Hookin' With Hip Cat

Keep your bloglines here, I'm not moving. I think I have finally found a way to do my website and blog on my Mac without moving addresses again. Although I love the look of my "dot Mac" webiste the address is not user friendly and some folks were not able to access it at all. A BIG shout out to Staci of Very Pink for her recommendation of Firefox. Now that I am using Firefox as a browser for my Mac I have all the tools available to me on blogger that I did when I used a PC. This is so cool!

My domain name is now hosted on a Mac friendly server and I can use their software to build my site. This is the same program I used through Yahoo to build the first generation web site. I didn't publicize that site because I knew it wasn't ready. I'm still not ready to reveal the name and address, but it is coming.

So what's going on in Hip Cat crochetland? I need to organize my world so that I can actually work. I have yarn, drawings, patterns and books everywhere. I plan to do some shopping at IKEA this week. First will be a shelf system to house books, magazines and yarn. That will help tremendously.

The big news is that I am officially an Associate Professional member of the CGOA! I have a mentor, but I'm not sure I can say who it is yet, so I'll keep you in suspense. I will say that I am psyched and feel very lucky to have this person as my crochet business coach.

Amy and I are in warp speed as our trip to France is only 4 weeks away. Have I practiced French? No. Do I have my wardrobe together? No. Do I know what I am going to take to work on? No. I have decided the crucial thing - my traveling color scheme. You might scoff at this, but I want to leave plenty of suit case room for yarn and other things so I want to pack smart. I also want to look very chic while in France - no ugly American here. I will be wearing black, white, and gray with a splash of pink. Very Hip Cat don't you think?

My only FO is my Celebrity Shawl from The Stitch Diva.

The stats on this: Celebrity (Jessica) Shawl by The Stitch Diva crocheted in Yoga by Berocco. It is beautiful - the ribbon is not soft and it won't keep me warm, but it is pretty & dressy. I plan on wearing it to a wedding this week.

If you have never been to The Stitch Diva's website, please do so this week, if you have been there, go back; while you are there buy a pattern (not from her most recent collection) as the proceeds will be going to 2 fiber families currently suffering extreme hardship as a result of medical issues. Buy a pattern and help a friend.

I have swatched all the new yarn for the fall and will post a review of each yarn this week. There is one that I absolutely have use to make something for the France trip. You'll know it when you see it.

Tune in tomorrow for review #1.

Hip Cat Post

Be sure to check out my latest post on Sheryl's World of Fiber. Copy and paste this address in your web browser:

http://web.mac.com/sherylmeans/iWeb/Site/Welcome.html once there go to the blog to read my book report on Loop-d-Loop Crochet by Teva Durham.

While there go to the RSS link to subscribe to my blog.

End of the Show & Saturday in Manchester

I'm home from Chain Link and other than the laundry that is waiting for me, I think I have recovered. There are more pictures waiting in the wings. Check out my website, Sheryl's World of Fiber I'll be adding to that regularly and will post a note here so you can check it out. The RSS feed works so you can subscribe to the blog; I have also put an email link on the blog page so that comments can be sent to me via email.

This is the end result of the International Freeform Crocheters 2007 challenge. Myra Wood did a fabulous job of joining all the pieces together into one large piece of art. The 4 elements are represented and it is stunning!

I took one technique class while at the show. This is the "undulating wave" I learned from Colleen Davis. She makes the most incredible freeform sweaters using this short row method. I had a blast!

I sat outside at this quaint little place down the street from the hotel and enjoyed my blueberry crepes with a delicious cup of coffee.

On Hanover Street there is a whole block of shops with what looks like apartments or offices above them. OK...this is like my dream place for a yarn shop. Beautiful windows to display garments and yarn and then at the end of the day all I would have to do is walk upstairs.

Babe is holding 2 of the goodies I bought at the show. On the left is a gorgeous hook made by Tom of Grafton Fibers. On the right is a glass hanger for freeform crochet or knitting along with 2 coordinating buttons. I can hardly wait to make something fabulous to hang from this piece of art.

These glass buttons were made by the same artist and are in Hip Cat colors. I plan on making a black cardigan of some kind to show case these buttons. The artist who makes these will sell to shops, so look for some of these beauties at Yarntopia!

Back from Chain Link

I'm home from Chain Link and other than the laundry that is waiting for me, I think I have recovered. There are more pictures waiting in the wings. Check out this link to my website. I'll be adding to that regularly and will post a note here so you can check it out. I need to work on the RSS feed so that folks can subscribe to it so it will become my main blog. I have put an email link on the blog page so that comments can be sent to me via email.

http://web.mac.com/sherylmeans/iWeb/Site/Welcome.html

Time to Say Good Bye

I have pictures, I have thoughts, but more importantly my stomach is complaining. So, my friends, I am packing and will be heading out this morning. Check out my Mac blog at http://web.mac.com/sherylmeans/iWeb/Site/Welcome.html for last night's update.

More tomorrow from home....

Sheryl & Babe signing off.

Babe Swatches

Today's classes were both taught by Marty Miller, crochet & knit designer, CGOA board member, and technical editor. The classes were great - very informative in both the design and business end of crochet. Babe is sitting with the swatches I made during the first class.

The weather today was fabulous. There was a cool breeze blowing and it stayed in the low 80s all day. I keep trying to picture this place in the middle of winter. I doubt I would find it quite so charming.

Tomorrow is another class with Marty followed by a freeform knitting class. I just noticed that it is labeled and "advanced" class. Yikes! I hope I'm not in over my head.

Chain Link Day 1

Today was Professional Development Day, a day to gleen knowledge from those who are making their living in the crochet world. Hearing what different publishing formats look for in designs was quite enlightening. Babe is posing with her pink crochet hook, ready to crochet squares for Warm Up America.



In the afternoon we had the chance to sit with various professionals who were speaking on their particular area of expertise. I spent time with Jennifer Hansen and Kim P. Werker, the editor of Interweave Crochet and founder of www.crochetme.com. Both ladies were engaging, full of great information and absolutely tops in what they do. Jennifer publishes some of the coolest patterns around and they are beautifully done. She is my gold standard in self publishing.

My crochet buddy from home - Drew Emborsky, www.thecrochetdude.com - managed to leave his mark on my day.



I was trying to photograph Babe with her Celebrity Shawl in front of Jennifer's name card when Drew decided to say HI. Thanks, Drew.

Tomorrow will bring more classes but the market opens and the knitters will join us. It should be great!

Welcome to New Hampshire

Meet "Babe Sheryl"



Babe is going to make appearances this week at the summer conference for The Crochet and Knitting Guilds of America. From registration to classes, and shopping the market, Babe will be your tour guide.

We had a long day that included being trapped on an airplane with obnoxious children and their wimpy parents, sitting on the tarmac because there wasn't an open gate for flight #1 and then nearly missing flight #2. We did arrive in New Hampshire slightly worse for the wear but just happy to be here. The hotel shuttle bus driver was a piece of work - quite entertaining. His mannerisms reminds me of Art Carney in the Honeymooners. The weather is very pleasant, overcast with a cool breeze. It is humid but at least the temperature is tolerable. After dinner I went for a walk around the downtown area and stopped to watch part of a community theater companies performance of Charlie Brown.

Tomorrow is Professional Development day. I'll be sitting in seminars and break out sessions with folks who design for a living. Right now, I'm off to test out the Sleep Number bed that is calling my name.

Chain Link Here I Come!

This time tomorrow I will be in Manchester, New Hampshire hanging out with knitters & crocheters from around the country. I am so nervously excited I can hardly stand myself!

I am a list maker by nature - I never travel without a list. Have I made a list of the clothes I'm going to wear? No. Have I given it the kind of thought I normally would give? No. What I have been obcessing about is what project(s) am I going to take with me to work on. Since I am taking design oriented classes I won't have projects to work on for, or as a result of classes; therefore, I must take sufficient things to keep me interested and busy. So far my list includes:

1. Pure Cotton shop sample that will be out of season by the time I get it finished. I am banned from knitting seasonally significant shop samples ever again.

2. Elsbeth Lavold Silky Tweed sweater I started last weekend. I'm loving this yarn and pattern. It is Tilia which is on the cover of book 8, The Enchanted Garden.

3. Socks for my brother (his 1 year belated birthday gift). I am becoming reobcessed with socks. It could be because we just got a shipment of Claudia Handpainted yarn in the shop. Yummo!

Do you notice anything missing from this list? Could it be crochet?

I'm on the horns of a dilema. I am going to Chain Link to take crochet classes and I am currently bummed out on crochet and in a total knitting fixation. Amy has assured me that I will come back pumped about crochet. Hmmmmm, we'll see. My obcessive personality is quite fickle so she is probably right.

Stay tuned to my blog for daily updates from Chain Link featuring a special guest.