And the Winner Is:

The Winner of the Threadie's Second Anniversary Contest is:

 Carolyn Hirning-Edelen!
Carolyn, if you will send me an email with your mailing address at:
bellacrochet.info@yahoo.com

I will get the songbird thread holder out to you right away. (It is up to you how you use it, lol!)

Thanks to everyone who entered!!!

Happy Anniversary to Threadies! A Contest!

Time really does fly when you are having fun; it has been two years now since I told my friend and fellow designer Cylinda Mathews, "I wish there was a Facebook group just for thread crochet. I think I will start one." And even though I didn't have a clue how to go about it, I did.

As I say, time flies, and the group now has over 8,000 members! If you are not already a member, I hope you will stop by and join us. The talent of the members is truly amazing, I can't wait to see the photos they post every day!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Threadies/
So, to celebrate the Threadies second birthday, I though we should have a contest, and I knew the perfect item to use for the prize:

The bird screws off the top so you can put the thread on the stand.

During our second CAL (crochet along) back in Feb. 2015, I posted this picture of my work in progress:

We were making the Diamond Points Doily, designed by Cylinda Mathews:

http://www.crochetmemories.com/blog/diamond-points-crochet-a-long-doily/

My doily got a few of the usual "how pretty" comments, but what really caught everyone's attention was my thread holder. I had to confess, it was actually intended to be a toilet paper holder that I had bought off Ebay a few years ago. A lot of the members fell in love with it, and several actually ordered their own stands! 

I thought it might make a prize a Threadie would enjoy so I ordered a brand new one just for this contest. 

Here is the information on the contest and the rules:

1: I will give one person the thread holder/toilet paper stand (use it however you desire!) pictured in the first photo above (no thread or doilies will be included) 

2: The contest is open to all members of the Threadies Facebook group and to readers of my blog (although I hope you will be both!)

3: The box will be shipped via USPS Priority Mail.

4: The contest will run from today (Nov. 14th) through  Nov. 27th 2016. 

5: I will select the winner at random from all comments left on this post and announce the winner's name here on the morning of Nov. 28th, so please be sure to check back to see if you won.  

6: Only comments left on this post will be entered; comments left on Facebook, emails, etc. WILL NOT be eligible to win (it is too difficult to coordinate comments left in different places.) Only one entry per person, please! 

7: If the winner does not contact me within 7 days of the end of the contest, I will select a new winner, and the prize will be awarded to them. Failure to contact me within 7 days will result in forfeiture of the prize.

 8: If you post anonymously, please be sure I have a way to identify you (at least give your first name or a nick name in your comment; I have no way of knowing who is posting.)

To enter, just leave a comment answering this question:
What is your favorite thing to crochet with thread?

This contest is now closed! 

Marla's Magic Colorfast Solution: A Formula to Keep Red Crochet Thread From Bleeding

Marla Austin is an extremely talented crocheter who has overcome adversity to become a  respected and accomplished crochet artist. 

Marla's beautiful work is highly sought after; she sells her gorgeous pieces both through her Etsy shop and through an annual local event. She also takes custom orders for larger items, such as this magnificent bedspread she is currently working on:

Marla tells how she began selling her crocheted work:
"In 2004, I was rescued from 2 years of homelessness by the kindness of a stranger, who turned out to be the best man I've ever known (other than my father). Unable to work and bored, I started crocheting, brushing off skills learned long ago as a little girl, quite literally, sitting on the floor at my Grandmother's feet. My first project was a queen-sized bedspread that used 2 strands of thread together,. By using two strands at a time, I was able to create six shades from three colors. It took a full year to make and turned out too heavy to use!

Marla's 30 pound bedspread!

Not long after, a friend told me that the local arts center was putting together an exhibit showcasing area artists. At first, they weren't interested in doilies; that is, until they saw my work. I was so moved by their display that I knew I had to share my love for this beautiful art form with as many people as I could (and maybe make a little spending money on the side). Thus began my dream. In Dec. 2008, I became a vendor at the S.P.B.H. Folk Art Festival held in Libearl, Kansas and did so well my first year that it's become an annual event for me.( By the way, SPBH stands for "Society for the Prevention of Bored Housewives". I remember hearing about it when I was in high school in Garden City Ks.; its been around that long.) Now my dream is well on it's way. In fact, I guess you could say it's been fulfilled. Less than a month after opening my internet shop, my first item sold, and I became an international seller at the same time. "Every piece made with loving prayer" is the quote on the back of my business card and is literal. I thank God for the loving Grandmother who taught me this craft, for the skill I have since acquired, for the blessings God has given me. I hope and pray His peace and grace be with every recipient of my work."

Marla's work is certainly inspiring:

Marla turned the Pretty Pinwheel Doily into a bowl!

And she  made the  Trick or Treat Doily  into a sun-catcher!

But, there is an additional reason that I admire Marla; she came across a solution that will set the dye in dark colored thread so that it does not bleed onto lighter colors. If you have ever had a red and white Christmas doily turn into a pink, blotchy mess after it was washed, then you know what I am talking about! Marla has generously agreed to share the recipe for this "Magic Solution" with us today:

Marla's Colorfast Solution

1 tablespoon salt
1 cup white vinegar
2 quarts water
Soak piece in solution until thoroughly saturated. Blot and block or finish as usual.
Some people rinse their pieces to remove any lingering vinegar aroma. I’ve never had a problem with any residual odor, and I don’t rinse afterward.
Store solution in a glass container.
NOTE: Marla says that the solution, MUST be stored in a glass container, not a plastic one. She uses canning jars to store hers.  

Thank you, Marla, for sharing your story and the recipe for the marvelous Colorfast Solution! It will certainly make life much easier for many of us!

You can see more of Marla's work in her Etsy shop:

panhandleannies

You can follow Marla on her Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/PanhandleanniesVintageCrochet/