SIMPLY HANDMADE-ALONG | October Creativity

I’m going to be honest… I have TOO many projects on the needles (and other creative endeavors in progress). As I lug around my TWO knitting bags (each with several WIPs) and look at my creative studio with an almost finished dress, I only want to cast on or start working on something new. Really, I know this is ridiculous, but I can’t help myself. Am I alone here?

As I was deciding on this month’s Simply Handmade-along project, I thought maybe you were feeling the same, so…

OCTOBER | CREATIVITY | THROUGH NOVEMBER 7TH

Over the last couple weeks, I’ve realized that I’m not the only one succumbing to the casting on of “all of the things” – this has been a common theme at the shop and amongst my friends. (Please note… we admit this to each other because we live together in this crazy world of yarn/fiber/creativity, but I know admitting it to anyone else would result in us being carted off to a padded room. So no need to worry, I respect your confidentiality and will not divulge names.)

I think we all understand that it’s totally counterproductive to create more work, when you already have more than enough, but we can’t help ourselves. Yes, I’m feeling overwhelmed and although I’d like to blame the chill of the autumnal air (I might have already, at least once), or the pretty new yarn that arrived at Firefly Fibers (it really WAS talking to me like a lost puppy, so it had to come home), but I’m not so foolish that I don’t know that I only have myself to blame.

As I’ve been resisting new projects (with rare exception for work-related ones) and thinking about why this happens (to me at least) and it’s simply because I don’t make time for creativity. Maybe it’s different for you, but my (ridiculously obvious) revelation is one that had me thinking that this month’s project should be making time to be creative.

I’m a firm believer that knitting and creativity in general are good for the mind and soul. Yet, it seems that more often than not, one busy day turns into two, three, or four days, or even an entire week since I’ve done anything creative. Then when I have time to finally sit down, I feel like I “deserve” or “need” a shiny new project as a reward. How does that make any sort of rational sense?

Now, I’m not saying that I won’t cast on anything new (I know I will and I have plans for that this weekend), but my hope with making time to work on projects will have me confidently starting something new because I've been finishing projects. It seems like a win-win to me.

Where am I going to find the time and how am I going to do this? I have a rough idea and I’ll share that with you, but I’m also curious about how you will (or already do) make time to be creative and how we can learn from each other…

So, I've started a new thread here in our Ravelry group for us to share our goals, processes, and our progress so we can learn, encourage, inspire and celebrate together over the next 4 weeks. As always, I’ll be checking into our Ravelry group and sharing photos on Instagram, and I hope you'll share, too! I’d love to see what you’re working on, so please use hashtag #simplycreative2016 so we can all celebrate making time to be creative.

Are you in? I hope so! Let’s get creating!

CHEERS!

SIMPLY HANDMADE-along | Scrumptious September

So, I'm not sure what happened. It was barely August, then September arrived, and now I'm looking at the calendar and we're almost halfway through the month. What the heck is going on? Have you experienced this "loss" of time, as well? I apologize for being amiss and neglecting to post a new Simply Handmade-along project for us. Without further adieu, here it is... 

SEPTEMBER | MOHAIR BIAS LOOP | THROUGH OCTOBER 10TH

photo © Churchmouse Yarns & Teas

I love the classic simplicity of Churchmouse patterns and the Mohair Bias Loop is one of my all-time favorite. It's versatile as a light (but warm) capelet for the shoulders, or worn long or doubled up as a cowl. 

photo © Churchmouse Yarns & Teas

I knit one up a few years back (my Ravelry project page says I knit it in a week and we have almost 4 weeks) and it was a long-term shop sample at Firefly Fibers. I used Rowan's Kidsilk Haze Glamour and the yarn has since been discontinued and I've wanted to knit another for the shop (and maybe one for myself, too). So, when this arrived a couple weeks back... 

Anatolia by Julie Asselin

Anatolia by Julie Asselin

I knew Julie Asselin's new hand dyed, lace weight mohair would be perfect!

Anatolia is a mohair and silk blend, lace weight that can be knit alone for a featherweight look, or paired with other yarns for a light halo on your favorite knits.

FIBER: 60% Kid Mohair + 40% Silk
YARDAGE: 330 yards / 300m
AMOUNT: approximately 0.90 oz / 25gr
WEIGHT: lace
GAUGE: 5 sts = 1"
NEEDLE: US 6-8 / 4-5mm

The original project uses 2 balls of Kidsilk Haze, but Anatolia has a wee bit more yardage, so I'm knitting my Mohair Bias Loop using just one skein. It was hard to choose from the colors because all 12 are stunning, but I decided on Ballerine - a soft pink with warm taupe and grey undertones - and I love it! The project uses a provisional cast on and is finished with kitchener stitch, so the finished project is a loop without a seam. If these techniques are new to you, the fabulous Tin Can Knits ladies have a great tutorial here for the provisional cast on and here for the kitchener stitch.

We have all 12 colors of Anatolia in stock at the shop if you'd like to try Julie's new yarn - based on the Ravlery yarn usage, one skein with 330yds should be enough, just make sure your gauge isn't too tight so you can get the desired length - otherwise, you'll need about 350yds of a lace weight mohair. If you have time, check out some of the projects on Ravelry for more inspiration - there are some really gorgeous versions that pair the mohair with either a lace or fingering weight yarn and that's had me thinking about pairing Anatolia with either Fino or Merletto. One step at a time though. *wink*

What do you think? Are you in? I hope so and I can't wait to see what you knit up!

CHEERS!

SIMPLY HANDMADE-ALONG | AWESOME AUGUST

The new August Simply Handmade-along project really is AWESOME! I sound pretty confident, don't I? Well, I know it's AWESOME, because I've already knit one and I absolutely LOVE it! The first was for the Blue Sky Fibers Summer KAL - our shop sample is amazing - and I *might* have worn it once (or twice) because it's just so squishy and irresistible.  Say "hello" to the Caledonia Cowl... 

AUGUST | CALEDONIA COWL | THROUGH SEPTEMBER 5TH

photo by Blue Sky Fibers

The Caledonia Cowl is knit in my favorite cotton, Blue Sky Fibers Worsted Cotton and it's a perfect pairing of project and yarn. Really, the super-soft organic cotton and the garter stitch make a cowl that's not only gorgeous, but the cotton makes it a perfect summer accessory. And, what's even better... it's a super-fast knit with the yarn held double on size 13 needles! 

I knit the first one as a shop sample using the colors pictured [3 skeins (MC) 614 Drift, 1 skein each (CC's) 625 Graphite, 626 Stone, and 639 Wasabi] in just a couple evenings and quickly decided that I was going to knit a 2nd one for myself. I had enough of the 3 contrast colors left that I *could* have made an identical one with just 2 more skeins of the main color (you do have about half of a skein left), but I decided to swap one out one of the contrast colors and I'll share the new color combo soon on Instagram. It's not crazy different, just enough for a slightly different version. 

Here's a 2nd version recommended by Blue Sky Fibers using 3 skeins (MC) 80 Bone, 1 skein each (CC's) 643 Ash, 635 Sleet, and 628 Azul.

There are also some really fabulous color combos in the Blue Sky Fibers Caledonia Cowl KAL thread. 

photo by Blue Sky Fibers

So... if you fancy joining the fun this time around, you can (as always) choose any yarn you want for our KAL, but if you'd like to use the Blue Sky Fibers Worsted Cotton (and I highly recommend this because it's a great yarn), Firefly Fibers is offering 20% OFF all in-stock Worsted Cotton through Monday, August 22nd for our Handmade-along at the brick-and-mortar shop or online with offer code 'CaledoniaKAL'. 

As an added bonus... if you complete your cowl before August 31st, be sure to share your FO photo in the Blue Sky Fibers group for a chance to win the prize for their KAL! Of course, just casting on and starting a project counts for prize eligibility in our group, but I know you won't be able to put this one down and you'll have one finished in no time at all!

I hope you'll join the fun this month, because it's REALLY FUN! If you're new to the Simply Handmade-along, you can find all the details and sign up here. 

CHEERS!