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/

HHCC'ers "Feel Good" at CBS Early Show

HHCC'ers helping to promote crochet
on the CBS Early Show

 Beating the sunrise, HHCC members Candy, Dee, Grace, Irene, Jennifer, and Zip met up early in the moring yesterday  -- in New York City --to help Brett Bara kick off the "Feel Good" Campaign on the CBS Early Show. 

Brett Bara, host of the PBS program, Knit and Crochet Now!, teamed up with Lands End, who is donating 5,000 pounds of yarn to the Warm Up America organization.  They are aiming to get enough crocheters and knitters to create some 64,000 6"x9" squares that will later be assembled into afghans and donated to people in need.

HHCC'er Zip feeds Dave Price, CBS Weatherman, yarn
with NYCCG members cheering him on.

The HHCC was joined by another CGOA Chapter: the New York City Crochet Guild, also celebrating their ninth anniversary this year!
   

 In the picture to the right is Zip, wearing her Ribbon Winning Vest, feeding yarn to the afghan she was working on when CBS Weatherman Dave Price borrowed it for a weather update.  To the left of Dave are NYCCG members.

At the event yesterday, Lands End gave those participating a scarf; and presented totes and fingerless gloves to those who completed scarves early during the taping.  At the end of the two-hour show, Brett Bara exlaimed how happy she was with the progress and asked everyone to help promote this worthy cause.  The HHCC, will continue on with this worthy cause by having a "Block Party," at our November meeting.



Crochet is Forecasted to be
 Hot! Hot! Hot!



After the CBS Early Show taping, everyone was invited for a tour of the studio, of which HHCC'er Irene wasted no time to forecast that crochet will continue to be hot, hot, hot!

For more details, pictures and such about this event, please check out the following links:

• CrochetingWithDee.com
• AP Images
• Yahoo News (in image see the NYCCG in background w/Brett Bara)
• My Journey With Yarn and Beyond

Brett Bara appears on Connecticut News Station WTNH/Channel 8.  Square crocheted by Dee recognized in segment!  Click Here to watch the video clip: http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/ct_style/community/wake-up-america.

HHCC'er Wins Ribbon @ Orange County Fair

The HHCC would like to congratulate its newest member Zipporah on winning a Red Ribbon at the Orange County Fair!

Zipporah, a high schooler, not only designed her entry, but she also hand-spun the yarn for it!
       Congratulations Zip!

HHCC'ers Win at The Big E

Elaine Wins Blue Ribbon
& Sponsor Award

On Wednesday, September 22, HHCC members were just some of the 70,106 attendees at the Big E Fair.  The weather in the morning was seasonably cool; in the afternoon everyone would be baking in near 90 degree heat.  In attendance on this first day of fall:  Candy, Casey (aka Mini~Dee), Celeste, Chava, Dee, Dee Jr., Diane, Elaine, Fluffy, Grace, Hilda, Irene and Ruth. 

HHCC Booth

Upon setting up the booth, Casey, Dee, Elaine and Ruth learned how their crochet entries fared: they all won Ribbons ranging from Best in Division, Junior to Honorable Mention. Dee and Elaine also won the Sponsor Awards. The Connecticut Fifers marched in, representing 17 marching bands, kicking off the official start to Connecticut Day. 

The HHCC members enjoyed meeting a lot of people interested in crochet.  Many leaflets and crochet patterns were handed out.  This was the eighth year the HHCC has volunteered to demonstrate & promote crochet at The Big E.

In the afternoon, The Connecticut Line Dancers came to The HHCC's aid by volunteering to model for The HHCC's first-ever Fashion Show.  Even though it was 90 degrees, not including the humidity, they were great troopers swirling & twirling the crocheted Shawl Collection on the stage while HHCC President Grace emceed.  The majority of the shawls featured in the show were crocheted earlier this year for a production of Fiddler on the Roof.  The shawls will be donated, with other items, to the Elizabeth House, a battered women's shelter located in Danbury, Connecticut, in early December.

The HHCC & The CT Line Dancers team up for Crochet Fashion Show featuring shawls.



After the Fashion Show the Connecticut Line Dancers were up, showing all how much fun dancing can be.  They called HHCC'ers Dee & Grace up to the stage to learn how ... Fluffy, who is also a member of the CT Line Dancers, said to Grace, "I have a video of you and Dee keeping in step with us. It was a lot of fun, and look forward to teaching you more steps!!"

Everyone had a great time!

The HHCC would like to extend a huge Thank You to the Connecticut Line Dancers, and to all the other volunteers in the New England State building!

The FeelGood program/ HHCC Block Party

Lands’ End has teamed up with Warm Up America!, and with Crochet Today editor Brett Bara as their spokesperson, on an exciting project to help warm up families in need this winter. The Crochet Guild of America's member guilds have been invited to join in the fun. Lands’ End is donating 5000 pounds of their soft FeelGood yarn so that 64,000 blanket squares by a combination of groups can be knitted and crocheted. The goal is 2000 blankets by mid-December!!

-- AND THE HHCC WILL BE A PARTICIPATING CGOA CHAPTER!! --

The HHCC will be having a "Block Party" at our November 14th meeting. We will need volunteers to crochet or knit 6" x 9" (or 9" x 6") squares with the 153 pounds of yarn from Lands End, as well as volunteers to assemble them into afghans!

The afghans will be donated to the Elizabeth House of Danbury, a shelter for battered women & their children.

The HHCC will also be helping Brett kick off this event by joining her at the CBS Early Show on Wednesday, September 29th. Watch for HHCC members in the crowd as Brett interviews with the show's host about the FeelGood program.