Crochet Archives - Page 2 of 4

Stitch Adventure Sale at Dances with Wool

January 28, 2017 by Jennifer Raymond

I’ve talked a little bit about my new partnership with Dances With Wool, a yarn store just outside of Richmond, VA. I’m super excited to be able to teach at this wonderful, vibrant new store. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to teach weekly classes, and to develop many of the relationships that I loved when I taught at Woolwinders.

This week we’re running a sale on a particular type of class – our inaugural Stitch Adventure class. What is Stitch Adventure? It’s a class that gives you the benefits of a private lesson – flexibility and ability to cover a variety of topics, with the community aspect of a class.

Stitch Adventure classes can be a great way to tackle a new project that you need a little help on. If you want to be held accountable to finishing a project up, we can do that. And if you need help picking a project and finding the right yarn, the instructor is right there for you. Each class you can bring in a new project – it doesn’t matter if it is knitting or crochet, since I can help you with both!

Right now the Stitch Adventure class is discounted 25% off – so sign up before we start on February 1st. The class with run Wednesdays, Feb 1, 8, 15, 22 7-8 PM.

I’ll see you there!

News about Upcoming Classes & a Sale

January 26, 2017 by Jennifer Raymond

Fibre Space Classes

This weekend on Saturday the 28th I’ll be at Fibre Space in Old Town Alexandria, VA to be teaching two different classes:

Ooops: Fixing Mistakes: If the sight of a dropped stitch, a mixed up cable, or a problem in your lace sends you scrambling for the LYS, this class if for you. Learn to fix your mistakes!

Hairpin Lace Scarf: This highlights a fun riff on Hairpin Lace by making a quick project that will teach you the basics of this stunning technique!

I also am trying out something a little new: I’m scheduling a few Private Lessons for students that miss the one-on-one attention or would like to discuss a topic outside of my normal class offerings! I’d love to meet with you then!

Dances With Wool Classes

I’ve also been fostering a new relationship with Dances With Wool, in Midlothian, VA, just outside of Richmond. I’ve got a number of classes coming up with them.

Sugar Maple Hat is a great class for learning how to work in the round, working cables, and reading a knitting pattern with cables. The class will run February 1, 8th and 15th.

If you want to learn how to work socks, this next class is for you. Toe-up socks: Time Traveler covers how to cast on for a toe-up sock, how to work a riverbed heel, a primer on intermediate lace (just enough to keep your interest!), and a folded over brim. Classes are spaced out so that students have the time to work on the pattern before getting to the next place. Dates are February 22, March 8th and March 22!

I’ve also got a new sort of class that I’m running at DWW, called Stitch Adventure. Got a project that you want to work but want a bit of handholding along the way? Need help on choosing yarns or tackling a new skill? Want to be held accountable to get those projects done? This is the type of class for you! And this week, we’re running a sale of the class – 25% off. Signup here!

Classes at the Ashland Library

And now, finally one last opportunity I want to call your way. If you live in Ashland, VA, I’ll be teaching a Beginning Knitting and Beginning Crochet class this month. Volunteering and making needlework accessible to everyone is an important cornerstone of my personal values. At the same time, I don’t often give my instruction away for free, as it’s one of my primary methods of income. Still, sometimes I feel it is important to give back to my community.

Thus, I’ll be teaching two different events at the Ashland Library this month:

Beginning Knitting Workshop
Wednesday, February 1, Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Jennifer Raymond, owner of Tinking Turtle Designs will show you how to get started with your first knitting project. No experience necessary. Supplies provided. Call or visit the library to sign up.

Beginning Crochet Workshop
Wednesday, February 15, Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Jennifer Raymond, owner of Tinking Turtle Designs will show you how to get started with your first crochet project. No experience necessary. Supplies provided. Call or visit the library to sign up.

Works in Progress.

October 20, 2016 by Jennifer Raymond

The leaves are starting to change, the windows are open day and night, and it’s fall, fall fall! It’s my favorite time of year.

Life has been busy in the Turtle Household. Last month my sister, Rosemary, moved to Richmond. She’s been settling into her apartment in Richmond, and it’s so wonderful to have another member of the family close by. We’ve been getting together quite often, as she doesn’t know many other people right now. It’s wonderful, as Auntie Rose is great with Little Turtle, and I’ve been able to take a bit of breathing room.

Last weekend I was over at Fibre Space, teaching a handful of classes. It was my second time being away from Little Turtle for an entire day (the first being when I was hospitalized). After teaching, Rosemary, my brother Matthew, and I got together for dinner, and it was a lovely hour getting to catch up all together.

Meanwhile, Little Turtle is growing so quickly, already able to sit up, with a little help from her boppy. She loves sitting outside on the mat her grandmother sewed for her, looking at the trees and the cats and her mama knitting. She’s quite vocal, frequently letting people know her thoughts with shrieking, humming, babbling and generally making noise. She’s a smiley baby too, interested in the world and really not keen to view it on her stomach.

Little Turtle’s grandma has been furnishing her her with October and Halloween themed outfits, one of my favorites being this dress:

But let’s be frank, you aren’t really checking here for adorable pictures of babies, right? *wink*

So what has Tinking Turtle been up to? I’ve got a variety of designs that have released over the summer and into this fall – more on that next week. I’ve got two crochet designs I’m working on, a tank top and a blanket. I’ve also got a knitting project on the needles for a class I’ll be teaching later this fall.

This week my online class, All About Yarns is wrapping up. I’m sad to see it finish.

Meanwhile, Watson has been helping with the guarding of yarn balls.

And I’m hoping, rather futilely, to knit a wee sweater for Rebecca before she grows too big to fit into it. That may be stretching things a bit.

What have you been up to?

Ravelry 101: Tomorrow!

May 4, 2016 by Jennifer Raymond

Tomorrow afternoon at 1pm EST I’ll be teaching Ravelry 101 thru Interweave’s Craft U platform. I’m very excited! It’s been a while since I’ve had the opportunity to teach this class, and I love being able to use Interweave’s electronic teaching to reach students I normally don’t get to teach.

You might wonder how this class fits into my normal lineup, as most of my classes are knitting and crochet related. Ravelry is a knitting and crochet-focused website with more than 6 million users. While it isn’t a technique that will make your knitting shine, or challenge your crochet skills, it will teach you how to make the most out of this valuable website. I use Ravelry daily – to find patterns, connect with other crafters, answer questions about my patterns, and learn more about yarn. When I have a question about nearly anything, I can go to Ravelry to get my answers.

You might also wonder how this class is different than the one I taught a few years ago thru Interweave. Well, to be frank, technology is changing all the time, and the class that I taught before isn’t completely up-to-date. I found that I had new tips, new perspectives, and new techniques to share. Ravelry had rolled out new functionality, and I thought it was valuable enough to update!

Want to sign up for the course? I’d love to have you! Enroll now: https://www.craftonlineuniversity.com/courses/ravelry-101.

News & Updates from Tinking Turtle

March 1, 2016 by Jennifer Raymond

On Monday Mr. Turtle and I closed on a house we’ve been in the process of buying. It seems like we’ve been in negotiations for months now. Monday afternoon we signed the last of the paperwork, a large sum of money exchanged hands, and we got the keys to the house. It’s official.

Over the next few weeks we’ll be moving our household from the house we rent to the house we own – over a distance just shy of seven miles. We get to stay in an area we love. We couldn’t be more pleased with our decision!

Next week I’ll try to get some pictures of the house and the property, but right now we’re busy with a number of tasks we want to get done before we move in… namely, some repairs, some tidying, and packing up our current household. Big changes are afoot!

Finishing: working the mattress stitch

Over the past weekend I was at Fibre Space teaching a full roster of classes. It was a blast – some weekends you just luck out with the most amazing student. It was the case of me being in the right mind-frame, all the students ready and prepared for the classes and… I think the fact that the store had rearranged the classrooms so there was noticeably more space. Sometimes, when there were a lot of classes running in the store before, the noise and the room could get a mite bit squished. With the way the store has been rearranged, the classrooms have more room to “breathe.” It made a big difference.

I taught Finishing, and had a great group of students learn how to work the mattress stitch, weave in ends, and block like masters. I also taught Ravelry 101 and Intarsia.

Irish Crochet Motifs

But the class I’d been looking forward to teaching the most? Irish Crochet. A number of years ago I ran an Irish Crochet class that did well, but interest lagged and I wasn’t able to get another class off the ground. Still, I pitched the class to Danielle and she thought it’d be a good idea to run it right before St. Patrick’s day. It was a good decision. I completely revamped the class, taking the best bits from the last time I did it and contextualizing it in a different manner. This was definitely an unusual class: one part piratical hands-on reading charts and learning about Irish Crochet, one part how to read historical patterns, and one part planning and making Irish Crochet in the future. the students were great, and the result was a class that blew me out of the water.

the Best Notions Box

Meanwhile, one of my students brought to class the most epic notions box I’d ever had a pleasure to encounter. Made by her husband from a fly fishing tackle box, it was amazing. Above is the first side of the box, and below is the second side of the box. Talk about a well-planned tool.

The other side of the best notions box

Update from Chez Turtle

February 23, 2016 by Jennifer Raymond

If I haven’t already mentioned, Mr. Turtle and I are closing on a house at the end of the month, and we’ve been up to our eyeballs in packing. Have I mentioned how much stuff we have? Because it’s a lot. It seems like everything is in boxes. So it seems to me like the perfect time for an update!

Single ply fingering weight handspun, natural rainbow colors.

I’ve been working on a design for Spin Off that’s due in a couple of weeks. I’m enjoying having a span of time without a whole bunch of tight deadlines, as it seems like it was one on top of another for a while. This design involves handspun gradient yarn, hairpin lace crochet, and seashells. Being somewhere between a lace and fingering weight yarn, it’s going slow, but I’m certain (certain, I tell you!) the results are going to be amazing. This is one pattern I might make a version for myself. It’s going to be just that stunning – a real marriage of technique and yarn.

Unfortunately, I gotta keep it under wraps, so while there’s pictures, I can’t share (most) of them. Here’s a sneak peek. Shhhh.

Still! I actually have a finished item, made for myself, that I can share. So that’s a good part of the update.

A few weeks ago I got a hankering for a really simple knit. I also was looking for another hat – my original Wurm was getting ratty (though still well-loved), and my secondary Wurm was with the heavy coat. (If you’re looking for a great pattern, Wurm is it – great slouchy, a little interest, folded over brim.) While I had a lightweight hat for indoors, I really needed something DK weight for the lighter weight coat.

And I decided it needed to be a maximum of slouchy – for the hair, of course.

Mountain Colors Twizzle, slouchy hat, own pattern.

Enter in a skein of Mountain Colors Twizzle that had once been another project, since fogged. Let the yarn shine, I decided.

This is a great hat. I cast on just over 100 stitches in size 3 needles, and knit a folded-over brim that is just slightly too tight, which means it’ll stay on my head just fine. After knitting the brim together, increased every 5th stitch while also going up to a size 5 needle. Twizzle, in my experience, works up right around a DK (I could look up the weight of the yarn, but I’m feeling lazy… EDIT: Apparently it is a worsted. Huh). It was so freeing to work without having to worry about writing a pattern or re-creating the hat, though I could, given a little bit of reverse engineering. Still, there’s plenty of slouchy hats out there, find a pattern for one of them. This one is for me.

This is the hat, unblocked. Ends still need to be woven in, but I’m not worrying about that now. It looks lovely, it’s done, and I’ll be wearing it as soon as the weather warrants it. Details, however scant, up on my Ravelry project page.

I have nearly an entire skein left over of the Twizzle (I had 2, and only just dipped into the new one), and I’ll be sharing later this week my plans for it.

Stay tuned!

Tutorial: How to Unwind a Skein

February 12, 2016 by Jennifer Raymond

About a week ago I got a great question from Mary, one of my students and customers. She wrote, “How do you unravel a twist of yarn? Made a mess and I am sure there is a correct way but I’m not privy it and I have three more to go….Mary.” When Mary was talking about a twist of yarn, she was talking about a skein. And this can be quite puzzling if you’ve never dealt with yarn stored this way.

I thought it was a great question, so I’ve put together a tutorial about it. Since it’s a fairly picture-heavy post, I’ve put the rest of the post behind a cut so the photographs won’t slow down the loading time on the website.

But first, why is yarn stored in skeins, and not pre-wound for customers? There are a couple of different reasons. First, it’s generally agreed that keeping your yarn wound into balls for long periods of time can stretch out the yarn, especially if the yarn is wound up tightly. Keeping it in a skein allows the yarn to breathe a bit more. Second, it’s easier for yarn companies to ship their yarn in skeins: they take up less space, squish better, and lie flatter in boxes. Yarn that is in balls tends to be hard for LYS’s to store – I used to call a couple of different balled yarns “tribbles,” as they seemed to jump off the shelves whenever my back was turned. Finally, for hand-dyed yarns, gradients and a few other yarns, skeins allow customers to see all the colors in the skein better, so they’re not surprised by a “mystery color.”

So that’s why you often may get your yarn in skeins from a Local Yarn Store. Most stores offer balling services if you buy the yarn in the store or if you pay a small fee. But do expect to wait – often sales clerks have to fit in the winding of yarn around their other duties!

[Read more…]

It’s Never too Early to Think about Summer Camp

February 4, 2016 by Jennifer Raymond

Learning to spin at summer camp

It’s getting to be the time to think about summer camp, and for me, that means I’m talking about the summer camps I’ve been running the past few years! However, Tinking Turtle has a couple of changes happening this year (spurred on, in a large part, because of our impending tiny turtle).

As I’ve talked about many times before, some of my most formative years were spent going to a summer camp in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, Camp Chimney Corners. Summer camps are a great way to foster independence, expose children to new experiences or hobbies, and foster a different type of learning than what school offers. And I’ve been proud, the past two years, to work with Montgomery College to bring fiberarts summer camps to the DC/Rockville area.

So it’s with sorrow that I say that I will not be running camps with Montgomery College this year. The amount of traveling I’d do to teach the camps in Rockville, MD would be a little too much for our small family. But it is with joy that I’m announcing that this year, I’ll be bringing fiber arts camps to my hometown, Ashland, by pairing with the Hanover Arts and Activities Center!

I’ll be hosting two camps this summer:

String Theory, happening August 8-12th, is a high-energy introduction to the fiberarts suitable for ages 8 & up. It features spinning, knitting, basic sewing, weaving and dying. Students will be working the week through on two different projects, with opportunities to customize and tailor their interests.
Next Step Needlecraft, happening August, offers a glimpse into some of the lesser-known handcrafts. Suitable for ages 10 & up, this summer camp features spinning, punch-rug needlework, needle felting, crochet and dying. Students have the option of planning and creating a variety of projects, which they will work on throughout the week.

If you live in the Ashland/Richmond area and know kids who would be interested, I’d love for you to pass my information along! You can find out more at the Hanover Arts and Activities Website.

Snowstorm Projects

January 22, 2016 by Jennifer Raymond

It’s grey and overcast. Every once and awhile I see a stray flake drift down from the sky, and there’s a hushed breath feeling to the air when I stepped outside this morning. Like any good snow-day or snowstorm, I have on a ratty sweater with penguins on it, and my favorite pair of pajama pants. Unlike my childhood snow-days, my list is full. Self-employment (especially when you work from home), means you get to keep working until the power goes out – and sometimes you don’t stop then.

Still, I’m planning on knocking out all my internet things this morning, and curling up with a blanket and my projects this afternoon. Just in the time I’ve been typing this, the snow’s started to come down harder, and is starting to show up on the walkways.

So what will I be working on as the snow comes down?

hairpin lace, looking like some strange creature’s spine

I’ve got a hairpin lace project I’m working on for Piecework – I have to get it off by next week. I’ve created a lovely swatch, and now need to get cracking on the real piece. One of the things I love about Hairpin is how it comes together so quickly, once you get the strips done. I’ll put on an audiobook, and get a good chunk of it done this weekend.

still working on the puppy-chewed blanket

This blanket is turning into the project I can really only work on for two-hours at a time – before my brain needs a rest and my back needs to stop hunching over it. This too has to be done by the end of next week. I’ve got one more big hole to fix, one smaller hole, and a bunch of worn places to reinforce. I’m really happy with how this is working out, and hoping to get a good picture of it when it’s done. This is logistically a little difficult right now, as our downstairs guest bedroom has become a staging ground for a larger home project, and the upstairs really doesn’t have a good spot. I’ll figure something out, though.

The final project I don’t have a picture of, but it’s my near full-to-the-top meding bag. It’s one of the larger bags by erin.lane (seriously good project bags – she doesn’t do anything revolutionary, other than having really cute fabrics, a well-lined bag, and sturdy reinforcing at stress points… but really, isn’t that all you need?), and it’s filled with hand-knit socks that need darning or reinforcing. I made a dent in them this week, and I’m hoping to make a bigger dent in them, as I’m down to two pairs of handknit socks, and that really isn’t enough.

And now, in the simple 40 minutes I’ve been working on this, the snow has really started to pick up. We’ve got accumulation on most of the concrete surfaces, and Mr. Turtle’s chomping at the bit to walk into town, get our snowstorm wine and cheese, and take a romantic walk in the snow. So, I must be off!

What’s your snowstorm project?

Atlantic Beach

January 20, 2016 by Jennifer Raymond

It seems like every year that I’ve know Mr. Turtle, his family goes to Atlantic Beach over Martin Luther King Weekend. I am told, that once upon a time, the family also went in the summer time, but with adult schedules being what they are, it seems that the off-season is the time we all make it work.

patterns in the sand at Atlantic Beach

I like Atlantic Beach in the off season. The pace is slow: there is time to spend hours on a puzzle, a book, or a piece of handwork. The tone has some things in common with the farm: we unplug, play games, and rest. But there are things about the beach that are different than the farm: most notably, there’s always something to fix or do at the farm. At the beach it is quiet and lazy. There is time to bundle up and take long, multiple mile walks along the shoreline. Most of the time you don’t have to share your space with anyone else; there might be a native with her dog, or a couple walking hand-and-hand, but these events are few and far between.

There’s time to sit on the balcony with binoculars and look for dolphins, fishing vessels, and “german u-boats.” We look for shells, take artsy beach photographs, and spend time with family. In the evening we cook in, or go to the Channel Marker, where we eat delicious, delicious seafood. Seriously, if you’re ever in Emerald Isle, this is the place to go.

swatching in hairpin crochet

I made the choice not to bring anything with a pressing deadline with me, and managed to carve out some time for play – fooling around with shapes and textures and swatching for future things. Since the pregnancy seems to make me always tired, I’d fall asleep on the couch to the sounds of the family working through a puzzle or playing a game.

I made a small hat as a class sample that’ll be for Kiwi afterward. I caught up (a little) on my darning, and plotted for my next piece in Piecework. It was lovely, and quiet and fun.

Me with all my tools, taking over the couch. My big crafting bag at my feet, my tin of stitch markers, my pile of scraps, and my scissors.

Is there an Atlantic Beach in your life? A place to unwind and take the time for things you normally don’t get to do?

Sign me up!

Thank you for visiting!

Tinking Turtle

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