At least one of these photos was taken by Doris Chan at the Chain Link Conference fashion show, 2010, Manchester New Hampshire. View full size.
Found these photos I’d forgotten about! They was taken at a crochet conference in 2010. I’m modeling the Tunisian Weightless Wrap because it won an award in the CGOA Design Contest.
The Weightless Wrap is the inspiration for one of my longest running crochet classes on Tunisian eyelet meshes. I’ve just completed the 2016 class resource page for it–that’s how I found these photos again.
I’m already seeing that blogging these 50 steps in 50 days helps me do them sooner. Here’s one: filling out special event forms. A few months before every CGOA conference, decisions must be made about fun opportunities. There’s probably a form for it.
DONE: Forms for Teachers and for General Attendees.
All CGOA members are encouraged to enter something in the design competition and in the fashion show. The fashion show takes place during the big gala banquet at the end of the conference. There’s a simple form for that. (Of course attendees also need to fill out the registration form for classes and special events. Reserve this year’s commemorative pin! It’s only $5.)
CGOA teachers filled out most teaching forms back in the fall when they submitted class topic proposals. Other than that, teachers need to:
Make sure they’ve registered for the fashion show banquet.
Look for the email with the deadline for shipping class materials to what address.
I’m up to date here.
HALF DONE: CGOA Forms for Exhibitors.
I found out last year when I had my first show booth that exhibitors receive two packets of forms and information (in PDF format). The first packet comes from the CGOA staff and the other one comes from the hotel/convention center management. Each usually has handy check off lists.
(Pictured: In this 2015 photo I’m wearing the exhibitor badge that I filled out a form for again this year.)
Last year I read all of the fine print. ALL of it. This year I only need to skim it. I don’t feel overwhelmed with all the information, choices, and deadlines this time. I still have decisions but not the detail overload. It’s easier to prioritize.
I’ve received the first of these two packets so far. The Exhibitor Badge Order Form is the most important one in it. DONE well before the June 15 deadline! And so happy to be able to list Doris Chan and my husband as two of my seven fabulous helpers to receive badges.
Printed out the Grand Prize Donation Form so that I can mull it over. That’s it! If I don’t get to the rest of the first packet (advertising options, etc.) it’s ok.
-:——-:-
In this 2015 photo I’m wearing the exhibitor badge that I filled out a form for again this year.
[If you need more information about attending, teaching, or exhibiting at this event, email [email protected] or call 740.452.4541 .]
CGOA member Irene Iannelli brings her photography-savvy husband, Alex, to Chain Link conferences. Here’s one Alex snapped at the 2014 summer fashion show banquet, during the guild’s 20th anniversary crochet conference.
Doris Chan designed the lace pants and the bolero in her signature construction method of crocheting in the round from the top down. The drape and fit feel naturally comfortable and sleek. She waited to design these garments until we developed the Lotus yarn for them. They’re made for each other.
Click on the photo for more details on the patterns. Bolero pattern and our Lotus yarn are in the shop.
Even Alex and Irene’s adorable toddling daughter modeled on the runway for the first time! July 26, 2014 at the Radisson in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Herringbone chains are naturally sleek, strong, dense and flatter than regular crochet chains. This makes them as useful for functional reasons as for decorative ones. They twist up less than regular chains. This type of chain stitch has the same structure as the decorative military bugle cord that knot tyers traditionally make. They have a single bugle, double bugle, triple and more; we’ll learn how to crochet all of these!
Herringbone Chains on a big scale: triple-herringbone variation in three colors of chunky wool
This handy new crochet stitch resembles fishtail braids and soutache cord. When crocheted very loosely, it also looks like nålbinding.
Herringbone Chains used in filetHerringbone-Chain Fishnet & PicotsHerringbone Tunisian return passHerringbone-esc (extended single crochet)Herringbone Tambour!Herringbone-chain raindrop (extreme closeup)
Herringbone-Chain cord experiments with beads, stitch size, color & fiber changes.
Flickr photo album for this class. A great way to see class material at full resolution, and an array of new uses and variations. I use stitch albums like this one for my own reference. I’m continually creating swatches and photos to add to this album.
My Pinterest Herringbone Chains Pin Board created for this class topic. It compares the look of herringbone chains with other arts–beading, leatherwork, embroidery, etc.
Recommended Articles
“Fancy Cords in 360°” Crochet Inspirations NewsletterIssue #17 (04/28/2011; most links in it are out of date)
“Tweak Those Gaps Along Row Edges” Crochet Inspirations Newsletter Issue #25 (08-2011; most links are out of date)
“Effect of ‘Sproing’ fibers on stitches”: Vashti’s Crochet Inspirations NewsletterIssue#11(Feb 3 2011; links in it are out of date)
“Wish Bracelets: Why Not Crocheted?” Vashti’s Crochet Newsletter Issue #69 (07/04/2015; most links are out of date)
“What IS Crochet, Really?” Vashti’s Crochet Newsletter Issue #103 (10/2020)
Still need to register for this class? Register with CGOA. This is a NEW two-hour class held online over two days: Wednesday, May 18 & Thursday May 19, 2022 at 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Central Time. Registration closes 5/15/22 or when the class is filled.
This page is a conveniently clickable group of things I mention in the newZegue-Along: Tunisian Scrap Zapper Projectclass. This two-day class will be held Wednesday, April 27 & Thursday April 28, 2022 at 11:00am – 12:00pm Central Time. I show a lots of published and unpublished designs in this class. Each illustrates the stitches and techniques learned. — Vashti Braha
A Project Class With Some Design Theory!
For this project class I’ll be posting some tips, like the two swatches below, to help you choose your yarns, color/texture combinations, and crochet hook size for the kind of project you want to make.
This is no ordinary stitch pattern! I’ve just sent out a crochet newsletter (issue #105) about it. So, along the way I’ll be including some crochet theory and construction method aids. Bookmark this page and check back.
Original Zegue on the left, original Ziggy Vest on the right, Rhianrhod beaded bracelet in the center.
Why “Zegue”?
Like the Zegue Wrap is a riff on the Ziggy Vest, the name Zegue is my riff on the name Ziggy. Both refer to the zig-zaggy ripple stitch pattern I used for both and which was a unique look for Tunisian Crochet. (Maybe still is, in its lacy way?) I pronounce Zegue zeg.
It’s a Self-Healing & Reversible Yarn Blender.
Zegue is self-healing when cut. In fact, Zegue is a great first-time experience with cutting crochet stitches. If you’ve recently taken Self Healing Stitches you’ve experienced the empowering freedom of this.
It also has extended stitches in both the forward and return passes. Extending Tunisian adds easy laciness, stretch, and shaping (such as the shells and clusters you might be able to see here). It’s even reversible enough that if you choose to use a double-ended crochet hook, you’ll get the same look with different color options!
Easily blend yarns of different weights and textures. The odd balls in your yarn stash will likely look their best in Zegue stitches.
The difference between these two chunky Zegue swatches is when you change color. For the upper swatch, I changed color at the start of a new forward pass. For the lower one, I changed color to begin each new return pass. You can tell by looking at where the beginning yarn end is when each color was first attached.
The upper one has a spike-stitch look because the new forward pass covers a return pass of a different color. I personally prefer the lower one because my eye travels smoothly along the wave pattern.
The Class Resources
Designs & Patterns
Zegue: in Ravelry (it’s a variation of Ziggy Vest, see #3 below)
Great steeking experiences with these patterns that use the main stitch in Zegue: Mesmer Veilspattern. Smokestackpattern.
Zegue Swatches, Zegue Tests
Flickr photo album for this class. This is a great place to see class material at full resolution, and to see an array of new pattern variations. Zegue itself is a fun variation of the Ziggy Vest. I love scrolling through stitch albums. I’m continually creating swatches and photos to add to this album.
My Pinterest Pin Board created for this class topic. Zegue is about being able to combine the weird yarns in your stash, and mashing up colors in new ways, and crashing wearable simple shapes that don’t look simple at all.
Turns out Zegue (in gold) is super-fun-compatible with linen stitch (red and purple) so I’m adding this option to the Zegue-Along class. Zegue along with whatever you want!
Still need to register for this class? Register with CGOA. This is a NEW two-hour class held online over two days: Wednesday, April 27 & Thursday April 28, 2022 at 11:00am – 12:00pm Central Time. Registration closes 4/24/22 or when the class is filled.
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