Interweave Yarnfest 2022 and other Upcoming Fiber Conferences!

 Whew! It's hard to believe that it has been a week since I returned home from Interweave Yarnfest in Loveland, Colorado! After being cancelled for 2 years in a row, we were finally able to meet at an in-person conference and I am so very thankful.

From one of my design classes... 

 Part of my BIG & BOLD Cables Class...

In the Market during my fun time of "Redeeming Crochet through Stories & Song"

While there I was able to meet many of you for the first time, teach the crochet classes that I so enjoy, and even have a time of telling stories and singing fun parody songs about this craft we all love so much!

Meeting another Maryland friend at the Interweave social... 

Meeting old friends and making new ones is always a highlight for me at these conferences!

Laura from JUL Designs in the Market...

Of course there was also the market with many vendors selling beautiful yarns and all things related to the fiber arts...

Having some fun at the Dam Store (near a real dam) outside Loveland...

I honestly didn't want it to end, but the exhaustion in my body told me it was time to head to the mountains for a couple of days of much needed rest.

Our view of the Rockies from Estes Park, CO.

My sister Brenda and I truly enjoyed the majesty of the Rocky Mountains and walking around the town of Estes Park. Our drive into the Rocky Mountain National Park after a fresh snowfall from the night before was nothing short of a worship experience! If you've never seen this before, I encourage you to consider attending next year's Interweave Yarnfest in Loveland, CO and add a couple of days to experience this for yourself. It will be time and money well spent!

The end of the road due to the snow pack in the Rocky Mountain National Park.

For more photos from Interweave Yarnfest 2022, please check out the video I made here. Next years conference will be April 12-15, 2023 in Loveland. You can also check out more about this conference in this article. 

If you are looking for more opportunies for crochet conferences, please check out the Crochet Guild of America's (CGOA) upcoming conference in New Orleans, LA this July 20-23! I will be teaching several crochet classes there and would love to meet you there! You can find out more detailed information here.

Another opportunity for fiber fun will be in Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival in Pittsburgh, PA, August 25-27, 2022! I will be teaching a few classes in crochet there as well. This will be my first time attending this festival and I'm really looking forward to it! You can find out more about this festival here. Registration is now open for both of these events, and seats are first come, first served, so be sure to reserve your spot ASAP if you are planning on attending.

The Throw of GRACE Crochet Along starts February 14, 2022!

Now that the holidays are behind us and the frigid temperatures have moved in in full force (at least here in Maryland as I type this blog post), it is time to begin preparing for our winter crochet along! There's no mystery to this throw, only rounds and rounds of beautiful texturized stitches!

I've been thinking long and hard about this particular design and I want to share its inspiration with you. This highly texturized throw was inspired by one of my favorite Bible verses which has greatly comforted me during the pandemic that began in 2020. Many of us have felt limitations in so many ways, yet this promise from Psalm 16:5 & 6 has helped me to keep my life balanced: "The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;you hold my lot.The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance." The sections in this rectangular-shaped throw are bordered using beautifully texturized stitches, and ever changing in color, yet in an orderly fashion. 

For this throw I used Cascade Yarns Anthem (100% acrylic, 100 g/3.5 oz, 186 yds/170 m)  in the following colors:

Color #40 White Peach 3 skeins (also color #1 in pattern)

Color #48 Peach Pink 4 skeins (also color #2 in pattern)

Color #49 Living Coral 5 skeins (also color #3 in pattern)

Color #50 Poppy Red 6 skeins (also color #4 in pattern)

Color #04 Maroon 5 skeins (also color #5 in pattern)

Feel free to choose your favorite hues of other colors that will suit your home decor. I know that this will also look lovely in a solid color as well. Another option is to used colors from your stash.

The first of the 3 video series will be released on February 14, 2022 both on my Bonnie Bay Crochet YouTube channel, as well as on my subscriber based Watch.BonnieBayCrochet.com channel. If you are one of my Watch subscribers the written pattern will be complimentary as always! This will also be available in my LoveCrafts store for those interested in purchasing the pattern. 

A Moment to Give Thanks...

Seems so very strange that this holiday has come around so quickly....again. It's been another year of blessing accompanied by loss. I'll never forget one of my favorite pastors saying, "You only need to live long enough to experience loss and suffering," and he was right. Still, the grace of God has been there to sustain every second of it. Without further ado, here's my thankful list for 2021:

10. I'm thankful for hands that continue to be able to function well and allow me to do what I love.

 

 9. To have an excellent computer and working internet to stay connected with those I love, as well as enabling me to engage with my crochet community, especially while living away from home at times.

8. To be able to purchase a fun, and much needed car this year to enable more flexible travel for my family and me.

 

7. I'm thankful that the roaming deer on our property left my impatiens alone long enough for me to enjoy them this year! 

6. For my first grand baby who is securely in our Heavenly Father's hands (I will get to hold you on your side of Heaven one day...), and for complete restoration of my daughter's health.

5. For my local church and the provision of a church family's farm so that we could meet to worship the Lord outside every Sunday. (Our rented space at a local school has been unavailable due to Covid-19 for 1 1/2 years.)

4. For you, my crochet friends both near and far. Your encouragement and support have lifted me in so many ways this past year - in ways that language just cannot express.

 

3. For my wonderful children and their spouses, along with all the joy and purpose they bring to my life. Especially thankful that those who struggled with Covid-19 recovered completely.

 

2. For an amazing husband of 33 years who has never once complained about living with a creative person who happens to have an abundant love and supply of yarn. He is patient beyond degree!

 

1. My #1 problem of all time, of being a condemned sinner in need of forgiveness, has been taken care of by Jesus when He died for my sins on the cross at Calvary. Psalm 103 expresses better than I can say:

"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him."

Wishing you and yours a very meaningful Thanksgiving.

New Way to Watch Bonnie's Videos!

We are very happy to announce that there is a better way to watch the best of Bonnie's video tutorials on a brand new subscriber based platform! This will enable you to watch excellent crochet instruction on all of your devices, totally ad, commercial and spam free. We have worked very hard to build this new site and currently have more than 66 hours of videos - that's 66 hours of right-handed, and an additional 66 hours of left-handed content - available now, with many more to come. This platform has videos suitable for the absolute beginner, as well as many projects for seasoned crocheters looking for a fun challenge.

Bonnie's Winter Cabled Throw coming early in 2021 to WATCH.BonnieBayCrochet.com!

This will be the home of Bonnie's newly designed cabling designs that she currently is working on, and plans to release early in 2021. These will not be available on her public YouTube channel, but only on this channel and/or through the purchase of the written pattern. 

Gift subscriptions are also available should you be looking for a special gift for the crocheter in your life! Should you have any questions at all about this new platform, you can always contact us at bonniebay@me.com

Thanksgiving 2020: Top 10 Reasons to Still Give Thanks!

As we all look forward to this unusual year to conclude (to say the very least), I wanted to take a look back on the unexpected blessings this time has brought to my family and me. While this is only the tip of the proverbial iceburg, here's my list of the top 10 reasons to still give thanks...

 

10. I give thanks that to people like you, Bonnie Bay Crochet has been able to continue to grow and allow me to become full-time in my design work so I can concentrate exclusively on bringing you more quality crochet content.

9. I give thanks that we are living in a world with an internet that works most of the time, allowing us to work and connect with those we love in a time when we aren't able to visit in person. This has enabled me to continue my work as usual, and connect with my children on a daily basis.

8. I give thanks for Chick-fil-A, who has become the employer of several of my children & their spouses over the years, and especially during this time while their industry (film) was completely shut down, leaving them without a source of income. Eat more chicken ya'll!!

7. I give thanks that none of the ER trips for members of our family resulted in longterm hospital stays, and ended on a happy note and a return trip home.

6. I have gained a thankful spirit for many things in this world that I have previously taken for granted, such as the the availability of staples in our home such as toilet paper and paper towels! It's funny how seeing stacks of these items at my local Costco and Walmart stores bring me an uncanny source of happiness now!

5. I give thanks for my friend Stephanie of Good Loops Yarn who more than 1 1/2 years ago insist that I begin a weekly LIVE program on my channel. Neither of us had any idea of how this would become such a needed social connection in our lives. For those who join me from week to week on Friday Fun LIVE, please know that you have helped me to get through 2020 with joy in my heart and an extra hop in my step! You are all part of my family now! (Tears of happiness as I type this...)

4. I give thanks for the special time of getting to know my wonderful mother-in-law and that she is still able to live in her home where we can care for her, especially during this pandemic.

3. I give thanks that our family now has a beautiful new addition with my new daughter-in-law Sarah! We are all looking forward to the day when we can gather as a family to celebrate together!

2. Oddly enough, I give thanks for the many months of living separately from the one I love most on this earth,my dear husband Craig. My affections and appreciation for him have only deepened, even after more than 32 happy years. I can't wait to take a trip with him to a place far, far away once this pandemic is over!!

1. My #1 problem of all time, of being a condemned sinner in need of forgiveness, has been taken care of by Jesus when He died for my sins on the cross at Calvary. Psalm 103 expresses better than I can say:

"The LORD is merciful and gracious,slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth,so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him."

I sincerely wish you a most meaningful time with your loved ones as you gather together in person and via the internet and give thanks!

2 New 2020 CALs: My First Crocheted Sweater, and the Colorful Cables Throw

I can't believe it has been 10 months since my last blog post! Life has been especially full and busy this year, but part of that activity has been spent trying to bring more quality content to you via my Bonnie Bay Crochet channel. For the latest, up to date information, please join me every Friday at Noon EST for Friday Fun LIVE with Bonnie! This has become the highlight of my week connecting with many of you in a LIVE format. 

Starting next Monday, January 13, 2020, I will be starting the "My First Crocheted Sweater" CAL with the motto, "Just because it's your first crocheted sweater, it doesn't have to LOOK like it's your first crocheted sweater!" This crochet along will consist of 2 videos released one week apart. You will be free to comment and ask any questions in the comment section on YouTube and on my Bonnie Bay Crochet Facebook page. I've made this project as easy as possible without compromising the quality of the design. I believe than any confident beginner and above will be able to enjoy and be successful completing this design. Purchase of the written pattern is highly recommended, especially with all the needed sizing information that will not be included in the videos (in order to avoid confusion). The pattern can be purchased in my on-line Love Crafts store here.

So, what will you need? For this design I chose a higher quality yarn called City Tweed DK by Knit Picks. This yarn is 55% Merino wool, 25% Superfine alpaca, 20% Donegal tweed, 123 yds/50 g per ball. You will need 13 (14, 16, 17, 19, 20) skeins for sizes S (M, L, XL, 2X, 3X). You are free to use any other DK weight yarn for this project. Just be sure you have the proper amount of yardage for your size: 1550 (1722, 1894, 2066, 2238, 2410) yds.

 You can use my affiliate link (I do benefit in a small way, but won't cost you any more) here to order this yarn directly from Knit Picks.

COLORFUL CABLES THROW REVEAL!!!

February 3, 2020 marks the beginning of the Colorful Cables Throw! I am super excited about this new colorful design which is also a great way for many of you to learn some new ways of crocheting cables! This throw features 14 Aran/Celtic style textured stitches, many of which have been a part of many of my crochet designs over the past 10 years. 

For this design you will need 2 - 10 packs of Love Craft's Paint Box Aran weight yarn. This yarn is often on sale and very resonably priced. Here is my affiliate link for this yarn. (Won't cost you any more, but I do benefit in a small way.)It was highly recommended to me by a friend and my experience has confirmed the quality to me first hand. 

If the color way you desire is not in stock, please communicate to them (by checking the appropriate box on their site) to be contacted when available. I used the color way "Wanderlust" for my throw, which includes 10 different colors. You may wish 10 colors of another color way, or fewer colors, or even one solid color. It is really up to you! In the pattern I will be providing a diagram so that you can "fill in the blank" and design your own color scheme should you like. Of course you are also free to use any worsted weight yarn of your choice. This could also be a great project for leftover stash yarn to use up all those extra skeins!

The CAL will consist of 4 videos, one for each Monday in February on my Bonnie Bay Crochet YouTube channel. The written pattern will be made available soon in my LoveCrafts.com on-line store. 

The Tree of Life Afghan Crochet Along Schedule

The proposed schedule of our crochet along is listed below. As you can see it starts off slowly in the first 3 weeks to allow time for learning, but then picks up speed in the later portion.

I would love to see your progress but will ask you to post photos that are in keeping with each week's schedule. In other words, let’s save the completed afghan photos for later in the crochet along. We want to come alongside one another in the week by week progression, and these are the photos that we want to see!

I am so looking forward to seeing the various colors you all have chosen. You can post all photos to my Bonnie Bay Crochet Facebook page. Should you ever have questions on these assignments, please post these here as well. You may very well be helping someone else to understand by doing so! Here’s the schedule:

Sept. 3: Week 1/Video #1 Foundation chain&rows, Tree Pattern Rows 1-16

Sept. 10: Week 2/Video #2 Tree Pattern Rows 17-30

Sept. 17: Week 3/Video #3 Tree Pattern Rows 31-40

Sept. 24: Week 4/Video #4 Tree Pattern Rows 41-55 + sc rows

Oct. 1: Week 5/Video #5 Divider, Flowers Pattern, Divider + sc rows

Oct. 8: Week 6/Video #6 Tree Pattern Rows 1-55

Oct. 15: Week 7/Video #7 Perimeter Rounds, Leaves and Finishing

You can download a copy of the free pattern courtesy of Lion Brand Yarns here.

You can always contact me via my facebook page or directly at bonniebay@me.com.