HHCC Celebrates NatCroMo

The HHCC is Celebrating National Crochet Month (known as NaCroMo) with a crochet doily exhibit at the Bethel Library. The display features doilies made by members of the Club and shows a small sampling of what doilies can look like -- and be! The display will be up for the month of March.

Members of the HHCC will return to the Bethel Library on Saturday, March 13th to offer Free beginner crochet lessons. The Library happily reports that the seats are filling quickly! If you want to take advantage of this free lesson, please contact the library to reserve your spot! http://www.bethellibrary.org/

Several HHCC members jumped at the opportunity to assist member Dee Stanziano with a pressing challenge: to crochet 30 shawls for her daughter's school drama club by the end of the month! Knowing she would need assistance, she turned to her Chapter members! Now, with so many Chapter members offering their time, and yarn, for the cause this challenge has turned into a CAL: Crochet Along and will count towards the CGOA's NatCroMo CAL. The HHCC participants are currently discussing local donation possibilities for the shawls once the school is done with them.

What are you doing for NatCroMo? Consider joining the Crochet Guild of America, and/or The HHCC. (If you're already a member, you can always give a membership to the crocheters in your life!)

HHCC: In the News

The HHCC is mentioned in an article, written by Paula Moliver, for the Examiner.com web site. The article is about joining up with a crochet guild to learn how to crochet, perhaps making crochet hats similar to those being worn by the Swedish ski team. You can read the article here: Go for the Guild

The HHCC would like to extend congratulations to member Nancy Smith for having one of her designs featured in the latest Caron.com newsletter. You can read the Caron newsletter here, and check out Nancy's design (pictured on the right) here.

A congratulations is also extended to HHCC member Margaret Hubert, whose newly published book, The Complete Photo Guide to Crochet, is now in it's 2nd Printing!

February Meeting

At the February meeting, members donated 77 adult sized Chemo Caps as part of the HHCC's annual Hats from the Heart campaign. These chemo caps were donated to the Danbury Hospital. Another donation is scheduled for the late fall.

Members also received a tutorial by HHCC member Dee on how the Ravelry online community is beneficial for crocheters (as well as knitters). Discussion included how to look up patterns, yarn, groups and more! Ravelry is free to use and the HHCC has a group there open to the public.

2010 Meeting Dates

The HHCC's monthly meetings are scheduled for the 2nd Sunday of the month. Sometimes the monthly meeting dates are changed due to holiday conflicts. Below are the meeting dates for 2010:

Sunday, January 10

Sunday, Februray 21 (meeting date changed due to Valentine's Day)

Sunday, March 14

Sunday, April 11

Sunday, May 16 (meeting date changed due to Mother's Day)

Sunday, June 13

Sunday, July 18 (meeting date changed due to CGOA Conference)

Sunday, August 8

Sunday, September 12

Sunday, October 10

Sunday, November 14

Sunday, December 12

Meetings are held at the Danbury Hospital, located in Danbury, Connecticut, in the Conference Room next door to the hospital's pharmacy, from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM.

Happy New Yarn!

The HHCC would like to wish everyone a Happy & Healthy New Yarn Year!

A new calendar will soon be posted to the HHCC's website, including meeting date changes for February, May and July due to holiday conflicts. Is there something you want the HHCC to consider doing for 2010? Get in on the planning by attending the January 10th monthly meeting!

... and don't forget, it's Membership Renewal time!! Renew your membership, or join the HHCC for the first time to be in the drawing for the Ruth Arbitelle Memorial Membership! Who will win it for 2010? It could be YOU!

HHCC members are asked to start crocheting (and knitting if they'd like) adult chemo caps that will be donated next month to the Danbury Hospital as part of our "Hats from the Heart" campaign. Members may get tags for the hats at the meeting, or from the HHCC's website.

A December to Remember!

Today the HHCC enjoyed celebrating the holidays with Honorary HHCCer Doris Chan! Doris brought with her beautiful garments that were featured in her first two books, Amazing Crochet Lace: New Fashions Inspired by Old-Fashioned Lace, and Everyday Crochet: Wearable Designs Just for You. She also provided us with a sneak peek at her newest book, Crochet Lace Innovations: 20 Dazzling Designs in Broomstick, Hairpin, Tunisian, and Exploded Lace, which will be out in April of 2010!

Doris also showed HHCC'ers Tahki's new Cotton Classic LITE yarn (talk about delicious!), and taught many members how to crochet the broomstick technique that will be featured in her newest book! She also had a drawing for a brand new set of Etimo crochet hooks! Thank you for spoiling us Doris!!

While this was going on, members also enjoyed feasting on a variety of potluck foods & drinks, as well as pulling on a piece of yarn to receive a holiday gift from "Secret Santa."

Unfortunately, while the meeting was taking place Mother Nature decided to change her plans from light rain to freezing rain, catching everyone by surprise! Road crews scrambled to get the roads sanded but not in time for several HHCC members who were trapped on various roadways and highways for hours on end due to slick roads; this prevented them from attending. We are happy to report no HHCC'ers were involved in any accidents while trying to get to the monthly meeting, or while returning home! For those members unable to attend today, the HHCC will be holding the "Secret Santa" exchange for them at the January 2010 meeting!

2009 was a great year for the HHCC and it's members! We'll see you in January 2010! :)

HHCC Celebrates 8th Anniversary with Lily Chin

The Happily Hooked on Crocheting Club, Connecticut Chapter of the Crochet Guild of America, recognized in 2006 by Governor M. Jodi Rell for local charitable crochet donations, celebrated it's 8th Anniversary in November!

Founded in 2001 on the cusp of 911, Ruth Arbitelle* (deceased), Hilda Nichols, Kay Perna, Dee Stanziano and Ruth Young banded together to create a CGOA Chapter dedicated to the art of crochet, all while having fun. Under the current leadership of Grace Gardiner, HHCC President, the group has blossomed to 50 members, continues to aid local charities, and travels around the tri-state area promoting crochet.

At the November meeting, the HHCC members welcomed Lily Chin to teach her popular, often sold out, workshop, "Crochet Tips & Tricks."

Fun was had by all! There was a smorgasbord of various treats, the official anniversary cake, and Lily autographing her brand new book, Crochet Tips & Tricks, Shortcuts and Techniques Every Crocheter Should Know." HHCC President Grace said, "[Lily made] our anniversary celebration so very special. I believe I can speak for all those that were able to attend, we learned so much and had a great time doing it!"


*To learn more about Ruth Arbitelle, please visit our website at www.crochetclubinct.org