Today I am excited to share my new crochet pattern. Here's the Layers of Lace Wrap Around Scarf! I've been working on this pattern for quite a while now, so it feels great to have it completed and available both on Etsy and on Ravelry. As a side note, isn't Instant Download great? I love designing patterns, but I enjoy buying patterns just as much. There's nothing quite like the immediate gratification of purchasing a pattern, downloading it, and never having to leave your office chair. In fact, I went on to Ravelry today to upload my latest, and couldn't help purchasing a beautiful pattern from another designer.
This pattern came to me as I was designing another scarf. I was going to bundle it with my Free Falling Scarf, but then I decided it was unique and should have it's own billing. I got so excited about this one, that I haven't finished the Free Falling pattern yet. I guess I'm designing out of order, but when inspiration calls, you must answer! I have always loved the affect of layering. The Layers of Lace scarf uses two different yarn weights to take full advantage of the colors and open stitching. The lighter, lacy purple takes on a transparent quality allowing the darker layer to show through. I was thrilled with the way these purples and plums came together, but of course there are endless color possibilities. Right now I'm working on one in earth tones with blues and greys. I'll be sure to share that one when it's complete.
We have crossed the Spinzilla finish line. My final tally for the week: 3,136 yards!
I am ready to spend a day doing something other than spinning, but I had a great week. These events are so awesome because they remind me that there is an amazing community of spinners. It's easy to lose sight of that when you are the only one in your neighborhood with a wheel.
Just to recap the last two days, on day 6 I finished up my thick & thin Boots & Jeans. Then, because I had so much fun spinning that, I spun some more thick & thin using Merino rolags and South African top as my ply. It all made for a relaxing day.
On the final day I decided I would finally spin my remaining mountain of German milk sheep wool, all 21.7 ounces of it! I spun and spun and spun, and I swear it wasn't until the end of the day that the pile finally started to look smaller. I spent the last couple hours of Spinzilla spinning like a maniac trying to get it done. In the end, I finished all but about an ounce. I had to stop and weigh my spool for my official Spinzilla count. Then I put the spool back on and spun the rest of that wool! It felt so good to finally spin what was originally 36 oz of fiber!
What a week! I feel like I learned a couple things about my spinning self. First, I am not a production spinner. I am a spin for fun kind of girl. Second, I have a love/hate relationship with competition. I love that it motivates me to do more than I would ever normally do. I hate that it makes me worry that I am not doing enough and the fear that I may let my team down. Would I do it again? Yes, I think so. It was fun to submerge into my own world for a week. It's an indulgence that I don't typically allow myself. Some women go to the spa, but as for me, I'll take a week of fiber arts!
I thought I'd change things up and post in the morning. I haven't spun an ounce yet today, but I have taken a photo. Here's the yarn that I made from yesterday's fiber pic. I wish you could photograph softness because the most awesome thing about this yarn is how it feels. It also has fabulous drape. I only have 150 yards, but I will have to figure out something fun to do with them.
Time to pillage my studio for more fiber and get spinning!
The days are starting to blur into each other as Spinzilla week heads into the weekend. I'm walking around with with multicolored fibers clinging to my clothes and that's nothing compared to the bits of wool, silk, alpaca and yak all over my favorite spinning chair. I am living and breathing spinning and starting to feel a bit crazed. I look up from my wheel and it takes my eyes a minute to focus on the external, non-whorling world.
All madness aside, I feel like I'm only just beginning to get my mojo back. What this week has taught me is that I need to spin more regularly. I spent the beginning of the week feeling very rusty. for all of my hours at the wheel, I wasn't very excited about the yarn I was producing. Today I feel my old creativity and comfort coming back and it's such a relief. I raided my studio earlier today for this yellow Merino, black alpaca, and this super soft yak/silk blend. The resulting yarn is my favorite thus far. Tomorrow, when the sun returns, I'll share a picture. As for now, it's back to the wheel!
I just stopped spinning to wrap this niddy noddy full of yarn. The spool was starting to feel heavy on the wheel, so even though there was a little room left, I decided to go ahead and call it a skein.
I went outside to take advantage of the day's fading light for a photo. I was looking around for nice place to lay my yarn and decided on this bush. This is the first time I have photographed yarn on a bush, but I think it looks rather groovy.
This is a fat singles or my version of one at least. It's probably just a little heavier than a DK, but that's about as heavy as I like to work with living in a warm climate. I have 266 yards on this niddy noddy and enough rolags left to make a comparable skein, but I think I'm going to take a break from woolen spinning.
I received this gorgeous South African Top as an early registration gift from Team Louet. I'm thinking about making a nice thick and thin, nothing too bulky. I just want to show off this superfine wool.
I'm feeling a bit sleepy, but it's early yet, so I think I'll do just a little more spinning before I call it a night.
It's 5pm on Day 1 of Spinzilla and it's been a very pleasant day. It's rather rare that I devote myself completely to spinning. I tend to divide my time among many interests which means none of them get the attention they deserve. This week however, that is not the case. This week I am a spinning monster ascending the Empire State Building one yard at a time!
That last sentence would be more powerful if I had a picture of the Empire State Building, but I am a desert dweller. This is my spinning spot, so perhaps a diving analogy would have been more appropriate.
I actually began spinning last night at 9:00 because the event began at midnight EST. I know I wasn't alone. Scattered across North America, several hundred spinners were doing the exact same thing. The thought of so many spinners, sitting down with their wheels and spindles, all at the same time, is what makes this event so much fun.
What have I spun so far? Hey, thanks for asking! I started off spinning a Bluefaced Leicester and Tussah silk blend. After spinning 4oz of lace weight, I had to take a break. Now I'm working on this fat singles from a hatbox full of rolags I carded last week. This is Merino that I also dyed last week come to think of it. I mixed a little Firestar into each rolag to give it a hint of sparkle. It was very pretty to work with out in the sun by the pool.
Now it's time to take a break and feed my family. I'll probably spin a little more tonight, but I don't want to burn out on the first day. I'll be writing updates through the week. I wonder how many yards I'll manage to spin?
