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.

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If you’re new to lace knitting or just aren’t sure how to incorporate the technique into garments, check out these tops and sweaters that use lace as a decorative element.

The easiest lace out there is eyelets, and you can practice them plenty with this eyelet covered sweater from Knitcro Addict. It uses light/DK weight yarn and is worked in four pieces knit flat. It’s intended to be a little cropped and a little oversized, and includes sizes XS to XXL in the pattern.

If you’re in parts of the world where it’s getting colder as you read this, the Nora sweater from Bummbul might be a good choice. This is actually a great one for learning lace because it’s worked in super bulky yarn, which makes it easier to see what you’re doing and makes the lace super graphic. This one just comes in one size, with a 42 inch (106) cm bust, but that could fit a variety of people depending on how much ease you like.

Minimi Knit Design has a cute allover lace cardigan worked in one piece from the bottom up. It’s worked in lace weight mohair held double, which maybe isn’t the best for those new to lace (because it can be hard to rip out) but it sure is pretty. Sizes range to fit from 30 to 66 inches/76 to 168 cm bust measurements.

If you’d rather not have lace all over your sweater, you can knit the Lumi sweater from Originally Lovely, which has a chevron lace pattern on the yoke and is otherwise worked in reverse stockinette stitch. (It’s worked inside out so you don’t have to purl every stitch.) The pattern has 9 sizes from XS to 5XL and uses worsted weight yarn.

Or try the super romantic sookie blouse from Trust the mojo (available on Ravelry). This sweet top is started working flat from the bottom up and has a V-neck and I-cord edgings. The sleeves are worked separately in the round, and the pieces are all joined together to work in one piece to finish off the top. It comes in eight sizes and is available in English and French.

You can also pair lacy sleeves with an otherwise plain top, like on the Starflower Wrap from Annelise Driscoll Gingrow. This intermediate pattern makes a wrap sweater with generous lacy sleeves and a double wrap belt. The pattern has nine sizes, from XS to 5XL, and is available for free from Hobbi.

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