It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

...Everywhere I go....And my Christmas knitting is NO WHERE near being finished!! But what do I want to do? Of course! Add another UFO to my pile of WIPs!! I want to make these slippers to wear during the holidays. Anybody want to join me in a CAL? Let me know – I've got the pattern ready to go...just need to get yarn and a larger hook. I'm wondering even about doing an elf version with green....hmmmm....

So...I was wondering if y'all would be interested in having a crochet/knitting themed white elephant Christmas party. Whatcha think? Check your emails for voting buttons to choose what works for you. Maybe have a $10-15 price limit. I know there's lots going on but go vote it would be fun! :)

Keep up the great stitching! And...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

AWESOME NEWBS!

Welcome to all our wonderful newbies today!!! We're so glad y'all have joined are "skeinky, loose hookers" group. We have a reputation to live up to and I will make every effort that we all hold up our end of the bargain.

It will be frustrating at first but keep practicing the basic stitches. These are the foundation of many wonderful things you can create later. Once you get the chain and single crochets down...the sky's the limit!

Check the links here and on YouTube. You'll be able to find lots of help or ask Debra or me if you have any questions.

And a SPECIAL THANKS to Debra for all her help and patience in getting us starting and learning how to crochet. YOU ROCK, SKULLY!!

Kid N' Ewe Time!

http://www.kidnewe.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1
Be sure to check out the class listings.

WOOHOO-we got class

Ok, for all you intrepid "Gassers" out there. We are set for a "Learn to Read a Crochet Pattern" at Yarntopia on Saturday September 19th, 10am-12pm. Mosey on over to Yarntopia.net for contact info so you can get signed up and paid for. This class is going to focus on a shoulder bag (of my design) and will be intended for felting. Yarntopia rules state that you need to buy your yarn there....so good luck with the choosing just one color(hee,hee). Hope to see y'all there.
Also, for anyone interested, there are 3 chapters of CGOA (Crochet Guild of America) in Houston. One up by Willowbrook Mall called H-town(it was the first); one in Humble-Yarn Fantasies and Crochet Dreams; one on the westside-Westside Chain-Gang.
Westside meets the 3rd Sunday of every month from 2-4 at Dunn Bros Coffee on west Fry. Next meeting is 9/20/09-come on out! There are exciting things happening.
http://westsidecrochet.blogspot.com/
ok, ok....I'm promoting my chapter...so sue me.....

We have AFGHANS!!!

Look at these gorgeous afghans!!! Griselda, Ernest and Debra have been busy sewing squares together. Aren't they awesome!!!! And the afghans are wonderful, too!!! Great job, y'all!!!

In Just Nine Short Months...

I was totally amazed and thrilled at our GAS lunch today. As I sat there with five other stitchers, I watched and remembered how just nine short months ago we didn't have a clue what to do. We still might not BUT it was awesome watching everyone helping each other. It was just nine months ago that most of us didn't know which end of a crochet hook to use much less how to make a chain to get started!

But look at us now!!! We're branching out and gaining more confidence as we trying new patterns and even working on personal projects. We're reading patterns and learning new stitches and helping each other out and doing BEAUTIFUL work. Nine months ago...our eyes would have glazed over at the mere mention of a 3DT TBL YO CH2 (3 double-treble in the back loop yarn over chain 2) but now...NO WAY!! We've got lots of blocks and afghans in the works. We even have a fantastic high school Senior who is now hooked -- HE just loves it!!

It's addicting yet so relaxing. Thanks for all your hard work and time!
Keep up the fantastic and beautiful stitching!!! <3

G.A.S. July 8th Meeting

Those who could not be with us today well and truly missed a show and tell extravaganza!
Griselda and Ernest are well on their way to COMPLETING 3 afghans. Ernest is doing one entirely on his own. His Mom must be a goood teacher!
Jennifer brought blocks and yarn and the start of the cutest little baby blanket.
Susan is almost finished with her baby blanket.
Today is S.O.C. lets represent!

Finally finished

I took a couple of days of vacation with the intention of finishing at least one afghan before July 8th.

Well, I did it. And its a monster.

GAS Promotion

Even if I haven't been to a stitchin' lunch in the last month, I haven't stopped knitting and crocheting. In fact, as I work on the company meeting presentation am I promoting GAS. We will be running a slide loop before the meeting to help inform people about some of the different groups not affiliated with the improving Social Committee. Connected with that, I have designed special buttons for the members of each of these groups to wear at the meeting on July 8. I've got a button just for GAS! So, be sure to come to the stitchin' lunch on Wednesday, July 8, to get your button to wear at the meeting. It would be great if we could recruit new members (and not just people at work -- spouses, friends, parents, pets, etc.) – We want everyone to have GAS!

I'm not sure how many are on vacation next week (July 1) but I WILL BE THERE!!!!! It will be my first in what seems 3 months. I hope that doesn't scare anyone away :P

Summertime...summertime...sum sum summertime

OK...I'm sorry I've been neglecting the blog. Between work and home -- time was far and few between. I have in the meantime figured out how to crochet. YAY!!!! I might be able to do only one type of square but I can do it. :) Speaking of squares...Here's the low-down on our squares.

Please make your squares 12"x12".
Finish the edge of the square with a row of single crochet (even around the knitted squares).
Then please, DON'T FORGET TO WEAVE IN YOUR ENDS!
It doesn't matter what pattern you use. But to help with piecing the squares together, it just takes a few minutes to finish off the squares with a row of single crochet and weaving in those tails. This helps the person taking the time to sew all the squares together for the afghans go alot faster.

Check out the summer color suggestions. If you need yarn to make your squares for our afghans, we've got a ton of donated yarn in my office. Stop by anytime to pick out some squishy goodness in whatever color you're in the mood for.

If you need help with any stitch...don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks again for taking the time to make squares for our afghan project. We couldn't do it without you!

In Memorium

Today we lost one of our own.
Charlotte, sweet, encouraging, stitch maniac was laid-off. She will be missed.
Though we did not get a pic, the first finished afghan was given to Charlotte yesterday at our regular Wednesday lunch meeting. We wanted her to have a hug around her at all times since she is going through health issues with her husband.
God Bless you Charlotte, where ever you go.

Afghan-itis

Hey guys! I only have 2/3 of one side to go to have the FIRST EVER GAS AFGHAN finished!
WOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will then get it washed and blocked and photographed, then that puppy is getting immortalized right here.
I'm happy to see the end of this one, becuase, like the bunnies of Easter, the blocks are multiplying under my desk and around my couch.
Keep checking back for the magnificent PURPLE PASSION afghan by the loving hands of G.A.S.

Here comes Peter Cottontail...

Happy April everyone! Ain't April great!!! Gorgeous weather, wildflowers, and yarn!

Debra got ANOTHER great donation of yarn...we've got to get busy making squares with all this fantastic yarn. We need more hands...more stitchers. Like the old proverb goes...too much yarn and not enough lifetime.

Color suggestions are the same as March -- pastels -- It's Spring...It's Easter!! I'm lazy!!

Til next time...

keep on stitchin'!

And the blessings just keep coming

This is the windfall yarn blessing we were given. This is the back of my VUE and yes, this is all yarn:

Good Wednesday !

Remember I took pictured of us? Heh,heh, this was a great showing on the 4th of March:

Blocks Squares and Stitchin'

Everybody is doing such a GREAT job on their blocks! I wanted to recap what we're doing now.

Are blocks are growing. From now on, please try to knit or crochet blocks and squares that are 12" x 12". That will help the joining of the blocks for the afghans go so much faster!! Don't forget to weave in your ends when you finish a block.

Debra is working on finishing our first afghan. We have lots of blocks still needing to be connected and just one person that knows how. If anyone would like to learn how to help out with this step, please get with Debra.

Keep up the great work! They're looking awesome!!!

Hey March...Quit Messing Up My Hair!!!

March has been true to its word...WINDY!!! But with Spring coming on, I thought it some Spring-like color suggestions would be great. I am in a green mood for some reason. We had a BLAST last week. I think Jennifer, Griselda and I totally forgot about stitching and just told stories instead. Yep...very revealing you might say...I got the scoop on those two!!! LOL

Hope to see you all on Wednesday for some more fun and yarns!! (nice pun if I say so myself)

Happy Heart Month!

Yep...it's the middle of February and I'm just getting around to posting. :( Since it's February, I thought it would be a great month if anyone wants to make blocks in reds, pinks, or purples -- only if the mood strikes you.

We're bumping up the size of the crocheted squares to 12" x 12" squares. This will help in putting the afghan's together.

Debra passed out a great crochet square pattern last week. You crochet from the center of a heart out...so the square size it adjustable.

I have some great knitted heart squares. One with just knits and purls for an embossed heart and the other one creates a "lacey" heart in the middle. These make about a 7-8" square with worsted weight yarn on #9-#10 needles.

We'll have copies available for anyone that didn't get them last week.

Don't forget to weave in those ends!!!

See you Wednesday...
:)m

Happy New Year!!!!

I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful holiday with lots family, food, and Santa Claus. We had our first stitching lunch of 2009 this week. It was so nice to get back together. I really enjoy our lunches.

A HUGE "thank you" to Debra who is crocheting all our blocks together into afghans. To help her out, please make sure you weave in all your ends into your finished blocks with your tapestry hooks. That will save a lot if time for everyone.

When you're ready to step your crocheting and knitting up a notch, just let us know. We'll be glad to teach you new stitches and patterns.

See you next week!