Interweave Crochet Accessories, 2011 - Preview is up

Interweave Crochet Accessories, 2011, the biggest issue ever with 59+ projects, is up for preview. This issue is really spectacular: It has 14 one-skein projects for last minute gifts, including mittens, cowl or hat. Of course you can find awesome shawls. My favorites are Lucille Shawl by Jill Wright worked in Bijou Spun Fingering Weight yarn by Bijou Basin Ranch, and Icarus Shawl by Tracy McCorcle worked in Brown Sheep Legacy Lace yarn.

I am absolutely smitten by Annie Modesitt's Jazz Bag worked in Trensetter Yarns Cha Cha & Merino VI Solids. This bag requires basic sewing knowledge, but the result gives you a very unique, designer-like bag for fraction of the cost.

If you ever wanted to learn how to crochet, this is a great issue to get because it includes a guide to crochet basics. You can learn how to do four basic crochet stitches, how to croche in circle, how to make granny square motif, small flower motif, or four-color spiral motif (really cool!). You can learn how to join seams and even learn how to make Freeform Bag. 

Fancywork Cloche Hat

You can find also my new crochet hat pattern in this issue, the Fancywork Cloche hat worked in Alpaca With a Twist Socrates. The wavy texture of this hat is created with front post single crochet stitches worked every other round on the wrong side. The hat is worked in joined rounds.

The pattern is written in 3 sizes so it can be made for anybody: a small girl as well as a teenage daughter, or a hip mom. And since it takes only one skein to make, it is a great last minute gift project.

The Fancywork Cloche hat is also a great project for learning how to work post stitch. You can watch video on how to do it below.

On-line Knitting & Crochet Classes

Hi everyone!

It's been a while since my last post. I've been quite busy, traveling to Europe during the summer (it was a bitter sweet visit, though) and had been working quite a bit after I got back - six new designs coming up in spring. A bit more on that in upcoming posts.

Right now I am working on setting up my own knitting and crochet workshop studio where I am going to offer knitting and crochet on-line classes. I am very excited about the prospect when I think of all the possibilities of an on-line course can offer to knitters and crocheters out here cyberspace.

Last week I started taking an on-line class (very much the same format I am going to be offering) for teachers to learn how efficiently run this kind of venture. Stefanie Japel is the teacher of that class; and she is terrific. Many of you have probably heard of her; she has published a couple of knitting books (looove them!) and she also has quite a successful on-line presence. I am also enjoying being in the classroom with other designers and teachers. We don't get much of face-to-face interaction otherwise, so this is a wonderful opportunity for us to get together.

This past few days I have been also building the on-line classroom web site. The classroom will be fully interactive with instructional videos, PDF handouts, forums and live chats, so it will have a feel of real life classroom. It will have so many advantages over a real-life classes:

• students will have access to all the materials 24-hours a day for the duration of the class (about 3 - 4 weeks)
• students can review materials over and over, until it's clear to them
  
• students can post in forums about their progress; ask questions; interact with each other
  
• students can participate in live chats with me and other students
  
• students can learn in the comfort of their home, or during a lunch break
• students can save time and money by not having to travel to a location
• - great for knitters/crocheter who don't have access to LYS
  
• - great for moms who can study the evenings or during children's nap times
• students can produce a finished project by the end of the class!
  

Today I have been trying to edit my recorded test video with Windows Movie Maker that is installed on my computer. It is quite easy to use and creates professionally looking footage. I had "play" with the output format, which was not supported by my website.

I am interested what you think about this type of classes and what kind of classes you would like to take on-line. Would you be interested in beginners classes, more advanced classes, technique or project classes? I have a few class ideas, but I am still interested in what you think and what you'd like to learn. Let me know.