The Design Competition grows each year as CGOA grows. It is the most exciting part of the conference (other than seeing and meeting other enthusiastic crochet people). So I encourage you to enter the contest and share your creations! You may even win a nice monetary prize. J

Did you know that we now have 7 design categories open to CGOA members:  

1. Fashion 
2. Accessories
3. Home Décor & Afghans
4. Thread Crochet
5. Artistic Expression
6. Young Designer (25 years old or younger; may turn 26 in 2015)
7. First Time Entrant/Non-Professional (for those who have not entered before and have not had their designs published)

If you are a member, you can read more about the competition requirements on the CGOA website. http://www.crochet.org/

If you are still uncertain about entering the competition, here is why I believe you should enter:

• It is fun to see your creation exhibited with other outstanding crochet designs.
• It will give you a reason to really stretch yourself and create something that will give joy to yourself and others.
• It may lead to crochet fame and give you credibility with magazine editors, book publishers and yarn companies (if you’d like to become a designer in the industry).
• And last (but not least), there are monetary prizes in each of the 7 categories listed above.

This year I am co-chair with Susan Lowman of the competition committee. We are working with a whole team of members who believe, like us, that the competition is an important part of the conference. I encourage you to enter the contest and let the world see what you can create!

Here are a few photos of my personal favorite winners from 2014:

2014 Grand Prize Winner“Nicky’s Caribbean Adventure” designed by Dot DrakeSponsored by Creative Yarn Source and Mainly Crochet

2014 First Prize Accessories“Fall Leaves Wrap” designed by Jessie RayotSponsored by WEBS, America’s Yarn Store

2014 Honorable Mention“Seashell Dress” designed by Linda JeffriesSponsored by Interweave Crochet

Love to Crochet Your Own Originals? Enter the CGOA Contest!

Love to Crochet Your Own Originals?  Enter the CGOA Design Contest!

If you are a crocheter who often does your own original wonderful creations, here are a few reasons you should enter the CGOA Design Competition.

·         It is fun to see your creation exhibited with other outstanding crochet designs.

·         It will give you a reason to really stretch yourself and create something that will give joy to yourself and others.

·         It may lead to crochet fame and give you credibility with magazine editors, book publishers and yarn companies (if you’d like to become a designer in the industry). I know as Design Manager at Red Heart I found new designers this way.

·         And last (but not least), there are monetary prizes in each of the 5 categories: Fashion, Accessories, Home Décor & Afghans and Thread Crochet. And this year there is a special category, the CGOA 20th Anniversary Award, that will be given to the entry that best celebrates and exemplifies the spirit of CGOA in 2014.

Last year I was one of the judges lucky enough to see the amazing designs up close and personal. Boy was I wowed! The Design Competition grows each year as CGOA grows. It is the most exciting part of the conference (other than seeing crochet friends and meeting new enthusiastic crochet people and taking classes and shopping the market and so on and so on). So I encourage you to enter the contest and let the world see what you can create!

You'll need to become a member of CGOA (if you are not already) and check out the competition rules that will be on the CGOA site soon (or maybe they are being added as I upload this).

Here are a few photos of memorable winners from 2013:

Mille Fleurs Dress by Dot Drake (Grand Prize)

Granny’s Tree of Love by Deborah Bagley (Afghans and Home Décor Honorable Mention)

Owl Sit with Your Yarns by Deborah Bagley (Artistic Expression 3rd prize)

A big thumbs up to Amy and Donna for hosting the Crochetville Blog Tour! As a new member of the CGOA board, I am very pleased to be a part of this community. We are supporting the charity, Halos of Hope. Please see their site for how you can help. halosofhope.org

Summer Professional Development Day!

Thank you, Lion Brand Yarn, for sponsoring the CGOA Professional Development Day in Indianapolis! 

It was a fun and educational day thanks to our many fabulous presenters!

Bobbie Matela speaking on editor critique.

Melissa Leapman presenting how to create a proposal.

Kimberly McAlindin our emcee for the day.

Amy Shelton discusses social media.

Walking into the room was like walking in to a candy store! Lion Brand Yarn donated all the hooks and yarn for our attendees to make squares for “Warm Up America”! The tables were centered with all different colors and collections to choose from!

“Warm Up America" provided several different patterns to work on - lots of fun deciding what to do first! Our Attendees really knocked out a lot of squares for a great cause!

A very big thank you for all the great raffle prizes that were donated! 

Karen Ratto-Whooley, Pamela Price Designs, Ellen K. Gormley, Coats & Clark/Red Heart Yarn, Margaret Hubert, Susan Lowman, Random House/Doris Chan, Crochet 1-2-3/Value-Publishing, Caron Yarn, Universal Yarns and Tahki Stacy Charles all donated to help raise funds for “Warm Up America”!  We collected $486 in raffle sales! Thank you!

Most of all we would like to thank those who attended Professional Development Day! Without your attendance there would be no Professional Development Day! You don't need to be a professional to attend our event - it is for the everyday crocheter or knitter who is considering/dreaming about entering the profession - whether you are thinking about designing, contract crocheting/knitting or tech editing.

It's not too late to sign up for our October Professional Development Day in Concord, NC! We hope to see you there!