About the Collaborative

The Crochet Collaborative was established in July 2006 to promote an interest and skill in and appreciation for crochet while serving the community. We've grown into a diverse group of crocheters who have banded together to work collaboratively to learn new techniques and solve age-old thorny crochet problems (skipped or tight stitches, ever-widening rows, flubbed patterns, you name it). The only requirement to becoming a member is a willingness to learn. We will teach you the basics -- in return you agree to make something for charity.

We've collaborated on several charity projects, including crocheting baby blankets for Project Linus, and small hats for Caps for the Capitol. We've also donated blankets to a local infants home. While we all have our ongoing personal projects to bring to meetings, we're always open to new special project suggestions.

So, who are we? We are more than co-workers, more than colleagues. We are a community of friends who share a passion for crochet. The Collaborative is totally unstructured, totally free, totally fun. If you crochet, are experienced or just learning, grab some yarn and join us. The Collaborative meets every other Tuesday for lunch to sit and chat while we work on favorite projects and share our passion for the art of crochet. Most members work in the Federal Triangle, Washington, D.C.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

A Community of Friends

"Knitters just naturally create communities of friends and newfound friends at work, after work, or on the Internet, sharing their passion for knitting." Mary Colucci, Executive Director, Warm Up America! Foundation (in Debbie Macomber's novel "A Good Yarn")


Welcome to the Crochet Collaborative!
¡Bienvenidos al Ganchillo Colaborativo!

In July 2006, our fearless leader Linda S. had this bright idea to get a group together to teach them to CROCHET [not to knit). By August, eight co-workers and friends had joined our adhoc "koffee klatch." We met weekly then, sometimes in between, to help one another build our skills. The price of admission? Make a baby blanket for ProjectLinus. On September 28, 2006, 11 blankets had been handmade by a member of the Crochet Collaborative and delivered to ProjectLinus. In April 2007, we delivered 14 hand-crocheted baby blankets to the St. Ann's Infant and Maternity Home. Sixteen more afghans and shawls line the walls of my cubicle -- waiting to be delivered to St. Ann's, the Snuggles Project, and a local home for seniors. Click here for a gallery of our first blankets using the newbie shell afghan pattern.

It's now a year later. We've grown into a diverse group of crocheters who have banded together to work collaboratively to learn new techniques, solve age-old thorny crochet problems (skipped or tight stitches, ever-widening rows, flubbed patterns, you name it), and give back to the community. New members have joined our ranks while others have moved away-- they've taken new jobs across the country or elsewhere in the world. A special word of thanks is due to Nicholas T., who said, when commenting about the charitable nature of our endeavors, that there was no way he was going to learn to crochet but he felt it was important to give. He donated monies to buy the yarn from which 36 baby blankets have been made. Lisa H., who will not crochet, has volunteered to drive the finished items to their destinations. To both of you, we say, "thank you, thank you, thank you."

So, who are we? We are more than co-workers, more than colleagues. We are a community of friends who share a passion for crochet.