In the Loop, November 2021 – Center for Knit and Crochet

November 2021

Classic Afghan, ca. 1970s. Photo: Jennifer Lindsay

Warmest Wishes for the Holidays!

While your handmade treasures are on display during the holidays, it’s the perfect time to take some photos and add them to CKC’s Crowdsourced Collection! We invite you to use CKC’s free resources to digitally preserve and share your afghans, blankets, coverlets, stockings, ornaments, table runners, and any other items you use to decorate your home during the winter months, along with the stories that make them so special to you and your family!

A detail image of a crochet coverlet with a six sided star pattern — Crocheted Coverlet, Cotton. Maker unknown. Ca. 20th Century. Photo: Jennifer Lindsay

Do Your Part to Help CKC Reach Our Goal!

#GivingTuesday, November 30, marks the beginning of CKC’s Annual Fundraising Campaign, which runs through December 31. We are so grateful to CKC Members and donors for your generosity as we work to bring you new online collections, resources, exhibitions, and programs.

In 2022, CKC will celebrate its 10th Anniversary with new exhibitions we are developing. Can you support this effort by helping us raise $3000 by December 31?

Whether you donate, join, renew, purchase a gift membership for a friend or family member, or add your knit and crochet treasures to CKC’s Crowdsourced Collection, we sincerely appreciate your contributions!

Balls of multicolored yarn with a piece of knitting on circular knitting needles

Join Us for a Makealong, December 5!

Do something nice for yourself! Take a break from the rush, bring your favorite beverage, relax, meet your fellow CKC Members and share your vintage-inspired projects, your WIPs, and any holiday gifts you are making!

Meet Lauren Brennan, the new Executive Director of Project Knitwell and join a conversation about knitting and wellness.

We’ll meet via Zoom on Sunday, December 5, 2021, 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM, Eastern Time. Look for a Zoom invitation coming soon!

CKC Makealongs are open to all current CKC Members. Click to check your membership status or renew now so you can join the fun!

New in CKC’s Crowdsourced Collection

Two crocheted slippers in white, brown, and orange yarn with a large pom pom in the center of each. — Crochet Granny Square Slippers, by Marcelle Huset, ca. 1970s.
CKC Crowdsourced Collection #2021.020

Just for fun, we are asking CKC Members to add their slippers, socks, and stockings to CKC’s Crowdsourced Collection during December. Marilyn Huset, CKC Treasurer, graciously complied, kicking off this digitization theme — pun intended — with these wonderful slippers made from crocheted “granny squares”.

A 8.5” granny square, with opposite corners folded, is secured on top with a pompom to form each slipper’s sole and instep.

Two 4.5” granny squares sewn to into the front of each slipper form the toe, and one 4.5” granny square sewn to the back of each slipper forms the heel.

Marilyn’s mother, Marcelle Huset, likely made these slippers in the 1970s when crocheted granny squares were very popular. The colorful squares are easy and fun to crochet, and can be creatively combined to make almost anything.

Dip into the history of crochet with A brief history of crochet from Wool and the Gang’s Blog, published May 13, 2015. Discover more about granny squares in The Humble History of the Granny Square – crochet through time, by Amber Killian for Hannah Cross of HanJan Crochet, published May 17, 2021.