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Scarves for Children's Choir


After a late-in-the-game call for scarves for the African Children's Choir, eight scarves were gathered and sent to join with others to keep the new choir warm when they arrive on February 1.

Joining me in sending scarves were Joyce (jmccrochet at Crochetville) and my favorite sister-in-law, Kristina (unfortunately, the only place you can see her super-pretty UNC colored scarf is in the box ready to ship).

I just got word that they have arrived in North Carolina, ready for the kids to arrive next week. Thank you to all who offered to help, and let me take this moment to encourage you again to go see the African's Children's Choir if you get a chance!

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posted by Kate on Saturday, January 27, 2007 @ 1:01 AM

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LYS Etiquette?

As many of you know, I have a thing for etiquette books - especially vintage etiquette books. I don't just line them up on my shelf - I read them, ingest them, and try to apply them.

But I have something that's not in any of my etiquette books. What is proper etiquette for visiting a LYS?


When I walk into a yarn shop, clearly I want bring home all of the yarn, but do I even need to say that I just can't afford it? As I live in an area where the nearest LYS is at least half an hour away, when I am in the vicinity of one I really want to check it out and pet all of the yarns. I get so many ideas!

But even finances aside, I really want to get away from buying yarn without a project in mind. This goes double for yarns with specific dye lots and low availability when I go back home.

I feel quite guilty going into a shop with no plans to buy, though. I irrationally feel like if I don't talk with the shopkeeper it's not so bad to not buy, or if I don't actually express interest in the yarn. But then I'm just being incredibly rude on another level (and I'm not a good enough actress to pretend the yarn isn't just lovely).

I've gotten to the point where I don't want to go to the stores, because I feel so guilty about buying (or so resentful that I felt I needed to buy something when I end up with $30 of beautiful but ultimately currently useless yarn that I really didn't budget for).

So what is the etiquette?

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posted by Kate on Thursday, January 25, 2007 @ 4:12 PM

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Six Weird Things

I have been tagged by Anna or this meme. I will go ahead and tell you I am going to cheat. I don't think I know 6 people to tag when I'm done, so I'm going to make this post Six Weird Crafty/Crochet things about me, and then "tag" myself for my other blogs. If you want to volunteer to be tagged, leave me a message or shoot me an email, so that I can link to you :-)

THE RULES: Each player of this game starts with the 6 weird things about you. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says you are tagged in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

Weird Thing #1 • I bite off my yarn and thread. I can't stop! This way, I can switch to a new color or whatnot so much quicker. I do use scissors after the ends have been woven in, clearly. I'm not actually a barbarian.

Weird Thing #2 • I don't organize my yarn - my husband does. He built me a set of bins and set up a crochet area for me, and he sorted out all of the yarn and supplies by type, color, and completeness (that is, he put all of the scrap balls in the tall bin).

Weird Thing #3 • I have an unnatural aversion to crocheting with the color yellow. I have crocheted a grand total of one thing with yellow yarn. I'm not sure why this is. I like yellow.

Weird Thing #4 • I am incredibly anal-retentive about blogging. That's why I made the Doily and Snowflake Blocking Guides. Yeah, and you thought it was because I'm nice. I also use about a hundred pins per large doily.

Weird Thing #5 • I have crocheted in the car. Who hasn't? But I've actually done it while driving. And I don't just mean while completely stopped at a light or train. I don't promote this; I'm just reporting the facts.

Weird Thing #6 • Before I learned how to crochet in college, my main creative outlet was making things out of duct tape. I haven't completely given it up, though crochet is the predominant craft!

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posted by Kate on @ 12:00 AM

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A New Look

My blog is now over a year old - can you believe it?

And in this year my crocheting has evolved. My web knowledge has evolved. But the blog really hadn't.

Until now.

I broke myself in by updating my family blog, then my personal blog, then my crochet group's blog, all to build up to my favorite blog. How do you like my new look?

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posted by Kate on Wednesday, January 24, 2007 @ 11:10 PM

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Yarn Tales

A poster with Crochet Partners' Yahoo!Group made a list of needlework-related (knitting, crocheting, etc.) books and the like. I was surprised how many children's books there were, and excited to track down a few for Mini-Me.

Also linked on the page was a set of works referencing knitting at Wool Works. This is a really great looking site that calls itself "The Online Knitting Compendium". You know I mainly work the hook, but there are more than a few sets of needles sticking out of WIPs in my craft room (and my den, and my living room, and...). It has a discussion forum that seems similar in purpose (if not in scope) to Crochetville, as well as many other permanent resources.

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posted by Kate on Friday, January 19, 2007 @ 3:42 PM

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Scarves for the African Children's Choir

You know who could use a scarf? The 12 boys and 12 girls (and their leaders!) of the African Children's Choir group that is coming to North Carolina.

The African Children's Choir is made up of children - most who have lost one or both of their parents - from countries around Africa. They are chosen not only as singers for an opportunity to sing, but on potential and for a scholarship opportunity, as the group is trying to better the communities of Africa by training up a new generation.

When each choir is chosen, they train, live and travel as a group, then return to their homelands where they complete their educations and impact society as a member of it. In support of the mission of this organization, King's Park International Church of Durham, North Carolina will be hosting a choir as they train, before they tour and perform. These children will be arriving in the - by comparison to Africa! - quite chilly South in early February of 2007. Crocheters and knitters at the church are making scarves as a practical form of welcome to these children.

I found out about this ministry opportunity through my friend and "crochet mentor" Mandy, who was a member of the church before moving out of the area, but continues to stay active in church projects. This is a simple, practical, and needed way to share love through crochet. Please join me in making a scarf for one of the 9- to 12-year-olds that will make up the new choir.

Email me for more information, or for how to send a scarf or two, by clicking here.

For more information:
African Children's Choir - http://www.africanchildrenschoir.com
African Children's Choir at King's Park International Church - http://acc.kpic.org/

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posted by Kate on Monday, January 08, 2007 @ 5:36 PM

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Crochet Christmas

One of the things I love so much about my husband is how supportive and appreciative he is of my crochet addiction hobby.

This was evidenced once again by his great gift to me for Christmas.

We have a spending limit for each other, so we add a layer of creativity. This year my husband really wowed me - he made me a set of crates to keep my crochet projects in in the den!

The crates were purchased, but reinforced, and then he stained them and added the wood cutout lettering and sealed the whole set. They look great, and go with the den.

While I'm bragging on my husband, I should mention that this is not by a long shot my only crochet storage. He built me a set of wire cubbys in our bonus room, including a bin for partial skein balls. He even organized all of my yarn for me! What a guy.

That's not the only way he supported my habit this Christmas - part of my "bought" presents included the Patricia Kristoffersen pattern book, Doilies with a Twist. I have to admit I didn't much care for this book when I first saw it, but I became a fast admirer, even before my swap partner sent me my first PK doily, which happened to be Tala from this book.

The rest of my family also showed the recognize the crazy grip crochet has on my life with Michael's gift cards and a huge crochet hook for my daughter to use instead of mine!

I hope that each and every one of you had a wonderful Christmas and holiday season, and that your new year is truly blessed.

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posted by Anonymous on Monday, January 01, 2007 @ 10:07 PM

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