Outdoor Fiber Inspiration

Kingdom Of Style has a really cool and inspirational post up about a fiber terrific movement of Crocheted and knitted graffiti. I find this strangely attractive. Covered trees, statues and even a deserted gas station. I especially like the trees. Talk about tree hugging. What could be cooler than some crochet love for your tree? Pretty darn cool I say and it sure beats painted names all over everything. Now you probably don't want to use your most expensive hand spun but wouldn't just a little covering somewhere with some of your scrap yarn be something? What do you think?

Crochet & Knit Harmony

Curbly has up a very keen post about her friend that made a blanket of knit circles with crochet edges that were crocheted together. Get some inspiration and feel the luv of Crochet and knit joined together in harmony when you read about Joy's Circles of Blankety Goodness.

David Nifong

JournalNow did a very inspirational story about David Nifong called Blanketing the Babies. David has crocheted dozens of blankets and hats for charity. Not only is he an inspiration to all of us who participate in the fiber arts but he is a shout out to all those men out there that don't think real men crochet. He's done a wonderful thing to contribute to a worthy cause. Now go read his story.

Contest - Naturally Baby

Want to win up to $300? Got a hook and know how to use it? Then today's post is so for you. Boogie on over to Caron Yarns Naturally Baby Contest. Not only do you get a chance to win but they will donate money to benefit Project Linus so even if you don't win you still are doing something great for a child that needs it. That makes you a winner in my book every time. This is also open to knitters so if your fiber art runs that bent feel free to take a look.

Project Linus is a national non-profit organization with a two-fold mission: First, to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer "blanketeers". Second, it is the Project Linus mission to provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.

Creat A Better World - VOTE!!

If you come to this blog you are probably a crafty person. Today is your chance to create something big. A better world. Do I really believe that? Yes! We have something in this country that some countries don't have. A chance to voice our choice. There are a lot of big issues this year and I'm sure you know what they are so I wont get into all that. This is your chance to voice who you think can create a better world for us all. No it will never be a perfect world or a perfect system but why throw away a chance to perhaps be taking a step to a better direction. All we can do is take one day at a time, one choice at a time. Every choice you have made in your life has helped to create the person you are today. You can choose to change anything you don't like about yourself or your life but you need to take a moment to make the choice and be committed to take one step after the next. This is our chance to say what direction we think our country's next step should be. My vote choice is obvious and I encourage others to check out Ralph Nader but even if that isn't what you think is right then get out there and say what you think. If you throw away your choice you have no right to complain and in my view you are no better than those leading our country in the wrong direction. Doing nothing is a choice to let what you think is wrong continue to go on. Maybe your choice wont win but trying to make a difference matters. Use your voice for choice! And don't forget to take your hook, those lines may be long.
VOTE!
[Nader] ;-)
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In an effort to reward those who vote on Nov. 4, Starbucks is pouring free coffee. Their ad (airing on YouTube and at their website) makes it clear. Come in on Nov. 4th, say, “I voted,” and grab your tall coffee, no money required. It's a simple gimmick to get people to vote. I think there's a bit more to it than that, however.
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That's right, I'm not to proud to bribe you with free coffee if it gets you off your tail even if it's icky Starbucks coffee. No offense I'm just a tea Rabbit9.
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People Fighting Back - Vote Nader
Because there ARE more than 2 choices!

Ralph has campaigned in all 50 states. Check out the AP story
Ralph Nader for President 2008 - Official YouTube Channel
The Trail Of Broken Promises By Matt Gonzalez
Ralph Nader has appeared in a Third Party debate at the City Club of Cleveland. C-Span taped the City Club of Cleveland debate and the City Club will live stream the event on their website.

Green Halloween

Now and then good old Seattle kicks up a movement can be really proud of even though I'm not a WA native. Green Halloween is such a movement and now they are going nation-wide. I think this little blurb from their page sums it up really great and I hope you will go over and take a look for yourself, for our children and for our one and only planet which has sustained us all these many years and could use a bit of help now in return.

We hope that Green Halloween will inspire YOU to think outside the candy-box. We are dedicated to offering fun, healthy, affordable, not-too-time consuming ideas that will support your goal of creating a Halloween that is happy and healthy for your kids and the planet we all share.

Pet Yarn Chic

You worked a long day and now it's time to settle down and relax. You have your crochet together, a good movie on and a nice cup of tea. You're set. You sit down into your favorite chair and within minutes you realize you're wearing a blanket that never saw a hook belonging to you or anyone else. Yup, your favorite pet has shed enough hair to make you look like a wookie with one sit down. What is a crocheter to do? Of course you love your pet to no end. No way you are going to do without that sweet fluffy face! However it's time for fluffy and duke to start earning their share and adding to the coffers of your stash instead of your laundry and housekeeping. So you say yeah Rabbit9, I can dig that but where are you going with this? What do I do, hook up my dog to my ball winder? Well, yes and no. It's time to tame the shed. Gather up the hair and go check out Pet Yarn Chic. They can take all the brushed shed [no clipped hair] and make it into yarn. At last you can make a sweater that you can actually take off and put on at will. Costs are on the page but I think after the initial set up this would be worth it if you have a heavy shedding or multiple animal[s]. You need to brush your animals anyway for their health and your housekeeping anyway so why not fatten your stash in reward for all your work at the same time? Take a look and see if it's worth it for you.

It’s absolutely easy … and fun,too! When you join Pet Yarn Chic you begin the process of regularly gathering and saving your pet’s shed or groomed fur and hair for your homespun yarn. We supply you, or your pet groomers, with a starter kit of hair collection instructions and shipping labels. As you send us your collected pet hair, we hand-spin it into yarn, and mail the finished yarn back to you. We will continue to spin your pet hair into yarn for as long as you like…whether it’s for one project…or for many projects to come.

Manuf®actured

Museum of Contemporary Craft page has up a really keen display called Manuf®actured: The conspicuous transformation of everyday objects and that's just what it is. The exhibit has several really killer crafty displays that are really inspirational such as art made from: re-crafted cardboard and polystyrene, sculptured lipsticks, hair that's been manipulated in every way imaginable, incredible intricate lace doilies, cut out container sculptures, mosaic-ed marker caps & thread spools, Marcel Wanders Knotted Chair, Hexagon wallpapers and the pièce de résistance [IMO] of the show Crochet Cube table. Holy cow! If you can't get inspired by that then I just don't know what. That cube is just too cool for words and I want one in the worst way. :-D Go check it out.

Creativity & Spinning and Weaving Week

I was reading a recent article in The New York Times called We’ll Fill This Space, but First a Nap. I want to first quote a piece of it so you know what I'm talking about.

Dr. Ellenbogen’s research at Harvard indicates that if an incubation period includes sleep, people are 33 percent more likely to infer connections among distantly related ideas, and yet, as he puts it, these performance enhancements exist “completely beneath the radar screen.” In other words, people are more creative after sleep, but they don’t know it.

Now I have to say I can't agree more. When you are so tired from running and doing for everyone including you it just saps your creativity. There have been a few times where after a good solid sleep I was able to sort out a problem I was having with a pattern or been able to come up with something new.

I encourage you to get some good sleep and boost your creativity. You never know what gorgeous designs await when you wake. Yes, it's simple and it's something you probably know already but when is the last time you really acted on it?

Now for all you spinners and weavers out there. Boogie on over to the Handweavers Guild of America for lots of ideas to celebrate Spinning and Weaving Week [Oct 4th to the 10th]. Just click the picture below to get there. Look for the same picture on the linked page and click it to get their free pdf download of the poster size for you club or group to help spread the word.

Project Interests

Everyone has their own little niche. Sometimes we gravitate more to one type of project or another. For me I notice I've made a lot of hats and little things for my nieces. Which isn't to say I don't like other things to. I tend to do more practice projects like the "ears" project I just finished. I just like having the use of something. Sure there have been doilies too just because I thought the pattern was pretty. So I wonder what my readers think. Where do your interests lie? Lets find out. If there is a category you feel I've left out or would just like to tell me more about the crochet projects you love, please feel free to use the comments section.
Note: Sorry for the gap but it has something to do with the page layout and I can't change it. Please scroll down and take the poll

free polls at easy-poll What types of crochet projects interest you the most.
	Accessories/Hats/Socks/Bags
	Afghans/Blankets
	Amigurumi/Toys
	Clothing/Children
	Clothing/Men
	Clothing/Teen
	Clothing/Women
	HouseholdDecorative/Doilies
	HouseholdUsable/Dishcloth/PotHolder
	Pets
boblasvegas.com

Interweave Crochet Survey

Interweave Crochet is running a survey. Now I have to say right off that I.C. is a really great crochet magazine. They are one of the two magazines I actually put down money to subscribe to. They are up on the cutting edge and it's not just doilies and afghans [though I also dig doilies and afghans]. Now I.C. love aside I have to say I have a few pet peeves.

To get the free crochet patterns I have to join up to get the knitting newsletter. Say what??? Now I can knit very basic stuff and I have no bad feeling toward knitters. BUT! I am a crocheter and I'm a little tired of being asked to step to the back of the bus. They have I.C. so why not have an I.C. newsletter to go with it so we can opt to get a newsletter that actually goes toward our interest.

I was also sent the info on taking the I.K. survey and the information that weather or not you did the knitting survey you could get a free download of a knitting pattern. No such offer was made for the crocheters. No this is not a whinge about not getting free stuff. It's the principle of the thing. There are more crocheters than knitters out there so why are we at not at least getting equal time?

I encourage all of you to go out and fill out the crochet survey and let I.C. know that we are just as important as the knitters. We need some love too and we will not be quiet any longer. Raise up your hooks and your voices. Be heard and take a stand for your crochet WORK. Yes it's just as much work as knitting. Lets stand up for our designers who can't make a living wage by doing what they love unless they have so much going I don't know how they keep their schedule straight let alone have a life, family and raise kids.

Now some of you may think this is an off sprout of Monday's CLF show on Loopy. Well yes and no. I have been tired for a long time that it's always knit and crochet at whatever places have both. As though crochet is an after though. Well it's not. It takes skill and work and so on just like knitting does. The CLF show just reminded me that I need to speak up on this once again. We need to make our stand and get the love we deserve. We have hooks, we’re not afraid to use ‘em and you will be assim….that is…woven in. Yeah! ;-)

"The deadly Hydra now is the hydra of Equality. Liberty, Equality and Fraternity is the three-fanged serpent."
Lawrence, D. H.

Broken Ears

I don't know how they got on the floor. Usually I'm a pretty tidy rabbit. They must have fallen off the table when I didn't see it. Stuff happens and I stepped on my headphones accidentally. Crunch! They are the kind where the plastic bit goes around the back of your head so glue didn't work because every time I spread them to get them on it snaps again.

So I took the foam bits off and unscrewed them [see photo] so I could take off the broken plastic part. I put them back together and now I have two still working ear speakers. Rabbit ingenuity to the rescue. I'm working out a plan to crochet a suitable alternative to get them to stay on my head. I'll start that right after I finish the hat I'm working on. I hope to get hat pictures up with a post on that project in the next day or so. Wish me luck on my headphone project. I may need it.

All Those Bits

Recently as I've been trying to catch up with any unfinished projects I've noticed a tidy pile of small yarn balls accumulating in my stash bin. Those little leftovers that mount up after finishing a project that are never enough to make a full anything. Personally I'm convinced this is what started Amigurumi. Dozens of cute little baby animals and dolls born just trying to use up all those end bits that you never really know what to do with.

Enter Laughing Purple Goldfish Designs and her scathingly brilliant Crazy Yarn idea. Ash she puts it.

I took all my bits and bobs of leftover yarns which have been accumulating. I then cut them into assorted lengths (no greater than six metres) then mixed them all up and knotted them together randomly. No fancy knotting technique, just leaving a tail of about an inch or so. Regardless of fibre type and thickness. There's cottons, acrylics, wools, novelty yarn, and every possible blend in between. All mixed in together.

And if you follow the link you will see the lovely bag she made with he crazy yarn. I don't know about you but I'm all inspired. I just may take a scissors to those wating bits in my bin and just see what I come up with after I get my current WIPs done. Thank you Purple Goldfish.