Tapestry Crochet

I’m still recovering from the Oakland Knit and Crochet Show. Because school started, I had to fly there Friday, teach my classes, then return Sunday on the “red eye.” The luxury of staying a few extra days was not an option this time. Back “in the day” this wouldn’t have been a problem. Yes, it was worth it.

The view from Nashville to Dallas to Oakland was spectacular. Looking down at the green / brown / red / cultivated / dry / flat, then broken earth with meandering rivers and occasional puffy clouds was quite an aesthetic experience.

I love the window seat – especially on a clear day! Farmers are wonderful earth artists, don’t you think?

I prefer to share a room at conferences – not only to split the cost, but it’s a wonderful opportunity to meet and get to know a person one on one. I lucked out at the last minute when a mutual friend helped me find Deanna! It’s always a little scary to share a room with someone you don’t know. Fortunately, I’ve been blessed with a perfect match every time! Deanna’s specialty is bead knitting, so we had a lot in common. She was a vendor at the Market and did quite well, almost selling out all her bead knitting kits. No wonder – her scarves, bags, and shawls are to die for!

Deanna Van Assche of Deanna’s Vintage Style shows off a bead knit shawl in her booth.

My classes were smaller than usual, in fact, one of them was cancelled. Many of the teachers I spoke to had the same experience. I could be wrong, but it seemed like there were more crocheters than knitters in attendance. Smaller classes meant more individualized attention for participants, though.

I used a bead spinner to string size 8 beads from Fire Mountain Gems onto Aunt Lydia’s Fashion Crochet size 3 crochet cotton before the Bead Tapestry Crochet Bag class began, but this time, I did not use clear beads on white thread (as promised).

The Bead Tapestry Crochet Bag class was lots of fun, and we all learned something new, too!

One of the highlights of every conference is meeting online friends. Deborah Martin and I began tapestry crochet correspondence last year. She took both of my classes and contributed LOTS of great tips. Thanks, Deborah!

Deborah Martin and Margaret Tullis bead tapestry crocheting their bags.

This is how Deborah Martin keeps her threads from tangling when she switches colors.

The Bead Tapestry Crochet Tube Bracelet class went well, too, using larger size 6 beads from Fire Mountain Gems with the same Aunt Lydia’s Fashion Crochet size 3 crochet cotton.

Cynthia Wheeler and Deborah Martin bead tapestry crochet a bracelet.

Elizabeth Bates’ bead tapestry crochet bracelet. Yes, this WILL be a bracelet – after around 5 more inches of rounds of bead tapestry crochet!

Another highlight of the conference was the Member’s Dinner Fashion Show – a great place to renew acquaintances and make new friends. I volunteered to help model, which made it even more exciting!

As promised in a previous blog, I wore my signature earrings and Korsnas outfit during the Member’s Dinner. Next to me are Kathleen Sams and Vicki Blizzard of Coats and Clark.

I modeled my own bead felted Button Flap Bag and several pieces by other designers, including Deanna’s comfortable bead knit shawl.

I’m third from the left in the Fashion Show finale.

What a wild weekend! Yes, I’m still recovering, but now you know why it was SO WORTH IT!

I was inspired to do my first web page at a Crochet Guild of America (CGOA) conference several years ago. I have since created around a hundred web pages about crafts around the world (which are linked to my home page). It was during Kim Werker’s “How to Use the Web to Build Your Business” session on Professional Day at the recent CGOA Conference in New Hampshire that I decided to start a blog. When my hotel roommate, Karen Whooley, offered to get me started and Robert Chapman helped me put it online, there was no turning back. So here I go!

Although I never look forward to the flight, it is GREAT FUN to be surrounded by people who are so excited about crochet! This time, I decided to make a real effort to meet new people and hopefully, to remember their names (I’m awful at that). I recognized Christy McMahon’s tapestry crochet bag from the photos she posted in my former Yahoo Tapestry Crochet Group on the web. It was wonderful to put a face with a name!

Me and Christy McMahon (with our tapestry
crocheted bags) in the hotel lobby.

Although I was tempted to escape to my room after class, I forced myself to get out there and mingle! I am a social person, but when in a new place, I often retreat to the security of my room. Anyway, this time I fought the urge and on the very first night I had “drinks and dinner” with some very big shots in the industry. Not being much of a drinker, I asked for “something sweet.” And – that’s how I was introduced to my very first martini. A bright red battery-powered “ice cube” made it glow.

Marty Miller, me, and Kim Werker unwind at the CGOA Conference.

I hone my skills every time I teach. I used a bead spinner to string size 8 beads from Fire Mountain Gems onto Aunt Lydia’s Fashion Crochet size 3 crochet cotton before class because I knew it would take too much time for everyone to do it during class. I also knew that bead tapestry crochet is best taught with large beads and that black thread should be avoided (too difficult to see), but I did not realize that clear beads on white thread was not a good choice because it is also difficult to see. Although several students liked the look, one of them was so frustrated, she left the all-day Bead Tapestry Crochet Bag class early. Even though I tried to give her another ball of thread with colored beads, she had reached her limit.

Delma Myers, a “lefty”, chose colors that coordinated with her hair and outfit.

Katie Morrissey crochets the handle of
a bag that has her own original motif.

Katie Morrissey and B. J. Licko-Keel designed their own motifs, so they needed more beads of one color. B. J. shared the “Russian join” and “sewn splice” techniques that she used to pass beads from one thread to another, quite a time saver!

B. J. Licko-Keel shows the class how to do a “Russian join.”

I was nervous about the sold-out Bead Tapestry Crochet Bracelet class before it started because I knew the project could not be finished in class, but none of the 30 students seemed to mind. I suppose it was because after bead tapestry crocheting 4 or 5 rounds with size 6 beads from Fire Mountain Gems and Aunt Lydia’s Fashion Crochet size 3 crochet cotton , they were comfortable with the technique and the motif was relatively easy.

Bead Tapestry Crochet Tube Bracelet Class at the Summer Conference.

The Felted Tapestry Crochet Basket was the easiest project because a loose stitch was used – and no beads. The basket was crocheted with Lion Wool in class, then I explained how to felt it at home in the washing machine.

The felted basket was a good introduction to the technique.

These three tapestry crochet classes will be offered again at the Fall CGOA Conference in Oakland, CA. I hope to see you there – and I promise not to have any kits with clear beads on white thread!