I think (after this week) it will be too large for me to get the whole thing in a picture shooting straight on - unless I lay it outside in the grass and hang out of an upstairs window to snap a picture. I'm tempted...
Truth be told, I'm not real crazy about all that white in this last part, but I'm hoping it feels less...I don't know...white, I guess, when I do the next sections where I'll be using blues and green for Parts 11 & 12. I'm ready to be finished with this thing - I think it's about 58 inches across now - but it needs something beyond that last pink and white part to anchor it (both color-wise and stitch-wise). I know part 11 won't be enough to finish on, but I'm hoping by the end of Part 12 I'll be happy enough with it to call it a wrap, and that it will be perfect for a child or maybe a pre-teen to wrap up in it.
~~~~
Anyway, it's the first of its kind I've ever been to. It was interesting seeing everything from raw fleece to cleaned and carded fleece, to roving fibers, to undyed yarn, to beautiful colors of hand-dyed, hand-spun yarn, to commercially dyed and spun yarns. There were booths where crafts persons sold beautifully carved drop spindles, ceramic and wooden yarn bowls, shawl pins, yarn soaps and soaks, and there was even a booth that sold homemade fudge. Mmmm... I almost forgot I'm foregoing candy and sugar right now - it smelled so good it almost pulled me in like a magnet.
In the end, though, after walking around for an hour (and 10-15 minutes of that were talking with a friend I ran into) I decided there was nothing there I wanted badly enough to part with my cash for. Which surprised me. I had hoped to find a pretty yarn bowl, and would have bought a hank or two of hand-spun yarn if it begged me to. But there was nothing I felt compelled to buy. It was both a relief and a disappointment.
Ah well... I do think I'll go back again next year. It won't all be new to me and maybe I'll have a better sense of what, specifically, I'd be interested in buying, rather than just hoping something "calls out" to me.
~~~~~
So note to myself... buy more lever backs:
If this sounds like something you'd enjoy doing, I invite you to join us. It's pretty low-key, but at the same time hugely encouraging. Each person decides what kind of goals s/he wants to set and then just gets on with it and blogging about it. Some people are very specific about what projects they want to finish, others (like me) use their goals list as an idea generator. I am motivated better with a list of ideas rather than a list of specific projects. There is no pressure if a week (or a month, or more) is missed. But I'll be honest. I set for myself the modest goal of posting once or maybe twice a month and once I started I managed to not miss a single week! I've really surprised myself at that.
Sooo...come check us out! And please consider joining us. The more the merrier, and the more creative we all are! Click on the graphic below to visit the Year of Projects group on Ravelry.
That is one crazy huge Mandala and having not seen it last week, it has grown! It does just need the blues and greens to anchor it down colour wise but it looks great. Can't believe this yop year is nearly over already!
ReplyDeleteI know! I can't believe how quickly this Year of Projects has flown by.
DeleteThat Mandala looks every kind of awesome!! I expect all that white will be just the thing to make the next two sections really pop in contrast!
ReplyDeleteI like walking around Fiber Festivals but I often don't buy much or anything. No need to buy something impulsively that I'll never use. Instead I just keep an eye out for local independent dyers making tonal and semi-solid sock yarns - that always gets used around here :)
I met two independent dyers and I thought their yarns were beautiful - just not inspiring to me at the moment to buy (I was looking for gradients and they didn't happen to have any with them). They live in the next county over (not far at all). Now, if I could just find their business card!!!
DeleteLovely! it IS getting quite big, did not realize the size! lovely! yes, I can see how that row would be a challenging one. I am sure that it will have some bold colours next, based on what I see of it so far! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Elizabeth.
DeleteBecki, that mandala is huge! I agree with you about not ending with that color. And if you decide to take a photo hanging out of a window......we wouldlove to uave a shot of that too.
ReplyDeleteI havenever been to a fiber festival, but would love to try it once.
^) I'm guessing you mean you want a picture of me hanging out the window. That's a great idea! No promises, though. I'm only so talented. lol
DeleteWow, each week I say that, and then the next week it grows by another magnificent layer. I can understand why you might be disappointed by not buying anything, but at least you have the money for a purchase that does speak to you.
ReplyDeleteVery true. I'm feeling much better about not spending money the further (in time) from the event I get. I truly didn't need ANYthing.
DeleteThis Mandala is growing crazy huge! I love how you can practice different stitches in one project - so much fun!
ReplyDeleteThat is the neat thing about it - practicing a variety of stitches in one project. It's something like a sampler, I suppose. As much as I've groaned about doing this, I'm thinking I want to do another similar type project soon. I just need for it to not be a Mystery CAL. It's the mystery part that is kind of draining to me.
DeleteOh my...I thought that was like doily size but it is blanket size! Wow! It is beautiful and so detailed. It is an amazing project and you do such beautiful work. I can't wait to see the last 2 rows!
ReplyDeleteThe white with the pink row makes me think of frosting on a cake. This is one interesting project! The fiber festival sounds fun. I hope to attend one some time. I know what you mean about looking and wanting to find a nice purchase. It is a little disappointing not to find a treasure. It's also nice to know you've saved a little for another day.
ReplyDelete