Shawls of 2015

Each year now, when it comes to the end of the year, I do a review of what I accomplished during the year. I had hoped to complete six shawls this year, but I only completed five, I'm currently working on the sixth one now. I also put out 2 new eBooks which was new for me. Most everything I did was a collaboration which was also very fun for me. The first shawl I completed was "Grass Harp" which was the only shawl that wasn't a collaboration. I used Dream In Color's Everlasting Sock and loved working with it...the color way was Crisp...


The next shawl I released was "Diamante Crescent." This was a collaboration with MJ Yarns of Colorado. I loved working with Jonathan's yarn; it was his MCN blend and was softer than silk, called Opulent Fingering. I cannot, without going back to the original post on this shawl, remember the name of the color way. At any rate, I LOVED working with the yarn and loved this pattern...


The above two shawls, along with "Ferryn" which was a 2014 release, went together to comprise my first eBook, Sexy Spines Vol.1. I chose "Diamante Crescent" for the cover of the book as the other two shawls had been released seperately prior to the release of the eBook...


I  learned a whole lot when I did the first eBook. I already couldn't wait for the release of Sexy Spines Vol.2. I had three designs I was working on, all three of them were collaborations too which is always exciting for me. The hardest part of putting together the next eBook was waiting to release all three of them together as brand new shawls. Usually when I am done with a shawl I will release it. It was SO HARD to wait! I tried to give little sneak peaks occasionally on my FaceBook page, even that was hard because you don't want to give too much away. 


The first of the three in Sexy Spines Vol.2 was "Nocturna"..."Nocturna" was a collaboration with Skein Yarn of Australia. I hadn't done a shawl in this shade before and Skein was kind enough to dye this specifically for me, called "Moon Shadow." I loved it. It was their Merino Cashmere blend which, if you've ever worked with it, you'd know its absolutely amazing to work with. If you haven't worked with Skein's yarns yet, I highly recommend you remedy that. Their Merino Cashmere Fingering is to die for. I loved how this shawl came together. This has possibly one of my favorite spines! 

The second shawl in Vol.2 was a collaboration with The Plucky Knitter. I specifically used Shetland patterns and techniques with this shawl and thus it was named "Cat's Paw." Plucky was kind enough to send me a bag full of yarn & my only request was for two skeins of yarn be in the same color way. Thus, "Cat's Paw" was done in a color way called "Forward In Flats." I really loved working on this  shawl and using the different patterns that were distinctively Shetland in nature. Everything came together perfectly and I was very pleased with the outcome...


The third and final shawl in Sexy Spines Vol.2 was "Bud Vase." This shawl was a collaboration with Yarn Hollow Hand Dyed Yarn and Fibers. Like Skein Yarn, Rita at Yarn Hollow dyed this yarn specifically for me and this project. The color way was "Cherry Mochaccino" and was done on their Silky Sock base. Overall, this was my favorite pattern. I fell in love with using the faux cables to frame the spine. The edging was unlike anything else I had done before and I loved it. Each and every one of those triple YO's!


So these final three made up Sexy Spines Vol.2. 



I was so excited when I was finally able to release the eBook and the patterns individually too. It felt like, and maybe it was, like it took forever to get them out. I am working on the 6th shawl of the year which is another collaboration. Its my second collaboration with Crave Yarn. I love working with Amor Valdez of Crave. She is one of the sweetest people I have ever met. Our previous collaboration was on Ferryn. One of my other favorite shawls. This 6th shawl will not be a Sexy Spines shawl but something different, all its own. Its in a beautiful deep teal color, single ply merino and is has been wonderful to work with as are all of Crave's yarns. I had hoped to have it finished by the end of this year just to have reached my goal of having 6 shawls done this year. So, I'm shooting for the end of January now. 

I hope you are all having a wonderful New Years Eve this evening! Mom and I went out to dinner at a new restaurant (for us) for some Italian and are just hanging out here at home, enjoying adult beverages. We'll uncork some champagne at midnight to ring in 2016, make a few phone calls and them probably call it a night. We are gonna watch "Last Holiday" with Queen Latifah here in a few. One of our favorite Holiday movies to watch! I hope you are all having a good time and, above all, are being safe this evening! I will see you all on the other side...until then....KNIT ON!!!

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