HHCC'er to be inducted into Crochet Hall of Fame

HHCC'er Margaret Hubert to be inducted into the CGOA's
Jean Leinhauser Crochet Hall of Fame

Congratulations Margaret!!!

Lion Brand Outlet Trip: Carlstadt NJ

A Trip Report by Diane G.
Photos by Grace G.

Sunday March 25,2012


It was not a bright and sunny day, as one by one, Grace picked up her passengers for the excursion to the Lion Brand Outlet Store in New Jersey. Diana, Diane (me) and then Elaine took their seats ready for the event. The New York City Crochet Guild was going by bus, and other members of our group were driving from their home base.And all would converge on the LION BRAND OUTLET.

We arrived just moments before the NYC bus load, and when the doors opened and we all literally poured into the store – first passing the Statue of Liberty drapped in yarn embelishments – the expressions on the faces of the LB employees was – well shock- they had not expected to see “hundreds” of yarn junkies descending on the store on a Sunday morning. Once the initial shock was over, they did their best – but you could see in their faces that this big a crowd was not expected.

"Hundreds," they muttered under their breath;and valiantly scattered to assist the masses – answering questions, handing out bags (which came in handy- but could not contain the purchases in full), taking pictures, and on and on... “thousands,” they whispered.

A total of 5 Crochet Guilds ended up attending this field trip!
HHCC, NYCCG, CCGLI, HOTSCG, and the BFAG.

After checking out Lady Liberty, the skating lion (yes lion), the penguins, yarn bombed bicycle and the “jungle“ scene (with a giant snake), we proceeded to check out the yarn displays. We had expected a larger “store” to be honest. And we had thought we would see all the yarns that LB sold. So that was a bit of a disappointment. What was there was sufficient to fill at least one (or two) shopping bags –(and they were not small bags). There is a station to locate patterns and print them out, a room to relax and start your project with newly purchased yarn, and the yarn. Though in some cases it may have been discontinued colors, there were sufficient quantities in the color you selected to complete any project you had in mind whether it was a scarf/hat /mitten combo or a king size afghan.

I myself was sure there was nothing more I needed except for the bamboo I wanted – which of course was the last display in the store –making me walk by and check out all the other yarns. Oh my! Needless to say I stocked up on more yarn with no thought in my head except that I liked the color and I will surely find something to do with it….( I have used three skeins of the LB wool to complete a tunisian scarf which I worked on at the CT Sheep and Wool April 28. The rest is waiting for inspiration or just figuring out the pattern.)

The prices were great on the regular items - most were bagged as three skeins minimum at about 50% of the cost.  So a bag of LB wool – 3oz skeins (3 in the bag) had a price of $17.97 noted but your price was $9.00. Only the LB merino and bamboo were sold as separate skeins and not noted as discounted but… when you got onto that long long line to pay for your purchases, you found out that Jack had left instructions that we would get an additional 15%(or was it 20%) off everything; it doesn’t matter which since it was a further discount on everything.

We spent at least two hours making our selections, then returned to the car and stuffed – and I mean stuffed - our bags into the trunk of Grace’s car. I thought it would pop – but Grace assured us the trunk was really roomy even with the stuff we already had in there. She was right.

On our return trip we stopped to grab lunch just down the street at a Subway, ate in the car then returned home with our additions to our stashes.  With thoughts of what we would do with the new purchases, where to put it, and wondered what the NY group was going to do until 3PM when their bus returned for them - because LB outlet is in the warehouse district and there is nothing else there.

A fun day, as always, when there is yarn involved and people who are just like you in your aprreciation for the craft of crochet.

THANK YOU LION BRAND!! :)

Additional pictures of this "Gathering of the Guilds" can be seen on the LionBrand Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.318795614850279.81403.195786563817852&type=3

Details for upcoming May 2012 Meeting

Some Red Scarves from The HHCC for WomenHeart

Normally the HHCC holds monthly meetings on the 2nd Sunday.  As noted back in March, the May meeting date has been changed from the 2nd Sunday to the 1st Sunday of the month due to Mother's Day.

The May meeting is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 6th, 2012, from 1PM to 4:30 pm, at the Danbury Library. 

HHCC member, Anna, (who is also a member of the NYCCG) has been invited to the 2012 Wenger Awards Ceremony as the guest of the CEO of WomenHeart. Wenger Awards are given "to recognize individuals and organizations for their extraordinary contributions to women's heart health...."

Anna is collecting the red scarves - a symbol of care and support for a woman with heart disease - to be distributed in NY. More information about WomenHeart can be found here: http://www.womenheart.org/programsEvents/programs/heartscarves.cfm

Those attending the HHCC's monthly meeting on Sunday, May 6th, are invited to bring crocheted (or knitted) scarves for this worthy cause.

Please also note due to the library being closed on Sundays for the summer months, meetings taking place in June, July and August are "away meetings," being hosted by various HHCC members.  If you are interested in attending the summer month meetings, please email us for driving instructions.

CT Sheep and Wool-April 28, 2012

A Trip Report by Diane G.
Photos by Alex Iannelli
(report & photos posted here with permission)

HHCC'ers at the 103rd CT Sheep & Wool Festival.

It was a cold start to the day, and little did we realize that it would continue to be “brisk” for the duration of the event.  Upon arrival on a bright sunny but cold morning Nancy, Ruth and I unloaded the many packages and containers of display items and handouts.

We brought our sign and the starter kits, as well as items made of natural fibers.  The young ladies that Dee brought assisted in setting up the displays on the table – heads with wigs, hats and scarves, and a glass head with “brains” of roving and then went out into the sunshine to check things out.

Crochet on Display.

This is a small event, not really spreadout only 4 barns, and some vendors outside under tents.  But there are a lot of things to see, pet and buy.  If you ever go wear sturdy walking shoes as there are not real paths or walkways except indoors.  There were also sheep, sheep dogs, alpacas, and angora bunnies to pet.

While waiting for some parties interested in crochet, Ruth whipped up a new hat for herself which she promptly put on hoping to get a little warmer.  Then she went out into the sunshine and warmth to check out the vendors in the buildings next door and returned wearing wool gloves that displayed only the tips of her fingers.  Dee was toasty warm wearing her mittens, while Nancy and I wore our fingerless mitts and wished we had the yarn to close them up.

We all did our best to help the economy in CT by buying yarn, crochet accessories ( stitch markets, hook markers and shawl pins), wooden hooks, nantucket bags (at a deep discount), and even beads.

More crochet the HHCC had on display.

We demonstrated Tunisian simple stitch and purl (my version which is pretty close to the one in the books), crochet with roving (Dee) and start up crocheters (the young ladies that Dee brought and a few other people).  Also attending: Robyn, and Irene and her husband Alex.

Nancy submitted two items for judging and won ribbons one first place, one third place.  She had never entered anything anywhere before.   We are working on her to enter items at the Big E.

That wind sure did blow through the partially open door of the Red barn and headed straight for us.  We started to envy those sheep clustered in a pen about 25 feet away from us – that is until they started to loose their wooly covering as each were shorn in demos every half hour or so.  I could see the surprised look on their faces as the first of their number returned naked, and he (or she) made straight for the center of the flock to stay warm.  Towards the end of the day only two were left unshorn and they seemd to prefer staying in the middleof the rest of their buddies, but alas they too were shorn of their fleecy covering but not without demonstrating some resistance.

All in all a fine though chilly day.  Only the second time I have attended and I am alrady planning on my warm wardrobe for next year – just in case.