Spinning Event Benefits Mentoring Program

Last year was the first for Spinzilla, a weeklong spinning competition that encourages groups and individuals to make as much yarn as they can to claim bragging rights (as well as a trophy and gift certificates for team members).

Even though the event isn’t until October 6-12, organizers are already getting people excited about this year’s competition.

Registration is now open for teams through July 14, and spinners can register — either as part of a team or as rogue spinners — beginning August 4. Teams host meetups and their total yardage is compiled together for the competition.

The winning team last year was Fancy Tiger Crafts, which spun almost 95,000 yards (or 54 miles!) of yarn during the week. In all, more than 1.3 million yards of yarn were spun during the week.

But more than just a fun event highlighting spinning, Spinzilla is also a fundraiser. The $10 entry fee goes to the Needle Arts Mentoring Program, which provides resources to people who want to teach knitting, crochet, needlepoint or spinning to groups of kids. In all the event raised almost $6,000 last year, which has that group energized to double the number of kids it reaches.

Are you a spinner? Would you take part in an event like this? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Next Pattern:

Not too long ago I was seeing a crochet pattern for a glasses holder shaped like a bear all over the Internet. It was super cute, and also useful as a place to put your glasses on your bedside table instead of just throwing them somewhere random.

This project stewed in my brain for a little while and I decided I needed to make a knit version, but I didn’t want to make a bear. If you know anything about me you might know that I’m a cat person, so of course my version had to be a cat.

The base is just a basic little basic worked from the center out to the desired size, then up the sides as long as you want them. Knit some ears and add embellishments to make it whatever kind of animal you want.

The way I figured out to work the base from the center out was to use a crochet cast on, which gives you an easier way to pick up stitches from the back of the cast on than if you worked a more traditional cast on for a knitting project. It’s kind of fun to do things in a different way from time to time.

This little project is adorable if I do say so myself, and even as a plain little basket not made into an animal it’s a cute way to keep your glasses or other little things in one place. I’m tempted to make one for my desk to hold pens or even little little scissors and sewing needles that are always on my desk but somehow always seem to get lost on my desk.

If you need a little holder for your glasses on your table, check out the pattern at Our Daily Craft.

[Photo: Our Daily Craft]

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