Get your conference experience off to an exciting start by attending the kickoff meeting. The evening is jam-packed with activities:

1. Watch a short slide show of the 2012 Design Competition winners. If you missed the Manchester conference, you will definitely want to see up close pictures of the fabulous winning designs!

2. Chapter Challenge: Learn about the winners of this year's chapter challenge and be inspired to encourage your chapter to participate in next year's challenge.

3. Member Show and Tell: If the idea of walking down the catwalk during the fashion show on banquet night seems just a little scary, take advantage of this informal opportunity to share your favorite crochet project from this past year with other conference attendees. Bring your favorite finished project and be prepared to share your name, chapter affiliation (if any), name of the pattern and where others can find it, and the name of the yarn you used.

 

4. Gift Exchange (optional): Bring a crocheted item (maximum material cost $25) for a gift exchange. Go home with a special conference memory.

5. Q&A with President Amy Shelton: First, Amy wants to ask conference veterans to share their favorite part of attending a conference. Next, she wants to ask conference newbies what they're most looking forward to at their first conference. Finally, she'll open the floor for members to ask her any questions they have.

If that doesn't get you all excited about the conference, we have one last activity to get that energy level pumped up: We'll leave the Kickoff Meeting and head right over to the Market Preview, where you can get a sneak peek at everything on the show floor. Be sure to bring your cash, checks, or debit/credit cards with you, as you will be able to make purchases that night. If we have enough time before the end of the Kickoff Meeting, Amy will even share some tips on how to make the best use of the Market Preview.

Chain Link Reno: Vendor Preview

Are you going to have a booth on the market floor at Chain Link in Reno? If so, please post a comment and let us know what crocheters will be able to find in your booth.

If you know a vendor who will be exhibiting, please invite them to come post a comment.

We hope you’ll come to Chain Link to take classes and participate in CGOA activities, but we also hope you’ll support our vendors on the show floor.

Amy Shelton
CGOA President

Chain Link Reno: Class Suggestions

Are you still deciding which classes to take at Reno? Pre-registration is open through August 27, so you have a little time left to make your final decisions and take advantage of the pre-registration discount on class prices.

Here are some selected classes you might want to consider:  

Susan Lowman
T111C, Beginning Filet Crochet
T211C, Intermediate Filet Crochet
F105C, Playful Polish Star
S209C, Intermeshing 101
N106C, Reading and Understanding Crochet Patterns

Marty Miller
S205C, Linked Stitches and Extended Stitches
T110C, Foundation Stitches
S106C, Post Stitches

Suzann Thompson
F304C, Polymer Clay Button Boutique 2
S106C, Pretty Picot-Rama

Margaret Fisher
F104C, Crochet a Moebius

Joan Davis
F208C, Omega Lace Crochet: The Basics

Karen Whooley
F210C, Learn to Delta Lace Crochet
N111C, The Lover's Knot

Darla Fanton
N102C, Double Helix Bead Crochet Necklace and Bracelet

If you're interested in working with thread, I highly recommend taking one of the above classes that feature thread. While thread crochet uses all the same stitches as when working with yarn, there are some hints and tips that make it much easier to work on a smaller scale. It's really great to have a teacher right there to help as you learn new tensioning skills.

Have you ever wanted custom buttons to perfectly match the garment you're making? I can't recommend Suzann Thompson's Polymer Clay class highly enough. I was lucky enough to take it in Greensboro last year, and I learned so much. Once you learn Suzann's tricks, it's very easy to quickly make your own custom buttons. Big Tip: Don't pack huge amounts of polymer clay in your carry-on baggage like I did (with 15 packs of clay). The plasticizers in it make it read as an EXPLOSIVE: not a good thing to take security, especially in the metal box I had mine in. Luckily, the TSA agents didn't confiscate it and let me take it on through. At least most of it was in its original packaging, thank goodness!) I did have some explaining to do, though!

The Polish Star stitch is beautiful, but a little tricky when you're first learning how to make it. I took this class from Pauline Turner, and I know Susan will do just as wonderful a job walking you through the intricacies of this stitch.

Marty's classes are excellent technique classes that will let you add new dimensions to your work, especially if you like experimenting and coming up with your own designs.

Any of the classes listed above would be an excellent addition to your class list.

Chain Link Reno: Dance Party Rescheduled!

Are you all finalizing your plans to come to Chain Link in Reno next month? I know I'm getting very excited. It is going to be one fabulous conference! I hope you're able to come join us. Just wanted to give you a heads-up that the Dance Party has been rescheduled to Friday evening from 9 PM to midnight. Having the Dance Party on Thursday after classes, a CGOA Kickoff meeting, and the Market Preview, means that many people wouldn't get a chance to eat dinner that night. And while the party snacks are nice, they're not a substitute for a full meal. So to help make sure that our DJ (the incomparable Doris Chan!)and dance party sponsors don't faint dead away from lack of food and have to be tucked into a corner so people don't trample on them, we decided to move the Dance Party to Friday night. You'll have time for a quick dinner between 5:00 and 6:15, which is the start of the CGOA Mini Member Meeting. That meeting should be over by 6:45 or 7:00, so you'll again have time to squeeze in a quick meal if you're going to the Chapter event at 8:00. The Chapter event is scheduled from 8-9 PM, but might run over if there's a lot of good sharing taking place. Don't worry---you'll still have plenty of time to get to the Dance Party. I can guarantee the party will still be going strong when it's time to shut it down at midnight! So mark your calendars and plan on attending the Dance Party Friday night!