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 made a find your fade wrap mostly out of stash yarn which took forever but was totally worth it!
The Outlandish Cowl pattern I got from this blog!
I made a snowflake-patterned green and light gray knit cap with a pattern promoted by a local yarn store’s knit olympics this February. Unfortunately it was a bit tight, so I frogged it and am looking forward to making a slightly larger version as my craft over the Christmas-New Years holiday break!
I’ve been making my daughter and her two best friends dolls that look like them for Christmas. So much fun to turn 3 little 3 year olds into crochet dolls!
I knit a baby blanket out of a shawl pattern and I love it so much (but already gifted it)
I’m (still) chugging away at a cross stitch with a dalek on it that says “may the mighty dalek empire exterminate this home last”
in a recent cleaning frenzy, I undid all my UFOs (unfinished objects) and organized my yarn . . . and found myself with no desire to knit or crochet. then I realized that a friend from my synagogue, who is going thru chemo, is needlepointing a project for her grandson’s bar mitzvah (yes, her kids are my age, but she is my friend). so I decided to knit a blanket for one of the projects that Elyse had mentioned over the summer, so that I could visit with my friend and craft. its a crappy little project (sorry Elyse), but it allows both of us to be productive on our projects during our visits. and, although I hope it won’t come to this, I hope it allows her to trust me to help her with the project so that we can finish it on time. so, for the friendship it represents, this blanket has now become my favorite project.
My only craft project this year that I can remember is keeping my grandchild out of foster care and in my home. CPS called late this afternoon to tell me that they are closing their case so that is good news.
I started a sweater last January (for myself!), a cardigan by from her Swoon book (all of her work is so lovely). I’d gotten very frustrated about not having the sweater I was imagining, and then realized I had held onto a gift card for a local yarn shop for a year and could put it to good use. I finally finished it this fall, and the cardigan is warm and lovely and the perfect covering-my-bum length. Once I’m through this semester of Library School I will start something else (probably kid-focused).
I crocheted a robot and learned to make soap!
Right now I’m working on the Baby Chalice Blanket and it’s great for working on while commuting in the subway. At least until it gets too big.
I (just) started a summer dress with a twirl skirt in beautiful apricot crepe.
I made cute necklaces to thank my beta readers and proofreaders for my first book 🙂 And I painted our front door a beautiful blue–on the inside, where I can appreciate it.
I made a planter out of a clog I got on my trip to Amstersdam.
My favorite project from this year was a shawl that I knit using a skein of yarn that I have had for years. It is mostly white with intermittent rainbow bits dyed in. I finally found a pattern that really suited the yarn (Pincha found at Knitty.com), and it was just thrilling to see it all come together.
Those hedgehogs are just adorable!
I can’t actually think of any craft projects I’ve done this year D:
I like crochet but I don’t have any projects I’m actively working on. I’ve done a little coloring, which is nice, but mostly it’s been organizing my apartment and trying to make things cozy.
I made the Corvid Shawl for my sister, and I will eventually make 2 more for myself and baby sister.
The project made me think of the Crow series by Shelley Laurenston. Sister Crows for the win. Plus who can resist deep purple yarn ( named Evil Queen) knot with sparkly purple beads?
I’m making Elyse’s outlandish cowl out of Malabrigo Rasta yarn which is like knitting with butter.
Nice prize. My favorite project is one I am picking up again after setting it aside for a long time. It is a Malabrigo Lace Baby Merino Embassy Scarf using a dropstitch pattern and fingering weight yarn.
This has been my year of small projects. I have been loving sock knitting and have just been working on a pattern for some gloves. The socks have definitely been my favorites.
I’ve been on a knitting hats kick this year and my favorite pattern so far is Myra by Knox mountain co. Easy and the finished project is great.
I haven’t been very crafty lately… does baking from scratch count if you decorate? Although the copycat cranberry bliss bars I made may have been as adventurous as I got this year.
I’ve been knitting lots of hats! I want to try a beret next.
I’ve been knitting lots of hats. I want to try a beret next.
I started a sweater for me on some gorgeous red lettlopi yarn I brought back from a trip to Iceland, with some delightful fancy rosewood circular knitting needles that were a particularly thoughtful gift – and left it on a plane. So that’s gone from being the most happy making project to the worst. So we’re back to my most exciting project being a small ceramic hedgehog planter for my cousin’s kid. It is, though I say it myself, just as cute as those stitch holders!
I’ve been knitting Christmas trees. They make me happy.
Unfortunately I haven’t done much with my scrapbooking but hope to get to it again after the madness of the holidays dies down.
Not a single item, but this year I’ve completely gotten over any trepidation I had about applique work in quilting!!