Current Activities, Freeform Crochet, Beading, WWI Knitting, and Mining

Update on my activities.  About two months ago I finished my freeform crochet contributions to Prudence Mapstone's latest crochet/knitting collaboration: 50 Years of Flower Power.  My paisley

 is typical of many of the other contributions , but then I decided to create a tribute to Peter Max.

I can't wait to see how Prudence will assemble her collage of many hundreds of freeform contributions!  She is such a busy lady, teaching freeform knitting and crochet worldwide.  So I don't know when it will be completed, but occasionally she posts teasers of small sections that have been assembled.  See her blog (You may have to sign-up to access it):  http://50yearsofflowerpower.blogspot.com.au/2015_05_01_archive.html

A couple of weeks ago I completed my submission to this year's International Free Form Fiberarts (IFFF) Guild.  This year's theme is: The Ocean/the Color of Water.  I was inspired by Bobby Vinton's song "somewhere Beyond the Sea...on golden sands" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bRAtV-jgoQ , by shells naturally "freeformed" by sea worms and surf (which I found at Carolina Beach, NC), and by my love of beachcombing.  Mine is done in thread and bead crochet and various beading techniques, including freeform peyote beading.  I can't release my pictures yet, not until approximately late June, but in the mean-time check out past year's IFFF challenges on 

http://www.blurb.com/b/5466596-one-colour  and  http://www.intfff.com/

Currently I am writing an article on WWI Knitting Propaganda for the Center for Knit and Crochet--due in about a week.  Their earlier articles (many of which are really interesting) can be found on: http://centerforknitandcrochet.org/ckc-blog/

A few months ago I bought a beautifully-made and unusually-colored Sonoran Sunrise Jasper cabochon from Laura Lyle Wing (who sells her cabochons on Facebook).  It is blue turquoise and copper color rather than the more usual blue-green and red.  This cabochon has been calling me while I have been working on all my commitments above.  It really wants to be made into a necklace.  Despite deadlines, I have bezeled it and have started its design.  I plan to submit my design to one of the many beading magazines.

Lastly, I am so excited about (and am starting to prepare for) my upcoming (July 10-12) Mining Women Beading Retreat with Amy Katz http://www.beadjourney.com/about.html and Paulette Baron http://paulettebaron.com/ .  We will be mining at Poland (Maine) Mining Camp for quartz, tourmaline and other gem stones and will have beading classes in the evenings from Amy and Paulette.  All food and bedding supplied by the Camp.  What could be more fun?  One of our little party has had to drop out due to family issues, so if you are interested in purchasing her slot contact Amy or Paulette.

I recently published an article in the Crochet Guild of America's (CGOA's) Chain Link Newsletter on the "Miss Nimble Fingers" Speed Crochet Contest which took place on the grounds of the 1940 New York City World's Fair.  I promised close-up pictures on my website, but I am having problems with updating my website.  So I am posting them here.  Here's the program announcing the contest:

And here are the contestants:

Out of a field of 300-500 contestants, there was one man, Mr. Clifford Anthony of Union, NJ.  Here he is receiving a $5,000 accident policy "against the perils of flying crochet hooks":

And here he is demonstrating crocheting "hazards":

And here getting a demonstration of nurse's medical attention, should it be needed:

And because "the women made it quite hot for the lone male," here he is receiving water and shade:

And despite all the attention paid to Mr. Anthony, here is the winners' circle (with no Mr. Anthony). Mrs. Jennie Verbeak (or Verbeck, depending upon the source) won with 118 scallops, Mrs. Elizabeth Steffanelli (or Stafanelli) won the second prize.

There were 20 contenders for my NatCroMo give-away for the two ca.1913 Stitchery Quarterlies.  Anyway, I hated to disappoint so many, so I dug out 5 additional duplicates of vintage crochet publications that I have, to offer as "consolation" gifts to 5 additional people.  They are:

1. Mary Card's 1920 Original Designs in Various Styles of Crochet Book No.1 published in NY, in good condition, but with a bad tear across the cover.  It contains many of her fabulous designs.  But it is not in modern American notation, however the first page offers descriptions of each stitch.  It also has fabulous vintage advertisements.  
2. - 5. are 4 issues of Needlecraft Magazines, all missing covers, but all patterns intact.  All patterns appear to be in old notation similar to British crochet notation, so you will have to do some additional work to reproduce these patterns.  The first of these is November 1913, including crocheted finger purses, coronation braid crochet, some really neat crocheted ties for neck bows, and a few crocheted needlework tools.  
3. Needlecraft Magazine, January 1918 containing some nice filet crochet edges, crocheted baskets, WWI knitted comforts for soldiers, sailors and airmen.  
4. Needlecraft Magazine, March 1918 containing a handful of lovely filet crochet designs including a Mary Card "Great Seal of the United States in Filet Crochet".
5. Needlecraft Magazine, December 1918 (some pages torn in half, but not affecting readability of patterns) containing Mary Card Crocheted Gifts designs, daffodil filet crochet design, camels in filet crochet for a child's bedspread, and knitted items for soldiers, sailors and airmen.  

I blindly drew 7 names, all winners have selected their publications and all publications were all mailed on April 21, 2015.

2015 NatCroMo

As we near the end of March, I hope everyone has been enjoying National Crochet Month (NatCroMo) and I am delighted to participate in Crochetville's 2015 NatCroMo Blog Tour again this year.  I thank Amy Shelton and Donna Hulka for including me in it.

Let me get to my fabulous give-away first.  Since I consider myself a textile historian (specializing in handwork, particularly crochet and knitting), I approach things a little differently than my fellow designers.  (Actually, I feel a little presumptuous referring to myself as a designer; I consider myself a fledgling designer.)  So, rather than a free design or yarn, I am offering two (one each) c1913 Stitchery Quarterlies to two randomly-chosen people who send me a Facebook message stating "NatCroMo" between March 31 and April 15, 2015.  (If you are not already my friend, you may have to befriend me first to send me the message.)  I will put your names on slips of paper and blindly select the lucky winners no later than April 30th.  Good luck to all entrants!!!

So, you might ask "What are Stitchery Quarterlies?"  They are publications edited by Flora Klickmann during the early 20th century to supplement her Girl's Own Paper and Woman's Magazine (GOP), which she also edited.  GOP was a British equivalent to the 19th century U.S. Godey's and Peterson's Magazines, covering all topics deemed of interest to women. As Stitchery's title reveals, these supplements were devoted to textile handwork.  For more information see my May/June 2011 PieceWork magazine article "Flora Klickmann: Author, Editor, Needleworker."  I am proud that my adaptation of her butterfly is on that magazine's cover.  As you see I also have made these butterflies with finer, size 80, tatting thread.

Stitchery No.1 starts out with Flora's editorial "How Needlework Reveals Our Aims," and features Irish crochet patterns including the original instructions for the above butterfly (all patterns are in antiquated {pre-standardization} British notation), plain crochet (both thread and wool), Tunisian (Afghan stitch) crochet, articles on: Flora Klickmann's needlework tools collection, lace (bobbin and needle), beadwork, and other techniques.  It is a delightful little magazine.

No.4 starts our with Mary Frances Billington's editorial "Needlework and Commonsense." It includes many plain thread and wool crochet and Irish crochet, knitting, macrame  and embroidery patterns.  It includes a fabulous thread Daisy Design Baby's Cap made largely out of bullions (roll stitch).  It, too, is a delightful little magazine. 

Additionally, I am reintroducing my free Flower Bangle Pattern, in case you missed it last year.  See http://threadwinder.info/designs/crochetptns/FlowerBangle/default.htm for pattern instructions.

This blog is supposed to introduce me to you.  I am a retired government official, having specialized in large, main-frame computer systems. While working at that high-stress job, I relaxed by studying textile history, learning many textile and beadwork techniques, occasionally teaching others to crochet, and collecting textile handwork tools and publications.  While I still relax in the same way, that was my "other" life. 

Since retiring from my computer career in 2005, I have devoted much of my time to becoming a Crochet Guild of America (CGOA) professional member and earning CGOA's Master of Crochet Stitches and Techniques. My CGOA mentor, Randy Berne Cavalier, (a talented designer of classic crochet patterns) encouraged me to follow my passions and helped me recognize that I could fill a unique niche due to my years of studying textile history. So I began writing about textile history and adapting antique patterns for modern use.  You can find my articles in PieceWork, Crochet Traditions, CGOA Chainlink Newsletter, and Paper & Advertising Collectibles Marketplace magazines and Gwen Blakely-Kinsler's Royal Ramblings Blog.  

So, why am I wearing a vintage WWII-era hat with knitting needles on top for a crochet event?  Although my favorite techniques are crochet and beadwork, I study all needlework techniques and two of my specialty areas are the "WWI and WWII Workbasket Campaigns," which I define as the campaigns during the World Wars to knit (mostly), sew, quilt, and even crochet, items for warriors, wounded, refugees, and the patriotic homeland.  In addition to: displaying portions of my collections at various museums,  the blogs I wrote for Gwen (http://crochetqueen-royalramblings.blogspot.com/2013/10/wartime-crochet-with-attitude-part-i.html and http://crochetqueen-royalramblings.blogspot.com/2013/12/guest-blogge-part-2karen-ballard-world.html), and writing the March/April 2012 PieceWork "Patriotic Knitting Tools" article; I have provided consulting services to Melanie Gall for her CDs of WWI  Knitting all the Day (https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/melaniegall2) and WWII Sweeter in a Sweater  (http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/melaniegall1) knitting songs.

In 2011, at Greensboro, NC, I took freeform crochet classes from Prudence Mapstone.  (This is also where I first met Gwen.)  Prior to Prudence's freeform jewelry class I went to the nearby Emerald Hollow Mine in Hiddenite, NC and gathered semi-precious gemstones with the aim to use them in Prudence's class.  During her class I began making my NC Necklace.  I was honored with CGOA's first place award in their Small Wonders category the following year.

In 2013 Prudence Mapstone invited me to participate in her 2013 Hearts & Flowers Freeform Knit and Crochet Tour of Australia and New Zealand.  Here is my contribution:

I wanted to make something to serve as a U.S. ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, and what could be more American than to highlight the international nature of our heritage. I lived in Berlin, Germany during my high school years, where I saw many symmetrical interwoven hearts, so I designed a distorted version of the German heart as the 'ground' of my design, I filled it with flowers symbolic of my heritage: the wild rose for British, the edelweiss and cornflowers for German, the Iris for French, the double rose for my mother's birthplace in New York (and where my parents met during WWII), the violet for my and my father's birthplace in Wisconsin, and the dogwood for my husband's and son's birthplace in Virginia and my home (excluding those years in Germany) since 1951.

This year Prudence Mapstone invited me to participate in a 50 Years of Flower Power Collaboration piece.  Here is my Peter Max Tribute contribution (using his motifs and palette, but all made in crochet and put together in my own composition).  I also made the paisley motif, which is more similar to those contributed by other participants.  I can't wait to see them incorporated in the completed Project.  Prudence has a fabulous eye and it will be exciting to see all the contributions put together.

Future plans:  In addition to writing my regular column in the CGOA Chainlink Newsletter, I am working on a beadwork and crochet ocean-themed project for this year's International FreeForm Fiberarts Guild Challenge---I can't divulge more details on that yet.  I hope to make some headway into some of the books I am planning.  And I want to do more beadwork---I have so many designs in mind and many fabulous cabochons to incorporate...  Also thinking of posting vintage postcards (and other cards) depicting cats with textiles and/or textile tools.  Is there any interest in seeing those cards? 

This blog has been inactive far too long. I am contemplating blogging about postcards and other cards depicting cats with textiles or textile tools. Any interest?

Went to the MD Sheep & Wool Festival

I had fun at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival yesterday. I missed it last year so I was in withdrawal and finally got my "fix" for this year.





Love those alpacas! If I come back in another life, want to be an alpaca farmer.


And some indulgences I purchased this year. I did not go too overboard, especially since I was making up for missing last year. Pictured are Solmate Socks from Delly's Delights Farm, a MD Sheep & Wool Festival bag, a small yarn bowl from Jennie the Potter of Minneapolis, Silk yarn from Oak Grove of Summit Hill PA, and Eastern European spindle and Tree-of-Life distaff from Willow Brook Farm of Ft.Washington PA. The crochet hook bag is a former, Etsy- Solveig's shop (Solveeeig), purchase, which I carried to the Festival. The redwork runner, a former eBay purchase.

Rock Sluicing

On 10 & 11 April I went to Emerald Hollow Mine in Hiddenite, NC. I admit to having cheated. I did not dig in the dirt or in the creek but instead just sluiced. After sluicing a couple native buckets and finding nothing, I really cheated sluicing their Super, Killer Beryl, and Star Ruby/Sapphire buckets. I gave some of my finds to the lapadarist to be made into cabochons, but will have to wait at least 6 weeks to see the finished product. Here are some of my other finds in their raw form. I hope to make some of these into jewelry some time in the future. Shown here are agate, amethyst, apatite, aquamarine, bloodstone, emerald, flourite, moonstone, quartz crystal, rose quartz, ruby, rutile quartz, sapphire, serpentine, smoky quartz, topaz, and black tourmaline.