Stitch Studs Report from Buffalo

Happy Fifteenth Birthday CGOA!/photo by Vashti Braha

CGOA Board of Directors/photo by Donna Hulka

Charles Voth and Vashti Braha

Grandes Dames of Crochet World: Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss/photo by Donna Hulka

Lily Chin et al in Bling Contest/photo by Nancy Smith

Margaret Hubert and Carol Alexander in background/photo by Nancy Smith

Chocaholic Drew/photo by Amy Shelton

Willena's awesome creation/photo by Kim Guzman

Design Contest winning designs/Photo by Amy Shelton

Comments (2)
• Add new comment

Is it like the blush of an awkward teenage crush, or a practical, steady marriage; is it like a flirtatious experiment, or more like ardent passion; is it a one-night stand or an addiction? What is your connection to crochet like? I’ll tell you if you tell me! 

Attending Chain Link 2009 conference in Buffalo a few weeks ago was an amazing opportunity to meet many crocheters, each of whom fits in the spectrum of crochet love differently. Passion and energy were pretty much shared by all, but I could also see casual familiarity, intense curiosity, and occasional pure dogmatism around the yarns, tools, and stitches we all happily espouse. I had expected camaraderie, new knowledge, and some fun, but what I experienced was nothing I could have predicted. There was ample time to crochet in public, and it was so nice to start a conversation with any person near you about crochet without having to go back to the beginning. You know…the same old stories you talk through when you meet a non-crocheter; and as a guy, I have a stale inventory of tales about when I first learned, and why I still do it, what my father thought of it, what my wife says about it…etc. In a refreshingly different way, in Buffalo, I didn’t have to explain myself. We all just knew. It was eerie, but it was awesome, like a sci-fi movie where everyone shares one computer brain. 

Being a new CGOA member, and a new Associate Professional member, I attended Professional Development day (PDD). It was a lively and packed with useful information. As it was a smaller group than would arrive later that weekend, there was ample opportunity to meet the Who’s Who of the group. Every crocheter, no matter how famous in our world, was approachable, helpful, and encouraging. I kept looking around the 100 plus attendees of PPD, watching the dynamic, seeing the smiles, conversations, and hearing remarks about designs, busy years, soon-to-be-released books, and soon found myself elated to be in the midst of this wealth of knowledge and experience. I also learned about many types of professional opportunities in crochet other than designing. 

I enjoyed the classes I took. The instructors were excellent and vibrant. What I found particularly interesting was how conversations during meal breaks were filled with technical talk that spilled out from the classes. It was great to converse about hook shanks, heads, and handles for twenty minutes or more without anyone yawning. It was also nice to meet members of my guild Cyber Crochet of CGOA, an online group that meets on Ravelry. We had several scheduled get-togethers to glue our friendships a bit more before returning to our online existence.

Prior to going, I had heard from some that CGOA and Chain Link were really not that vital or important to the life of a crocheter. Now, I would beg to differ. I encourage any crocheter to join a local guild, or start one. Or meet me and the rest of us in the Cyber Crochet guild. Even if you never want to become a professional, there is nothing like being with a group of like-minded individuals who share an inexplicable passion (ask the vendors at the market…another highlight!). The conference is more like being at a pro sports game than like attending a local minor league one, and getting caught in the wave is intense, so I recommend attending at least once in your life.

What is my status on the spectrum of crochet love? I’d say it’s a fulfilling and rewarding marriage and Chain Link was like a second honeymoon whose afterglow isn’t going to fade easily. So, what’s your crochet love life like?

By Charles Voth  (aka Stitch Stud)  August, 2009.