CGOA Now!

Fabric of Life: Melissa's Crocheted Table Cloth Gift

2012-01-31T15:37:00.000-08:00

We received this touching story via email directly from the author, and thought you might be interested in reading it.

Fabric of Life: Melissa's Crocheted Table Cloth Gift
By Keith John Paul Horcasitas
© 2012 Keith Horcasitas. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.

A short story about Melissa's crocheted table cloth gift for my wife, and how it continues to transform me - initially, in how to be a better listener and social worker and continually, in finding ways, like she did, to craft the fabric of life for God, myself and others.

It was the first Sunday of the month, so we got ready to coordinate the donuts' ministry after the 9:15 AM Latin Mass at St. Agnes in Baton Rouge like we usually did. After picking up the donuts and getting to church before Mass, I set up the table outside to be ready for when the little (and big) kids would come running later for some sweet rewards for good behavior in church.

The table cloth this time was different from the normal white covers we usually used - it was a beautiful crimson red crocheted circular shaped cover that fit neatly over the folding table; Maria must have put this in the supplies bag, since it was in January, technically still in the Christmas season (not in any way symbolizing my support for Saban's Alabama - for what was then the upcoming BCS game in New Orleans that LSU lost!). A rush of memories suddenly came over me as I recalled this table cloth, which I had commissioned Melissa to make many years ago for my sweetheart, Maria, before we were married. And with March being "National Social Work Month," I couldn't help but see how instrumental Melissa was with my development in the field.

When I first met Melissa in the fall of 1981, I was unaccustomed to interacting with folks at nursing homes. So I was a little tentative in knowing what to say as a greeting or how to fully engage with her. Even though this was part of the mental health outreach work that I was involved in to isolated elders in the San Joaquin area of California per the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC), I had not previously done a lot of visitations, either personally or professionally, with elders.

Her semi-private room door was already ajar, so I gently knocked on it to alert her that I was coming in and said, "Is this a good time for a visit, Ms. Melissa," as I had been foretold by the charge nurse that she was someone identified who may possibly benefit from professional contact for depression and isolation. It sounded like Melissa had no local family contacts and was very limited in her mobility due to severe degenerative joint disease.

As our eyes met when I went closer to her bed, she appeared very diminutive and emaciated yet manged to convey a cheerful smile as she softly spoke, "I'm here working on another treasure - come and see it." I stood right next to her and noticed how contorted her body was with pillows all around her hospital bed for cushioning and relief. My eyes were then immediately drawn to her hands that evidenced the twisted trauma of rheumatoid arthritis.

Somehow, securely in place between her thumb and index finger was a crocheting needle affixed in some cloth material with a pattern for some design that she was working on. She proceeded to ask me the normal pleasantry question one does when meeting a new person for the first time: "Where are you from?" as she continued to work her crochet needle elegantly in a continuous fashion with her eyes fixed on some cloth that appeared to be a quilt being made.

After I told her my name, my work role and that I was from New Orleans, there was a period of that silence that most of us know about - when you are uncomfortable about what to say next. Here I was, a social work apprentice remembering the dictum to "start where the client is," so I shut up and tried to use some listening skills that I supposedly had acquired in undergraduate studies. Over the next hour and following many of subsequent visits with Melissa, I learned much from and with her about what coping strategies can help elders and anyone in dealing with depression and isolation - intertwined with other "fabrics of life" lessons - not to mention learning how to crochet! Later, I certainly made brownie points with Maria from Melissa's beautiful crocheted birthday gift!

I followed my JVC year by concentrating on gerontology within the Graduate School of Social Work at San Diego State University. It was neat how after my first year of graduate school, Maria and I were married and able to take a trip to the San Joaquin Valley to visit with Melissa, who had declined but was still crocheting. The gerontology section of the School of Social Work was the smallest of the four divisions, with only 10 students. The students in the other social work divisions seemed reluctant, even fearful of working with the elderly. They were preparing for the fields of mental health, children and families and hospital social work. They wondered aloud why I would consider working with "that group." I certainly shared with them some memories of lessons learned from Melissa and Lucille, a frail elder whom I was a care giver for in my first year of graduate school.

My fellow grad students thought of working with the elderly as depressing; they were put off by the urine smells in nursing homes and by the death and dying. One student even shared a fear of "touching someone with wrinkles." These feelings were shared honestly, and my fellow students were better suited to work with struggling families and children or in hospital settings. I couldn't help but recall how touched I was by Melissa's rheumatoid hands and spirit!

Aside from my time studying the biological, economic and psychological aspects of aging, my school experience taught me that too often old age is hidden not just from our eyes but even more from our feelings. We not only tend to deny the reality of old men and women living in closed rooms and nursing homes, but also, as Henri Nouwen noted, the old man or woman who is slowly awakening in each of us. Melissa certainly gave me an invaluable understanding far beyond book knowledge of aging, coping with losses and death and dying.

Back at church, after Maria and I had finished giving out the mouth watering donuts with milk and orange juice intertwined with some great conversations, we folded the exquisite crocheted table cloth from Melissa and shared a prayer of thanksgiving for the living legacy of what Melissa had shared with us - the fabric of life!

Keith John Paul Horcasitas, LCSW, MHA
1133 Knollhaven Drive, BRLA 70810
khorcasitas AT yahoo DOT com
January 15, 2012

:CGOA 2011 Design Competition Winners

2011-09-22T15:02:00.000-07:00

CGOA is pleased to announce the winners of our 2011 Design Competition. First, a big thank you to our wonderful judges:

Judges
Marcy Smith, editor of Interweave Crochet magazine
Kathleen Sams, ambassador for Coats&Clark
Drew Emborsky, the Crochet Dude.

All entries were evaluated equally in a blind judging across a range of qualities including: design appeal, use of stitches, color, selection of materials, workmanship, finishing, appearance and functionality as indicated.

We had more entries than ever this year, submitted by a number of very talented designers. Please check the CGOA blog (cgoanow.blogspot.com) within the next week or so for a link to a flickr pool so you can see photos of all the fabulous entries!

Winners

Due to time constraints while at Chain Link, we are unable to post photos of winning entries today. We hope to get this done Friday or Saturday morning at the latest. We apologize for the delay, but we thought it important to let everyone know who all the winners are as quickly as possible!

$1,000 Grand Prize Winner sponsored in Crochet Partners and Interweave Press: #29, So Many Motifs, So Little Time by Diane Halpern of Pittsburgh, PA

Here’s praise from the judges:

Marcy Smith said: “Deliciously vintage garment that’s ripped from the runway.”

From Drew Emborsky: “Amazing blend of freeform and on-trend fashion . . . Exquisite!!!”

And Kathleen Sams sums it up: “Beautiful use of freeform suitable for all. Runway fashion at its best.”

Fanciful Fashion (sponsored by Tulip Co, makers of exceptional tools including Etimo cushion grip crochet hooks and Carry T): fancy adult garments and accessories, including gowns, dresses and evening wear.

First Place, $300: #09, Modern Victorian Black Crochet Dress by Victoria Johnsen Carrington of Windsor Heights, IA

Second Place, $200: #38, Queen of Fall by Linda Skuja of Riga, Latvia

Third Place: $100: #94, Flower Princess by Willena Nanton of New Rochelle, NY

Fashion (sponsored by Tahki Stacy Charles, bringing you fine yarn lines Tahki, S Charles, Filatura Di Crosa and Loop-d-Loop): for women or men, including sweaters, tops, jackets and skirts.

First Place, $300: #60, Rasta Rose Jacket by Tammy Hildebrand, of Kernersville, NC

Second Place, $200: #70, Spa Tunic by Susan Lowman of Prescott Valley, AZ

Third Place: $100: #39, Stonecrop by Stephanie Hatfield of Gilbertsville, KY

Accessories (sponsored by WEBS, America’s Yarn Store): including shawls, socks, scarves, hats, bags, belts and jewelry.

First Place, $300: #43, Birds N Blossoms Shawl by Kathryn White of Apache Junction, AZ

Second Place, $200: #69, Lucy Shawl by Sandy Gold of Frederick, MD

Third Place: $100: #108, Poptastic Purse by Janice Lonnroth of LaGrange, IL

Small Wonders (sponsored by Boye and the Crochet Dude brand of crochet tools and accessories): anything small scale, including baby items, toys, amigurumi and small décor items.

First Place, $300: #81, Hope, the Christmas Angel, by Susan Pendleton of Kerrville, TX

Second Place, $200: #12, Baby Cardigan by Sherri Hondorp of Poughquag, NY

Third Place: $100: #102, Vegetable Garden Playmat by Laurinda Reddig of Camas, WA

Afghans (sponsored by Caron International and BuyCaron.com): any and all afghans, throws, blankets and bed or sofa covers.

First Place, $300: #103, Mystery Machine Afghan by Laurinda Reddig of Camas, WA

Second Place, $200: #50, Happy Hexagons Throw by Shari White of Rockaway, NJ

Third Place: $100: #52, Wild Irish Roses Throw by Shari White of Rockaway, NJ

Thread Crochet (sponsored by FaveCrafts/Prime Publishing, offering diverse crochet e-newsletters, e-books and patterns at FaveCrafts.com): anything made with crochet thread, including doilies, décor and accessories.

First Place, $300: #84, Christening Dress by Carol Booth of Teaticket, MA

Second Place, $200: #46, Irish Mystique Doily by Kathryn White of Apache Junction, AZ

Third Place: $100: #48, Chantilly Doily by Kathryn White of Apache Junction, AZ

Artistic Expressions (sponsored by Leisure Arts, bring you the art of everyday living): designs more artistic rather than functional in nature, including free-form and mixed media pieces, hangings, sculpture and wearable art.

First Place, $300: #113, Patricia’s Tree of Life by Patricia Williams of Ozone Park, NY

Second Place, $200: #66, Split Infinitive by Lori Carlson of Hillsborough, NC

Third Place: $100: #26, Lady of Marrakesh by Julia Bryant of Toronto, Canada

DesigningVashti $100 Special Technique Award for outstanding use of alternate crochet techniques and construction (including Tunisian, Broomstick and Hairpin): #108, Poptastic Purse by Janice Lonnroth of LaGrange, IL

Crochet Liberation Front $100 Peoples’ Choice Award (to be chosen on site by attendee voting; winner will be announced at end of conference)

Message from Doris re Design Competition

2011-08-28T15:32:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone! I just got a message from Doris, courtesy of Vashti Braha. Doris is without power, so no Internet. She wants everyone to know that, she's safe on high ground with no storm damage. All contest entries she's received so far are safe and sound!

I hope all our CGOA members in areas affected by the storm are also safe and sound.

Design Competition Deadline Extended

2011-08-28T05:17:00.000-07:00

Due to recent geological and meteorological events, the entry deadline for the CGOA 2011 Design Competition has been extended to 6 September. If you entry will be arriving after 31 August, please let me know at the e-mail address listed in the official competition information. No worries. Be safe.

Submitted by Doris Chan, Chairman CGOA 2011 Design Competition Committee

Reminder: CGOA Design Competition Deadline Approaching

2011-08-13T04:36:00.000-07:00

It’s time! The window for shipping your CGOA 2011 Crochet Design Competition entries begins 15 August, 2011. Thanks to grants from our magnificent sponsors, the competition is the most rewarding ever, with designers vying for over $5,400 in cash prizes in seven judging categories:
1. Fanciful Fashion (sponsored by Tulip Co, makers of exceptional tools including Etimo cushion grip crochet hooks and Carry T)
2. Fashion (sponsored by Tahki Stacy Charles, bringing you fine yarn lines Tahki, S Charles, Filatura Di Crosa and Loop-d-Loop)
3. Accessories (sponsored by WEBS, America’s Yarn Store
4. Small Wonders (sponsored by Boye and the Crochet Dude brand of crochet tools and accessories)
5. Afghans (sponsored by Caron International and BuyCaron.com)
6. Thread Crochet (sponsored by AllFreeCrochet.com and FaveCrafts.com, offering diverse crochet e-newsletters, e-books and patterns)
7. Artistic Expressions (sponsored by Leisure Arts, bringing you the art of everyday living)

$1000 Grand Prize, sponsored by Crochet Partners and Interweave Press.
$100 Special Technique Award from DesigningVashti for outstanding use of alternate crochet techniques and construction
$100 Peoples’ Choice Award from the Crochet Liberation Front, winner to be chosen on site by attendee voting

Judging will take place on location at the CGOA Conference in Greensboro, North Carolina, 21 September and winners will be announced during the Awards Ceremony on 22 September. You do not have to be present to enter or to win but you will want to be there to marvel at the awesome display of entries and unveiling of the winning designs.

If you are preparing to ship your design, please fill out and submit the electronic entry form now and make sure that it exactly matches the crochet pieces you are sending. You will receive an e-mail confirmation letter, which is your form returned. Please make a hard copy of that returned form and include it in your package. See the official information pages at crochet.org for compete details. Deadline for entries is 31 August. Best of luck!

Submitted by
Doris Chan
Chairman, CGOA 2011 Design Competition Committee

TV Coverage for Minneapolis Chain Link

2011-08-08T13:33:00.001-07:00

The Minneapolis Chain Link conference and Knit and Crochet Show received coverage on the local TV station, KARE 11.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Check it out! Click here to see the video and written article on the KARE-11 website. Or just view the video right here:

2011-07-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

Would you like to help yarn bomb the New York Mets stadium on September 13? The New York City Crochet Guild will be working with Stitch and Pitch for the first yarn bombing of a major league baseball stadium. You're invited to submit a swatch in Mets colors (orange and blue). For more information, visit the Stitch and Pitch website: http://www.stitchandpitch.com for their contact information.

Chain Link Conferences: Class Schedules

2011-06-22T08:54:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder to check out the conference and class schedules for CGOA's two 2011 Chain Link conferences!

We hope you can join us in Minneapolis on July 27-31 and again in Greensboro, NC on September 21-25.

Click the link above for a detailed schedule of all the fun events and classes planned for each location.

You can register online now through July 8 for the Minneapolis conference, and registration for Greensboro will open on Monday, June 27.

I'd love to hear what classes you're thinking about taking! Please post a comment and share with us.

Amy Shelton
CGOA President

Jean Leinhauser: Rest in Peace

2011-06-15T15:44:00.000-07:00

It is with a very sad heart that I let you all know that Jean Leinhauser passed away earlier today.

I will never forget the times I spent with Jean at Chain Link conferences. I will always treasure the crochet books she personally autographed for me. I feel so fortunate to have known her.

Jean did so much through the years to support CGOA, with her most recent contribution being the redesign of our Masters Program. She is going to be sorely missed by all of us in the crochet community.

The CGOA board is discussing ways we can honor and remember Jean at our upcoming Chain Link conferences. If you have any ideas, please contact me at amyshelton AT crochetville DOT org.

Jean's business partner, Rita Weiss, has let me know of an excellent way to honor her if anyone is interested. Jean loved her dogs even more than she loved crochet, and she was very supportive of animal rescue organizations. Rita says there is no particular organization, so if you wish, please pick any animal rescue organization, especially one that works with dogs, to make a donation of time, money, or crocheted items in Jean's name and memory.

If you have any thoughts or memories to share about Jean, please feel free to post a response in her memory.

Amy Shelton
CGOA President

Greensboro Chain Link Class Schedule Is Up!

2011-06-14T18:52:00.000-07:00

The class schedule for the fall Chain Link conference September 21-25 in Greensboro, NC is now available here. There are so many fabulous classes, it's hard to make decisions about what to take! But no worries, registration will not open until Monday, June 27, giving us all plenty of time to change our minds over and over again before making our final selections.

There are just as many fabulous classes available at the summer conference July 27-31 in Minneapolis. Click here for the class schedule for that conference.

We'd love to know what classes everyone plans to take or is thinking about taking. It's so much fun to find out who else will be in a class with you.

I'll go ahead and get us started and share with you what I plan on taking at each location.

Minneapolis

Professional Development Day
Thursday, T207C, Crochet Camisoles that Fit with Joan Davis
Sunday, N107C, Polish Star Stitch with Pauline Turner

And I think I'm going to add one more:
Thursday, T100C, Create a Coral Reef with Marty Miller

Greensboro

Professional Development Day
Wednesday night, W404C,Lace Pottery Part I, Maggie Weldon
Thursday all day, T303C, Polymer Clay Button Boutique with Suzann Thompson
Friday, F202C, Lace Pottery Part II with Maggie Weldon
Saturday all day, S302C, Freeform Crochet Floral Brooches and Neckpieces with Prudence Mapstone

So what will YOU be taking?

Amy Shelton
CGOA President

Summer Chain Link Registration Now Open!

2011-04-07T13:30:00.000-07:00

Registration is now open for the summer Chain Link conference in Minneapolis from July 27-31.

Registration is now open for the summer Chain Link conference in Minneapolis from July 27-31.

Come join us for classes, shopping, fashion shows, member meetings, special events, and so much more!

CGOA on Getting Loopy Podcast!

2011-03-24T07:10:00.000-07:00

Amy Shelton, CGOA President, and Karen Whooley, CGOA Secretary, appeared on the March 14 episode of the Getting Loopy podcast with host Mary Beth Temple to talk about CGOA. Karen and I enjoyed talking with Mary Beth and sharing information about the benefits of being a CGOA member, our upcoming Chain Link conferences, and our Master of Advanced Stitches and Techniques program.

CGOA donated a tote bag to the Getting Loopy weekly giveaway. Congratulations to our winner, Laura R. of West Allis, WI, who is interested in starting a CGOA chapter in her area. If you live near that area, please contact CGOA so we can forward your contact information to Laura.

Listen to the Getting Loopy CGOA episode:

Listen on BlogTalkRadio

Listen on iTunes (This link goes to a web page, with a link that will open the episode in the iTunes program. You'll need to have iTunes installed on your computer to listen via this option.)

CGOA 2011 Design Competition Celebrates (and rewards) Crochet

2011-03-18T09:21:00.001-07:00

Be a part of this singular event celebrating the beauty and artistry of crochet, the only competition of its kind. Thanks to a bevy of magnificent sponsors we have thousands of dollars in cash prizes to award to our winning guild members for the best of the best in crochet design. With a huge grand prize plus first, second and third place prizes of $300, $200 and $100 respectively in each of seven judging categories plus special prizes, this promises to be the most rewarding event ever.

Here are the design categories for 2011 and their sponsors as of this writing:
1. Fanciful Fashion (sponsored by Tulip Co, makers of exceptional tools including Etimo cushion grip crochet hooks and Carry T)
Fancy adult garments and accessories, including gowns, dresses and evening wear.
2. Fashion (sponsored by Tahki Stacy Charles, bringing you fine yarn lines Tahki, S Charles, Filatura Di Crosa and Loop-d-Loop)
Garments for women or men, including sweaters, tops, jackets and skirts.
3. Accessories (sponsored by WEBS, America’s Yarn Store)
Wearables including shawls, socks, scarves, hats, bags, belts and jewelry.
4. Small Wonders (sponsored by Boye and the Crochet Dude brand of crochet tools and accessories)
Anything small scale, including baby items, toys, amigurimi and small décor items.
5. Afghans (sponsored by Caron International and BuyCaron.com)
Any and all afghans, throws, blankets and bed or sofa covers.
6. Thread Crochet (sponsored by FaveCrafts/Prime Publishing, offering diverse crochet e-newsletters, e-books and patterns at FaveCrafts.com)
Anything made with crochet thread, including doilies, décor and accessories.
7. Artistic Expressions (sponsored by Leisure Arts, bring you the art of everyday living)
Artistic rather than functional in nature, including free-form and mixed media pieces, hangings, sculpture and wearable art.

Special Prizes
Grand Prize, sponsored in part by Interweave Press
$100 Special Technique Award from DesigningVashti for outstanding use of alternate crochet techniques and construction including Tunisian, Broomstick and Hairpin
$100 Peoples’ Choice Award from the Crochet Liberation Front to be chosen on site by attendee voting

Judges
We are thrilled to welcome this year’s panel of judges: Marcy Smith, editor of Interweave Crochet magazine; Kathleen Sams, ambassador for Coats & Clark; and Drew Emborsky, the Crochet Dude. Judging will take place on location at the CGOA Conference in Greensboro, North Carolina, 21 September 2011 and winners will be announced during the Awards Ceremony on 22 September 2011. You do not have to be present to enter or to win but you will want to be there to marvel at the awesome display of entries and unveiling of the winning designs.

Please use the links provided at www.crochet.org to download the complete Design Competition Information package and access the electronic entry form. Deadline for entries to be shipped to the receiving location is 31 August, 2011. Please do not submit a form until you ship your entry in August.

Hope to see you there!

Submitted by Doris Chan, Chairman, CGOA 2011 Design Competition Committee

Downloads:
Design Competition Info (pdf file)

Entry Form

National Crochet Month Crochet-Along (CAL)

2011-03-01T13:06:00.000-08:00

Join us for an exciting crochet-along (CAL) here at CGOA Now! during March to celebrate National Crochet Month. How does it work?

Pick a project to work on for the month or even just part of the month.

Add a comment to this post and share information about your project: pattern (give a link if you can or tell us where it was published), yarn you’re using, why you chose to make this project, anything you want to share.

Add photos to CGOA’s flickr photo pool. Then add links to your photos in your comment.

Update us on your progress as often as you like by making new comments.

Now I’m off to pick my National Crochet Month CAL project!

Amy Shelton
CGOA President

Help CGOA celebrate National Crochet Month!

2011-03-01T13:05:00.000-08:00

Did you know that March has been designated National Crochet Month? Your CGOA Board of Directors invites you to help us celebrate! We will be sponsoring a Crochet-Along in March (check this post [insert link] for all the details). If you joined CGOA or renewed your CGOA membership during or after our 2010 Chain Link Conference last year, you were given access to 'Across the Board Crochet', a pdf pattern booklet featuring patterns designed by the 2010 CGOA board members. Perhaps you’d like to work on one of these projects. Or perhaps there’s a pattern from Crochet! magazine (which you receive as one of your member benefits) that you’ve been anxious to try. Don’t forget all the other countless crochet patterns available in books, magazines, and on the internet.

Do you plan on doing anything special in March to help promote awareness of just how awesome crochet is? Please post a comment and let us know your plans. Feel free to post links to your activities!

If you need help deciding how you’d like to help promote crochet during March, here are some ideas:

Promote crochet.

Teach someone to crochet.
Offer to create a crochet display at your local library.
Write a book review of any crochet book. (Post it here on the blog!)

Expand your own crochet skills.

Learn a new crochet stitch or technique.
Experiment with a new yarn.
Visit your local library to see what crochet books they have.

Crochet for charity.

Select a special charity to crochet for during March.
Explore new charities you might like to crochet for. A good resource for finding charities is Lion Brand's Charity Connection.

Make new crochet friends.

Attend a local crochet meeting.
Join or start a local CGOA chapter.
Strike up a conversation with someone you see shopping for yarn. You can break the ice by asking if they know March is National Crochet Month!

Let’s make National Crochet Month 2011 rock!

CGOA 2011 Hall of Fame

2011-01-18T10:28:00.000-08:00

CGOA Members: Please Vote!

Voice your choice of three from the 8 nominees chosen from among over 40 names that were submitted!

http://www.crochet.org/halloffame.html (note if this link doesn't show as live, copy and paste it into your browser window).

Now on the member section of the website is the listing of all 40 names with links to where you can find information about them: designers, authors, artists, promoters, educators and more. The Hall of Fame committee members wanted to create this permanent database of inspiration for all members to use as reference for their work.

Enjoy - AND VOTE!

Cari Clement, Board Liaison, Hall of Fame Committee

Volunteer Position Open: Book Reviewer

2011-01-13T08:02:00.000-08:00

Lyn Robinson, who has done a fabulous job reviewing books for CGOA over the past few years, has let us know that she must resign her position. We greatly appreciate the insightful reviews Lyn has provided for us during her tenure as book reviewer. With Lyn's resignation, we are in need of a new person to review books for the Chain Link newsletter.

When CGOA receives a book from a publisher to be reviewed, the book is sent to our book reviewer. After the review has been written, the reviewer sends the book on to the Linda Sauter library.

If you are interested in the book reviewer position, please write a review of any crochet book of your choice, and submit it via email to amyshelton AT crochetville DOT org. We will review all submissions and select a new book reviewer as quickly as possible.

Introducing New Board Members and Officers for 2011!

2011-01-05T09:29:00.000-08:00

New Board Members
We are pleased to welcome Jack Blumenthal (Senior Vice President at Lion Brand Yarns), and Mary Colucci (Executive Director, Craft Yarn Council and Warm Up America Foundation). We are sure Jack and Mary will be wonderful additions to the board of directors.

Retiring Board Members
We are sad to say good-bye to Marty Miller, past President of CGOA, and Carol Alexander, past Vice President of CGOA, as they complete their second terms on the board. We appreciate their service and hard work over the past four years, and we know they will both continue to be very involved in CGOA.

2011 Officer and Board Member List

President: Amy Shelton
Vice President: Cari Clement
Secretary: Karen Whooley
Treasurer: Jane Rimmer

Board Members at Large:
Jack Blumenthal
Mary Colucci
Tammy Hildebrand

We are looking forward to an exciting 2011! Your new board of directors is already hard at work continuing plans for our two fabulous Chain Link conferences this year.

New Board Member

2010-12-02T14:38:00.000-08:00

The CGOA Board of Directors reluctantly accepted the resignation of board member Barbara Hillery van Elsen due to personal reasons. The Board has appointed Tammy Hildebrand to complete the remainder of Barbara’s term. Tammy is a long time member of CGOA, a Professional member and the Chair of the Professional Development Committee. Welcome to the Board, Tammy!

Announcing: CGOA 2011 Design Competition

2010-11-23T20:01:00.001-08:00

NOTE FROM CGOA Board: The information posted below is correct. The information that appears in the latest issue of Chain Link in Crochet! magazine was sent to print before all the decisions about the two 2011 Chain Link conferences had been made. This correct information will be printed in the next issue of Chain Link. We apologize for any confusion.

Thank you so much to the 2011 Design Competition Committee for all their hard work to bring us another excellent event!

____________________________________________

Join us in a celebration of crochet creativity like no other. The CGOA 2011 Design Competition invites all CGOA members to help show the world the best that crochet can be. Whether your talents lie in dreaming up afghans, garments, doilies, bags, amigurimi, freeform or joyful artistic expression, there’s a design category to entice. And with thousands of dollars in cash prizes at stake, your entry can be richly rewarding.

The Competition judging and Awards Ceremony will take place during the CGOA Conference in Greensboro, North Carolina, September 21-25, 2011. The Competition is open to CGOA members only, at all membership levels including General, Associate Professional, Professional and Corporate. Any design that is primarily crocheted, is the designer’s own original work, and has not been previously entered or published may be submitted. This year’s entry package is again electronic, and will be ready to roll in early January. Please visit the CGOA website at www.crochet.org or the CGOA Now blog at cgoanow.blogspot.com for official rules and the latest information and for the link to view, download and complete our new, electronically fillable (experimental!) entry form.

The deadline for entries to be shipped to the receiving location is 31 August, 2011. You don’t have to attend the Greensboro event to participate or win, but you won’t want to miss the excitement on site as we unveil the awesome display of entries and announce the winners. So get those creative juices flowing and plan on being part of this singular event as we further the prestige, pursuit and recognition of crochet excellence.

Submitted by Doris Chan, Chairman

CGOA 2011 Design Competition Committee

Call for Entries: 2012 Crochet Pattern a Day Calendar

2010-11-15T09:46:00.000-08:00

Greetings!

Calling all knitting & crochet designers! If you have a pattern or patterns that you would like to submit in our 2012 Pattern Calendar Contest, please click here.

Contest Prizes:

1st place: $500
2nd place: $350
3rd place: $150

UPDATE: Due to a lack of high resolution images, we are opening the submission process up for additional patterns until November 20th, 2010. Also, please note that if you submit multiple patterns, your chances of winning increases and you will receive a FREE calendar for each pattern that is included in the 2012 calendar.

If you received an e-mail from Christy asking for a new or higher resolution photo, please get that in ASAP!

2011 Contributors: Everyone should have received their calendar from last year by now. If you have not received yours, please contact me with your current mailing address and the name of the included pattern. It is VERY important to me that our contributors get their FREE calendars.

Sincerely,
Susan Ripley

Quick Links

Knitting Information
Crochet Information
Why Should You Submit?
Contest Information
Buy A Calendar

** SUBMIT A PATTERN **

Email Susan

Designer's retain ALL ownership and copyright to their patterns. New patterns are always appreciated, but patterns that you are currently selling on your website, blog or on social sites like ravelry.com are perfectly acceptable. You are simply granting us permission to print your pattern(s) in our calendar. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me so I can answer them for you!

Multiple submissions give you a better chance of winning the contest and you will receive a FREE calendar for EACH pattern that is included in the calendar.

If you are interested in learning more about why designers submit their work to our calendar, click here.

CGOA at Stitches East this weekend!

2010-10-29T11:41:00.000-07:00

Penny Sitler, Executive Director of CGOA, will be at Stitches East this weekend in Hartford, CT. Please drop by the CGOA booth 727. Drop by to say hi, renew your membership, join for the first time, or just find out more about CGOA.

If you join CGOA at Stitches East, you'll get a free issue of Crochet! magazine!

CGOA Chapters on CBS Early Show

2010-09-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

CGOA Chapters The HHCC and the NYCCG attended the taping of the CBS Early
Show yesterday. For details & pics, please visit The HHCC's blog at
_www.TheHHCC.org_ (http://www.TheHHCC.org)

~Dee Stanziano
CGOA Professional Member/Mentor
CYCA Certified Crochet Teacher
www.CrochetingWithDee.com
www.CrochetWithDee.com

Two Crochet Conferences in 2011!

2010-08-13T13:01:00.000-07:00

We had such a blast at Chain Link in Manchester this year, that we will spread the joy in 2011 by offering you two conferences. The board of directors is still hard at work making plans for the events to be held at each conference. We would love to hear your ideas, suggestions, and thoughts! If you have a great idea for a conference event, please add a comment to this post. Let us know if the idea is for a specific location or would be great to have at both events.

Minneapolis in July
Classes: Wednesday, July 27 through Saturday, July 30
Shopping: Friday, July 29 through Sunday, July 31
Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

Greensboro, NC in September
Classes: Wednesday, September 21 through Saturday, September 24
Shopping: Friday, September 23 through Sunday, September 25
Sheraton Greensboro at Four Seasons/Joseph S. Koury Convention Center

We can’t wait to hear from you!

Club Caron Dance Party a Huge Success!

2010-07-09T21:45:00.000-07:00

CGOA members danced the night away at the Club Caron dance party. Special thanks to Caron for sponsoring the food and cash bar, to Doris Chan for her DJ services and sound system, and Crochetville for licensing the music.

Pictures will soon be posted all over the internet by a number of CGOA members to show everyone how much fun we had! If you enjoyed the event and would like us to continue next year, please let us know. If you had as good a time as the organizers did, we hope to do this again next year!

2010 Design Competition Winners!

2010-07-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

All photos copyright 2010 Doris Chan. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Grand Prize $1000 (Coats & Clark)
Category: Small Wonders: “Kyoto Coat”, Shelby Allaho
Child’s Japanese Kimono inspired coat in orange, brown and pink wool with a crazy quilt style sash and delicate ruffled skirt.

CATEGORY: Special Occasion
First Prize $300 (Coats & Clark)
“Bridal Fantasy”; Patricia Williams
Dress took four and a half months to complete. 100 percent Japanese silk was used for the design which was worked using various stitches into the modern take of Irish Crochet. Buttons are all hand made, done with glass beads.

Second Prize $200 (Caron)
People’s Choice $200 (Caron)
“City Nights”; Willena Nanton
The dress is a combination of Caron Country merino will blend with Red Heart acrylic and the neckline is made with Nashua Grand Opera (wool, viscose, metallic, polyester) yarns. The dress uses tapestry crochet to show the city skyline at the bottom and the top is made with various designs using single and tapestry crochet.

Third Prize $100 (Leisure Arts)
“Weightless Tunisian Stole”; Vashti Braha
When I think of this stole, I remember the first time I wore it. It was a special night, breezy and cool, and I felt beautiful. The Tunisian stitch pattern is my own combination of eyelet, slip, and twisted Tunisian stitches. I have not found this kind of eyelet lace used anywhere else so I've named it “Wicker Stitch". I like that the return rows settle into enough of a diagonal grain that the fabric acquires more stretch than the usual Tunisian stitch pattern. Yarn is a 75% kid mohair and 25% silk lightweight yarn called Ovation by S.R. Kertzer.

CATEGORY: Daywear
First Prize $300 (Caron)
“Co-Tri-Mo Sweater”; Carole Schumann
Colorful triangular motifs were used to build this design. Part of the fun is selecting several colorways and arranging the colors as you go. A clever crochet trim worked down the front of the sweater simulates a cardigan style, with beads added as faux buttons to complete the look.

Second Prize $200 (Interweave)
“Fantasy in Purple and Lime”; Margaret Hubert
Short sleeve fun cardigan in a specialty rayon yarn in vibrant colors. Some free form embellishments spice it up. While not really special occasion, it can go from day into evening. The yarn inspired this design.

Third Prize $100 (Leisure Arts)
“Corktown Cropped Cardigan”; Sandra Van Burkleo
This mixed media cardigan was my response to a terrible woman who announced (in a knit design class) that crochet was only good for TRIM. So this cardigan has KNITTED trim. With pockets.

CATEGORY: Small Wonders (Baby, Kid Stuff)
First Prize $300 (DRG)
“Flower Boxes Play Mat; Deb Burger
The bright primary colors and thick felted texture make this an ideal "floor play" mat or playpen mat. The blanket is crocheted from a filet chart, then flowers embroidered with wool yarn and then it is all felted together. Pre-shrunk by the felting, the blanket is machine wash-and-dryable... easy on Mon, fun and safe for baby.

Second Prize $200 (Leisure Arts)
“Reversible Antique Brooch Baby Blanket”; Tanis Galik
This baby blanket is created in Coats&Clark Red Heart Soft yarn in Seafoam and Off-White using Interlocking Crochet Antique Brooch stitches. One side has seafoam background with off-white antique brooches; the other side has an off-white background with seafoam antique brooches. Tanis Galik's book Interlocking Crochet will be out this November. It contains 10 single-design stitches and 70 double-design stitches, plus 10 new Interlocking Crochet projects. Tanis can be reached at www.InterlockingCrochet.com.

Third Prize $100 (Boye)
“Baby Bubble Throw”; Shari White
The throw was done in Bernat Baby Sport: Baby White, Baby Denim Marl and Baby Blue. The bubbles were created by using a sc cluster and cables used to accentuate the throw.

CATEGORY: Accessories
First Prize $300 (Caron)
“Jewels of the Sea”; Shelby Allaho
A freeform crochet necklace inspired by shells found on the beach in Kuwait. Scrumbles and felt cut-outs are embellished with embroidery and arranged to showcase the seashells.

Second Prize $200 (Interweave)
“Tree Hat”; Leslie Nelle-Urinyi
The Tree Hat is a one of a kind piece created for the 2010 International Freeform Crochet Guild's online show and book, "Somewhere in My World". Yarns used: Patons Classic Wool and Berrocco's Softtwist and some minor amounts of metallic/mohair yarn. Hat is primarily crochet except for the "tree limbs" which were made using pipe cleaners inserted in knitted I cords. Top of hat started with a crochet piece with "tree trunks" that was then felted. Landscape crochet using various colors and stitches were added to form the body of the hat with a reverse sc edging. "Tree Limbs" were then inserted in felted "tree trunks"; various size leaves were then sewn to the "tree limbs". Some crochet corkscrews and a couple of vintage lucite teardrop beads were added. Stitches used, sc, hdc, dc, bobble and some surface crochet. Various size hooks used.

Third Prize $100 (Coats & Clark)
“Peony Blossom Shawlette”; Deb Burger
Light and airy Mohair/silk blend, and shoulder warming shape make this a perfect accessory for spring evenings. Peony blossoms decorate the edge, adding elegance.

CATEGORY: Décor
First Prize $300 (Coats & Clark)
“Hinterland”; Shannon Mullett-Bowlsby
This piece was created using a modern sensibility along with a combination of traditional filet crochet techniques and the archetypal look of the grand creations from the past. The pattern is very organic in its construction as each stitch is determined by the stitch it is building upon in the row below using the "if, then" logic process. These techniques from the past and modern interpretations of the traditional art of crochet merge to create this gorgeously patterned heirloom afghan. This afghan is worked from the center out, and the logic process used in the patterning ensures the smooth lay of the piece.

Second Prize $200 (Boye)
“Locomotive Afghan”; Susan Lowman
Ten colors of Red Heart Supersaver were used for this afghan. It was made in intarsia method of color changes and is worked entirely in sc stitches.

Third Prize $100 (Leisure Arts)
Technical Merit $150 (KJ Hay)
“Reversible Native American Afghan”; Tanis Galik
This afghan is created in black and red acrylic yarn using numerous Interlocking Crochet stitches. One side has a predominately black background with four designs in red; the other side has a predominately red background with four different designs in black. Tanis Galik's book Interlocking Crochet will be out this November. It contains 10 single-design stitches and 70 double-design stitches, plus 10 new Interlocking Crochet projects. Tanis can be reached at www.InterlockingCrochet.com.

CATEGORY: Thread
First Prize $300 (Coats & Clark)
Evening Bag; Kathie Earle
Evening bag worked in No/ 40 DMC crochet thread with steel hook. Approx 600 plastic rings incorporated into the design and each ring covered with single crochet as the work progressed. Grape and Vine leaf motifs in traditional Irish crochet technique.

Second Prize $200 (Coats & Clark)
“Victorian Tea Gown”; Cynthia Mallett
The Victorian Tea Gown consists of a beaded bodice with leg-of-mutton sleeves and a laced back. The gathered skirt features a scalloped lace design on the front panel and hem. Both pieces are heavily beaded and made with a light green cotton thread.

Third Prize $100 (Boye)
Technical Merit $150 (KJ Hay)
“Rose Infinity”; Kathryn A. White
Doily done in size 20 thread in cream, pink and green. Design has a spiral effect and measures about 18 inches across.

Honorable Mentions
“The Flowers are Alive; Daisy and Black-eyed Susan”; Elaine Brown
This is my idea of what flowers would look like if they were alive and looked like people. Daisy appeared in my mind fully formed. I knew I had to bring her to life. So this is my vision of what I saw in my mind. I also had to make her a friend so Black Eyed Susan was born. Susan is my favorite summer flower.

“Waterlilly”; Kathie Earle
Contemporary table centre worked in traditional Irish technique, using Coats Patons no/ 100 thread and no/ 10 for padding.

“Pop Top Bottle Top Purse”; Denise Royal
Purse is made from pop tops, bottle tops, corn yarn and recycled fabric.

“Free Spirit Tote”; Lindsey Stephens
The Free Spirit Tote will quickly become one of your favorite projects. The majority of the bag is done in single crochet with variations such as slip stitch embroidery, back loop only stitches, and frequent color changes to make it anything but boring. The Free Spirit Tote is nice and roomy, with button loops that go around the sides of the top to cinch in the opening and keep contents secure. Pattern is available for purchase at www.PoetryinYarn.com.

Technical Merit $150 (KJ Hay)
“Rose Infinity”; Kathryn A. White

Technical Merit $150 (KJ Hay)
“Reversible Native American Afghan”; Tanis Galik

People’s Choice $200 (Caron)
“City Nights”; Willena Nanton

Professional Development Day

2010-07-07T20:13:00.000-07:00

Over 100 people attended Professional Development Day at the 2010 Chain Link conference. The morning started as Kristin Omdahl shared a look at her daily life as a crochet designer and Lily Chin shared details of her daily life as a crochet instructor. Jack Blumenthal and other staff members shared information about the Lion Brand Studio and the latest Lion Brand yarns.

All photos copyright 2010 Amy Shelton, Crochetville LLC. All rights reserved.

The afternoon featured the following roundtable discussions:

Susan Lowman: Contract Crocheting (from an editor/designer's perspective)

Lily Chin: Design Inspiration

Edie Eckman: Designing for Publication

Ellen Gormley: The Business of Crochet

Gwen Bortner: Being a Teacher--Starting Out Right

Karen Klemp: Teaching Challenges

Robyn Chachula: Making the Internet Work for You

Suzann Thompson: A Book's Journey--From Idea to Book Signing

The day also featured a benefit to raise money for the Lyme Disease Association in honor of Tammy Hildebrand.

2010 Design Competition: Winners Announced This Week!

2010-07-04T05:34:00.001-07:00

Who will win? In less than a week the CGOA 2010 Design Competition will be underway at the Chain Link Conference in Manchester, New Hampshire. Judges Bobbie Matela of Coats & Clark, Jean Leinhauser of Creative Partners and Edie Eckman, noted author, designer and educator, will be choosing the best of the best from among a brilliant field of entries. Immediately following the Gala Awards Ceremony on Thursday evening, 8th July, a complete list of winners will be posted here. So check back and spread the word.

Submitted by Doris Chan, Chairman, CGOA 2010 Design Competition Committee

Teaching Opportunity: Canadian CGOA Members

2010-05-21T11:30:00.001-07:00

The Craft Yarn Council is currently seeking certified knitting and crochet instructors for paid teaching positions in Canada. If you are interested in becoming a Craft Yarn Council certified instructor and you would like to teach,please contact Jenny Bessonette at 469-964-4525 or jennyb AT craftyarncouncil DOT com for more information.

Buddy Program at Chain Link

2010-04-27T11:41:00.000-07:00

The CGOA will be pairing conference "Newbies" with experienced conference goers as "Buddys". Terry K. will be coordinating the placement of buddies with newbies and we will be planning some events to do together to welcome the new attendees.

If you remember your first time at the conference, you will appreciate how nice it will be for the new folks to come, knowing someone will be there to give them a hand. This does not have to be a huge time commitment, and once you are assigned, you can work together with your buddy and decide how to proceed. Terry will be organizing a few events to attend together that will break the ice for the newcomers.

If you are an experienced conference goer, please consider volunteering to be a buddy to a new conference attendee. You may contact Terry on the CGOA members-only yahoo message board, on Ravelry (tk-arts) or via her email address at comcast.net: twkehrer. (Please put the email address parts together as required.)

You can also contact the CGOA management office for more information.

World Record Attempt:: Most People Crocheting Simultaneously

2010-04-27T11:34:00.000-07:00

Stitch N’ Pitch is making an attempt to set the Guinness Book of World Records for Most People Crocheting Simultaneously at Mets Citi Field on Saturday, June 5th at the Mets 4th Annual Stitch N’ Pitch event. Come and help us make history!

Click here for the official event flyer and FAQ.

Here are all of the details – All Participants MUST:

• Purchase a Mets Stitch N’ Pitch ticket – details at www.StitchNPitch.com

• Let us know you will be attending – RSVP to Guinness@StitchNPitch.com

• Are encouraged to arrive early - gates open at 1:30PM.

• Check in outside Section 531 to receive your complimentary crochet hook and yarn.

• Be seated no later than 2:00PM in Section 531 with crochet hook and yarn.

• Guinness Record event will start promptly at 2:15PM

• Crochet for at least 15 minutes non-stop in order to set the record!

Chain Link 2010: Online Registration Now Open!

2010-04-08T10:01:00.000-07:00

2010 CGOA CHAIN LINK

Radisson Hotel Manchester/Ctr of NH
Manchester, NH

July 7 (Wed.) - Professional Development Day
July 8-10 (Thurs., Fri., Sat.) - Education and Conference Activities
July 9-10 (Fri., Sat.) - Exhibits Open

We hope you will join us for a wonderful crochet conference experience in Manchester, New Hampshire in August. Online registration is now open! Please click the following links for information on classes, daily activities, and registration. We hope to see you in Manchester!

SELLING OUT: Several classes have already sold out! Register soon to be sure you get the classes you really want to take!

Information on Daily Activities

List of Classes

Register Online or Print a Registration Form to Mail/Fax

For hotel and travel information, go to the Knit & Crochet Show Travel page.

Get information on CGOA's 2010 Commemorative Crochet Hook.

2010 Design Competition

2010-03-11T08:10:00.000-08:00

The CGOA 2010 Design Competition needs your creativity. Here’s a chance for the Guild membership to show the world the best of what crochet can do. Whether you are a published or professional designer, a talented amateur hobbyist, or a total crochet-a-holic, you are invited to enter your most amazing original creations for consideration. Judging will take place on Thursday evening, July 8th, at the gala Awards Ceremony during the CGOA 2010 Conference in Manchester, NH. You don’t have to be there to win, but you’ll definitely want to be part of the excitement and see the eye-popping display of entries.

Thanks to generous grants from our sponsors, including Coats & Clark, Boye Needle, DRG’s Crochet! magazine, and Interweave Crochet, we have thousands of dollars to be awarded: one grand prize of $1,000 plus, in each of six judging categories, $300 first prize, $200 second prize, $100 third prize, and special awards to be announced.

This year’s categories are more inclusive than ever:

--Fashion, Adult Eveningwear and Special Occasion, including gowns and dresses

--Fashion, Adult Daywear (for women and men), including sweaters, tops, skirts, jackets

--Baby and Kid Stuff, including clothes, toys and other small wonders

--Accessories, generally small pieces, including wraps, socks, scarves, hats, bags, jewelry

--Home Décor, both functional and decorative items, including afghans/throws, wall hangings, kitchen/dining accessories

--Thread Crochet – any design made in any super-fine weight thread material, generally using tiny gauge and steel crochet hooks.

The competition is open to CGOA members only. All entries must be original designs. All crochet techniques are encouraged, using any materials you like. Other fiber, needle and crafting arts may be incorporated in your design, but the overall impression must be crochet. Entrants will not be required to furnish written patterns. Please see the official entry form and information package for complete rules and details. Entries must be shipped to arrive at the collection location between June 1 and June 15, 2010. So grab that hook and get to it.
Download your entry packet from the members-only section of the CGOA web site.

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IS JUNE 15, 2010

Click here to email questions

Submitted by Doris Chan, Chairman, 2010 Design Competition Committee

In Honor of National Crochet Month: Crochet-Along with CGOA!

2010-03-11T07:58:00.000-08:00

National Crochet Month March 2010: A CGOA Crochet-Along

Your CGOA Board of Directors invites you to join us in a Crochet-Along (CAL) during March 2010 in honor of National Crochet Month!

For this CAL, pick any crochet project that you like. If you joined CGOA or renewed your CGOA membership during or after our 2009 Chain Link Conference last August, you were given access to Across the Board Crochet, a pdf pattern booklet featuring patterns designed by some of the 2009 CGOA board members. Perhaps you’d like to work on one of these projects. Or perhaps there’s a pattern from Crochet! magazine (which you receive as one of your member benefits) that you’ve been anxious to try. Don’t forget all the other countless crochet patterns available in books, magazines, and on the internet.

We’d love to hear from you as you try to decide what you’d like to work on during the CAL. Please feel welcome to post comments to this blog post and let us know what patterns and yarn you’re considering. Share links when available! Don’t forget to leave a new comment when you make your final decision. Your selection may inspire others to make the same thing right alongside you!

You can share your photos on the CGOA flick group via these links:

Main CGOA flickr photo pool

CGOA flick photo pool CAL discussion thread

2010-02-25T18:44:00.000-08:00

The CGOA 2010 Design Competition needs your creativity. Here’s a chance for the Guild membership to show the world the best of what crochet can do. Whether you are a published or professional designer, a talented amateur hobbyist, or a total crochet-a-holic, you are invited to enter your most amazing original creations for consideration. Judging will take place on Thursday evening, July 8th, at the gala Awards Ceremony during the CGOA 2010 Conference in Manchester, NH. You don’t have to be there to win, but you’ll definitely want to be part of the excitement and see the eye-popping display of entries.
Thanks to generous grants from our sponsors, including Coats & Clark, Caron International, Boye Needle, DRG Crochet! Magazine, and Interweave Crochet, we have thousands of dollars to be awarded: one grand prize of $1,000 plus, in each of six judging categories, $300 first prize, $200 second prize, $100 third prize, and special awards to be announced.
This year’s categories are more inclusive than ever:
--Fashion, Adult Eveningwear and Special Occasion, including gowns and dresses
--Fashion, Adult Daywear (for women and men), including sweaters, tops, skirts, jackets
--Baby and Kid Stuff, including clothes, toys and other small wonders
--Accessories, generally small pieces, including wraps, socks, scarves, hats, bags, jewelry
--Home Décor, both functional and decorative items, including afghans/throws, wall hangings, kitchen/dining accessories
--Thread Crochet, any design made in any super-fine weight thread material, generally using tiny gauge and steel crochet hooks.
The competition is open to CGOA members only. All entries must be original designs. All crochet techniques are encouraged, using any materials you like. Other fiber, needle and crafting arts may be incorporated in your design, but the overall impression must be crochet. Entrants will not be required to furnish written patterns. Please see the official entry form and information package for complete rules and details. Entries must be shipped to arrive at the collection location between June 1 and June 15, 2010. So grab that hook and get to it.
Visit the CGOA site at crochet.org to join, or log on as a member to download your entry package.
DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IS JUNE 15, 2010
Email questions to: DesignContest@crochet.org
Submitted by Doris Chan, Chairman, 2010 Design Competition Committee

March Is National Crochet Month!

2010-02-24T12:20:00.000-08:00

Join us for an exciting crochet-along (CAL) here at CGOA Now! during March to celebrate National Crochet Month. Crochet your favorite project(s), share links to photos of your work-in-progress or finished item(s) and leave comments to share about your chosen project(s). Even if you aren't able to participate in the CAL, you are still invited to leave positive comments about what others have made. Be sure to participate in this fun event and be inspired by all the lovely items people will be crocheting!
If your chapter is doing anything special for National Crochet Month, let us know! And be sure to share photos!

Welcome New Board Members and Officers!

2010-01-05T12:34:00.001-08:00

Please help us welcome four newly-elected members to the CGOA Board of Directors: Cari Clement, Karen Ratto-Whooley, Jane Rimmer, and Barbara Van Elsen.

Also join us in congratulating the newly-elected board officers for 2010:

President: Marty Miller
Vice-President: Carol Alexander
Secretary: Karen Ratto-Whooley
Treasurer: Amy Shelton

Congratulations to all!

Conference Planning Information

2009-11-24T07:14:00.000-08:00

We'd like to share some information with our members about how the CGOA board of directors makes decisions about our conferences. Since our conferences are held in conjunction with the TKGA conference and the Knit and Crochet Show (vendor shopping area), all three groups have input in the decision-making process.

Two of the most difficult decisions to make about holding a conference are where to hold it and when to hold it. Lots of factors must be considered when making those decisions. 1. Where in the past have we attracted the most attendees? 2. Do we want to try someplace new? What are the costs of the conference center, and how much will hotel rooms cost our members? How convenient is this place to get to by car, or airplane, or train? 3. When is the venue available?

We are not a large conference, so we have a limited pick of sites. Of the sites that we have been to, including Atlanta, Chicago, Oakland, Portland, Philadelphia, Manchester, Buffalo, and West Palm Beach, where did we get the most attendees? It was in Manchester, New Hampshire. (We had our first regional conference, along with the TKGA National Conference, in Atlanta. We had approximately 50 crocheters register for classes at that conference and sold 115 crochet class tickets. In Manchester we have drawn hundreds of crocheters in pre-registration, multiple years, and sold over 800 class tickets each time!) So, even though Manchester is not an airline hub, it drew more attendees than other conferences that were at hub cities. And, the conference center/hotel situation was very convenient for teachers and students. The conference center was adjacent to the hotel, so that teachers and attendees did not have to take a bus or hike back to their room at lunch if they wanted to drop something off. The teachers were very appreciative of this!

As for the time for the conference, because of our size and our room needs, we often don't get a lot of choices. The conference centers usually stay booked years in advance. We can't make our reservations years in advance, especially when we are testing new locations to see if they are viable. Sometimes, like Buffalo and Portland, there is not enough response to make it feasible to keep returning. We don’t want to be locked in by multiple-year contracts to venues that prove to not be financially feasible. And sometimes in checking out new locations, the dates we want aren’t available immediately and we have to wait a year. And in those cases (like this year) our fallback, proven venues also have date issues. So we have to take the times that we can. This year, the weekend is right after July 4th weekend. Not the most ideal time, but the only time available in the summer, when most of the attendees told us they like to attend the conferences.

Whenever a decision like this has to be made, we, the board members, know that we can't please everyone. But we want to please as many people as we can. We took a poll of our members in 2008 and as part of a Knit & Crochet Show poll in 2009, and the majority of those who responded said that they wanted the conferences in the Northeast in summer.

We also know that disappointed members will consider not rejoining CGOA, because they feel they're not being heard. Let us reassure you, we are listening. However, we hope you'll change your mind when you realize that CGOA is not just about the Chain Link conferences. CGOA is a close community of crocheters. And we all want to promote crochet. If you want to have a better organization, think about what you can do for CGOA by volunteering. Even though we have a management company who takes care of the business end of the organization, CGOA is run by a team of volunteers who work together. The CGOA board members all volunteer their time. The CGOA members on the committees and the committee chairs all volunteer their time. The members who help out at the conferences, and the class angels, they all volunteer their time. We couldn't do it without them. If you have any ideas about what CGOA could do to improve, we need you to volunteer, and to help us achieve that. Let us know if you are interested in volunteering to help CGOA become a force to be reckoned with! Also, stay the course. Some changes take time to implement for the best result.

When you join or renew your membership in CGOA, you get to take advantage of our discounts at various on-line retailers. You get to enter into our annual design contest (open only to members), you get a free pattern booklet, (new each year) with patterns from the CGOA Board members, you get to take our Masters in Crochet Stitches class, you get to take part in our on-line membership discussion group, you get to read all about CGOA and what's happening on our blog at http://cgoanow.blogspot.com, you get Crochet! magazine with our Chain Link newsletter four times a year, you get discounted classes at our Chain Link conferences and free attendance at the Market (The Knit & Crochet Show). And you get to be a member of this close community of crocheters.

One last thing – if you want CGOA to grow, you need to vote for the new board members. The ballot is in the Chain Link newsletter in your latest copy of Crochet! magazine. The ballots have to arrive at CGOA headquarters by the end of December. Please, if you are interested in change, don't forget to vote! (The check boxes for the candidates were left off the ballot. Just write "for" or "against" by each name. And you can write in your own candidates.)

Remember, it's you who can make CGOA be as great as it should be!

Warmly,
Your CGOA Board of Directors

Chain Link's Big Announcement for 2010!

2009-11-23T18:41:00.000-08:00

In 2010 the Chain Link Annual Conference will be (trumpet blast and drum roll!):

July 7 (Wed.) - Professional Development Day
July 8-10 (Thurs., Fri., Sat.) - Education and Conference Activities
July 9-10 (Fri., Sat.) - Exhibits Open
Radisson Hotel Manchester/Ctr of New Hampshire
Manchester, NH

Put a big CIRCLE around these dates and start to count down!

Abra-cro-dabra!
Let's turn Manchester
into Crochet Land!

It's OUR crochet get away!

- Design contest, fashion show!
- Crochet classes and get-togethers!
- Vendors with great crochet stuff!
- A venue that's all under one roof: easy to get to everything!

So get ready!
Feed your MAD MONEY STASH now, to come to our annual CHAIN LINK!

Watch for details at www.Crochet.org

Poll Results

2009-11-23T12:39:00.001-08:00

Earlier this year, we asked blog readers to tell us their favorite benefit of being a CGOA member. The results were:

Free subscription to Crochet! magazine: 63%
Discounts for CGOA members: 18%
Design contest for members: 14%
Linda Sauter Library: 3%

Thanks for your input, and watch the blog sidebar for new polls!

Suggestion Box 2009

2009-11-23T12:30:00.000-08:00

CGOA members, we want to hear from you! Do you have ideas for:

a location for the Chain Link conference?
new classes or instructors for Chain Link?
additions to the CGOA website?
new benefits we can offer our members?
anything else?

Please post your suggestions as comments to this post. All suggestions will be given thorough consideration by the board of directors. Watch this blog for announcements about suggestions we are able to implement.

See Your CGOA Board Members!

2009-09-08T07:45:00.001-07:00

Ever wondered what your CGOA Board Members look like? Here's a photo taken at the annual member meeting at Chain Link.

If we plan to attend any fiber-related conferences, we'll try to post that information here. You'll then be able to recognize us so you can come introduce yourself to us. We love to meet CGOA members anywhere!

CGOA Board of Directors, l-r: Penny Sitler, CGOA Executive Director; Amy Shelton; Marty Miller, Vice President; Vashti Braha; Carol Alexander, Secretary; Rita Weiss, President; and Drew Emborsky. Not pictured: Treva McCain, Treasurer.
Photo courtesy of Alexander Iannelli, whose wife Irene is a member of the Hooked on the Sound Crochet Guild chapter in CT.

Board Member Interview: Marty Miller

2009-08-26T06:22:00.000-07:00

Would you like to learn a little more about Marty Miller, CGOA Vice President? Check out this interview on Noreen Crone-Findlay's blog, Hankering for Yarn.

Breaking News: CPSIA Exempts Yarn from Testing/Certification Requirements

2009-08-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has just announced that yarn will be exempt from the rigorous lead testing and certification requirements required for children’s products under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). Many crocheters, handcrafters, and others in the fiber-arts industry had been very worried about the effects widespread testing requirements would have had on manufacturers at many points in the yarn/fiber distribution chain.

You can read more information on this ruling at www.apparelnews.net/news/manufacturing.

The October issue of Yarn Market News will feature in-depth coverage of this breaking story.

Some Exciting News about CGOA

2009-08-25T07:18:00.000-07:00

At Chain Link in Buffalo, the CGOA Board of Directors proudly unveiled their newest project - which will benefit all new and renewing members this year. Most of the 2009 Board members contributed a pattern to Across The Board Crochet, a pattern booklet that will be available on-line (for free) when you join or renew your membership to CGOA! Six patterns, all designed by the CGOA Board - Carol Alexander, Amy Shelton, Vashti Braha, Drew Emborsky, Marty Miller, and Lorraine Lucas. As Carol said in her introduction, these are some of our favorite patterns to design. We had fun making this booklet for you, and hope you have fun making the patterns!
Marty Miller
Vice President, CGOA Board of Directors
Editor, Across the Board Crochet

Have You Blogged About Chain Link?

2009-08-21T06:29:00.001-07:00

Many CGOA members and Chain Link attendees have posted on their blog about their experiences at Chain Link 2009. We would love to read your thoughts! Please post a comment with a link to your blog post(s) about Chain Link 2009.

CGOA 2009 Design Contest Winners

2009-08-19T09:24:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to all the winners of CGOA's 2009 Design Contest!

GRAND PRIZE
Crochet Confection Evening Gown by Renee Barnes of Bruno, AR, Fashion Category
$1,000 donated by Coats and Clark

Fashion Category
First Place: Flamenco Dancer Dress by Patricia Williams of Ozone Park, NY
$300 donated by Coats and Clark
Second Place: Blue Dress by Andrea Graciarena of Belmont, CA
$200 donated by Boye Needle Company
Third Place: Green Evening Dress by Paula Bennett of Torrance, CA
$100 donated by DRG, Crochet!
Honorable Mention: Baby Dress Set by Carol Carlile of Windfall, IN
Honorable Mention: Short-Sleeved Jacket with Shawl Collar by Margaret Hubert of Pawling, NY
Honorable Mention: Wedding Dress by Paula Bennett of Torrance, CA
Honorable Mention: Double Breasted Jacket by Mary Jane Hall of Beavercreek, OH
Honorable Mention: Bruges Lacy Dress by Hyacinth Thomas of Jamaica, NY
Honorable Mention: Corset Top by Tracie Barrett of Riverview, FL
Honorable Mention: Playing the Angles Jacket by Deborah Erbach Burger of Brevard, NC

Home Decor Category
First Place: Doily by Ferosa Harold of Mausica Arima, Trinidad & Tobago
$300 donated by Coats and Clark
Second Place: Freeform Pillow by Shelby Lynn Allaho of Eugene, OR
$200 donated by Interweave
Third Place: Victori Africana Footstool by Rhonda Davis of Atlanta, GA
$100 donated by DRG, Crochet!
Honorable Mention: Tamara's Trail Throw by Tamara Gonzales of Wichita, KS
Honorable Mention: Avalon Doily by Kathryn White of Gig Harbor, WA
Honorable Mention: Irish Lace Mat by Kathie Earle of Rathangian, Ireland
Honorable Mention: oily by Ferosa Harold of Mausica Arima, Trinidad & Tobago

Accessories Category
First Place: Spring Handbag by Jerry Rigdon of Dallas, TX
$300 donated by Coats and Clark
Second Place: Headpiece and Bag by Kathie Earle of Rathangian, Ireland
$200 donated by Boye Needle Company
Third Place: Butterfly Necklace by Sonja Hood of Toronto, ON, Canada
$100 donated by DRG, Crochet!
Honorable Mention: Evening Clutch Bag by Diane Moyer of Orange, CT
Honorable Mention: Silk, Silver and Lace Purse by Julia Bryant of Toronto, ON, Canada
Honorable Mention: Beaded Evening Bag by Sonja Hood of Toronto, ON, Canada
Honorable Mention: Freeform Hat with Earflaps by Leslie Nelle-Urinyi of W. Milford, NJ

Crochet As Art Category
First Place: Heartrock Hotel by Gwen Blakley-Kinsler of Rolling Meadows, IL
$300 donated by Coats and Clark
Second Place: The Harvest by Carol Ventura of Cookeville, TN
$200 donated by Interweave
Third Place: Pop Top Bowl by Denise Royal of Richardson, TX
$100 donated by Martingale & Company
Honorable Mention: Crochet On a Rock with a Twist of Lime by Gwen Blakley-Kinsler of Rolling Meadows, IL
Honorable Mention: Crochet Cabernet by Andrea Vanbenschoten of Wharton, NJ
Honorable Mention: Prayer Flags by Martha Furman Kojro of Rolla, MO

Special thanks to our judges:

Contest Chair: Cari Clement of Caron International
Contest Co-Chair and Designer Doris Chan
Last Year's Judge Jean Leinhauser
Brett Bara of Coats and Clark and Crochet Today
Michele Maks of DRG and Crochet World

Chain Link 2009 Photos on Flickr

2009-08-19T07:24:00.001-07:00

Chain Link attendees with flickr accounts, we have some exciting news for you! CGOA has a new CGOA flickr group. You're invited to upload any of your Chain Link photos to the group photo pool.

Just upload your photos to your regular flickr account. Then visit the CGOA flickr group and select which photos you want to upload to the group pool. It's as easy as that!

Here is a slide show of the photos currently in the group pool. We can't wait to see your photos added, too!

Chain Link 2009: Share Your Experiences!

2009-08-17T09:21:00.001-07:00

Chain Link 2009 was held in Buffalo, NY August 5-9. If you attended Chain Link, we'd love for you to comment and share your experiences. You may want to give us answers to some of these questions:

What was your favorite part of the conference?

What was your favorite class?

Who was your favorite teacher?

What is your best conference memory?

Chain Link 2009 Fashion Show Photos

2009-08-17T09:16:00.000-07:00

CGOA board member Drew Emborsky took some great photos of the Fashion Show that was part of Chain Link 2009's dinner banquet. We hope you enjoy this slide show of all the wonderful fashions!

All photos copyright 2009 Drew Emborsky.

Contact CGOA Board Members

2009-08-17T08:55:00.000-07:00

Do you have a suggestion, comment, or question for CGOA's Board members? Send an email to CGOAblog AT crochet DOT org. We would love to hear from you!

Members: Submit Content for the Blog

2009-08-17T08:53:00.002-07:00

Members are welcome to contribute crochet-related articles, reviews, photos, YouTube videos, and links to their own blogs. Please send your submissions to: cgoanow @ crochet.org (to help us avoid spam, cut and paste address into your email program and remove spaces from "@").

Blog Comment Policies

2009-08-17T08:53:00.001-07:00

CGOA welcomes your comments! To help us avoid comment-spam, all comments are moderated. Damaging, hateful, profane, advertising, or solicitation comments will not be approved. If your comment is not approved, please feel free to reword it and post it again. For guild-related questions, please send an email to: cgoanow @ crochet.org (to help us avoid spam, cut and paste address into your email program and remove spaces from "@").

CGOA's Official Member Newsletter

2009-08-17T08:52:00.001-07:00

For more information on CGOA's Chain Link Newsletter, the official newsletter of our organization which is mailed to members as an insert in the bi-monthly Crochet! magazine, email newsletter AT crochet DOT org.