Sisters

I come from a long line of crafty people. My mother, grandmothers, aunts (and some uncles) either crocheted, quilted, embroidered, or sewed. I come by it naturally. My sister (Jackie) and I have been doing all of the above since we were in grade school. (You really do not have to have family that crafts in order for you to do a craft. I have known a lot of people that were never around crafts growing up, but they still manage to love creating things.)

I don't know what I would do without my sister. I have met people that do not have sisters, and I feel so badly for them. I would like to tell you a little about my sister and me. We are twenty-one months apart in age and always did everything together when we were little. Our mother dressed us alike and everyone thought we were twins.

As we grew up, we sort of grew apart as teenagers, and then came back together as we both got married and started having our children. As a matter of fact, my daughter and her son were born just a day apart. Our children grew up together and played together as young children. They, too, grew apart as teenagers and are now coming back together as they are having their own children. It all comes full circle.

My sister decided about five years ago that she wanted to publish a sewing pattern of a baby jacket. The name of the pattern is "Cute as a Button Baby Jacket." To this day, it is her top selling pattern. She has also included some of my crochet patterns along with her quilting and sewing pattern books.

I have traveled with her to the International Quilt Market and displayed her patterns in a booth since 2005. She is now on her second line of fabric with Windham Fabrics and the line is called "Little Man and Me Too." I always represent her, and we always display some sort of crochet pieces in the booth. (Mostly pieces I have crocheted myself.) It seems like there are a lot of people that enjoy crocheting even though they have gotten into quilting, too. I would say at least 50% of the people that come into the booth have crocheted one time in their lives. I have also found a few of them who love to crochet more than they like to quilt. I know of one lovely lady that I met in Salt Lake City that either owns a quilt shop or works at a quilt shop, and I taught her to crochet. When she went home, she bought a light to hook to her headboard of her bed so she can light her crochet work while her husband sleeps. Now that is dedication. I love stories like this, and I love to talk with all of the people that stop at the booth. I have decided that we are all sisters in life anyway, and I include everyone in that circle.

Crochet Guild

My first encounter with any guild was when my sister asked me to go to the Prairie Quilt Guild meeting with her, here in Wichita. I visited quite a few times, and then it was time to join or never come back. She chose to pay for my membership (because she was really trying to convert me to quilting). Ha! Ha! I have been a member for about 4 years now and am paying for my own membership in the group, and the feeling of being with a group of women and men that love to create is still so exciting for me.

But I wanted to know if anyone out there loved to crochet as much as I did!

My sister suggested that I "Google" about crochet guilds. So I did. Guess what I found? The Crochet Guild of America (CGOA) website. I think I immediately signed up. They have a button to look for guilds in your state, and I selected that button hoping to find one close to me. Again, I found one, and much to my surprise, it was right here in Wichita.

Here are some of the guild members gathered at our local yarn shop for our monthly meeting.

The local guild I found is called KS (Kiss) My Stitch. Meetings were and are still held every 3rd Monday of the month (with some exceptions) at 10:00 am. I was so sad and discouraged at the time because I didn't think there was any way I could go as I work during the day. Anyway, I started receiving my magazine Crochet! Each issue, I read from front to back. In one of the Local Chapter Newsletter articles, I saw that KS My Stitch was going to attempt to meet the high demand to open up their meetings in the evening.

I couldn't wait until the 3rd Monday to get arrive. My sister told me that she would go with me. I barged into that meeting and found a friend in Lana Bennett the founder of the group. What a neat lady she is. She has numerous published patterns, and she is a wonderful writer of stories. I could listen to her forever. She had been President for many years and had just taken over as Secretary/Treasurer in 2007.

One day I received a call from Lana, and she asked if I would be interested in taking on the position of Secretary/Treasurer. I gladly stepped in and took it over. I asked my bosses if it was ok for me to take a couple of hours in the morning of every 3rd Monday of the month and make it up on my lunch hours through the week. They agreed. So I continued in that position until the end of the year when it was time to elect new officers.

Lana again called on me to see if I would be interested in running for one of the offices. I jumped at the chance and told her that I would love to be President. She said she would present it to the outgoing officers and suggested two more people for the other positions. We were voted in at the next meeting.

That's me, the Guild President, in the center with Rosina our Secretary/Treasurer and Wendy our Vice President.

I am now into my second year of holding the President position, and I love it more and more. It is a lot of work but very rewarding. The friendships that are made in groups that love the same things you do are life long. I can't tell you how much this has helped my self esteem, and how much I have enjoyed the discovery that there are other people out there that love to crochet just as much as I do. I encourage anyone that wants to join a group to join and get involved.

Do any of you already belong to a guild or just an informal crochet group? Please tell me about activities.

Are you looking for a group? Here's some information off of the CGOA website:

The CGOA membership includes:

• Six issues of Crochet! magazine. (per year)
• Entry in the Annual CGOA Design Contest
• Professionally taught classes with discounts at annual CGOA conferences
• CGOA e-News, plus Chain Link Newsletter within each issue of Crochet! magazine
• Chat with other crocheters on the CGOA Member Message Board
• CGOA Web site resources including free patterns, and more
• Membership in local guild chapters worldwide
• New National discounts (redemption details in Members area of www.Crochet.org)

- Annie's Attic, 15% discount on AnniesAttic.com purchases
- Interweave Crochet, special offer $19/year subscription
- Leisure Arts Boutique, $3 off shipping at theleisureboutique.com
- Mary Maxim, Inc., 10% discount by internet, mail, or phone
- ShopCaron.com, 15% discount on ShopCaron.com orders

To become a member of CGOA, enroll online at www.Crochet.org or contact:
CGOA, 1100-H Brandywine Blvd., Zanesville, OH 43701-7303; e-mail:
CGOA@Offinger.com; phone: 740-452-4541; Fax: 740-452-2552.

The main purpose of the Crochet Guild of America is to educate the public about crochet, provide education and networking opportunities, and set a national standard for the quality, art, and skill of crochet through creative endeavors.

Membership in the CGOA is open to all those who love crochet. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced crocheter, you are invited to join CGOA.

Embellishing with Crochet

Can we talk about embellishing? I love to embellish with crochet. The more you know me, the more you will know that as long as I can poke a hole in it, I will crochet on it. Sometimes the fabrics are easy to poke a hole in and other times very difficult. I have been known to use an awl or merely a size 13 steel crochet hook. Whatever it takes. I am a maniac when it comes to crocheting on things. I crochet on paper, sweaters, leather, etc.

My sister and I were in Salt Lake City and getting ready for our day at the Quilt Market when she pulled out a shirt with a manufactured edging on it. I had been crocheting circles since I was going to teach some quilters how to crochet circles later, so I decided to add some small circles to the bottom of her top. What a hit. It was so cute. That is just one example of what you can do with crochet.

I have taken button cards and crocheted on the edges, but you have to be very careful as the old button cards are very delicate and the holes can tear.

I love to crochet on rick rack, too, and on the edges of sweaters.



Everything that I make has to have a little crochet on it. I like to take the last bits of yarn from a project and make flowers, leaves, etc. and keep them in a glass jar until I find a purpose for them. I also have something pretty to look at and inspire me.

When my sister and I were in Houston in the fall of 2007 we were asked by Judy Murrah if we would like to stay after market and teach classes during the Festival the following year. Of course we said yes we would love to; they even asked me to come and teach crochet. We also had a chance to do some samplers. That is when you have a group of teachers all in the same room, and they give you a table to display your stuff on and a few chairs so that people can sit down while you do little demonstrations or lectures about what you are teaching. Well let me tell you, I had a table of sweaters and embellishments of all kinds. My setup was called, "What to Do With Your Tired Sweaters." Everyone loved it and got inspired by it.





I love to inspire other people to push themselves outside the box and make something all their own. All I know is, if you stand still long enough, I will crochet around the bottom of whatever you are wearing. So look out. Please send me some pictures of your things that you have embellished. I'd love to see what you're working on.

Recycling with Crochet

I can go nuts at the local thrift stores. I do drive-bys every day on my way to work. I look in the windows and make the people in back of me honk. (It's funny, as if I can actually see something from the outside.) I am a maniac when it comes to making something out of nothing. Anything and everything I see, I want to make into something that it isn't actually supposed to be.

When my husband asks me what I have in the sacks as he helps me carry them in, I just tell him to take the bags to the laundry room, and if the contents make it out of the washing machine, they will have a purpose. I may not know yet what that purpose will be, but they will end up on my design board as soon as I get an inspiration.

I bought all of the "hoochie mama" skirts and tired sweaters that one of the thrift stores had, and when I went back there, they had more, so, of course, I had to buy more. I let those sweaters and skirts hang in my living room or wherever I might be just so I could be inspired by them until each piece became part of another as my thoughts ran wild. I ended up repurposing my purchases into purses and restyled clothing.

I have been known to buy purses that are dirty and torn just for the hardware. I cut the handles, zippers, pockets, etc. off of the purse and reuse them on my skirt purses. I also like to add a little crocheted edging just for fun.

Some of the longer skirts that have elastic at the waist make me think of a baby doll top. So I made a baby doll top with added crochet (of course).

Don't get me started on the repurposed sweaters either. Gosh I am crazy about the sweaters that I find at the thrift store, too. I buy the sweaters and cut the bands off of the bottom (I don't think those flatter anyone) and then add crochet trim directly onto the bottom and sleeves with different colors.

I also have added pockets made from the sleeves of other sweaters to a sweater or added some ruched fabric with crochet trim.

I'm sure you all have a husband or friend that also wonders what you are up to? Share! When I told my friends about what I'd found on my treasure hunts, they all wanted to join me the next time I went, so I invited one of them to go one day. We had a great time, but I finally had to get a cart because my arms were breaking, and I still needed to pick up a large fish bowl. When my friend turned around and saw that I had a fish bowl, she asked, "Do you have a fish?" I said, "No. What I have is yarn that needs a home." I told her that I was going to put skeins of yarn in it and put it on my table so I could be inspired by all of the beautiful colors. I know she thinks I'm nuts, but she still loves me anyway. She calls me her "Bohemian Friend."

I think the hunt is just as much fun as the find. Does anyone else like to recycle as much as I do? Drop me a line and share your recycling experiences.

Crocheters Unite!

Welcome to May! Hope you enjoyed National Crochet Month in March. I know I did. Isn't it great that crochet is finally being recognized as a true art! (Something I have known for quite some time now.) In fact, I celebrate crochet all year 'round!

I think this Flower Garden Doily is a perfect example of the art of crochet. I made it about 8 years ago. I have been truly blessed with inheriting my Grandmothers' and Aunts' crochet doily, tablecloth, potholder, and baby clothes pattern books. I have one book that has flower doilies in it, and I had looked at it many times over the years, but I just couldn't convince myself that I could actually make one of the doilies pictured on the cover. The only thing that could get me to crochet this doily was for my sister to ask me if I had ever tried to make it. I was off and running.

I'm sure there are a lot of people that know how difficult the old patterns used to be. But let me tell you this was one hard pattern. The flower petals in the middle daisies are all individual petals and each flower is made separately. This pattern book was written way back in the old days when the people who wrote the patterns expected everyone to know a lot more than we know today. The forget-me-nots, pansies, daisies, and leaves had to be connected in just a certain way in order for the doily to come out round. What a challenge. Thank goodness there was a very good picture of the doily on the front cover of the pattern book because the instructions just said to place the flowers so they created a circle. Patterns and instructions have come a long way. Now, we have charts, symbols, and wonderful pictures to follow.

I love the old crochet pattern books, but I really love the new updated magazines and books that are being published now. It is all so exciting to be a part of this old and new revolution in crochet. To that end, I'd like to encourage crocheters to unite! We don't have to hide in our closets or homes when we crochet. Let's get out there and join in the crochet in public outings, join in with a group or guild, and get to crocheting! Crocheting isn't just for old ladies, and I never believed it was. Donate your time to teaching children or anyone else who wants to learn.

Welcome to CrochetSoiree.com, Fellow Crocheters!

I'm Tamara Gonzales. I will be joining you here on the blog as part of this exciting, never-ending, on-line event called CrochetSoiree.com, where the art of crochet is celebrated everyday! I will be blogging daily and available to talk with you, to show you some of the projects that I’m working on, and to share my love for crochet. As you get to know me, you will soon discover that I love to embellish with crochet and will crochet on just about anything. (If I can poke a hole in it, I will crochet around it.) If you would like to see some of the things that I like to embellish, please watch my video. I hope I can inspire you, and I know you will inspire me, so please sign up to become a member today and make sure you tell all your friends and family about CrochetSoiree.com.

Take time to browse the website and look at all of the fun things that are available to you here at Crochet Soiree. You can get involved with our community by sharing comments about crochet (or anything else that strikes your fancy), show off the projects you're creating and find out what other folks are working on, trade info and tips, explore the most basic or the latest techniques, meet new people, and connect with old friends. (We'll be covering all of the latest scoop on crochet guilds, charity projects, and yarn shops.) Besides the blog, there will be webcasts, interviews, and polls, just to name some of the great stuff we've got going on. You can get to know the designers and….

Can we talk about shopping? There is a store right here filled with all things crochet, and thanks to advanced search options, you'll be able to find what you are looking for in record time. From the hottest crochet fashions to the timeless classics, from basic crochet hooks to the latest products to hit the market…you can browse through your favorite categories as you prefer.

And I will be here waiting to hear from each and every one of you! I just can’t wait to see what projects you are working on. Send me pictures, and I will share them with the crochet world. Come join our community, and let's get this party started!

Happy Crocheting!
Tamara