Episode 77: Multi-Crafting

Episode 77: Multi-Crafting

Crochet away
When we were at Stitches earlier this year we talked to crochet maven, Edie Eckman, about her awesome crochet motifs book. We ramble a bit and talk some about Berroco's spring yarns.

Edie Eckman
Beyond-the-Square Crochet Motifs
Cool Wool by Lana Grossa (rav link)
Knitalong by Larissa Brown
Fannie's Fingering Weight
Carolina Homespun
Sock Summit
Moch Cardigan by Gudrun Johnston
Ishbel by Ysolda Teague
Norwegian Woods by Sivia Harding
Alchemy Haiku
Kid Silk Haze
Berroco Pure Pima
Berroco Naturlin
Berroco Latitude
Berroco Mica

Sew Distracting
We have been spending some time at our sewing machines these days. Here are some of the links that have been inspiring us:

Purl Bee
Sew Mama Sew
Spring Ruffle Top
5-Minute Skirt
Jenny's sewing links
Nicole's sewing links

We will be gone for a little while, in the meantime enter to win your own copy of Beyond-the-Square Crochet Motifs and give a listen to Craftsanity.

Comments

[Lisa O]

YAY! new podcast! Love all the craftiness! I was in NY last month and got my first visit to Purl... you'll love it! Thanks for the tip on Craftsanity!
Yeah, Crochet! i do little projects mostly (hats, scarfs, pouches), but someday want to make a beautiful colorful motif afghan, so the book would be awesome!
You girls have a great vacation! We'll miss you!
xox Lisa

[Faith (the Vampire Slayer)]

Loving the new podcast. We've missed you guys!
I learned how to crochet a few years before I taught myself to knit. Upon knitting, I lost my desire to crochet, but have recently decided to give it another try due to finding several of my grandmother's old needles. I would love to make a few afghans for people in my life who are moving to new locals.
Have a good podcasting break!
-Faith

[Charlotte]

Your podcast and Craftsanity are two of my favorites! I'm glad you're pointing listeners in that direction.

I work at a yarn shop and am one of the knitting teachers. I'm trying to teach myself to crochet so that I'm able to help those customers, too. I really appreciated Edie Eckman's encouragement to stick with the discomfort of learning a new craft. It sounds like an amazing book!

Have a great break!
-Charlotte

[Jennifer P.]

I'm totally multi-crafty! My current obsessions are knitting, crochet and sewing. I recently sold my loom (to Jenny!!), and my spinning wheel to someone else on Ravelry.

So, I'm back to my 3 core crafts...

I'd love to win a copy of this book. I have 2 favorite crocheted projects I've done so far. My surfer chick hat: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/orange/surfer-chick-quick-cap And, my half sewn/half crocheted purse: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/orange/granny-square-purse

Take care,
Jennifer.

[Lynn]

I just started crocheting last year and have used it mostly to make throws and for edging on sweater. Love the podcast and look forward the hearing you after the break!

[Julia]

oooohhhh! Me, me, me! The only crochet I did for years was for simple edgings on my knitting - slipped stitch, picots, button loops and single crochet. But around 2-3 years ago I learned to crochet in earnest (still an advanced beginner at best) and crocheted a gazillion pansy motifs for a blanket last spring. Listening to the podcast, I'm inspired to go back and finish off the blanket with some knitting. When I finally do, I'll send you guys a link - so fun!
Great podcast, as usual.
xox, J

[Julia]

Oh, and here's a rav link to the pansies: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/mindofwinter/pensee-baby-binky

[Leslie]

Thanks for the great episode. (I always get very excited when I see it's a longer podcast!) As far as crochet, I learned 2 years ago and loved it but, as Nicole may remember, it did a number on my wrists. So now I use it as edgings, etc. on knits. I do love the look of granny square blankets, especially when they have really contemporary color schemes. As far as sewing, I am just DYING to get better at it. My sister and I tried to teach ourselves a few years ago and laughed ourselves silly at how bad we were. Jenny, would you be willing to share the contact info of your teacher? (I am in SF too, if you recall.) I took 2 lessons from a woman from Craig's List a few years ago but she was really just so-so (or sew-sew -- ha ha). I really need someone to just teach me those learned tricks-of-the-trade so I get better faster. And I agree -- the fabrics are what's so awesome about sewing. :) Have a wonderful haitus. You will be missed.

[Gayle]

Thanks for the great & variety filled episode. I loved hearing about your sewing, as I hope to someday learn to sew quilts!

I love to crochet, and I have been working on projects with my 10-year old daughter. I recently bought a Japanese stitch pattern book (Mini Motifs), and I can't wait to try something in it . .. I just have to practice reading the charts!

Happy vacation to you both. Hopefully craftsanity is as entertaining as the two of you. :)

[Elizabeth GM]

I really enjoyed the cross-craftual talk in this episode, and thanks for all the great sewing suggestions.

I taught myself to crochet a couple of years ago. I think my main reason for learning at the time was that I nearly went insane knitting a blanket. I thought the basics of crochet were pretty easy to learn, though granny squares still baffle me.

The most surprising thing about learning to crochet was that it finally made it possible for me to switch from throwing to Continental-style knitting, which I had attempted unsuccessfully a couple of times before. The hand motions in crochet and Continental knitting feel very similar to me.

[Patti]

This was a wonderful episode! I knit, crochet, sew, and quilt so you really held my interest. :-D
I was perusing the sewing sites you have bookmarked and my youngest daughter now wants a top and skirt that we found. I have taught all my daughters (4) to sew, knit, and crochet so they, too, will be able to craft their way through life.
See (hear) you again in July when y'all will be back in time for my birthday - oh joy!

[Tawana]

I really love your podcast and listen to it religiously! I am definitely a multicrafter. I started out crocheting and moved to knitting. But I never stopped crocheting and just recently finished a crochet granny square blanket.( But don't get me wrong I love to knit...LOL!)

[Amy C.]

Hi Nicole and Jenny,
I love your podcast, and want to say "thanks" for all the great info you send our way.
I learned to crochet from my great-aunt, who created beautiful pineapple motif tablecloths, doilies, and lots of seashell baby blankets. When I learned to knit, I abandoned crochet for a time, but for the past several years have been incorporating crochet into my knitting by adding edging, flowers, and buttonholes to my knitted garments. I also prefer crocheting blankets to knitting them. For some reason they just work up faster for me.
I'm looking forward to your next podcast. See you in July!

[Lisa]

I learned to crochet when I was a teenager but never really followed a pattern. Now that I can finally follow a pattern I knit mostly but still use those skills learned eons ago! Love the podcast ladies theres always something good in each epsisode :)

[JenAus0524]

Hi Jenny & Nicole,
Enjoy your vacation! Thanks for a great episode. I've printed off directions for the 5-min skirt already and copies for co-workers. I like your yarn reviews too because they sound honest vs. gushy to get more free stuff. I started as a crocheter then added knitting. I like crochet because it's faster but my skill level is a little lacking. I mainly just single or double crochet square objects. I also have a ton of Babette squares done and you've motivated me to get back into that project. Crochet is very portable and I would be interested to expand my motif skills beyond the classic square. I drool over "free form" crochet projects I see on Ravelry. Looking forward to your return in July.

[Sabine]

Love your podcast! I'm alwasy happy when iTunes downloads a new episode

I would love to win the crochet book. I knit and crochet, more knitting at the moment, but both have their place for different purposes. I love to crochet miniature teddy bears (thread bears) and I actually like granny squares ;-) Done in a well-planned colour scheme they can be very pretty. Learning other shapes would be great though. I love to do modular knitting and motif crochet is modular too.

[yuvee]

Thanks for the great episode!
I've been really into crochet lately, love how versatile it is for making necklaces and corsages! And I've always been intrigued by mixing knitting and crochet in a project, you guys have just inspired me to take my crochet to the next level!

[hotknitter]

I taught myself how to crochet, which I love, in the early 70s when I was looking for something to do. Mostly I crohet afghans, specializing in fisherman style patterns. I started knitting about 3 yrs ago and have added crocheted edgings to items. Another idea is to add crocheted edgings to sewn garments.
Love your podcast, thanks - keep it up!

[Chris in Knitvada]

Helloooo! Hope you gals are have a nice break from podcasting! Being a professional seamstress, I wanted to run right over and show you everything I know about sewing. But just jumping in and doing it is the way to start and it sounds like you are on your way. Now if I could just jump into a nice meaty crochet project to really get the hang and the hook of it.

[Lori]

I haven't really learned to crochet. I only know enough for a SC border. I'd like to learn and complete my own Babette one day...

[Tracy Hite (starsongky on Ravelry)]

My favorite use for crochet is for bordering and seaming together knitted afghan motifs. My blankets (so far) get a lot of heavy use, and when I used sewn seams they would eventually pull apart where the sewing strands met. Now I hold two motifs together and single crochet through both thicknesses to join them, so each seam is one long strand all the way across the blanket. I'll do all the horizontal seams first, then go back and hit the vertical seams; at intersections I slip stitch into the other seam to lock them together.

[jimswife]

While I have known how to crochet longer than I have known how to knit, I have never had the "passion" for it that I do for my knitting...sorry Edie! I mostly use crochet in a limit way as needed with my knitting. But recently have been interested in expanding my fiber horizons (I took a class at Stitches from Edie and after hearing her talk about crocheting being another vital tool...) and have been really eyeing some of the cute crochet patterns on Ravelry.

Have a nice podcation!

[Natalie]

Hi there!
I started crocheting when I was little, but it has definitely been put on the back burner since I have become so totally obsessed with knitting. However, I still enjoy it very much and usually have a project on the hook. Right now, that would be the Chevron Lace Cardigan, which is adorable and going very fast. I love the idea of this book & am already fantasizing about an afghan made from various motifs :)
Enjoy you summer break, ladies!
Natalie

[catspaw]

I uploaded the latest podcast today and was listening to it as I drove to Waynesboro, VA to do some shopping. Edie Eckman is a friend and I'm listening to you interview her as I'm driving past the road that leads to her house. Weird or what!

[Lhev (craftilyhip on Ravelry)]

thanks for the great podcasts. i'm a new listener so am busy catching up on all the previous episodes available on i-tunes while driving to and from work only (since my husband and kids groan everytime i put a knitting podcast on, lol).

first love is knitting but i also love crochet, so much faster than knitting. i find more beautiful knitted fabrics than crochet, though, so i love when i find crochet patterns that look like knitting but are worked up so much quicker.