Fresh Designs: Sweaters Review and Giveaway

Thanks to our wonderful friends at Cooperative Press, we have another book review and giveaway for you: Fresh Designs: Sweaters!

The Fresh Designs series is Co-op Press helmswoman Shannon Okey’s brainchild; she wanted to feature up-and-coming designers and independent yarns in specific knitting collections. The series also includes collections for Men, Hats, Shawls and Scarves, with planned Kids, Bags, Mittens,Toys and Home books.

Ten sweaters are featured in the book, from tank tops to hoodies, with garments including cables, achievable lace and a nice array of constructions techniques.

My favorites from the collection: Pamela Wynne’s Ziggy, with its crisp chevron stripes, and the Everything Nice Hoodie, by Teri Gurbisz.

This modern sweater collection e-book could be yours; just leave a comment about which sweater you would most like to knit! The Random Number Generator will choose a lucky winner on Sunday, March 17th.

Take care,

Jaala

What Would Madame DeFarge Knit Book Review and Giveaway

 Heather Ordover knows her literature; the teacher and host of Craftlit Podcast has been helping knitters “Stick a Book in [Their] Ear[s]” for 274 episodes!

With her at the helm, this collection brings together designers inspired by literary figures from doomed lover Isolde to brave heroine Little Red Riding Hood to form-shifting Dr. Jekyll. The tone of What Would Madame DeFarge Knit blends a deep love of  the classics with a modern, irreverent spirit. While some designs, like Jane’s Ubiquitous Shawl, play it pretty straight with a historically-influenced lace pattern, others, like Frankenhood, offer a tongue-in-cheek project complete with light-up neck bolts.

With 21 accessory and garment patterns from socks to wraps to reversible cowls, there’s plenty to satisfy almost any knitter. My favorite is Chrissy Gardiner’s Wilhelmina Shawlette, a captivating triangular lace confection inspired by the heroine of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Heather and her contributors don’t confine themselves to knitting, tossing in a crochet pattern or two, a number of recipes, such as for spicy pumpkin soup, and related craft projects, like cutouts for a full shadow-puppet reenactment of Peter Pan’s Mermaid Lagoon, inspired by Victorian family amusements.

The book purposefully remains black-and-white, with woodcut illustrations; it works well to look up the patterns on Ravelry as you go to see the projects in their colorful glory. If you’ve ever been moved by words in a book, had a crush on a literary character or spent time mentally decorating Pemberley, this volume will speak to you.

Thanks to the generosity of the folks at Cooperative Press, we have an electronic version of the book to give away!

TO ENTER
Please leave a blog comment about any of the following;

Your favorite project from the book

Which book might inspire you to design a pattern (not necessarily one that’s in this collection)

Another Cooperative Press title you’d like to check out as well as this one

How much you love Craftlit podcast (I know I do!)

The Random Number Generator will pick a pattern Monday morning, March 4th.

And Heather’s inspiration doesn’t stop with one book; watch for the companion volume, What (Else) Would Madame DeFarge Knit to hit shelves next month!

Have a great weekend,

Jaala

Halloween, Mochimochi and Yarn

Halloween

Hope everyone had a happy and safe Halloween!

The kids chose polarfleece fabric and I sewed up Jedi and ghoul robes; they had fun running all over with their friends. Unfortunately, they were in such a rush to get out, I didn’t get a photo!They’re getting so big now, they both went to different neighborhoods with their buddies this year. Sniff… But Mike and I had a relaxing evening at home.

We got 35 kids at the door this year, which is about par for the course. When I was a kid, my dad used to always buy a huge Hershey bar and give it to the 50th trick-or-treater with much fanfare, so I always wish it were a bit more… Maybe we could do it for the 25th next year!

Mochimochi

 

Thanks to everyone who entered the Super Scary Mochimochi giveaway!

The winner is CJ, and she’s been notified.

If you’d like another chance to win a great book, hop on over to designer (and my trusty photographer) Elizabeth’s blog for a Sock Yarn Studio giveaway!

Yarn Club(s) in the works

The lovely Amy D is coming over to help me package up yarns and treats tomorrow for the first installment of the All Wrapped Up Yarn Club! Thanks a million to all of the Clubbies for joining in the fun. I’m so excited to give you your goodies.

If you missed this one, the Spring Sparkle Club is in the works for February, March and April; glitter bases, guest designers and a special handmade silver pendant for all the participants! Watch for more on that very soon.

 

 

Super Scary Mochimochi Book Giveaway

Hi, All,

Hope you had a great weekend!

 

You all know what a huge fan of Anna Hrachovec‘s designs I am (and my kids are, too), so it’s with great excitement that I bring you this Halloween giveaway.

Thanks to the generosity of the people at Potter Craft, we have a copy of Super Scary Mochimochi for one lucky knitter!

 

photo courtesy of Anna Hrachovec/Potter Craft

Maybe you never knew that knitting a Teenaged Werewolf, burnt toast or a Zombie Slumber Party was even possible, but once you check out Anna’s designs, you’ll know it was just what you were waiting for this Halloween. Her little monsters are just as cute as every other tiny thing she’s designed (but don’t tell them; they think they’re scary).

To Enter:

Please leave a comment about the book, Anna’s designs, or anything else related to Mochimochiland, and the Random Number Generator will help me pick a winner after the last Trick-or-treater on Halloween night.

Stay Safe

For everyone in Sandy’s path, my thoughts are with you, and I hope that you are able to stay safe this Halloween week. Wish I could make it so that these little cuties were the scariest thing knitters and their families encountered this week.

Take care and keep on knitting,

Jaala

 

Giveaway Winners and Fall Colors

Thanks so much to our generous companies, Namaste, Soak, Hiya Hiya and Noni Designs for those wonderful fall prizes!

I also want to thank everyone who commented; your favorite fall colors really got me inspired! I was hopping up from my chair and running down to the Evil Lair to mix up new shades based on your ideas.

In fact, you inspired me so much that I’ve added not one, not two, but 11 extra prizes of my Milwaukee Slouchy Beret pattern to 11 additional winners as a thanks for sharing your ideas! The color of the Rocky Mountain Dyeworks yarn is called Maple Leaves, btw.

 See the bottom of the post for winners.

Your comments proved again what an fascinating bunch we knitters are, and what a wonderful group for the Knitcircus blog! I loved hearing about everyone’s projects and inspiration. So many of you left noteworthy comments and I’ve pulled out a few of my favorites to share with everyone who might not have gotten a chance to read them.

Hunnyb sums up the way many of us feel: Mmmm, I love pumpkin oranges, deep plums, chocolatey browns, and reds.

And Cathy brings up many of your favorites: I am loving the lovely jewel tones for fall: Emerald green, Sapphire blue, deep Garnet red. I love knitting in the fall!

Savannagal says:My favorite fall colors are the earth tones. Burnt orange, golden tuscan yellow, all of the greens, rusty browns and dark earthy browns, and the lovely deep, rich reds. 

Stephanie adds: I love to knit with deep ocean blues (year round) and have really been gravitating toward oranges and deep yellows this fall!

Linda speaks for the quieter tones:I love knitting with creams, browns and greys – natural yarn colours – for Autumn. But then again, a bright splash of red or blue can cheer up a cold, windy day.

Shades of purple-red are many of our top picks: Kristin G:My favorite fall color is burgundy.  But last night I was looking at fabric.  It was my absolute fave shade and the name was ‘Port Wine’.  I love that and now will use it to describe my fave color!!  

And Danica agreed with a huge group of people when she said: My favourite fall yarn colours are of course – ORANGE. All the shades of it!

Some people just wrote beautiful comments!

Tami: My favorite fall colors I’d have to say , a Crisp Apple Red, *My favorite*, a brown the color of pumpkin pie, white or cream,*like a dollap of whipped cream* , and a Light moss green the color of the grass right as fall turns into winter ! For a mixed color, I’d choose the colors of a tree in Vermont that changes it’s leaves in fall, the red, pinky orange,orange,yellow,brown colors. so pretty !

Barb: Lately I’m loving the colors of the Mississippi River horizon at sunset – pale clouds in a blue sky, navy, pearl grays and hunter greens, pinks, peach, orange… impossible to capture or choose only one! Bring on the Autumn hues and add reds, yellows, oranges…

Emvious:My favorite fall colors are rusty oranges, deep browns, and then anything that brings a pop of color into the rather brown and dead looking exterior out here in Colorado. Once the leaves go from the aspens there really isn’t a whole lot left until spring. 

Karamel:I love the warm fall colors of pumpkin, cocoa, and a forest green. Something about these shades put me in the mood for warm apple cider and cool fall days.

Bethe Says:I love this time of year! Nature provides the most beautiful colors, children gather to learn, we start to move indoors, where we cook and bake and Knit!

Many of you inspired  with your notes on nature or delicious autumn foods:

Annika: My favorite fall colors are a rich dark red, bright green and a rich brown. Kind of like a basket of apples:-)

Carol:I love the maroons and pinkish maroons often seen in maple leaves. I love fall!

Heather:I love the bright golden yellow of my neighbor’s sugar maple tree.

Our next-door maple is just starting….

Deb: Just one look at my stash and everyone knows I’m an “Autumn” and a New Englander. All the colors of a majestic sugar maple in Fall are my favorites!

Jean:I lOVE the Rusts, Deep Maroons and Warm rich Browns of the Fall Oaks!

Pharmgirl: My favourite autumn colour is tourquoise… The one that the autumn sky turns just after noon, when it knows that in a few short hours it will be black again.

Morgen: I love the russet, maple sugar, and fading green of Autumn.

Ruth:Rust, the orange of pumpkins, hints of yellow in a field of green: perfect fall colors

Shermie: Yarn colors for fall for me must follow autumn leaves, including many shades of browns, pumpkins, cranberries and even piney greens, so often forgotten. As the season progresses they merge into the deeper reds and holiday greens.

Knitters always want to know that other knitters are knitting! Thanks for sharing some peeks:

Marie:Colors? I seem to have fallen into an unlikely rut. I put the latest shawl to be blocked on my mannequin to keep it out of the cat’s usual exploration range and discovered it’s just about the same rusty orange/brown as the shawl that was already on display. Then my new yarn arrived and I put it on my desk a few feet away – what do you know, same color! Believe me, not on purpose!

Rebecca: So many things to love about fall knitting, but color tops the list! Just started an espresso-colored sweater, am working on a deep green one, and have just finished sweaters in deep purple, taupe, and dark green. Every single one is my favorite!  Can’t wait for sweater weather to hit the Northwest!

And G.K. Green’s description was so exciting I had to try to create a yarn in these tones!

G.K Green: My favorite fall yarn color is really a color combo … dark chocolate brown paired with a jolt of deepest magenta. It’s surprisingly striking, and a nice alternative to the tangerine/pumpkin spectrum showing up everywhere now.

And Knitzombie said just how i’m feeling as a knitter right now:  Life begins with fall, the colors, smells and gentle sounds of needles tapping with the wind. I am ready.

And now, the winners!

The Namaste Skinny Mini Bag goes to: 

Jen/Yarnhoardinmama

The Ella’s Going Out Noni Designs Kit goes to:

Margaret S.

The Hiya-Hiya needle and Soak Lotion go to:

Denise

The 11 Milwaukee Slouchy Beret Patterns go to:

Rose, Lisa, Koreakiwi,Terri Sue, Shannon M.,Judy, Carla, Debi, Candi, 16005Crofton, Lynnknits.

All winners have been notified.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Jaala

Fall Knitting Product Giveaways

That’s right, it’s fall, and we hear your needles starting to click again after the hot summer. Knitcircus has some extra-special knitting products to share with you for this exciting season, with our first (annual?) Fall Products Giveaway.

Ella’s Going Out Kit from Noni Designs

First. we have a ruffled purse kit generously given to us by Noni Designs.

,……

Ella’s Going Out includes all of the infrastructure, instructions and hardware to create your own high-style bag to keep (or give away, if you’re a really amazing person). Use the yarn of your choice for the perfect color and texture! The hardware includes a beautifully-made handle with closure, chain and hand loop with dainty imprints. When you want to set your bag down, six sturdy and stylish stud “feet” keep it safe from dust. The kit even includes a lead-free pewter metal label to sew on!

These kits are not normally available to the individual knitter; please encourage your LYS to consider stocking them;and how about offering a class? It would be so much fun to sit at a table with a bunch of knitters and make these together.

I have huge respect for Nora J. Bellows of Noni Designs and love her book,  40 Exquisite Knitted Flowers. She’s been bringing knitters true couture knitting for years, and continues to innovate. Working on a Noni pattern? Check out the Friday Noni Q&A on the Noni Designs blog.

Soak Handmaid Luxury Hand Creme and Hiya Hiya Sharp Needle

Second, a combined prize; one lucky winner will receive both a bottle of Soak Handmaid Luxury Hand Creme in the Aquae scent and a Size US #1 Hiya Hiya Sharp needle!

Handmaid Luxury Hand Creme is the sister to Soak’s wonderful Heel foot creme, and both give your thirsty skin the kind of gentle, powerful and effective care we’ve come to expect from the knitting world’s most-loved wool wash. The new Soakboxes, a kit combining yarn, Soak wash and nail polish, have been a runaway hit this summer and fall.

Hiya Hiya, as many of you know, makes the short circular needles (shown here) that I adore and some knitters love to hate. Each  needle comes with a bonus stitch marker; so nice! The new Hiya Hiya Sharps use stainless steel for ultimate durability , whose nice point makes it easy to pick up stitches even in the loftiest mohair. New this fall, Hiya Hiya offers an interchangeable Sharps needle set; pretty exciting stuff!

Namaste Skinny Mini Case

Animal-free, stylish, bold colors, made just for knitters; it’s no wonder we love Namaste bags. With messenger bags, purses, and special accessories holders, they’ve definitely captured our imagination. The new Oh, Snap mesh bags let you see exactly what’s inside, while the Skinny Mini dpn or crochet hook case an, circular needle case and other offerings show they know the practical totes knitters need. One lucky knitter will win this Skinny Mini in Hollywood Pink!

To enter: Leave a comment about any of the sites above and/or your favorite Fall yarn colors, and the Random Number Generator will pick the winners on Friday morning, September 21st. Have fun and enjoy the fall weather!

Jaala

Rabble Rousers Giveaway winner

 

Drum roll please….the winner of the Rabble Rousers:What to Knit When You’re Up to No Good ebook by Hunter Hammersen, is Jocelyn G. She’s been notified. Thanks so much for the generous giveaway, Hunter, and to everyone who entered.

We’re having a family getaway at the little house by the little lake (with some good friends), and after many hours of splashing around, hamburgers and ice cream sandwiches, we have several sleepy kids and one woefully sunburned girl to bundle off to bed.

Hope you’re having an excellent weekend,

Jaala

 

Balm Knitalong Big Finish and Rabble Rousers Book Giveaway

Check out knitpurple09′s beautiful Balm to the Soul!

And jantaber’s colorful one!

Thanks so much to everyone who joined the fun in the Balm to the Soul/Bridge Over Troubled Water KAL; what a delightful group, and so many generous people making gifts for friends or prayer shawls. Everyone who finished a shawl will receive a copy of the Juniper Lemon Shawlette pattern as soon as it’s published. Hope to see you all back again for the Juniper Lemon KAL starting August 15th!

Rabble Rousers Book, by Hunter Hammersen

Hunter Hammersen, one of my favorite designers, has just published a fun new collection, Rabble Rousers; What to Knit When You’re Up to No Good. The accessories projects feature lace and textured patterns all one skein or less, so perfect for gearing up for holiday gifts! The book is available in physical and electronic forms, and anyone who purchases the physical book gets the e-version for free.

Fracas Hat

The collection includes the Clamor loose-fitting hat, Tumult textured cowl, Fracas lace-and-ribbed hat, lacy Uproar cuff, and mitt-and-cowl Ruction set. For knitting that’s up to no good, these look pretty good to me!

Tumult Cowl

Thanks so much to Hunter for giving an e-book to one lucky reader; to win, just comment about your favorite pattern here or any of Hunter’s work. The giveaway will run through this Friday, August 3rd.

Take care,

Jaala

Wednesday Book Giveaway: The Embellished Sock

A truly original look at footwear by designer Charles Gandy, The Embellished Sock, Knitted Art for the Foot will give you fun pictures to look at and projects to try! Ruffles, ripples, loops, snakes and tulips are some of the fanciful decorations you’ll find in this book, as well as tips and photo tutorials for techniques like Kitchener grafting and a Crocheted Provisional Cast-On.

 

The 18 sock patterns are accompanied by finishing tips and You Tube videos  to make sure knitters succeed at these over-the-top footwear projects.

One lucky winner will receive a copy of this book, courtesy of Acorn Creek Press and Charles Gandy.

To enter, please comment on any pattern from the book, or any of Charles Gandy’s other patterns.

Winner will be picked by Random Number Generator this Monday evening, July 30th.

Are you gearing up for the Ravellenics? Team Knitcircus is still accepting new members if you’d like to join the fun!

 

 

Blog Tour: California Revival Knits

You all know how big a fan I am of designer, Knitcircus tech-editor, and now author Stephannie Tallent, so am thrilled to be a part of the California Revival Knits blog tour!

California Revival Knits showcases Stephannie’s fascination with local architecture style Spanish Revival, known for tilework and wrought-iron fencing. She translates this inspiration into colorwork, lace and twisted-stitch patterns using small and independent yarns which show off her stitches beautifully.

Peacock Shawl

While Stephannie has made a name for herself with beautifully complex cable and other patterns, this book provides several projects that would make great stepping-stones for knitters looking for a first  try at some exciting techniques.

The Peacock Shawl looks very impressive, but would make a wonderful entree into lace. Each of the different motifs is very achievable, with no side shaping to worry about.

Peacock Shawl modeled

The wonderful Quatrefoil Mittens and Mitts, especially the wristwarmer version, would make a great first foray into stranded knitting; the geometric pattern moves in an intuitive diamond, and you’re carrying your yarn only a few stitches at a time.

Quatrefoil Mittens

Quatrefoil Mitts

Stephannie taught an Introduction to Beading class at the Spring Knitcircus retreat, and it was so much fun to see her students succeeding at this complicated-looking, but easy-to-work technique! The Tiles Sweater is a wonderful chance to give this technique a try if you’ve knitted sweaters before and would like a little challenge! You only have to place beads on a few rows for this dramatic and flattering effect.

Tiles Sweater

Tiles Sweater detail

And one lucky reader will have a chance to try any or all of these techniques, because Stephannie has generously provided a copy of the California Revival Knits e-book to give away!

Just leave a comment here about California Revival Knits or a design from the Sunset Cat site you’d love to cast on, and the Random Number Generator will pick a winner Monday, June 11th.