A Hedgehog & A Butterly For A Perfect Match

One of the most exciting things about the internet and social media is the world it opens to us. As a small business and fiber enthusiast I find it especially exciting (and freakishly overwhelming at times). I have had the pleasure of connecting with some incredible fellow fiber friends. One such fiber find is Hedgehog Fibres.

For about 6 months I had seen the vibrant colorways created by Beata Jezek's Hedgehog Fibers stream across my social media feed. Bright colors. Bold combinations. All of it so exciting. And what I love most about Hedgehog colorways is they are fearless. They scream personality. They are, in essence, me in a fiber. 

So when I got the opportunity to collaborate with Hedgehog for the Galway Shawl, well yeah... I was kind of stoked. OK, I WAS SUPER STOKED! I may have run around to all my fiber friends so excited saying "GUESS WHAT I GET TO DO". My friend Laura may or may not be able to confirm this ;-)

Now I want to say something about the team at Hedgehog: I have so much respect for how this collaborative process has progressed. Every detail was met with ease and attention. It was not a matter of "let's send you some yarn and make something". Oh no, they care about every bit of the makers that will get their fibers. They care about their customers and makers and creating things to best serve them. It is such an honor to work with such an amazing team. After a few emails to talk about inspiration and colors and texture we landed on the Aran Merino base and a crochet shawl inspired by the flight of a butterfly and the colors of the fields in fall in her Pod colourway. All was set for a collaboration of beauty.

When the yarn arrived I was BLOWN away. The colors are way more vibrant in person (like how is that possible???) and even my friend Laura said "THEY GLOW"! I mean Beata must have some magic in those dye pots in Ireland. I seriously could not stop looking at the colors. When I wound it up to cake the skeins they kept the vibrancy too.

I love the weight and texture of this fiber. It works up so easily and is not clunky. As a crocheter and a knitter I am always excited about yarns that work well for both. This yarn is one of those. The design itself went through a few tweaks and changes along the way to get the drape and shape that I envisioned.

Once I settled on the shape though, it flowed with ease creating my vision.  A vibrant butterfly emerged and I could not wait to block this beauty.

A drop of my fave Eucalan in the blocking bucket with some water followed by a quick soak and my butterfly was ready to rest and let her stitches settle.

You know the saying a watched pot never boils? Well I am sure there is a saying "the watched block never dries". I kept checking but had to leave this beauty on the blocking mats overnight. In the morning though, the most beautiful butterfly I had ever seen emerged and the drape and shape are perfection. I could not wait to wear it and show to my local fiber friends.

And now - The Hedgehog Fibers team and I want to share this beautiful collaboration with YOU! You can get the free pattern here and enter below to win a KIT to make your very own:  yup 2 skeins of this beautiful fiber, hook, pattern and toggle. And check out Hedgehog Fibers. Make your world a little more colorful!