Chance to WIN a HHCC & CGOA Membership!

The December 2010 meeting was canceled due to weather. This means the HHCC will kicking off the 2011 Crocheting Season with a Celebration at our January meeting!  Members and guests are invited to bring pot-luck food items, and a wrapped gift (value $10) to exchange with someone else in attendance.

In addition to the Celebration, 2011 Membership Applications will be accepted.  Those who turn in their HHCC membership applications by the end of the March 2011 meeting will be entered into The Ruth Arbitelle Memorial Membership Drawing.  The winner of this annual drawing receives reimbursement for this year's HHCC dues.  Winner to be announced at the April meeting.

Recipients of the Ruth Arbitelle Memorial Membership:

2009 : Linda Maroney

2010 : Diane Gilbert

2011: It Could Be You!

Reminder: If you are a member of the Crochet Guild of America, show your CGOA Membership card and get 50% off  your HHCC dues!!

In addition, our member Dee Stanziano, is having a drawing for a  ONE-YEAR CGOA Membership! Her drawing is open only until January 14th, so hurry on over to her blog for the details on how to enter!

Looks like 2011, Year of the Rabbit, is hopping off to a great start!

Danbury Women's Shelter Thanks The HHCC

Goodwill Cheer Delivered!

In May 2010, designer and author Bendy Carter wrote an article for the May 2010 issue of Crochet! magazine about The Elizabeth House, a shelter for battered women in the Danbury, Connecticut, area, and how readers can help The HHCC collect crocheted goodies to donate to them.  Catherine of Massachusetts sent a box absolutely packed with an assortment of items ... from crocheted potholders to coloring books (see image on the right).   Thank you Catherine!!!

Catherine's wonderful crocheted goodies were added to The HHCC's, including two blankets the HHCC members crocheted from the Lands End/ Warm Up America "Feel Good" campaign (see image on the left for the completed afghan from last month's "Block Party"), and 10 of the Fiddler Shawls mentioned in this month's CGOA Chain Link newsletter. 

To complete the donation to the Elizabeth House, 20 sets of hats, mittens & scarves; 3 baby sweater sets, and 6 more blankets were added to the collection.  (To the right is HHCC President Grace, and elf-helper Casey, making the delivery to the Shelter yesterday.)  This was the second time The HHCC has donated to The Elizabeth House since the Chapter formed in 2001.

Further goodwill cheer (see images on left and right) was spread to The Salvation Army of Danbury, where 86 hat, mitten, and scarf sets were donated, along with a baby sweater set, 15 Fiddler Shawls, and an assortment of brand new toys.  The Salvation Army was delighted with the donations; this was the 8th time The HHCC has donated to the Salvation Army since the Chapter formed in 2001.

At the end of the day, these two local organizations benefited from millions of crocheted stitches by The HHCC members, and by the generosity of people like Catherine.  Thank you to all those who helped make these wonderful donations possible!

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love. - Hamilton Wright Mabie

HHCC'ers "Feel Good" at November 'Block Party'

At the November monthly meeting yesterday, HHCC'ers gathered, armed with crochet hooks & knitting needles and generous hearts, to create squares for the Lands End "Feel Good"/ Warm Up America campaign.

The yarn, with characteristics similar to Lion Brands' Microspun yarn, was donated by Lands End; the HHCC received three cones which were wound into "cakes" and placed on each table.

Some members, like Nancy, had requested an individual cone; she worked up this pretty pumpkin-colored lapghan (pictured on right) at home, leaving the ends to be woven in at the meeting.  It turned out so pretty that members requested she write up the pattern!
(Nancy will let us know if she does.)

 Within a short amount of time there were enough squares to start the assembly of a lapghan.  Dee was in charge of the assembly and decided the best approach was to use the "single crochet, chain one, single crochet, chain one" approach.  "This joining technique is not only fast," she said, "but also allows for some breathing room when squares are not exactly the same size."  Ruth replied, "Oh, I just love this joining technique for the same reasons Dee does, plus it looks so pretty!"

How to crochet squares together:
Step 1: Lay out your squares the way you want them to appear.

Step 2: Take a square from Row 1, and a square from Row 2, and place back to back, right sides facing out.

Step 3: Join yarn to first square, create a single crochet, chain one, single crochet into the second square, chain one.

Step 4: Repeat the process, alternating from square to square across to the corner, ending with a chain one.

Step 5: Grab two more squares and continue stitching until all squares for Row 1 and Row 2 are connected together.  End of.

Step 6: Follow instructions from Step 2 - Step 5 until all rows are connected.
Step 7: Turn the afghan, and begin connecting rows in other direction in the same fashion.

For Show & Tell, Margaret brought in a variety of children sweaters & scarves she created from her crochet and knit swatches.  "See, good can come from swatching!" chuckled Margaret.  Everyone Ohh'd and Ahh'd over her creative stitch work.

HHCC member Elaine took advantage of getting some computer help from our "resident expert," Dee Jr.  Elaine is new to working with computers; she learned how to create documents, save them, and email them.  "I love computers," said Dee Jr, "and it was fun to help Elaine."  Elaine stated about her lessons, "He's really good! He knows his computers!  Now I can type up my patterns, save them, and email them off!"

Members also turned in their crocheted and knitted goodies that will be donated next month.  Their generosity overflowed to a luggage cart!  There is no doubt that at this monthly meeting HHCC's "Feel Good" about helping our local community!  :)

These items will be donated the first week of December -- watch for our blog post with the details!

HHCC Celebrates Ninth Anniversary

HHCC Founders: Clockwise:
Kay, Hilda, Ruth & Dee.


10-10-10, as in October 10, 2010, was a very special date indeed: it was the celebration of the HHCC's Ninth Anniversary!

In 2001 five ladies, who loved to crochet, decided they wanted to start a crochet club in the Danbury area; Dee was asked to "...look into it."  Dee found the CGOA, became a member and learned about how to start a Chapter.  Shortly thereafter Ruth Arbitelle (deceased), Hilda Nichols, Kay Perna, Dee Stanziano and Ruth Young made it official: The Happily Hooked on Crocheting Club, Connecticut Chapter of the Crochet Guild of America, was started!  ... and the fun hasn't stopped!

Members gathered Sunday at the Courtyard by Marriot in Danbury to celebrate, bringing many different delicious entrees and desserts such as Casey's Cucumber Salad:

1 package of Persian Cucumbers (6-8 in a package)
2 large seedless Cucumbers
1 large sweet onion
Himalayan Pink Salt, ground
Fresh Black Peppercorns, ground
Rice Vinegar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Peal and thinly slice cucumbers and onion. Place in large bowl. Add pink salt, peppercorn, rice vinegar and olive oil to taste.
Allow to marinate for at least 1 - 3 hours; stirring gently on occasion. Enjoy!



Crista listens to members color choices.

Crista Grasso and Jeremy Pollack received a warm welcome as the HHCC's Special Guests

Crista kicked off the Anniversary meeting by teaching members how to create unique jewelry stitch markers for crochet and knit projects, as well as beautiful beaded pins, great for wearing with shawls and wraps!  Crista also had on display a large variety of beautiful earrings, bracelets and necklaces from her Collection.



Jeremy autographing his book
for Candy

Jeremy did a fantastic presentation on "Product Photography," discussing how photography is really the art of collecting light.  He provided a live demonstration of how a light effects a photograph and provided tips on how to get richer looking texture for crochet (& knit) pieces.  Afterwards the members were invited to try the techniques. 

Crista helps a member w/wire
bending while Andrea and Anna work. 

HHCC's President, Grace, said, "I think everyone had a fantastic time; I know I did! Jeremy and Crista did great job, and I got Jeremy to autograph my book!"  Grace also purchased one of Jeremy's prints of a sunflower as a birthday for her daughter.  "Oh!  She absolutely loved it!" Grace exclaimed when asked.

Anna said, "I had a great time and the guest speakers were great. I love my pin and my earrings. They are beautiful. I look forward to many more meetings with such a great group."

HHCCers celebrating Ninth Anniversary as CGOA Chapter.

 Irene Tweeted: "Jeremy & Crista did great presentations for  The HHCC 2day! You guys rock!"
Along with the Guest Speakers and yummy food, there was also cake and a drawing for prizes.



The HHCC: On the Move Again (Re: New Meeting Location)

Back in July the HHCC announced that The Hampton Inn would be our new home.  As with all nine-year-olds, growth spurts happen.  This means that The HHCC is now calling the Courtyard Marriott of Danbury our new temporary home for the months of OCTOBER, NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2010. 

Courtyard® by Marriott®

3 Eagle Road

Danbury, Connecticut

Please note meeting time change: 
The HHCC Monthly meetings will run from 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM


Directions:

• From I-84 East to Exit 8 - Turn right onto Newtown Road, turn right onto Eagle Road.
• From 84 West to Exit 8 - Merge onto US 6W, turn slight left onto Newtown Road. Turn right onto Eagle road.

Parking is free.

 (Note: image of Courtyard® by Marriott® used with permission.)

HHCC Plans to Celebrate Ninth Anniversary!

The month of October marks the HHCC's Ninth Anniversary. For the October meeting, open only to current members, The HHCC is pleased to welcome two guests:

Crista Grasso studied art in college at both The University of Connecticut and Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. Art has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember, and with the urging of family and friends, she created her AmberTortoise Creations business in 2005, featuring her unique hand-made jewelry.

Crista draws inspiration from the world around her, primarily from the beautiful and sometimes surprising color combinations and textures in mother nature. Crista says, "Jewelry says so much about a person! It reflects your personality, your mood, your interests... It can say I am bold and adventurous, I am a little quiet and reserved, I am a happy person who loves life, or maybe that you are all of those things~ I know I am!"

Crista will be teaching The HHCC members how to make unique jewelry stitch markers for their crochet and knit projects.

HHCC Members will need to visit this webpage and pre-order their bead kits: http://ambertortoisecreations.com/crochet_club_October_10th

Jeremy Pollack, co-author of Photographing New York City Digital Field Guide (Digital Field Guides),  is a Connecticut-based photographer with a wide range of interests. Growing up in the woods, his first love has always been nature photography which he started shooting with his father's Canon FT QL. As his passion grew over the years, so did the breadth of his interests. Today he shoots commercial and fine art photography, selling prints at art shows and online.

Jeremy will be offering Club Members instruction on how to create their own homemade Light Boxes for taking better pictures of their crocheted, and knitted, projects.  Jeremy will include discussion on why the biggest enemy is a flash right in the line of the camera, provide hands-on interaction, and a demonstration of importing, sorting, uploading -- and more!  Jeremy will be happy to autograph his book for HHCC members who bring it to the Anniversary Meeting.

HHCC Members will need to visit this webpage for their Light Box materials list: http://www.studiolighting.net/homemade-light-box-for-product-photography/