Battle of the Stitches, Round Six,

The call came out for challengers in round 6.  I declined,  So much on my plate.  I really had no notion that I would be capable of doing it all.

The moment I did, I had second thoughts.  I Love participating in Battle of the Stitches
to see designs created in Previous Rounds, Visit the Blog here

Looking at the dates, checking my deadlines, I thought it might be fun to judge this round.  I put in my offer to judge.

Then, another chance to compete.  The feeling that I should had been speaking to me for days.

As I headed out to get on the airplane for TNNA in Columbus, I learned the theme for the round.

Serenity

Life was doing it's thing.  It happens with me on a frequent basis.  God gives me what I need, in order to deal with the things I have to accept.  

While I enjoyed my time connecting, meeting real people, talking in real time with real voices, seeing body language, and getting to share smiles with so many other hard working designers and bloggers, I had an experience of complete lustful indulgence.  I met YARN.

Please do not misunderstand me here.  I have played with some nice yarn before this experience, But this was YARN. probably 20,000 square feet of YARN.Tiny booths, and some not so tiny, Brands I had heard of, and those I had not.  Let's just say it was a bit bigger than I ever imagined.  I had the opportunity to touch, feel, and smell different products. Cottons, Acrylics, Hemp, Bamboo, Silk, and so many variations of Wool. Then, we have the Blends, my goodness, the Blends, Silk and wool, Polyester and Cotton, Wool and a multitude of other fibers.  Good grief, there are no boundaries, and I have a whole new platform to explore, and learn.

I kept thinking about the challenge, which would start just after my return home.  I kept looking at product, with Serenity on my mind.  I had a feel, a look, a texture, a sheen in mind. So many products came close. So many offered snippets into the vision I had going; and yet there was often a missed element that deemed it unacceptable.  

I wondered, Seriously, if there was such a product, of if it were one of those perfect world fantasy ideals.

Then, While standing in a booth with Jessie Rayot, I found the right product. Or should I say it found me. In a basket, attached to a portable wall, about hip high, I turned, and bumped into it.    It had a special softness. There was a comfortable aroma to the yarn. A renewable product, Airy, Light, Breathable. The color palette was superb, offering warm tones, Cool tones and a plethora of variegated options, And, it was not terribly expensive. The only difficulty would be choosing.  I was ready to commit. Except, I could not.  I did not know what the stitch might be.  While this product was so perfect for the theme, what if the stitch were such it would never work? 

As is often the case, One of the challengers was able to guess the stitch on Monday, June 1.  I got a text message on my phone about 4:00pm.  The showroom floor had closed at 2:00.  It would have to wait until I got home, I would have to risk it. There was no way to swatch it ahead of time, and get a true feel for how and what.   

Once home, I set out with several yarn samples, playing with the stitches, putting a few repeats, and a few rows together.  never really liking what came of it.  Then, after I set it down to help my grand baby girl get ready for bed,  I SAW IT.  The entire design unfolded, in all it's splendor, and simplicity.  It screamed at me.  It was so blatantly obvious.  Oh holy wow wow. Now to shut my mouth, for fear someone else will see it, capitalize on it, employ the same logic.  No way that can happen.  A friendly competition. Yes, yes it is. Working together to build business, Yes, all the way.  An opportunity to show off our creative spirit, Yes, in due time.  But for the time being, I have to keep quiet.

I ordered the yarn, and had to wait for the mail. so difficult.  Once it arrived, I had to work out the tiny details, It was actually a quick process, and voila the design took root, and grew, all by itself.  I wish it were me that could take credit, I really do, but this is not my work, this is me, being open to the things here on earth that offer Serenity to me.

It is me, being blessed.  It is me, engulfed in Serenity. 

No pictures, no full disclosure, just the story. You will have to wait for the reveals.

I am excited, I want to share, but, I have to follow the rules.

Hang in there, voting opens next week.

Becky