Monthly Meetings

NICGOA has resumed monthly, in-person chapter meetings!

Location: Arlington Heights Memorial Library, 500 N. Dunton Ave, Arlington Heights IL 60004

Time: 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM Central time

Dates: See schedule below 

Our weekly crochet study groups are being held via Zoom OR in Person, contact the group leader for more info.  Stay safe and happy crocheting.

2023 Monthly Meeting Dates

We currently have the following in-person meetings set for the Arlington Heights Library:  

  • January 29 – Program Planning
  • February 18 – Member Resources – Karen Angel and Val Snipes
  • March 18 – Bead Crochet part 1 – Sharon DeCaro and Zee Wang
  • April 22 – Bead Crochet part 2 – Sharon DeCaro and Zee Wang
  • May 13 – Corner to Corner (C2C) part 1 – Pattie Aaron and Beth Gleason
  • June 24 – Corner to Corner (C2C) part 2 – Pattie Aaron and Beth Gleason
  • July 8 – Christmas in July – Debbie Deitke, Marianne Ommundson, Barb Chamberlain
  • August 26 – Yarn/Pattern Exchange and President/VP Challenge
  • September 16 – Yarn Tasting – Pam Oddi and Karen Navoy
  • October – Amigurumi part 1 – Lynn Dahlke and Pattie Aaron
  • November – Amigurumi part 2 – Lynn Dahlke and Pattie Aaron
  • December – Holiday Party

Program Descriptions

Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small, stuffed yarn creatures. Amigurumi almost always involves working in the round, making spheres which are then stuffed to form the heads and limbs. The first program will cover the basics of how to make the pieces, tips for single crochet in the round, increasing and decreasing. An Amigurumi project will be started at the meeting. Homework will be assigned to complete making all of the creature pieces in preparation for the Part 2 programs. The second Amigurumi program will cover how to join the pieces to complete the critter.

Bead Crochet is adding beads to a crocheted fabric, either by stringing the beads onto the yarn/thread first, or by picking up and attaching the beads as you go. The first program’s focus will be providing information on bead sizes, what size thread/yarn and hooks to use with the various bead sizes and good sources for purchasing beads and beading tools. Also the two bead stringing techniques will be demonstrated. Homework will be assigned to string beads in preparation to do Part 2’s bead project that gives members hands on experience with bead crochet.

Corner to Corner (C2C) is a popular technique that involves making double-crochet blocks that grow on the diagonal, using the diagonal block stitch. The first program will cover the diagonal block stitch, getting started, and how to increase, decrease, change colors, and combine pieces to make a design. Members will do a small project to practice these basics. The second C2C program will be to make a seasonal or holiday themed C2C pictogram that will give members practice in reading a C2C chart and changing colors. Once the basics are learned, members can sketch out their own designs on graph paper.

Member Resources will review how to access the wide variety of crochet resources that are available to NIC chapter members. There are years of chapter program handouts available on the chapter’s Google Drive. Books, patterns, hooks and other tools are available for members to borrow from the chapter library on Ravelry. Get inspiration from past study group projects on Ravelry.

Yarn Tasting allows you to play with different yarns and fibers. Members will work with either plant or animal based fibers (e.g. wool, cotton, blends) in a variety of weights (e.g. fine/2, DK/3, and worsted/4) and stitches to make a simple pattern. Crochet hooks appropriate for the variety of yarn weights would be needed.