2011 Play It Forward Summary

Happy new year everyone! I went to ground for a couple of months after releasing the Platypus blanket into the world. I managed to complete the 5 projects I had promised to people for my "play it forward" self-imposed assignment. To recap, the "Play it forward" project: 
I promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave a comment here. They must in turn post this (on facebook) and send something they make to the first five people who comment on their status. What you make is completely up to you. Handmade by you and sent to your 5 people sometime in 2011!

Although the choice of project for each person was completely in my hands, I did set a few of my own guidelines: 

1. All five projects would be knitted. 
2. I would not use the same pattern twice. 
3. They had to be patterns that I had never completed before.
4. I could get ideas of what the person wanted (ie give a list of 5 items, they chose three and I would choose one). 
5. I could ask the person what neighborhood of the color wheel they felt the most happy in.
6. Try and use "test knit patterns" if appropriate. 
7. Only use yarn from my stash.  My stash is pretty healthy, so this wasn't hard at all.  

So, here is what I came up with:

"Gilly Weed" hat for Jane, in Australia. This was a test knit for a Sarah Woodbury and was easy and fun.

Saroyan for Margaret. just up the road!  I LOVED making this. It was really fast and using one of my favorite yarns (Ultra Alpaca by Berroco), it was something I will make again and again.

"Gretel" for Deborah in Australia. I made this from a worsted alpaca skein that I was given from the UK. I wish I could find more of the yarn. The hat came out a little bigger than I had hoped, however I think it was still a nice fit. Good pattern, good yarn. 

"Fire Pio Covers" for Brandi here in Colorado. This was a made up design with help from Jessy Henderson’s “Flame On” hat for the flame design. Fire poi - A regular favourite of fire twirlers/dancers. Poi is a Maori word and the art of spinning poi originally comes from New Zealand, though can be found throughout the world today. Fire Poi are made of a ball of kevlar wick on the end of a chain that is swung around the body. Usually twirled in pairs, they create a beautiful circular fire trail about the fire dancer.

You use covers on your fire poi to stop the kevlar wick part of the poi from putting soot everywhere while you’re practicing. They were greatly appreciated. 

"Elbow Length Fingerless Gloves" for Pixie in Colorado. The fifth project I forgot to take a photo of before I sent them... DOH! Rookie mistake! :) Lengthened them to the elbow and ribbed them all the way to the fingers. I also extended the cables all the way to the elbows. I made them from yarn we received in goodie backs at a Colorado Rockies baseball game a couple of years ago. The annual "stitch and pitch" was sponsored that year by Zealana yarns. I highly recommend their possum wool blends.

I loved taking on this project and I am planning on doing the same this year. I called for people to sign up on my facebook page and currently have three takers. Let the planning begin! :)