Spinzilla 2014 Is On!
At 12:01 this morning Spinzilla officially began!
What? You didn't know?
It was completely new to me, this year...but about a month ago, I ended up on their site, from some 'spinning' internet clicking, and I knew I could use something just like this to motivate myself...
What is it?
Spinzilla is a world-wide contest, involving spinners of every level, focusing on spending a full week dedicated to committing as many minutes and hours to practicing and developing their spinning skills as possible! There are certainly prizes and great opportunities for fiber deals, but as I am currently swimming in fiber, and I'm more inclined to focus on challenging myself; my biggest motivation is working through my mounds of fiber and still creating enough Trickle Creek Homespun yarns and Creative Batts for others!
I don't anticipate winning any awards for amounts spun, but I have set some personal goals for developing my skills in various areas....
What? You didn't know?
It was completely new to me, this year...but about a month ago, I ended up on their site, from some 'spinning' internet clicking, and I knew I could use something just like this to motivate myself...
What is it?
Spinzilla is a world-wide contest, involving spinners of every level, focusing on spending a full week dedicated to committing as many minutes and hours to practicing and developing their spinning skills as possible! There are certainly prizes and great opportunities for fiber deals, but as I am currently swimming in fiber, and I'm more inclined to focus on challenging myself; my biggest motivation is working through my mounds of fiber and still creating enough Trickle Creek Homespun yarns and Creative Batts for others!
I don't anticipate winning any awards for amounts spun, but I have set some personal goals for developing my skills in various areas....
- Having been inspired by ultra bulky core spun yarns at OFFF, (see photo above), I will be working to develop a lofty (fluffy, not super dense), thick yarn that will be perfect for bulky accessories that will keep wearers warm and scrumptiously snuggled! (Lil Miss has some pictures of a fine example here.) Just picture snuggling with our softest lamb, puffiest angora rabbit and fluffiest alpaca - that's what I'm going for....
- Along with other projects, I have 6 shawls slated for completion by next fall, I need to work on thin, yet lofty, efficient spinning of alpaca. Not too thin that it becomes ropey, but thin enough to capture the beauty of the fiber in a way that can net me many thousands of yards of yarn, as I've determined each shawl will need at least 1500 yards of home spun yarn for true creative flexibility.
- I want to work more with each of my wheels, including the new (used) electric Roberta wheel. I need to become more adept at the variables in each wheel and better understand the capabilities of each. I have each for separate purposes and my goal is do focus on developing those skills during this week so I know better which one to utilize for my various needs through this fall/winter and into the future! I think too, I'll be working with one of Lil Miss' new drop spindles. She just started creating a smaller version, with our unique vintage accent, perfect for fine fibers, after her own inspirations from OFFF.
- As always, I continually strive for creating well balanced yarns. Not over spun, not under spun...a balanced twist. This includes further developing my spinning technique appropriate for each fiber type. I know, as I'm spinning, it will also lead me to further consider my fibers and fiber combinations to be certain my spinning techniques are working them correctly and I'm creating batts with fiber types that work cohesively.
- I am working with Tech to video at least some of the spinning every day during the week, to share tips and tidbits to help all of you as well!
- With all of this I also need to keep my posture and positions in check so I am enjoying the process not hurting myself doing it.
*~*Often, while spinning, we enjoy peaceful A Capella praise music that keeps our minds in the right place as we work. We always want to encourage others in peaceful, productive activities and have decided to start what we'll call ~*Serene Spinning*~ and will be offering free relaxing music cd's, from local artists, with the purchase of any of our Trickle Creek Creative Fiber Batts, to encourage your Serene Spinning too! Perhaps next year we'll have all of our new Serene Spinners and more than enough interest to start a Trickle Creek Serene Spinners Group! On to Serene Spinning....
All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah. Psalm 66:4