Some Thoughts on Light and Generosity

If you look at many past Decembers' respective posts here on the blog, you'll see a fairly consistent theme: light and gifts (and giving in general). Since this is the time of year for both of those themes, this is not so surprising.

It is also no secret that I have been intricately involved in the Indie Designer Gift-a-long for the last six years - the first and last year as just a participating designer (this year as well), and the middle years as both a participating designer and a group moderator, which does take up quite a bit of time (and to put it in some perspective for you: this year there are over 13,860 members in Ravelry's Indie Designer Gift-a-long group who have, collectively since November 26th at 8:00 pm EST when the GAL began, finished 490 projects - or on average since the end of the day yesterday, approximately 44 gifts per day. I know I personally have 3 ongoing projects in the GAL, two of which are gifts for others with deadlines, so the gift-making onslaught will only intensify over the next few weeks). To say this has become a DIY phenomenon is putting it mildly.

There are a few reasons why it has consistently grown over the last seven years - the general spirit of giving among makers, the ability of makers to interact freely with designers (many of whom also now, as a new tradition, make some number of their own gifts during the Gift-a-long and allow themselves this time to make other designers' designs, which is a real treat), and the ability of indie designers to come together one time during the year and support each other in a spirit of good will and professional camaraderie. In fact, in the words of the GAL's main administrator from just this year,

 " ... I want to reiterate that the spirit of the GAL is about promoting your fellow participating designers and not your own work."

So, given all that, imagine my surprise when I suggested, in a separate Ravelry forum, that for future years our annual pattern sale be extended just one day to incorporate Giving Tuesday, and was promptly bullied by a fellow designer for the suggestion. 
The bullying designer's take: since she did not view her design business as charity, and Giving Tuesday was all about giving to charity, she would greatly appreciate if I did not view her business in that light. My, my, my - a tad touchy, perhaps? While I certainly do not view my design business in a charity light, I do very much view my business in deeply personal terms - personal to me, and personal to all those who choose to purchase my designs and support my efforts. My following is small, but very, very loyal - and I take some satisfaction in the fact that over the last many years, I have gotten to know many of those who make projects from my designs on a personal basis. I really had to shake my head at the source of the criticism, because the designer in question has only published 3 new designs since 2017, while I have published over 30, both independently and via third party publishers of all sorts, despite all kinds of personal challenges. I will leave it to you, dear reader, to determine who is taking their design business more seriously.

When this online chastising occurred, I thought it might be good to do some digging on Giving Tuesday and the impulse behind its creation. Started by New York City's 92nd Street Y in 2012, it is "a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world." Furthermore, the non-profit's site goes on to state:

"In an era of global crisis and disconnection, we need new rituals to connect us. ... Giving Tuesday strives to build a world in which the catalytic power of generosity is at the heart of the society we build together ..."

Honestly, though Giving Tuesday may have morphed into a day which many now give to charities, its initial spirit is (I would argue) exactly in line with the spirit of the GAL. I'd go even farther in suggesting that, given the amazing number of makers and participating designers, the GAL is continuing to create a new ritual that connects the making community via generosity of all sorts, precisely what the Giving Tuesday founders had in mind. 

I am going to continue to do what I have always done: support my fellow indie designers during the GAL through purchases, making, and social media exposure of my completed projects. (I actually bought a record number of patterns this year - 14, and all with sales derived from my own designs, I am happy to report.) I sincerely hope the GAL administrator might see the light of and generous spirit in my request, and include Giving Tuesday in all subsequent GAL kick-off sale weeks.

And, of course, I will still be publishing (and selling for potential profit) my own designs ... no matter what. 

And The 2019 Indie Designer Gift-a-long Begins!

Just two days before U.S. Thanksgiving, yet we have so much to be thankful for right now - the Indie GAL has now officially kicked off for 2019 with the opening week sale!

Yes, my crafty maker friends. the code "giftalong2019" will get you 25% off of almost 290 designers' selected patterns (and 20 of mine are in the mix). 

More importantly, this is year seven of this gift-making-palooza, and so many participants look forward to these five weeks of making. There is such a sense of camaraderie, it truly is a wonderfully joyous event.

I hope everyone will consider shopping the sale (and just head over to Ravelry.com and sign in - you cannot get out of the way of all the GAL activity) - not only will you be supporting independent designers and design, you'll also be doing good for the planet. Instant downloads = virtually no carbon footprint, no boxes or bags to think about disposing. This is one online alternative you can feel good about, and then make a gift for someone else and make them feel good.

'Tis the season to celebrate all the fa la la.

Finally, to provide everyone with a little visual appetite-whetting, I have once again curated a Pinterest board of almost all 280-some-odd designers' patterns on sale for the next week. While all of mine are sprinkled throughout the board, there are over 400 pins, so there should be something for everyone on your gift-making-worthy list. For all my designing friends - if you, by some small chance, do not see any of your designs on the board, it is because as of last night, you still had not revealed your sale bundle. There were only a few in that boat, so I am confident I still caught some of the best of this year's new GAL-eligible designs. Again, wait until you see the board - it is quite astonishingly lovely. 

So much talent - enjoy all the gift-making!

The 2018 Indie Designer Gift-a-long - Some Opening Thoughts

Yes, everyone, it is that time of year again – the 2018 Indie Designer Gift-a-long rang the opening bell on Friday, November 23^rd, at 8:00 pm EST. This year’s version features a whopping 349 designers, including yours truly.

As usual, we are in the midst of this year’s GAL kick-off sale – each of those 349 designers has designated up to 20 items eligible for a nifty 25% off at checkout (with the giftalong2018 code entered) – and I am not immune to a good sale. No, no siree Bob. Each year I purchase patterns from my fellow designers, and I have (so far, I may or may not be done) picked up three designs that I just may work up during the next six weeks: the Cacophony Shawl from upstart designer Margo Bauman, Annie Modesitt’s awesome Pembroke Jacket, and the Urban Frieze cowl from one of my favorite Italy-based indie designers, Paola Albergamo. These designs figure (to a greater or lesser degree) into my own gift-making plans this season, and I’ll be posting project progress and photos to my Instagram feed (with all appropriate hashtags), so I’d suggest following there for all the good and (goofing!) details.

A sampling from my design sale bundle

As is also my yearly wont, I once again have put together a 2018 GAL Pinterest board of a sampling of totally rockin’ designs from virtually all 349 of my fellow designers. Yup, I spent two days and more mugs of coffee than I can count digging through each designer’s respective sale bundle (which we each designate beforehand), as well as looking through some non-sale items in certain instances, and taking a peek at a seemingly never-ending stream of photos to put together one of the most colorful, eye-catching displays of indie crochet and knit designs, like, ever. And, yes, my entire sale bundle of designs is interspersed in the board (containing almost 800 pins!!!), but that is not why I have, and continue to, engage in this design-pinning marathon.

Designing exclusively in a fiber medium (specifically crochet and knit garments and accessories for both self and home) is, at its most basic, a reflection of self and what animates each of us. My fellow indie designers and I put our hearts and souls and sweat and tears and talent into each and every design we publish.  We put ourselves out there every day in ways big and small. It is all guts and a very teeny, tiny, eensy, weensy amount of glory. This yearly gift-making celebration was conceived as a way to celebrate indie designers and their designs. Curating a Pinterest board every year is my way of contributing to that celebration. It is geared to showing off my fellow designers’ respective designs, and there is an additional happy and long-lasting by-product.

As I think most devotees of Pinterest know, pinners receive various Pinterest emails each week pushing pins and boards. I also receive (along with most other pinners with businesses) a weekly recap of one’s top three pins. For every week during the last oh, at least, two months, one of my most popular pins is one I pinned to my 2015 curated Gift-a-along board. Yes, a pin from 2015 is still getting all kinds of exposure for its designer.  That is one helluva designy half-life, and one I am more than pleased and happy to report and help create.

So, please, I hope everyone will join me in celebrating our yearly tribute to indie design, indie designers who give so much all the time, and makers who embrace the best of the season and make gifts like there’s no tomorrow. ‘Tis the season for it all, people. I raise my coffee mug to that.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year ... Almost

Ok, my fellow makers - November is here!!!!! My absolute favorite month of the year, because we now can focus on all things U.S. Thanksgiving ... and Indie Gift-a-long making. 

Oh yes, my maker friends, we are just weeks away from that gifty-making-marathon known as the Indie Gift-a-long. While I will not be a forum moderator this year, I do intend on being a participating designer, and I am getting all of my design-y administrative ducks in a row in time for the designer sign-up period, which starts November 14. 

Of course, I am still completing projects in my hosted make-a-long for Slow Fashion October, featuring the designs from Five(ish) Easy Pieces, as well as finishing up the test for The Lost Tee. Nevertheless, I am still super excited that soon we'll all be a-GALing: celebrating another great year of indie design, making gifts, and eating turkey sandwiches. 

To help get things kicked off, I am now making available to the general public the thank you holiday design I gave to my newsletter subscribers and Ravelry group members last November - the Rustic and Jeweled Winter Snowflake. This one-skein project (compliments of Malabrigo Rasta) works up in an afternoon. If you decide, like me, to hand-bead it after blocking ... well ... then it will take just a leeeeetle bit longer to complete. 

Nevertheless, it looked rather dramatic last year decorating my front door, and I am looking forward to dressing up my space again this year in its holiday finery very soon.

But only after my other projects are completed. Head down, and bloggy update on those very soon.

It's Gift Making and Light Season

Yes, everyone, it is year five of the Indie Designer Gift-a-long! I am absolutely stunned
that we've hit year five, and that I have participated in the last four gift-making paloozas. 

I made several gifts last season, and this year will be no different; however, I am hoping to get a few of my personal works-in-progress (and so, outside of official GAL submissions) done, as well as perhaps a gift or two for my very self.  Below you'll see the beginnings of several projects, including an epic blanket that is part of a blanket throw down with a fellow designer. I am a lot farther along on the four projects shown below, and I'll update the blog in the next few weeks with my progress and (hopefully!) several finished pieces.

However, because we are celebrating five amazing indie designer gifting seasons, I thought I might go back in the archives and reprint a few of my previous interviews with fellow indie designers. 

So, kicking off this mini trip down interview memory lane, I am reaching back to 2014 (the first year I participated in the GAL), and am reprinting my interview with Mindy Wilkes, human being extraordinaire. 

The Artfully Voie de Vie Questionnaire

With Knit Designer Mindy Wilkes

Mindy (on right) with her sister Tracy
at Rhinebeck in 2014.

Can you tell us a little bit about your background before you started to design knit accessories? 

I was a microbiologist for a consumer product testing company for several years.  I have a degree in Biology and went to graduate school for Microbiology. After my son was born, I went back to work part-time for a few months then made the decision to be a stay at home mom full-time.

When was the moment you knew you wanted to become a knit designer? 

After finishing and releasing my first design (which came about only because I couldn't find an existing pattern for what I wanted to make), I was completely hooked on designing.

Please describe your personal knit design philosophy? 

I don't design things I wouldn't like to knit. It's why I haven't done any sweater designs. I'm just not much of a sweater knitter; I like small projects.

What is your greatest knit (or design) memory? 

I think it would be when I received my first acceptance from a magazine. I'm pretty sure I embarrassed the hell out of my husband when I read that e-mail. We were eating lunch out, and when I saw my acceptance e-mail, I was really excited and I may have done a little dance. Maybe. (insert happy face)

If you could have dinner with any three designers, dead or alive, who would they be, and why?

I'm going to cheat and pick 4 designers. My dinner dates would be Heather Zoppetti, Corrina Ferguson, Katherine Vaughan (who is also my tech editor), and Barbara Benson. We're all friends in real life, and I don't get to see them very often, although I did see Heather and Corrina at Rhinebeck back in October.  I'm guessing our next dinner will be at TNNA this coming summer.

Throw or pick? 

Throw.

It’s your last object to design (or make). What is it, and what fiber do you use? 

A big, epic, extremely difficult lace shawl in a lace weight wool, cashmere, silk blend.

What trait do you most admire in designers? 

The ability to think outside the box. You know when you see a new design and you think it's the cleverest thing out there because the designer did something totally interesting with the construction or with the stitch pattern but it's not at all difficult? That.

Wilkes' latest shawl design, Brunswick, a sister design
to her popular Holden shawl

What trait do you most detest in designers? 

I don't know if detest is the right word, but I have a pet peeve or two. One of my biggest pet peeves is not using a tech editor for whatever reason. I work at a yarn store and I have seen some patterns that have very clearly not been tech edited, and it's so very, very frustrating to try to convince a customer that not all patterns are as confusing, incorrect, etc. It's hard to hear that a customer will never buy a pattern again because of one bad experience with a pattern. 

You are recommending a design gift in response to a friend’s inquiry. Other than your own designs (which, as everyone knows, are quite beautiful – especially your moon shawls collection!), what would you recommend? 

Right now, I'm really enamored with Hilary Smith Callis' shawl-cowl hybrids: Starshower, Luna Viridis, and Adama. I also really like a lot of Melissa Thomson's patterns. It's so hard to choose. There are so many really awesome patterns out there!

*****************************************************

I expect that a lot has happened in Mindy's design career since this interview, so I hope (if she reads it), that it will make her smile with fondness. 

All of Mindy's designs, as well as the designs of 310 other indie designers (including yours truly), are eligible to be made during our gift-a-long. So do join me in the Ravelry group with almost 10,000 other makers and get into the holiday light and gifting season, won't you?

An Open, Gifty Letter to Mason-Dixon Knitting

Dear Ann and Kay:

I am a big fan of Mason-Dixon Knitting, and especially of Kay. While I've not yet met Ann, I have met Kay: at the very first VKLive show in New York City, way back when I was an event volunteer and hadn't yet published my first design, or had any inkling that I would, as an independent designer, be involved in the Indie Designer Gift-a-long. In fact, there were only a handful of conversations that entire long, exhausting New York City weekend that I remember, and Kay's was one of them. She and I had an authentic exchange in which she really listened to my answers to her questions. I have gone on to follow Kay on social media, with continued real exchanges, I am happy to report.

So imagine my surprise when up pops on the MDK site a declaration that an event, which has been occurring for the past five years on Ravelry, is now on (at minimum, in Virginia), according to Ann and Kay. My brow continues to be furrowed: they used "giftalong" in big, bold letters at the head of the post. In the comments, when the first commenter noted that such an event has been taking place for the last five years, Ann's quick response of "What's Ravelry?" complete with wink, as well as her further response that "... intimate, tiny giftalongs ..." were more their thing, can only lead to one conclusion: they are well aware of the Indie Designer Giftalong, and instead of joining in (because that takes a little advance planning, and as Ann has intimated in one of her further comment responses, she might be a little light on the pre-planning stuff), they have decided to ride the Indie Designer Giftalong's coattails.

Now, I firmly believe that there's more to it than just merely sliding along. At least that's what I am telling myself, based on the strength of my previous interactions with Kay. The Indie Designer Giftalong was conceived at this particular time of year as a way to celebrate independent knit and crochet designers not only together as a designer group, but also alongside makers who, let's face it, make things at this time of year (no matter if the gift is early, late, or right on time). Heck, I even started my own event during this past summer as a way to counteract all the contraction happening on both sides of the pond, and I specifically held it in summer (along with a completely new name and a distinct hashtag all its very own) as a way to continue to interact with my fellow indie designers (as well as indie dyers) in an atmosphere that wouldn't compete with the already-well-established holiday event. I further note that Kay was kind enough to give the summer event a mention on MDK, so I know that how today's MDK post looks cannot be the whole story. Really. It cannot.

So, as a fellow (albeit northern) pasty white indie designer chic I would, with the utmost respect and in line with this season of miracles, make one simple request: please reframe just the beginning of today's MDK post so that it doesn't appear the way it looks? Do please make gifts with your followers. Absolutely give away prizes (and hey, I can point you both in the right direction if you'd like to donate some of those MDK Field Guides as prizes in the Indie Designer Giftalong, because I know they would be well-received by any maker). Show compassion for makers who decide at the last minute they want to make gifts. Use an Instagram hashtag with "MDK" at the beginning of giftalong (because, of course, the five-year-strong Indie Designer Giftalong event cannot stop you). Just please honor the above simple request and show that organizing and working on gifts at this time of the year is more than mere competitive sport. 

Because, at the end of the day, don't we have enough competitive sport from a certain big, white, house in D.C.? I believe it's about cooperation, and I sincerely hope you both do, too.

Thank you.

P.S. - I write this open letter in my singular capacity as an independent crochet and knit designer, and not on behalf of the Indie Designer Giftalong. I do note that I am a moderator, as well as a participating indie designer, in that event.

To Help With Gift Decisions

The link to my sale designs is right here.

We are less than a week into this year's Indie Designer Gift-a-along, and I feel like we are all on overload with all of the amazing design choices. So, to help everyone out, here are some helpful links:

The Ravelry GAL sale bundle is here - all 100+ pages worth!
The 2017 Indie GAL designer bundle is here. One can search by designer name (and that's how the bundle is organized), or one can search by designs.

Here's the majority of the yarn
I'll be using for my blanket
throw-down with Amy van de
Laar. There wasn't enough
room for the purples; I also
have an old blanket WIP that
I'm frogging to get the colors
from it, since they are exactly
what I need for this project.

This is, however, the first year that we are not utilizing category-specific Pinterest boards. There are some (like yours truly) who really do like a visual road map, but something more manageable than hundreds of pages worth of designs. So, I have gone through the entire sale bundle and teased out those designs (mostly) from 2017 that appealed to me, and created a curated Pinterest board of my own right here.

I am now tucking into the making gifts part of this whole thing, and even though I've purchased a few patterns, my shopping cart remains bulging. I'm planning on making and gifting a Fenton Glass Cowl, a Zahar Shawl, and a Chic Mega Cowl. I also want to make a Chic Mega Cowl for myself, time willing. I also picked up the design that I am currently obsessed with, the Rhythmical Lines Cowl. Additionally, I am in a crochet blanket throw-down with Amy van de Laar over at Baroque Purls. We've both picked out designs from the awesome Amanda Perkins, and we're getting all our duckie yarn skeins in a row. I don't know if we'll finish our respective blankets, so stay tuned.

I hope everyone has started in on their gift-making and -giving. I also need to find more time so I can finish decorating my digs for the holiday season.

In addition to other knit and crochet designs, here's my biggest wishes right now:

And the Official Holiday Gift Making Is On

And here it is - we are off and running in the 2017 Indie Designer Gift-a-long!!!!

You can find all of my sale designs here for your gift-making and pattern-giving needs. And just in case you may be interested - there are over 300 additional indie knit and crochet designers participating, each of which has a sale bundle of their very own for you to find just the thing you're looking for.


'Tis the season to GAL in 2017 - fa la la la la!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, just one more day until the indie design gifting madness begins!!!!!

We have been working super hard behind the scenes to make this 5th anniversary Gift-a-long the best yet. More total designs, more designs on sale the first week, more prizes, and definitely more fun.

Over 8,000 people in the dedicated Ravelry group alone cannot be wrong, right?

See you tomorrow at 8:00 pm EST. I'll be there with my hooks and sticks and yarn.

In Between

It has been quite some time since the end of #SlowFashionOctober, and I have been busier than a bee with design stuff and the upcoming gift-giving maker event planning, that I have not had an opportunity to update the blog. Well, consider it time right now.














Initially, I want to thank each of the makers who worked up items right alongside me during my Flyings Sticks + The Poncho Escapade a-long. As evidenced from a sampling of the finished pieces, we indeed completed some lovely projects - and ponchos were definitely the item of choice. There was also a lovely mix of neutrals and jewel tones, which made for really outstanding looking finished items. I personally was really thrilled that two makers from the Southern hemisphere were in the maker mix. While almost all of the projects were crocheted (yah!), one person completed a knit project she had been working on for a while - you'll see her lovely orange version of the Coleman Embossed Muffler in the top right corner of the collage. It's worked up in the same yarn as the original sample, Lost City Knits' Twin Canyon Merino/Silk in the pretty penny colorway. It looks fantastic with that jean jacket, doesn't it? One of my Ravelry group moderators completed two versions of the Mixlace Poncho, one of which is in the collage (bottom left collage photo). Those colors look so stunning on her - she's going to gift one of them, and I hope it's not that one.

I completed a second sample of the Mixlace Poncho (seen above at right) in Knit Picks' Chroma Twist Bulky (which happens to be on sale right now, go figure!). I liked the colorways, and it was quite fine worked up, but quite honestly not as soft and cozy as the Lion Brand Scarfie used in the original sample. This second sample became the one photographed for my self-released version of the design, now that my rights have reverted back to me. 

Additionally, I worked up a Quimby Hooded Cover-up for moi, moi, moi. I love how the colors turned out and am super thrilled with the final piece. I am also about 1/2 of a sleeve and trim away from finishing up an Aviatrix Pullover in deep blue. As soon as that gem is done, I will provide photos. I really want to wear it now so, hopefully, very soon.

I must say I am pleased at how October has evolved to become my go-to month for me making. It is a perfect time of the year to spiff up one's wardrobe with handmade things. Well, ok, I suppose that could be every month for me!

And now that we are well into November, I am thrilled to let everyone know that I once again will be a participating designer in the Indie Gift-a-long hosted on Ravelry. Every year for the past five years (yes, it's the GAL's five year anniversary!), independent knit- and crochet-wear designers band together and bring all of their awesome designs to makers who make gifts-a-plenty for those worthy of handmade at the holidays. This will be my fourth year as a participating designer, third as a group moderator. We've been making lists and checking them twice now since the beginning of the month, so that the big participating designer reveal (set for next Tuesday, November 21st, at 8:00 pm EST) will be the best it can. You can check out the Ravelry Indie GAL group (with currently over 7,500 members, and growing!); also check out the GAL's Instagram account, where we have already posted our hashtag challenge prompts throughout the six weeks of gift-making. We've already started the GAL countdown there, too. 

This is my favorite time of the year for a reason, folks. I hope to see each of you there.

 

 

A Little Holiday Update

This Lush Looped Scarf was
gifted earlier in the week.

Hello holiday makers - it is the day before Christmas Eve, and I hope that everything that needs to be made by Sunday is done (or at least drying!). 

It has been a busy 2016 Independent Designer Gift-a-long for me. I have made a few things: one of which I have already gifted, another that, while I have "broken it in," I expect I will gift it as well in a package I am getting ready to send out next week. I have three other projects in various stages that will be complete in a few days, only one of which I am making for me. My pile o' works-in-progress reveals my current blue and brown preoccupation.  I suppose I should be

I have broken in this Cowl a Go Go,
but I expect it will find its way into
the gift package I send out next week. 

more specific - it's more an earthy vibe, since I am also still in a green phase, and I am loving all neutrals a lot.

That above is the beginnings of a
cowl, about 1/3 of the way through
a shawl, and a second shawl that is
done and ready for blocking.

In addition to all of this gifting stuff, I also completed a special shop sample which I have sent off and it has been received - in England!

There's my Etched Ice
sample at Baa Ram Ewe
headquarters.

I am so thrilled that a sample of my Etched Ice Cowl is now sitting on display at Baa Ram Ewe headquarters. Back in October, they sent me two skeins of the awesome Titus in the wonderful bishopthorpe colorway and I worked up large version of the cowl and shipped it back to them. Jess at the store was kind enough to snap a quick photo, so below is what it looks like in the shop right this very moment. I wish I could pop on over for a quick visit to see it, as well as the rest of the wonderful yarny goodness at Baa Ram Ewe. Feel free to check out my Ravelry project page for an additional photo, as well as yardage and other project information, in clase you might want to whip up an Etched Ice of your very own.


I leave you with the sparkle and green of the season.

The Gifting Games Have Begun!

It has been a whirlwind around Chez Voie de Vie in the last week. The whirlwind included all the behind-the-scenes prep work for the Ravelry Indie Designer GAL kick-off, which occurred on Tuesday, 11/22, at exactly 8:00 pm eastern standard time. Of course, the Ravelry website then preceded to go down not once, but twice, between then and mid-day on Wednesday. It's all the gift-making - we fried Ravelry. Yeah, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Of course, all of us in the U.S. then took off Thursday for that great yearly food fest, Thanksgiving. And now, we have a slew of days to catch up on designs we love and plot gift-making strategies: today, Black Friday, tomorrow, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday on 11/28 and, finally, Giving Tuesday the following day. 

As you can see to the right, a whole bunch - 20 to be exact - of my designs are currently 25% off. Head on over to my Ravelry design page to see which ones are discounted, as well as all the rest of my designs. 

Of course, I am not the only designer in on the Indie Designer GAL - 334 of my fellow designers have joined in! Pretty much everywhere you go on Ravelry, you'll bump into a designer who has provided a bundle of select discounted designs and/or are making gifts of other designers' patterns for holiday giving. I am no different - I'll be working up a Tranquille for a family member, one of my own designs, the Lush Looped Scarf as a secret surprise gift, and a customized Swirling Leaves Cowl for moi, moi, moi. To show you just how much we all love making holiday gifts, it took the GAL group's more than 7,750 members less than 50 hours to make the first 50 gifts of the season - our resident stats guru Kimberly of 80 Skeins informed us it took less than 45 hours. It is rather thrilling and just a little humbling that this DIY gift-making can bring together so many from all over the world. Participating designers can be found in 32 countries, and makers from, I expect, more than that. 

To cap all this goodness, I additionally was interviewed by the editor of Crochet World Magazine, and that interview was published on Wednesday. Jackie Daugherty is the newly installed editor of both Crochet World and several special Crochet! Magazine and other Annie's publications with the retirement of Carol Alexander. We have gotten to know each other, as she was managing editor just prior to her assuming the editor position, and it is a real treat for me to see her thriving in her new role. 

So, absolutely busy, busy, busy here at Chez Voie de Vie.

Definitely happily so.

Wardrobes are Better For It

So, it is the beginning of November - my favorite month! First, however, I really do need to say thank you to all the participants in my Wardrobe Weather-a-long, which ended on Monday. 

To the left is a visual recap of only some of the amazing and wonderful projects completed. Scarves, cowls, ponchos, sweaters and a few awesome hats were prominently represented in the mix. I managed to complete a poncho, cowl, and skirt for my own wardrobe enhancement (and I'm working to complete a hoodie which didn't make it before the deadline). I am totally blown away by just how well each of these projects turned out - excellent yarn and color choices, and the pieces really suit the makers. I have already worn my new projects, and I hope the above projects are worn well and often. For a designer, it doesn't get much better than that!

So now we turn to November - the month of U.S. Thanksgiving and the start of the Indie Designer Gift-a-long - that mass (and massive) gift-making and indie-designer-celebrating-palooza. We are working behind the scenes setting things up right now on Ravelry for the November 22nd start. I will be a participating designer again this year, as well as a member of the Pinterest pinning team and a co-moderator in one of the making groups. I hope everyone will join us in supporting independent designers by purchasing designs, and celebrating the season by making something - for yourself, for family and friends, and/or for charity. I received an early yarny holiday gift from my favorite indie dyer, Neighborhood Fiber Co. Get a load of all that graffiti goodness! I am not certain what I will make with all of this, but some of it might find its way into a project during the Indie GAL. However, I know I have at least one shawl on deck that I'll gift to a family member. I purchased the pattern a few GALs ago and I have the yarn set aside all ready to go. 

It's bountiful right now around chez Voie de Vie. 

A Little Fiber + Design Swap, Anyone?

Hello my crafty friends - I hope everyone in the United States is having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, and you are paying tribute to any and all of the appropriate people in your life for whom we celebrate this holiday.

As for me, I've been busy the last week or so gearing up for a fun summer swap. I am thoroughly enjoying making things in my Ravelry group a-longs with my crochet and knit peeps (and pay attention on Wednesday for the next a-long announcement). However, I wanted a way to get the good and meaningful interactions I've had with my fellow designers during the holiday Indie Gift-A-Longs to continue throughout the year ... so, I thought a fun swap with designers and indie dyers (cause hey, who doesn't love more indie in the form of dyers, and it is, you know, yarn - designers and dyers seem to go hand in hand) would be just the ticket.

I created some fun graphics to underscore the idea (the main artwork is above), started a Ravelry group along with a fellow designer, Denae Merrill, and voila! the D+D Summer Fun Swap group is alive and over 100 members strong. Sign-ups for this secret, international swap start on Wednesday, 6/1 (June, really? already?) and will be open for two weeks. If you are a designer with published designs anytime since the beginning of 2015, and/or an independent dyer currently selling yarn, and are looking for some fun connections this summer, do please join us in the group and get in on the swap. And, of course, there will be a few yarny prizes - send a great swap package to your fellow swap participant and it could land you some awesome fiber. What could be better than that?

Go for the Light and Joy

I don’t think I’m alone when I say that the December holiday season isn’t the best time of year. There is, for many, always so much emotional baggage and history to carry and remember. I’ve come to the decision that this is the year I’m permanently lightening my load. I can search out the wonder, joy and light of this season, and that’s exactly what I’m doing this year, in one of the easiest-to-me ways I know – through decorating my personal space.

My very first holiday
stocking. This is the closest I'll
get to making an actual sock.

In the middle of several other projects I’m juggling, I have made my first ever holiday stocking to hang on my very own self-fashioned mantle (hey, a book case is a great stand-in). This stocking is not my design, but one from Mary Beth Temple published in, and featured on the cover of, last December’s ILikeCrochet.com. I instantly loved its bigger dimensions and use of motifs and differing yarn weights. I am a big proponent of mixing traditional with non-traditional holiday colors so I’m kind of liking the blue, since it coordinates well with my space’s color scheme.  

I’ve also included my own Sparkly Snowflake Garland to my mantle-scape, and I just love how this turned out. My space, for the first time in I can’t remember how long, feels truly festive to me. This brings me joy.

Additionally, I’ve worked up a deconstructed holiday tree (read: branches with ornaments because a live tree is no good with George Bailey on the scene) that manages to capture the light and beauty of the season. I could look at those snowflakes all day. They bring me so much peace, not to mention a smile. It is difficult to accurately convey how content I feel this holiday season, despite being busy with several ongoing projects. I haven’t felt like this in a long time at this time of year.

I consider my load successfully lightened.