swap with yarnpunk

do you remember this amazing yarn?

the inspirational yarnpunk approached me to get a swap happening last autumn (yes i know we have nearly come around full-cycle since then) but, we decided to do a seasonal swappee together, with the added challenge of incorporating felty bits.

well you can see her masterpiece. needless to say i needed a whole lot of time to create something special for her.
& when i held it between my hands, i started to sweat,not due to the yarn no, .. like really sweat.. and whenever i see her work, let alone feel it on my skin, i seem to feel my mouth gaping in awe. goes without saying i have a total crush on her. anyhow, here i am creating her a yarn, and i'm getting sweaty just thinking about it.

i often venture into the infamous moontree in Leura and find a plethora of inspiration in the beautiful interior scenes they create .. the window displays have to be the best i have seen anywhere.. the place is an oasis, and if you had to go to a brick & mortar store to shop, this would have to be top of the list. i'm straying.. so i find beautiful colour & textural combinations, and my mind starts buzzing with ideas of making chinese lanterns from bamboo nuno felt, or silk paper lanterns, or brown pussy willows with white angora puffs.. alas none have eventuated (yet).

i wound up deciding on drawing inspiration from one of my favourite things to do with my children in autumn.. to run & kick & leap into huge piles of maple leaves in the park, and the living changing colours of chamelian autumn leaves.
i came up with this:



Leaves of Autumn is a singles yarn spun from handcarded batts: alpaca, 22micron merino, English Leicester locks, glitz, spun with bamboo slubs, e.l nubs, candy-striped with a golden thread, with needle felted leaves spun throughout.
gawd i hope she likes it.. it's like writing your first love letter, only in yarn.. i'm sooo nervous!