For the second night of our Hanukkah-palooza, Elyse wanted to offer a prize collection for the crafty Bitches out there. Take it away, Elyse!
Elyse:
For this year’s Hanukkah giveaway I wanted to share some of the items that have brought me comfort and a sense of peace this year.
Some people ask me how I can live in Wisconsin where it gets terribly cold, but the truth is I love winter. I love snowstorms that are eerily silent and peaceful, like the entire world is holding its breath, waiting quietly for the weather to pass.
And I love knitting cozy things during winter, things that I know will bring warmth and comfort when they’re worn.
Firstly, this giveaway will include romance novels because obviously. I’ll include several romance novels across different subgenres.
I’ll also include a copy of Knits About Winter by Emily Foden. This book really took this year’s Indie Untangled by storm, and it offers a variety of beautiful, winter-in-the-country themed patterns.
This book has fifteen total patterns, for sweaters, socks, wraps/shawls, hats, and mittens–basically everything you need to stay toasty. Some of the patterns are charted. I think this book would be appropriate for beginner and intermediate level knitters.
One of my favorite patterns is the Full Moon wrap. Isn’t that texture gorgeous?
I’m also including some yarn. All of the yarn I’m using for giveaways this year is from indie dyers and was sourced at my local yarn shop, Fibre. Shop local, y’all!
The yarn I chose is from Round Mountain Fibres. They’re an indie dyer inspired by nature and they have three collections: ornithology, etymology and botany.
I’m including two skeins of fingering weight yarn (approximately 400 yards each) that is 100% superwash merino wool. The colorways are Hummingbird Purple from the ornithology collection and Cacao Pod from the botany collection.
That’s enough yarn for two hats or two pairs of socks or some mittens.
Finally, I’m including a set of stitch markers by Wee Ones. I discovered this vendor at Rhinebeck this year and I love her stuff sooo much. She makes polymer clay stitch markers, and she does lots of different dog breeds, cat breeds and critters, so it’s a perfect gift for the pet-loving knitter in your life.
I’m including a set of her winter hedgehog stitch markers, which are perfect for adding whimsey to any winter knitting project.
Aren’t they adorable?
Sarah: I think whatever part of my nervous system that handles cuteness has just short-circuited.
Want to enter? Yay!
Leave a comment below with your favorite craft project you’ve started this year!
Standard disclaimers apply: I am not being compensated for this giveaway. Void where prohibited. Open to international residents where permitted by applicable law. Must be over 18 and ready to get crafty! Let’s pour one out for all the crafts we’ve started, that inevitably wind up in the project bin of shame. May your yarn always be soft and remain untangled.
Comments will close Tuesday 4 December 2018, at or near 12pm ET, and winner will be announced shortly afterward.
Good luck, Happy Hanukkah, and thank you for being part of Smart Bitches!
Winner update: Congratulations to Emily Frances King! Be sure to check your email and spam folders.
Keep an eye on the rest of our Hanukkah-palooza giveaways!
I am sewing some curtains for my kitchen but knitting looks more fun. When I finish these I may start an Afghan. That’s a good winter project, it keeps you warm while you make it.
Once I finish working on a sweater for my husband,I’m jumping right into for myself. I’m really, really looking forward to tackling Bodie and really, really worried that I’ve chosen the wrong yarn or that I don’t have quite enough technique down yet.
This year? Probably the toe up socks I (finally) learned how to knit.
I have been somewhat lax on the crafting front lately, so it’s probably a toss up between the Wonder Woman shawl (knitted) and the dragon scale gloves (crocheted). Thanks for the great giveaway!
I started a Study Hall shawl from Knitty but got distracted by books. I can feel the winter call of the yarn though. Those hedgehogs are perfect!
My favorite craft project was a crosstitch pattern I created. I spliced together a couple different patterns and used an online tool for the words. I’m really happy with it!
I created a booklet of favorite poems from my book club for our January meeting. Another member created a cover with a Zentangle design. I set up the booklet in Publisher and then had our printing services here at the college make copies. I think it turned out very nicely and will be a great keepsake for our book club as well as giving everyone an insight into the other members reading tastes.
I’m trying to finish the cross stitch sampler that was supposed to be ready for my Goddaughter’s wedding last June. I’m at the part that gets personalized and have to get out the graph paper.
I’m a cross stitcher. I have a few Subversive Cross Stitch patterns I’ve done this year, most of which I actually finished! And a giant piece of multi-colored frogs for a friend’s kid that is frog-crazy. For me, I’ve been working on a collection of Australian animals for years…the penguin has been a wip (work in process) for a good 8 months now.
Ooooh <3 <3 <3
I crocheted a hat this year which I just finished. I am a terribly slow learner at crocheting and knitting (but persistent), so I was really proud of that one.
I’ve been crocheting hedgehogs for my various and sundry niblings for Christmas gifts. While I’ve made blankets and scarves in addition to other things this year the hedgehogs may by favorite due to sheer cuteness.
I’ve been crocheting hedgehogs for my various and sundry niblings for Christmas gifts. While I’ve made blankets and scarves in addition to other things this year the hedgehogs may by favorite due to sheer cuteness.
I made a bag to replace one that just couldn’t be patched anymore. It turned out great!
I didn’t mean to comment twice. I apologize!
I finally learned to crochet this year, but I still think I like knititng better. Most of my favorite things crafty-wise are apparently Wonder Woman-based (gee, wonder why?) – I made a cute skirt out of Wonder Woman quilting cotton from JoAnns, and I’m working on the Wonder Woman Wrap found here:
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wonder-woman-wrap-knit
It’s tricky and I’m the world’s slowest knitter, but I’m kind of in love with it and determined to finish.
I’m working on the Belle Greene Shawl from the Stitching in the Stacks book, which is filled with librarian inspired projects.
I hope I finish before the end of the year, so I can start on another shawl.
I quilt and my goal this year was to begin the huge task of finishing the unfinished.
I didn’t mean to start anything this year, but my great niece wanted a unicorn cake for her birthday. Then my nephew wanted the Santa Claus decorated butter spritz cookies my mom used to make. So I learned to do these things, some more successfully than others, because I had to. And now I’ll do more.
I took a basketry class a couple of weeks ago and made a splintwork basket, it was so much fun! If I win the wool, I really want to knit some boot toppers.
This year I have finally started quilting! I have always loved quilts, and I’ve always wanted one, but I can’t see to save my life. This year my friends have finally convinced me to try quilting, and so far I’m loving it (although the machine and I have words regularly…).
For the first time, I block printed yards of my own fabric this year! I’m hoping to use them to sew some cute tote bags in 2019. Also, I just started sewing the quilt for my mother’s 80th birthday in 2019. It involves a lot of hand sewn appliqué, so that’s another new thing for me. Fingers crossed that it will look nice!
This year, I started a major craft project: making an entire 18th century outfit by hand. A chemise, stays, bum roll, petticoats, hanging pocket, and dress! I’ve done historical costuming for years, but I’ve never done 18th century- so I am making a working woman’s outfit from Colonial America. I’m still on the undergarments, but it has been SO. FUN.
What a lovely gift package, Elyse! My most recent project was making some cards with watercolor and Sharpie. Happy Hanukkah!
I started my first sweater this year, it has a color work yoke, I’m almost done with the body…just the sleeves to go! It has definitely made me a better knitter, thank goodness for YouTube how to videos.
I started a cable crochet oversized cowl/infinity scarf in bulky alpaca yarn – it’s taken me almost all year to complete and I hope to have it finished over the holiday break so that I can actually wear it during the proper season!
I didn’t do anything really crafty this year – my creativity has gone either into baking/cooking or writing.
Does lattice work on a pie crust count?
Lacking fine motor skills, I would give such beautiful yarn to my sister Kathy as she is gifted in that way. Thank you always for these fun giveaways.
I didn’t do a lot of crafting this year, but I did make a variety of crochet stars for my holiday tree recently! I used a different yarn for each one, so they’re all different even though I used the same simple pattern.
My favorite craft project is an amigurumi of Cassandra from Dr. Who. It’s crocheted skin stretched in a picture frame, with a little face embroidered. It’s probably the smallest thing I’ve crocheted this year, but it made me giggle. Here’s a pic:
https://www.ravelry.com/projects/brontehev/cassandra
Socks! I decided this would be the year I step up my knitting game (in part to catching up on back episodes of SBTP’s and listening to the knitting episode) and challenged myself to socks. Now I can’t stop, but couldn’t be happier!
I feel like I am knee deep in a dog sweater project that won’t seem to end (or I am just lazy and not getting it done). But my favorite project is one I just started, which is an owl hat for a soon to be 5 yo nephew.
I’m pretty pleased with both the shawl (really simple knitted lace) that I started in January and finished in September and the rabbit I’m currently making (knitting done, assembly ongoing) as a baby gift.
A pair of orange lace socks for a friend are my fav craft of the year!
The closest I get to crafting is baking and I’ve made chocolate babka a few times this year. It’s a fun project that is fairly simple, but takes at least 24hrs if you want it to taste right.
I’m also 7 months pregnant and have been getting the baby’s room in order, so that’s involved assembling a bunch of stuff and next weekend I’m going to put up a giant wall decal mural. So hopefully that all counts.
For the first time ever I have my holiday gifts knitted up and ready to go. Of course breaking my ankle this summer plus a hip replacement gave me more knitting time than I ever wanted! Knitting on painkillers ain’t pretty – but I knitted simple hats & mittens for everyone.
My favorite project I started this year uses a GIANT skein of Miss Babs yarn and is Addams Family themed! I have knit exactly three rows of <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/headless-roses" this giant shawl but it will be a good winter project.
I haven’t been particularly crafty this year, but I am working on a pair of socks for my mom since she always has chilly feet in the Wisconsin winter.
I must now track down that pattern book!
I just started my first CAL, for Advent, for a scarf. I’m trying to finish the 2017 Project Peace shawl just to have one fewer WIPs. No knitted holiday gifts this year though I’m working on a wedding sampler on black linen that will take way longer than if I was doing it on something else (but the correct design choice).
I haven’t actually started it yet (THANKS, GRAD SCHOOL), but I did get the supplies to start learning embroidery – I found easy kits for me and the kiddo on etsy. Semester’s almost over so I’ll have time to get started!