Welcome to Part 1 of our Across the Board CAL!

We are so excited to see the enthusiasm that our CGOA members have brought to this event. Just a reminder that everything you need to know about the CAL in upcoming weeks can be found on this post.

This segment is brought to you by Unicorn Fibre, a company who specializes in fiber cleaning and conditioning products to keep your crochet looking its best! They have graciously donated their adorable Unicorn Baby Gift Set for this segment's giveaway. It contains 4 oz each of their Fibre Wash, Power Scour, and Fiber Rinse products, all topped with a sweet baby unicorn plushy. This prize is being shipped directly from Unicorn, and is available to be shipped in the USA only.

Unicorn Baby Gift Set from Unicorn Fibre

Enter the giveaway through the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win! Entries will be accepted from February 29th through March 13th, 2016, and a winner will be selected on Monday, March 14th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This segment's strip is the Diamond Trellis by Kate Steinke, the Chair of CGOA's Volunteer Committee.

“Kate's elegant Diamond Trellis strip uses three different colors; pale plum, lavender, and shocking pink, to help you gain experience with colorwork. You will change colors within rows and carry color changes up the side of one row. The beautiful trellis pattern is achieved by working chain loops that remain free from the background stitches, giving a very textural effect to this strip.”

This strip offers a fantastic opportunity to practice color changes and "carrying" unused colors to avoid having multiple ends to weave in. It can be found on Page 3 of the Across the Board 2015 booklet.

Are you ready to get started? Then let's go! Share your progress in any of the following ways:

• Add a photo to this post using the "Add your link" button below (see CGOA blogger Marie Segares' tutorial on how to do this)
• Post questions or comments in the comments on this post
• Join the discussion in our Ravelry and Facebook groups

An InLinkz Link-up

Get on Board with CGOA's Across the Board Crochet-Along!

March is National Crochet Month, and the Crochet Guild of America is going to be kicking off the festivities with a very special crochet-along (CAL).

Did you know that one of the many benefits of joining the Crochet Guild is free access to exclusive crochet patterns for members only? It's true! And beginning February 29th, we'll be hosting a CAL for CGOA's members-only Across the Board afghan pattern, available for download here.

Note: While the pattern is free, you do have to be a CGOA member in good standing to download it.

The Across the Board afghan was designed by CGOA's own board members. Red Heart graciously donated the yarn that was used to design this project. It's made up of seven different strips, each of which feature a different crochet technique. If you ever wanted to expand your crochet skills, now's the time! Some of the featured techniques you may have never seen before.

Here's everything you need to know about the CAL:

Community!

Not only will you be able to post pictures of your progress on the CGOA Now! blog, we will also have a Ravelry group and Facebook group you can join to discuss your project.

Join the Facebook group here and Ravelry discussion here.

Support!

As mentioned above, some of the techniques used in the afghan may be brand new to you. One of the advantages of making this afghan during a crochet-along is support from your fellow crocheters if you get stuck on something. Plus, who doesn't want to show off their hard work?

If you'd rather not make the entire afghan, feel free to pick the strips that interest you the most and turn them into scarves. This CAL can be anything you want it to be.

Giveaways!

Everyone loves a giveaway, and we are thrilled to have some awesome sponsors donating prizes for this event. We will spend two weeks on each strip of the afghan, and each two week session will have a new sponsor and giveaway prize. We'd like to keep the prizes a surprise for now, but please join us in giving a big thank-you to our sponsors:

Unicorn Fibre

Ancient Arts Fibre Crafts

Knitter's Pride

...and our Grand Prize sponsor:

Berroco

Note on Giveaways: As the prizes will be shipping directly from our sponsors, there may be some international shipping restrictions, depending on the sponsor. These details will be mentioned in that segment's giveaway.

How do I join the CAL?

Book Review: Fair Isle Tunisian Crochet by Brenda Bourg

Fair Isle Tunisian Crochet by Brenda Bourg
Book Review by Jessie Rayot of Jessie At Home

I noticed this book on Amazon when it was still in pre-sales, and when I was asked to review it, I was super excited! I've never tried fair isle Tunisian crochet before, but it's been on my list of skills to learn for quite some time. Brenda's book was just right for me!

Brenda starts out with a great introduction about what this technique is, how it can be used, and how she learned and fell in love with Tunisian fair isle. She then continues on with a spectacular technical section. Brenda takes the time to explain the importance of things like floats, gauge, swatching, and blocking (with plenty of pins!). Then there are 15 pages of stitch explanations with step by step photos. This makes every stitch so easy to understand and master, even if you've never tried Tunisian crochet before.

Next Brenda takes the time to teach some skills, techniques, tips and trick, and to give pointers on notions needed and even color planning. By the time I got to the first pattern, I no longer had any questions about how to create Tunisian fair isle, or if I could. I had every tool I needed and was ready to go!

The book continues along in an intelligent pattern order, starting with smaller and easier projects. The first 2 patterns are boot cuffs, which are quite hot right now! The first boot cuff pattern has a simple chart with short floats. Though it may appear as though these (and many of the other patterns) are worked in the round, all the patterns in this book are worked flat and seamed together. No worries about seaming though, Brenda explained all that in the beginning of the book.

I love that there are 2 or 3 of most type of pattern in the book, such as the boot cuffs, ear warmers and neck warmers; but all with different charts. This allows the crocheter to become confident with the pattern while working on improving their fair isle technique.

Though there are plenty of easier patterns, Brenda does include some patterns to help the reader grow their skills even more. There are 2 patterns that use more than 2 colors, there are some blankets for those wanting a larger project, and there are even a couple sweaters.

Fair Isle Tunisian Crochet by Brenda Bourg is a great book for those looking to expand their crocheting skills into Tunisian fair isle, and for those who already know Tunisian fair isle but want to improve those skills or find more wonderful patterns and charts to use.

Fair Isle Tunisian Crochet by Brenda Bourg can be found HERE on Amazon and retails for $21.95. You can also find the Ravelry listing HERE.

Now for something extra special from Brenda and Stackpole - your chance to win a FREE copy of this awesome book!!

To enter the Fair Isle Tunisian Crochet book giveaway, you must be 18 years of age with a valid shipping address. Giveaway is open to USA residents only. Giveaway ends February 21st at end of day eastern time. One winner will be contacted by email for their shipping address, once the winner replies with a valid USA shipping address, the winner will be sent the book. Winner must reply to notification email with a valid shipping address within 1 week or a new winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Full disclosure: A free electronic review copy of Fair Isle Tunisian Crochet was provided by Stackpole. Although I accept free products for review, I do not accept additional compensation, nor do I guarantee a positive review.  My reviews are based entirely on my honest opinions.

CGOA Member Spotlight: Kristine Mullen

I'm Marie Segares from Underground Crafter and this is the second post in a monthly series for CGOA Now! where I shine a spotlight on a CGOA member and share a bit of her story with an interview.

In this month's post, I'm talking with Kristine Mullen from Ambassador Crochet. Kristine is a crochet designer and tech editor, and she can be found online on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Ravelry, and Twitter, as well as in her pattern shop.

All images are used with permission and are © Kristine Mullen/Ambassador Crochet.

Kristine Mullen.

Underground Crafter (UC): How did you first get started crocheting? 
Kristine Mullen (KM): My mother taught me to crochet when I was 5, but I didn't pick it up again until I was in my 20's and pregnant with my first daughter. 

Candy Cloud Burst Baby Afghan, crochet pattern by Kristine Mullen.

UC: When did you start designing? 
KM: I started designing in 2007. A friend of mine had a preemie (30 weeks gestation) and I wanted to make him a blanket. I couldn't find anything I liked so I decided to make my own. It was at that point I realized I loved designing my own patterns.

Hat for Hope, crochet pattern by Kristine Mullen.

UC: How long have you been a member of the CGOA? What’s your favorite thing about being a member? 
KM: I have been a member of the CGOA since 2013. My favorite part is the networking. I feel like everyone has been very willing to help, promote, and encourage each other because we're all in this together.

The Royal Bow Beanie, crochet pattern by Kristine Mullen.

UC: You're also a tech editor. Can you tell us what you do as a tech editor, and how you got started? 
KM: A tech editor checks a pattern for errors. It can be everything from math errors, to formatting or style issues. For me it all started when I was a tester for a designer. She started noticing that I was picking up on errors beyond what a tester would normally find and asked if I had ever thought about editing. It has since become a passion of mine. 

Super Bulky Winter Hat, crochet pattern by Kristine Mullen.

UC: Has tech editing influenced your design work at all? If so, how? 
KM: It has definitely helped me branch out beyond hats and baby blankets, but I don't think it has necessarily influenced my designs. It has definitely influenced my writing style though. Now I try really hard to write a pattern that can be read by any level crocheter so that even if the stitch work is difficult the pattern won't be hard to understand. 

Indigo Falls Infinity Scarf, crochet pattern by Kristine Mullen.

UC: What are your favorite types of crochet projects for relaxing? 
KM: I love working up infinity scarves and cowls.

Gray Skies Gradient Shawl, crochet pattern by Kristine Mullen, and winner of the Fan's Choice Award for Battle of the Stitches Round 8.

UC: What are your favorite types of crochet projects for challenging yourself? 
KM: That's a good question. I love to try experienced or challenging patterns, but I don't know that I have a specific project type. I think I lean more towards stitch combos and overall design. I guess if I had to pick a project type I would pick shawls or sweaters. 

Waves of Grayce Chevron Baby Blanket, crochet pattern by Kristine Mullen.

UC: What are your favorite types of crochet projects to give as gifts? 
KM: I love making baby blankets and scarves to give as gifts.

Awareness Ribbon Afghan Project, crochet pattern by Kristine Mullen.

UC: What are you working on in 2016? What's next for you? 
KM: I'm spending more time tech editing and I want to put myself out there and submit more designs for publication. I also want to help people advance their crocheting skills.

Thanks so much, Kristine, for sharing your love of crochet with us.

Book Review - Animal Heads: Trophy heads to crochet

Title: Animal Heads - Trophy heads to crochet
Author: Vanessa Mooncie
MSRP: $19.95 USD

Book review by Pia Thadani - Stitches'N'Scraps


Once in a while you come across something truly unique and different...and you're not quite sure what to think of it. That was this book for me when I first saw it. Looking through the book though, I quickly fell in love with these designs.

The book contains patterns for 10 different animal heads: Mouse, hare, fox, ram, swan, lion, stag, bull, black bear, and zebra. Each pattern has great attention to detail, and a variety of yarns and materials are recommended to create the different textures. The overall effect is very realistic!

  

  

The patterns do vary in difficulty, however each starts with a clear and detailed summary of how the piece is constructed, so you know what you'll be getting into before you start. I particularly love that each pattern includes charts in addition to the written instructions. I find charts easier to follow, but as both are provided you can choose your favorite, or refer to both.

It should be noted that this book is published in the UK and uses UK terminology. This differs from US terminology in some important ways. For example what we call a single crochet is what they call a double crochet, and what we call a double is their treble. Here's a conversion chart that shows some of the differences. The book contains detailed photo tutorials for each stitch and technique used though, so there's no need for confusion!

Faux taxidermy has never really been part of my decor choices, but these lifelike, well written patterns are quite tempting. I can imagine they would be really cute in a child's room, and would fit well with a Noah's ark, jungle, or other animal based theme.

As a side note, this book has left me with a naughty little desire to make one of the mouse heads and attach it in a corner so it's peeking out from under the sofa - just to see if anyone notices!


Disclaimer: A free review copy of Animal Heads was provided by GMC Publications. Although I accept free products for review, I do not accept additional compensation, nor do I guarantee a positive review.  My reviews are based entirely on my honest opinions. All images of interior pages were supplied by the publisher and are used with permission.

How to Begin a Local Chapter of the CGOA

Hey!  Do you want to be a part of your local Crochet Guild of America chapter?  

When I joined CGOA, I know that I did, but unfortunately there was no chapter anywhere near me.  (Believe me, I searched!)  To top it off, I was living in Mexico!  I became active in the Cyber Crochet of CGOA Chapter on Ravelry, but I still wanted more.  I had been meeting with my local stitch group, but we still wanted to be part of something bigger!  I had been toying with the idea starting a local chapter of the CGOA in Mexico City, and with the support of my stitch group and my friends from the cyber chapter, we made the dream a reality.

Starting a Local Chapter Might be Easier Than You Think

To start a local chapter of the CGOA, you need

• At least one active CGOA member.  Yes, that's it.  The other members of your group don't have to be members of the CGOA, but the more the merrier!  
• To fill out some paperwork (just 3 pages).  The paperwork you need to fill out is the APPLICATION FOR STARTING A CGOA CHAPTER  In this form, you will have to share basic information, including the proposed Chapter Name (get creative & have fun!), The President's name (this will be YOU if you are the only CGOA member), and general information about the chapter and the president's contact information.  
• Forty bucks.  Payment is easy, because it can be made online.  It's a group contribution.  No one owns the chapter.  As a chapter president, I can tell you that I have had people contact me because of the CGOA chapter listing.  It's a great way to network for crochet and get your group's name out there!  
• A list of members.  CGOA asks for a list of members and officer titles.
  
• The Web Form.  If you do not want your personal information shared on the public end of the CGOA website, fill out Information for the CGOA Web Site Posting of Member Chapters.  This is how the public will find you and contact you for crochet opportunities! 

So that's the paperwork you need to fill out to create your chapter.  For even more information, check out the resource page on crochet.org.  To be honest, it was a lot easier than I thought it would be.  Once the application is received, it is reviewed by the CGOA and you will receive notification of your status in a timely manner.  

Your Chapter Can Be Informal or Formal

So now that you have your group, you can meet as a CGOA Chapter! Yay!  My chapter's first event as "Ganchitos" was a yarn bombing in a local park.  It was beautiful and inspiring!


Ganchitos meets regularly and does whatever kind of event the members care about.  It's not terribly formal, but your chapter CAN be!  The beauty of the CGOA is that it leaves room for your group's personality to shine.  If you're formal - be formal!  Here is a list of ideas for chapter programs.  

I am very much in favor of getting more local chapters going, so let's keep talking.  Are you active in your local CGOA Chapter?  Have you ever thought of starting a chapter?  What do you think would be great ideas for chapter programs?  Please leave a comment here on the blog, and let's connect on social media!  I can be found on facebook, twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr, Google+,  and YouTube.  Join my monthly newsletter about crafts, crochet, and education. Get those hooks up! 

What It's Like to Join a Local CGOA Chapter

Post by Stacy Vaka of Crochet Kitten.

I have been a member of CGOA off and on since 2007, but I am ashamed to admit that I had yet to join a local CGOA chapter until just last week.

I'm sure my reasons for putting it off will sound familiar:

• I'm shy and I won't know anyone there.
• My schedule is already packed as it is.
• I'm not sure I'm going to get anything out of it anyway.

I'm actually blessed to have the Crochet Guild of Prince William County as my local chapter. I've heard many great things about this chapter both from CGOA's newsletter Joined Together and from The Washington Post. I even see the chapter mentioned every once in a while in local community bulletins for events they're hosting. It really sounded like a great group to join, and yet I was still hesitant to attend that first meeting for all the reasons listed above. But since my goal for this year is to grow Crochet Kitten from a hobby business to a "real" part-time business, I decided it was time to step out of my comfort zone and take the plunge.

I'm really glad I did finally join, because I discovered that my reasons for not joining were really nothing to worry about after all.

"I'm shy and I won't know anyone there."
It's always a little unnerving to join a new group of people who have known each other a while. That was my excuse for not joining in December, as I was concerned they may have something special planned for the holidays that would highlight my status as an outsider. So I decided to delay joining until January.

As I approached the community room for the first time, I was welcomed by a woman who seemed to be expecting me and directed me where to go. I'm not sure why I was surprised. New people were clearly not an oddity in this group, as was evidenced by the sign with instructions for newcomers at the check-in desk. In fact, I was not the only newcomer there; two other ladies besides myself were there for the first time that night.

I took a seat at the end of a long table of ten or so other crocheters who were all busily working on projects. They all looked up and gave me an enthusiastic greeting and welcome. Unsure of what to do with myself after that, I took out my own project and began to work on it.

Here's the thing about joining a crochet group: when in doubt, you always have your crochet to fall back on. If you want to introduce yourself to someone, simply ask what they're working on. If you're not sure what to say after that, work on your project a bit while your brain mulls things over. As I worked on my own project, I picked up bits of surrounding conversations, and yes, even shy me felt comfortable joining in the conversations after a while.

"My schedule is already packed as it is."
The Crochet Guild of Prince William County meets one Monday a month for two hours. While that's not much of a time commitment, I just wasn't excited about having one more thing on the calendar. However, the best part about my first visit was the realization early in the meeting that for once I may not have brought enough to crochet. As the mother of a preschooler, I'm used to only being able to crochet for a few minutes at a time, and so I plan my projects accordingly. This was the first time in I can't remember how long that I was able to sit and crochet for a solid two hours. I got so much crocheting done that night, and I began to think about how much more productive I could be if I could count on those two hours every month.

"I'm not sure I'm going to get anything out of it anyway."
As it turned out, my decision to join in January came with a key advantage: since it was the first meeting of the year, I was able to hear the rough outline of what the chapter's plans for the year was. Now that I've finally gotten a taste of what I've been missing all this time, I'm really excited for what the chapter has in store for this year. In fact, I'm so excited that I've decided to turn this into a series of blog posts about my top 10 reasons to join a local chapter. Each month I will focus on a new benefit and how it has helped me to grow in my craft.

Top 10 Reasons to Join a Local CGOA Chapter

Reason #1: Local NatCroMo Events!
Reason #2: Special Guests!
Reason #3: Charity Projects!
Reason #4: Swap Meets!
Reason #5: Field Trips!
Reason #6: Local Crochet Experts!

Book Review: Happy-Gurumi: 20 Super Cute Amigurumi Toys to Crochet

Title: Happy-Gurumi: 20 Super Cute Amigurumi Toys to Crochet

Author: Vanessa Chan

Book Review by Marie Segares, UndergroundCrafter

Happy-Gurumi is a collection of amigurumi patterns by Vanessa Chan from The Pudgy Rabbit, who studied animation in college and made stop-motion puppets before picking up the crochet hook.

The book features 20 patterns, including 1 beginner, 11 easy, and 8 intermediate patterns for 13 creatures and 7 other (mostly food and balloon) projects. The brightly colored projects are photographed over vibrant backgrounds, making this book a real treat for the eyes.

Each pattern includes an introduction, a skill level, and a materials list, along with several pictures, many of which include pun-filled comic book style caption bubbles. Quite a few of the patterns are embellished with felt, and there are diagrams at the bottom of the relevant patterns that the crocheter can trace and use to cut the felt. (There is a link at the beginning of the book to help with printer configuration for ebook readers as well.)

After the patterns, there is a Crochet Basics section that includes conversationally written information about yarn and other materials, and illustrated tutorials for basic stitches, crocheting in the round, and assembly. The book ends with a list of abbreviations and an author bio.

The visual presentation is whimsical and fun. The patterns seemed to be geared more towards an experienced amigurumi crocheter and, as such, there are more detailed assembly requirements than most beginner-oriented amigurumi pattern books. You can see all of the designs from the book on the Ravelry source page here. As with most pattern books, you will enjoy it more if you like the patterns! This book would be ideal for a crocheter with a firm grasp on crochet basics that wants to take her/his amigurumi up a notch by working on projects with more details and embellishments.

Full disclosure: A free electronic review copy of Happy-Gurumi was provided by Martingale. Although I accept free products for review, I do not accept additional compensation, nor do I guarantee a positive review.  My reviews are based entirely on my honest opinions.

CGOA Member Spotlight: Beth Graham

I'm Marie Segares from Underground Crafter and this is the first post in my new series for CGOA Now! Each month, I'll be shining a spotlight on a CGOA member and sharing a bit of her story with an interview.

In this month's post, I'm featuring Beth Graham. Beth is a crochet teacher and designer living in Ontario, Canada. I first "met" Beth online several years ago, and we've been virtual friends ever since! We've bonded over our love of crochet and our (prematurely) gray hair. 

Beth teaches at her local yarn shop, Shall We Knit? in Waterloo, Ontario, and on Craftsy. (CGOA members can get 50% off her Fun & Fantastic Textured Stitches Craftsy class by using this link.) You can find Beth online on Facebook, Ravelry (as BethGraham, in the Beth Graham Design group, or on her designer page), and Twitter.

All images are used with permission and, unless otherwise noted, are © Craftsy.

Beth Graham.

Underground Crafter (UC): How did you first get started crocheting?

Beth Graham (BG): I learned to crochet 14 years ago, after moving to Canada from the United States. I’d seen my sister-in-law do lots of crochet – in fact, she’d made my son’s beautiful and beloved “yellow blankie” when he was born several years prior to our move – and thought that crochet would be just the thing to keep me occupied during my first long winter.

I’m a left-hander who had previously failed at many crafts, in part because I believed them to favor right-handers. I finally was successful after getting Mary Thomas’s First Steps in Crochet, which began with the assurance that crochet is really a two-handed activity. 

Something about that new information freed me to try again, and now is fundamental to my approach in teaching adults.

It's a Trap, crochet pattern by Beth Graham. Image © Anne Podlesak.

UC: When did you start teaching crochet?

BG: I began teaching crochet about 7 years ago at my local yarn shop at the same time that I returned to university for a teaching degree. The shop owner and I both assumed that my gig would be short lived, that I’d stop once I got an elementary teaching position. In that weird way that life has of twisting and turning, though, the public school thing never completely happened, and here I am, concentrating on crochet teaching and absolutely loving it!

As other teachers know, we often get as much from our students as we give them. My adult learners constantly help me improve my own crochet – as well as my teaching skills – and I’ve been so grateful for the opportunity to work with them. With my new online class, Craftsy has allowed me the potential to reach even more folks who would like to learn with me.

Swirly Blanket, crochet pattern by Beth Graham. Image © Gillian Martin.

UC: How long have you been a member of the CGOA? What’s your favorite thing about being a member?

BG: I’ve only been a member of the CGOA for about five years and confess that I haven’t been an active participant to this point. My favorite thing about being a member is reading what other folks are up to throughout North America. I would love to become more active in the organization.

Scarf Theory, crochet pattern by Beth Graham. Image © Beth Graham.

UC: Has teaching influenced your design work at all? If so, how?

BG: My design work is almost entirely influenced by my teaching interests. I’m a former librarian and proofreader, so care a lot about clear communication and sharing knowledge and resources. My designs are all meant to support beginner to advanced beginner crafters and help them gain the confidence and tools to tackle more difficult projects.

(My secondary, sneakier goal in design is to persuade knitters of the beauty and utility that is crochet. Keep that under your hat!)

Bandwagon Blanket, free crochet pattern by Beth Graham. Image © Beth Graham.

UC: What are your favorite types of crochet projects for relaxing?

BG: Lately, I’ve been working almost exclusively on my Bandwagon Blanket, which consists of Tunisian crochet mitered squares made from sock yarn scraps. I am loving how patchwork-y it is! 

Playful Textures Scarf, a crochet pattern by Beth Graham from her Craftsy class, Fun & Fantastic Textured Crochet Stitches. 

UC: What are your favorite types of crochet projects for challenging yourself?

BG: I really crochet mostly to relax, and I design to challenge myself.  My overarching challenge? Offering patterns that use simple techniques and at the same time have a satisfying, classic appeal to both encourage newer crocheters and to convince knitters to give this craft a try. 

Simple Textures Dishcloth, a crochet pattern by Beth Graham from her Craftsy class, Fun & Fantastic Textured Crochet Stitches. 

UC: What are your favorite types of crochet projects to give as gifts?

BG: My favorite gifts are things that can be used – and used up – so dishcloths are my natural go-to. I recently designed the Simple Textures Dishcloth to accompany my Craftsy class, and I’m sure will be making lots more of those to give away. 

UC: What’s your crochet Resolution for 2016?

BG: I am so very close to finishing my Bandwagon Blanket, so that’s first on my list. I would also like to learn more about slip stitch crochet. (Tanja Osswald has some lovely, intricate slip-stitch designs that are on the top of my list.) As well, I want to continue to improve as a crochet teacher.

A Crinkle in Time Cowl, crochet pattern by Beth Graham. Image © Gillian Martin. 

UC: What’s next for you?

BG: I’ve got a design coming out soon in the Knit Picks Independent Designer Program and another about to be released in the latest Crochet One-Skein book from Storey Publishing. I want to continue balancing work with third-party publications and independent designs throughout 2016.

Thanks so much, Beth, for sharing your love of crochet with us.