Ok, so I wont lie to you because I can trust you with this. Lace weight yarn freak me out, A LOT. Or at least it use.
In the past, lace was a dirty four letter word. If there was lace weight yarn in a room, I would run the other way as fast I can. Why did I feel so strongly against lace weight yarn? Simple. For me, skinny yarn equal taking too long to complete a project. I want instant gratification with my knitting and crochet as much as the next gal. You might be feeling the same way. I get it. High five.
So if I felt that way about lace weight yarn, why the heck would I intentionally proposal a design idea using the yarn? You know what? It came to the point where I needed to overcome that fear. Besides being momentarily insane, I was intrigued by the challenge. I was ready to get out of my own head and out of my own way to try something new.
Sometimes, the inspiration just comes out of nowhere and you just have to go where it leads, even if it's with lace weight yarn, and Crisanta was no different. For this design I wrote about my start with designing and my inspiration for shawl design. Here is a bit about what I wrote on Webs Yarn Store Blog about working with the yarn for the Crisanta Shawl.
In the past, lace was a dirty four letter word. If there was lace weight yarn in a room, I would run the other way as fast I can. Why did I feel so strongly against lace weight yarn? Simple. For me, skinny yarn equal taking too long to complete a project. I want instant gratification with my knitting and crochet as much as the next gal. You might be feeling the same way. I get it. High five.
Sometimes, the inspiration just comes out of nowhere and you just have to go where it leads, even if it's with lace weight yarn, and Crisanta was no different. For this design I wrote about my start with designing and my inspiration for shawl design. Here is a bit about what I wrote on Webs Yarn Store Blog about working with the yarn for the Crisanta Shawl.
Give us a glimpse into your design process, where/how do you find inspiration?
Design inspirations come to me in many different forms and from many sources. I get inspirations on walks with my dog, Charlie, through the snow. It could be the texture of a tree bark or the canopy of trees over head in the woods. Or sometimes, inspiration strikes at weird times such as during Downward Dog at Pilates class while staring at the pattern on the map. Usually the idea comes first, inspired by my surrounding, then I search for the yarn that will best compliment the texture and drape of the design.
What did you love about the Valley Yarn you worked with?
I'm not a huge fan of lace weight yarns, or so I thought. When I proposed this design to Webs, I had resigned myself to the idea and to just grit my teeth as I work through the sample because I loved the design idea so much. After winding the yarn, slowly and carefully, I set off to cast-on for the Crisanta Shawl and immediately fell in love with the yarn, Hatfield. I thought I wouldn't like the lace weight yarn because I don’t work with that weight of yarn often. And I don’t work with that weight of yarn often because I am an impatient knitter. But working up this thin yarn on bigger needles was a match made in heaven. The stitches simple flew off the needles. The yarn now has a special place in my heart. I can see so many more projects in the future.
Read the full post at Webs Yarn Store blog here.
*A rising tide lifts all boats*
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What did you love about the Valley Yarn you worked with?
I'm not a huge fan of lace weight yarns, or so I thought. When I proposed this design to Webs, I had resigned myself to the idea and to just grit my teeth as I work through the sample because I loved the design idea so much. After winding the yarn, slowly and carefully, I set off to cast-on for the Crisanta Shawl and immediately fell in love with the yarn, Hatfield. I thought I wouldn't like the lace weight yarn because I don’t work with that weight of yarn often. And I don’t work with that weight of yarn often because I am an impatient knitter. But working up this thin yarn on bigger needles was a match made in heaven. The stitches simple flew off the needles. The yarn now has a special place in my heart. I can see so many more projects in the future.
Read the full post at Webs Yarn Store blog here.
Until next time...Stitch on!
Tian*A rising tide lifts all boats*
Want a 20% OFF COUPON to my Ravelry Shop
So... how did you and WEBS connect? Did they put out a call to designers to create something with one of their Valley Yarns? Did they invite you directly? Did they offer a choice of yarns or did they say, "we'd like something in Hatfield, can you send us a proposal?" Or did you propose the design to them and they sent you Hatfield?
ReplyDeleteHey There. Thanks for your comment!
ReplyDeleteHow did I get connect with WEBS? Well, WEBS is pretty local to me here in Western Massachusetts, so I visit their store more regularly than I really should (lol) and I am familiar with their Valley Yarns line, even though I usually stick to their worsted weight yarns, and occasionally their fingering yarn.
I got connect with WEBS for this design when I saw their call for submission on Ravelry asking for design ideas for their Hatfield yarn and submitted a proposal. I had the idea for this shawl in fingering weight and thought, why not give it a try and see if they like the idea to publish because I was pretty confidence the design would work well for just about any weight yarn. They accepted the design idea and then the yarn came in the mail to make the sample and that's when it really hit me of how much I was afraid of this yarn. I feared "messing it up". But you know what, it's just yarn. If I messed it up, I could just rip it out or if I messed it up so bad, I could get more yarn. In the end, it's just yarn and that helps me put things into perspective.
Keep in touch
Tian
Great readd
ReplyDelete