defining Moments
If you ever watch the Dr Phil show, you will know that he talks a lot about defining moments in your life. I gave that a lot of thought and could think of none. Oh well, not to worry. Too busy crocheting.
Peter and I were talking at the fair a few days ago (wow, seems longer ago than that) about how far the chapter has come since he organized it 3 years ago.
That got me thinking about how I got to where I am now.
It all started with the click of my computer mouse! If I had not made that click, the things I'm doing now would not be.
I was reading the Talking Crochet newsletter that I subscribe to online. At the bottom are a list of links to other places. Hmm, Crochet Partners looked like something I might be interested in. The folks I used to crochet with have scattered, and my roommate is marginally interested in trying new things.
Click! And a new life begins. I joined Crochet Partners, a huge on-line discussion group owned and moderated by Jean Leinhauser. Jean has edited and published crochet booklets and books forever. I have several with her name on them from the 80's. For the first several weeks I just lurked (said nothing but read everything). I followed every link posted. I have crocheted for more years than I want to admit, but I saw things I had never seen, learned about techniques that I didn't know had names. I had done most of them, just didn't know they had names. But I also learned about a few that I hadn't tried. I got brave and started making some comments of my own.
One of the ladies was trying to organize sending scarfs to some of our troops at the holidays because so many do not receive packages from home. Well, I try to send her several each year. A couple of years ago, her son was killed in a school shooting, and at about the same time, another ladies future daughter-in-law was killed in another school shooting. And so, the Comfortghan Project began. I didn't want to coordinate it but I collect squares, assemble and mail ghans to those who need a hug. I met my friend Laurie and her friends as a direct result of the Comfortghan Project. We meet every week at Starbucks for coffee and crochet.
I was also looking for a place to donate some small fleece blankies that I crocheted edgings on. Peter Franzi suggested the Oakland Children's Hospital. Someone else suggested Project Linus.
I checked out Project Linus, they took my little blankies, and I have become more involved with them as time goes by. In fact, I designed a babyghan which is on their website.
Peter put out an invite to anyone in the Bay Area to come to his house for a Crochet Soiree. We had a great time, good food and nice people. Peter did this about 3 times before he moved it to the community center where he volunteered for the food bank. And out little chapter of the CGOA was born. Since inception, Peter is president and treasurer and I am v.p. and secretary. Before that little mouse click, I didn't even know the CGOA existed.
With all the inspiration and encouragement, I have become more creative and proficient at recording my original ideas. I am now selling a few patterns on my Ravelry page.
The biggest boom I have gotten from that little click was an email from Jean Leinhauser asking if I would be interested in being a reviewer for her new CGOA Masters in Advanced Crochet Stitches and Techniques. Holy cow! Me?? I'm reviewing my first portfolio now.
Oh, yea! I knew nothing about blogs. Even my computer skills have quadrupled.
And all from one click of the mouse.
Peter and I were talking at the fair a few days ago (wow, seems longer ago than that) about how far the chapter has come since he organized it 3 years ago.
That got me thinking about how I got to where I am now.
It all started with the click of my computer mouse! If I had not made that click, the things I'm doing now would not be.
I was reading the Talking Crochet newsletter that I subscribe to online. At the bottom are a list of links to other places. Hmm, Crochet Partners looked like something I might be interested in. The folks I used to crochet with have scattered, and my roommate is marginally interested in trying new things.
Click! And a new life begins. I joined Crochet Partners, a huge on-line discussion group owned and moderated by Jean Leinhauser. Jean has edited and published crochet booklets and books forever. I have several with her name on them from the 80's. For the first several weeks I just lurked (said nothing but read everything). I followed every link posted. I have crocheted for more years than I want to admit, but I saw things I had never seen, learned about techniques that I didn't know had names. I had done most of them, just didn't know they had names. But I also learned about a few that I hadn't tried. I got brave and started making some comments of my own.
One of the ladies was trying to organize sending scarfs to some of our troops at the holidays because so many do not receive packages from home. Well, I try to send her several each year. A couple of years ago, her son was killed in a school shooting, and at about the same time, another ladies future daughter-in-law was killed in another school shooting. And so, the Comfortghan Project began. I didn't want to coordinate it but I collect squares, assemble and mail ghans to those who need a hug. I met my friend Laurie and her friends as a direct result of the Comfortghan Project. We meet every week at Starbucks for coffee and crochet.
I was also looking for a place to donate some small fleece blankies that I crocheted edgings on. Peter Franzi suggested the Oakland Children's Hospital. Someone else suggested Project Linus.
I checked out Project Linus, they took my little blankies, and I have become more involved with them as time goes by. In fact, I designed a babyghan which is on their website.
Peter put out an invite to anyone in the Bay Area to come to his house for a Crochet Soiree. We had a great time, good food and nice people. Peter did this about 3 times before he moved it to the community center where he volunteered for the food bank. And out little chapter of the CGOA was born. Since inception, Peter is president and treasurer and I am v.p. and secretary. Before that little mouse click, I didn't even know the CGOA existed.
With all the inspiration and encouragement, I have become more creative and proficient at recording my original ideas. I am now selling a few patterns on my Ravelry page.
The biggest boom I have gotten from that little click was an email from Jean Leinhauser asking if I would be interested in being a reviewer for her new CGOA Masters in Advanced Crochet Stitches and Techniques. Holy cow! Me?? I'm reviewing my first portfolio now.
Oh, yea! I knew nothing about blogs. Even my computer skills have quadrupled.
And all from one click of the mouse.
Monday, June 28, 2010
What a month!
I started this month feeling pretty puny. But there was way too much happening to keep me down for long. First was the San Mateo county fair. I think everyone should get involved in their county fair in one way or another. Of course, my way is all about crochet! But, they have a category for everything: flowers, homemade beer, woodworking, and all the different needle arts. And don't forget the livestock. Pig races and all!
I'll let you pop over to the chapter's blog to catch up on what we did there.
The Sunday after the closing of the fair, we were involved in the 1st annual Oakland Fiber Fest. What a great day! So many nice people came by our booth. and it was fun to check out the other booths at the fest. I spent some time with Gracie of the Lace Knitters Guild. She is going to teach me to tat. I have my grandmother's tatting shuttle, but have never learned how to use it. She showed me a quick stitch and I am going to try to practice it a little between now and then. You can read more about the fest at the chapter blog.
Probably the most exciting thing that happened to me this month is I was contacted about being one of the reviewers for the CGOA Masters of Stitches program. I am so honored to be on such a team of highly skilled crocheters. My first portfolio arrived over the weekend, and is the first thing on my agenda tomorrow to work on.
Been a busy month. And I feel so much better at the end of it than I did at the beginning.
BTW, I am working on Peter Franzi's Swellegant Elegance Sweater in Saucon Sock Yarn, color Loganberry, for moi`.
I'll let you pop over to the chapter's blog to catch up on what we did there.
The Sunday after the closing of the fair, we were involved in the 1st annual Oakland Fiber Fest. What a great day! So many nice people came by our booth. and it was fun to check out the other booths at the fest. I spent some time with Gracie of the Lace Knitters Guild. She is going to teach me to tat. I have my grandmother's tatting shuttle, but have never learned how to use it. She showed me a quick stitch and I am going to try to practice it a little between now and then. You can read more about the fest at the chapter blog.
Probably the most exciting thing that happened to me this month is I was contacted about being one of the reviewers for the CGOA Masters of Stitches program. I am so honored to be on such a team of highly skilled crocheters. My first portfolio arrived over the weekend, and is the first thing on my agenda tomorrow to work on.
Been a busy month. And I feel so much better at the end of it than I did at the beginning.
BTW, I am working on Peter Franzi's Swellegant Elegance Sweater in Saucon Sock Yarn, color Loganberry, for moi`.
Friday, June 11, 2010
I'm so excited!
The San Mateo county fair opens tomorrow. My CGOA chapter will have a table at the fair for 5 days where we will be demoing some different stitch patterns. We have a couple of take and make projects for people to do at the table. We will have a daily raffle for kits for patterns and yarn to crochet. We will be handing out info on our chapter, on CGOA, Project Linus, and Warm up America and the Oakland Fiber Festival. Should be a full and busy 5 days. I think I have everything together that we need to take. I sure hope so!
I spent 2 days this week setting up the displays for the knit and crochet entries. That is the first time I have ever done this kind of volunteer work. Very fun, but also very tiring! I pretty much had free reign in how to display the items. The folks in charge were very helpful in providing supplies I needed, dress forms, styrofoam heads, etc. I am very anxious to see what people think of the way the displays are done this year. I found out that they have not had a knitter or crocheter volunteer before to help. No wonder we find an afghan inside out or a hooded scarf upside down.
If you are in the Bay Area this next week, come by our booth on Sat, Sun, Tues, Sat or Sun, and say Hi.
I spent 2 days this week setting up the displays for the knit and crochet entries. That is the first time I have ever done this kind of volunteer work. Very fun, but also very tiring! I pretty much had free reign in how to display the items. The folks in charge were very helpful in providing supplies I needed, dress forms, styrofoam heads, etc. I am very anxious to see what people think of the way the displays are done this year. I found out that they have not had a knitter or crocheter volunteer before to help. No wonder we find an afghan inside out or a hooded scarf upside down.
If you are in the Bay Area this next week, come by our booth on Sat, Sun, Tues, Sat or Sun, and say Hi.
Thursday, May 06, 2010
And the winner is:
drum roll please- JD from St Louis
I liked the Tabard part of JD's suggestion, so kept looking for the other part. Finally, after studying the history of this garment, decided this is a classic timeless piece. So, please welcome to my pattern line, Timeless Tabard.
I will have the pattern in my Ravelry store within the next day or two. Thanks to all who helped me find a name.
I will have the pattern in my Ravelry store within the next day or two. Thanks to all who helped me find a name.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)