giveaway BT Loft for mitts (and more)

GIVEAWAY Brooklyn Tweed LOFT to make TUROA Mitts from Drop Dead Easy Knits

My co-author and brilliant knitter Mary Lou Egan blogged about the Turoa Mitts pattern by our other co-author, Kirsten Kapur, and threw in a giveaway of a skein of Brooklyn Tweed Loft. It's one of many substitute yarns you could use to make these little beauties. As a gift. Or a a little holiday self-care for your hands. 

In classic Mary Lou style, in the same blogpost as the giveaway, she drops a killer knitting tip: how to judge the comparative weight of two yarns.  Let's say you've got, ohhh I dunno...a zillion leftover skeins of yarn you might use for these mitts but you are just not sure what weight they are. Or how they'd go if you want to knit them together to make a Sidekick Hat?  Or you think the yarn company must have been drunk when they called a yarn worsted as  it's skinnier than most fingering weight ?  You will want her trick.  

More giving --seeing as it is the first night of Chanukah tonight (no, I am not prepared, whydoyouask??), I'm going to gift you with more excellent tips and advice: go give a listen to Abby Glassenberg's annual community tips podcast from her While She Naps podcast.  Now, I know you are thinking "but she sews stuffed dolls, and I do not, I am a knitter/maker/DIY person" but here's the thing..the tips span many crafts and well beyond. Many good recommendations for books, podcasts, tools....and some quilting stuff that I don't understand, but you might!

Lastly: Our book Drop Dead Easy Knits is  full of excellent patterns, stylish but sot-too-taxing to knit AND I just noticed  it's super reasonably priced on Amazon this week. Geeez. For the cost of two single patterns elsewhere,  you get all these. (Ravelry link to see all 29 patterns).  Buy it , throw in a gift certificate to your LYS (or, use it as an excuse to visit your LYS to pick out some yarn in person) and BOOM excellent gift for a knitter in your life. 
Or...you know. Self-care.;-)

 

giveaway WINNER : and more rhyming

We've got a winner of the Euroflax yarn and Kollage needles to make a Pompano Tank.

Thank you all for visiting & leaving your comments! Come back again!

Meanwhile some rather fabulous rhyming went on in the comments, in case you missed it:
Doreen from further north said:
I'd be glad to knit this lovely tank,
What if I can't in just one hank?
I'll use two even if it means ripping,
I'm from Canada, but I'd be glad to pay shipping.

gratuitous Nash Island lamb photo

some Jill Draper Makes Stuff : always delish

while Unknown (who really deserves better credit than that)said:

Though I love knitting things at the beach
The Louet yarn is out of my reach
If perchance I should win
I shall have to begin
And thank Gale and Kirsten once, each.


  I wish I had more than one package to send out. Thanks again to Louet NorthAmerica. 

giveaway! A Gathering of Stitches photo workshops & books

Hiya ! Enter between now and May15 May 22nd by leaving a comment on A Gathering of Stitches, saying what image of mine you like from sometime on this blog. Details at that link, and below.

Some people have had trouble leaving comment son the Gathering of Stitches blog. If that happens to you, leave a comment below, and you're entered. (and sorry!).

The backstory:  an out-of-the-blue email from a Samantha Lindgren arrived. She told me about her wonderful making space for stitchers & crafters in Portland, Maine. That sentence right there? has several of my favorite words in it, including the location.  Her space, A Gathering of Stitches,  was on my radar. Some of my favorite chums were teaching there - Mary Jane Mucklestone's Eeeeks! Steeeks! class come to mind- and block printing on fabric, and indigo, and of course it is my fondest dream to have a space like hers in my own community.

Anyhoo, Samantha was wondering if I'd be interested in a photo weekend, and oh by the way, did I remember her, with a different last name, she had been my photo editor, I used to shoot for her, for Forbes and People magazines. whaaaaat? We were both tickled to reconnect in the world of handmade.  

I know you've seen this before. I never tire of it.

So we put together classes that I've never offered before, and lined'em up so that you could take one, two or all three. Whatever floats your boat, so to speak (see that? Portland's a harbor city? I'm so lyrical).  

 Here's what they are, but click thru to get the full description and register from A Gathering of Stitches website.
• Photography for Handcrafters - Saturday June 28 9:30-4:30 (with a lunch break)
A full day to demo camera techniques, do hands-on shooting, explore photo editing and then have a critique of what we all shot .

•Photo Editing for Handcrafters - Sunday June 29   9:30-12:30
A tiny bit of shooting but mostly, you'll do lots of photo editing, using a simple user-friendly online software (not Photoshop) to make your images really stand up and crow. If you've ever wondered why your images lack the ooomph you thought they would have when you shot them, this is where you will learn the tweaks that make a good image look fabulous. Taught in non-jargon language, to boot!

•Make iPhone Masterpieces of Your Handcraft (and everything else, too) Sun June 29 1:30-4:30
Title says it all, right? Any smartphone welcome. This is going to be super fun. Because the best camera is the one you have on you, and we always have our little phones along.

Spread the word, too, OK?  If Portland Maine (easy peasy drive from anywhere n the Northeast, and has an airport right in town. Well worth a visit)) isn't within your June realm, there are giveaway books too. Check the link.

book reviews & giveaway #4

We're moving into the 2nd week of giveaways. This is rather fun for me, if you can't tell.  The winner for Kristin Nicholas' book was notified via a Rav message-but there's still time for Just Like Me Knits by Brandy Fortune, and for Wear With All, ebook version.  Not to mention every giveaway I'm doing this month, one comment for each, including this one, below.  And, more books added soon.

I'm thrilled to be able to give away a copy of  Knitting Yarns, Writers on Knitting, edited by Ann Hood.  She, the editor,  says in the introduction
“The impressive collection of writers here have contributed essays that celebrate knitting and knitters. They share their knitting triumphs and disasters as well as their life triumphs and disasters. . . . These essays will break your heart. They will have you laughing out loud.”

What do I say?  Just that, if you are not the winner, please treat yourself to a copy of this book. Don't even think twice. You want to read it and you want to own it. Most of my favorite writers are in here , including Barbara Kingsolver and Ann Shayne and Ann Patchett  (yes, that Ann Shayne, you must know she is also a novelist, right?) , not to mention Sue Grafton and Andre Dubus III and Jane Smiley.....oh so wonderful, they are all talking about knitting,as a touchstone in their lives.  Of course I have that same feeling, even if I can't articulate like an award winning write. So there's the feeling of recognition, and connection that moves this book into its own category for us, as knitters.
If you search around online, some of the pieces are excerpted. Together, in one volume, they are nothing short of joy.

Seriously, the only complaint I have about this book is the lack of a wonderful portrait of each of the writers in their favorite knitting spot, photographed by a professional editorial photographer who specializes in real people and is a knitter, like ohhhhhhhh,hmmmm, whoooooo..ME! Am I right? Are we not visual people, craving that peek between the blinds into all of their private space?  After you've bonded by reading their essay and you are touched and moved and crying or laughing, don't you just want a little look, too?
(did I really just come out and say that. why yes, I did).

PS A lovely lagniappe, there are 5 patterns in the book. sigh. This truly is one of those keep next to the bed books.

PPS Thanks to the publisher WW Norton & Company for sending me the review and giveaway copies. 

To enter the giveaway for a copy  of Knitting Yarns , Writers on Knitting leave a comment below telling me what book you keep next to the bed for revisiting. I'm giving away this book by mail , leave a comment below, by midnight Wednesday night December 10th , with  your email address* or your Ravelry name.  I’ll choose a winner by random number generator. ___Stop by again soon, I'm going to keep reviewing and giveaway-ing all month.__________  
*my blogging platform doesn’t reveal your email address with your replies normally, so I need it. if you are worried about it attracting a ‘bot scanning for addresses, feel free to leave it as JaneSewAThotstuffDOTCom  ok?  ___________________________ Another  plug for classes I am teaching at Vogue Knitting Live in NYC on January 17th! A hands-on workshop,  Photography for Your Ravelry Page (limited seats left) and a fast. fun and functional slide lecture,  10 Tips and Tricks to Fabulous Photography , from noon-1. Sign up now.

book reviews & giveaway #3

The third knitting book giveaway!  Still time to leave a comment for 50 Sunflowers by Krisitn Nicholas .  And for Just Like Me Knits by Brandy Fortune.  You can enter every giveaway I'm doing this month, one comment for each.  And, more books added every coupla days.

Today , in celebraton of Wear With All: Knits for Your Life being available as an e-book, I'm giving one e- book away. I don't know about you, but 2013 has been the year in which I switched my allegiance from printed-out patterns on paper to  knitting from e-versions on my ipad and iphone.  Don't get me wrong, I am all about owning the books!! I love books for browsing and reading and choosing. But the ipad is in my knitting bag now more often than not.

the patterns are all like this: stylish, accessible, classic but modern

what I coyly showed when I blogged about the photoshoot in Nov 2011

Of course, being the photographer for this fabulous knitwear collection, I can't really give an unbiased review. I'll let Clara Parkes do that--because she loves it too, and says so right here on Knitters Review.

same cardi, shown in 3 differnt yarns and finishing treatments

 designed by Mary Lou Egan
 

I'm, sitting here trying to decide what else to show you from this book,  realizing that I still love all of the designs. Most--OK, truthfully, all- are knits I hope to get to sooner or later. 

 I'm thinking this cowl as a gift this season... it'd be a quickie....

 And this?  The Stole, by Theresa Gaffey , put in the book almost on whim, and has become the most popular knit from it. I fell in love with the sample upon touching it (Isager Alpaca 2) but have seen so many beautiful versions, I know I need to knit one myself, even if it is a larger slog than I usually take on.  Hello 2014 to-do list!

To enter the giveaway for an electronic copy (e-book)  of Wear With All: Knits for Your Life, leave a comment below telling me what knitting challenge you'll take on in the new year. (Maybe. I won't hold you to it.)  I'm giving away this book electronically , leave a comment below, by midnight Monday night December 9th , with  your email address* or your Ravelry name.  I’ll choose a winner by random number generator. ___Stop by again soon, I'm going to keep reviewing and giveaway-ing all month.__________  *my blogging platform doesn’t reveal your email address with your replies normally, so I need it. if you are worried about it attracting a ‘bot scanning for addresses, feel free to leave it as JaneSewAThotstuffDOTCom  ok? 
___________________________
A plug for classes I am teaching at Vogue Knitting Live in NYC on January 17th! A hands-on workshop,  Photography for Your Ravelry Page (limited seats left) and a fast. fun and functional slide lecture,  10 Tips and Tricks to Fabulous Photography , from noon-1. Sign up now.

book reviews & giveaway #2

Back at you with two reviews and another giveaway. On a roll! Still time to leave a comment for 50 Sunflowers by Krisitn Nicholas . You can enter every giveaway I'm doing this month, once for each.

Keep crawling back-I just received more books to share. 
Today: all about the kiddos. Two very different books.Giveaway info at end.

I wasn’t  familiar with Kat Goldin when I was sent this book from Running Press, her publisher, but I am a fangirl now. You can find her in Scotland, or on Ravelry from her name link above, and on her blog Slugs on the Refrigerator.
The projects in her wonderful book are all crocheted. They are not too difficult, if, like me you are more of a knitter who crochets when she feels like it.

They are cheerful, colorful, and reflect Kat’s modern graphic style.  Not a fussy one in the bunch: Beastie Feet, the Mermaid Tail baby cocoon,

the Star rug--all fun, clever, something kids and adults can both enjoy looking at. Crafting at its best.

The photos are by Kat too, and just like those on her blog---little snippets of everyday life, that show kids using the projects in the way kids do, rumply and real, with wonderful use of saturated palette and texture.  Simple, graphic, colorful.
I'm glad to be introduced to Kat Goldin. Keep an eye on her,she's busting out with ideas and new projects.

Another hardworking , talented blogging/publishing mom is Brandy Fortune. Her new book Just Like Me Knits: Matching Patterns for Kids and Their Favorite Dolls from PotterCraft, is today’s giveaway.  Brandy is also the creator of Petite Purls magazine, and the Pixie Purls blog, too.   She not only authored this book but also did all the photography, using primarily her own little daughters as models. Honestly, that is a big accomplishment-- I can tell you  from first hand experience. 

Every design in the book comes in a child/toddler size and also in a toy size,

so the kiddos can match their dolls. It is so sweet. There are girly-girl designs, fairy tale related designs, and things real life boys would wear.

Boys love their dolls too- even boys who grow up to be macho wrestling/kickboxing dudes--more firsthand experience in that department (but that’s another story).  The patterns trend toward ruffles, embellished, pastel styling.  The knits are very accessible , mostly simple projects but with enough going on to hold your interest.

Like Kat Goldin, Brandy Fortune did her own photography. The photos are in what I think of as a Pinterest-y (that’s an adjective, right?) child portrait style.  It’s done beautifully, and sweetly.  This book would either be a perfect gift for knitters with little children in their lives', or, perfect for you to make gifts.

To enter a giveaway for a copy of Just Like Me Knits, leave a comment below telling me a kid’s name you like, or were surprised by, or have heard lately. (Ok, let’s expand that- it could be a pet name-I’m an equal opportunity namer).
I'm giving away this book by mail , leave a comment below, by 6 pm Sunday night December 7th , with  your email address* or your Ravelry name.  I’ll choose a winner by random number generator.
___Stop by again soon, I'm going to keep reviewing and giveaway-ing all month.__________ 
*my blogging platform doesn’t reveal your email address with your replies normally, so I need it. if you are worried about it attracting a ‘bot scanning for addresses, feel free to leave it as JaneSewAThotstuffDOTCom  ok? Thanks

you win some..etc

Ok, I am exhausted just reading the 136 descriptions of what you all are handmaking this season from my coffee giveaway comments. Exhausted! I random generated a winner, and she's been notified.  Thanks for entering. 

 

at the Fremont Fair in Seattle

No one mentioned that they have an art car they need to complete as a holiday gift. I adore art cars, don't you?  It'd take me a lot of coffee to get through this kind of brilliant crafting.

Joan & I originally had art cars and the art car community in Craft Activism, but we had to drop it due to space limitations and logistics. I'm still crazy about them, though.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

And because this is the perfect place  to kvetch, may I take a moment to acknowledge mercury in retrograde and its (predictable) effects in my personal orbit? As of noon today, the machines that have ceased working recently include: our clothes washer, the coffeemaker, the electronic throttle adjustment system in my car and the hard drive on my laptop. While I take the attitude that they're all, after all, just things not people, still.....ugh.

the how'd I miss this? giveaway

Knitcircus magazine.

Today, my little spy  Google Alerts emailed  to say Shear Spirit was mentioned on Knitcircus blog. Our book came out in 2008 but is still on my "I-Love-this-Project" list. I mean, not to sound all jaded and uppity,  but I  have hundreds of published projects. I was passionate about most of them while working on them, but a couple years later? Not quite as fired up. Not Shear Spirit though, I am still so proud of that book, and can blab endlessly about the fiber farms, the incredible subjects we visited and included and the knitting.

Which led me to the Knitcircus online magazine itself. Wonderful! At first I thought I'd never seen it before but in looking at back issues, I realized I'd seen a very early issue . Uppity & snobby sounding snippet # 2 for this post: well, I can't help it, the visuals didn't do much for me at the time so I barely looked. That was then.
Now, Knitcircus has evolved into a beautiful & interesting magazine. Great layout and function, better content, engaging visuals and big beautiful photos.
It's sort of a hybrid of some other faves  like  Knitty and Twist. Presented  in the same page turning format, optional PDF download as Twist but, instead of having each pattern for sale individually, catalog style, you  order the whole issue's worth for $7.99. There are yarn & book reviews, interviews with knitwear designers, sock talk from the sockiest source I know,  Wendy Johnson, and the cookie recipes, yum, are free.

When I emailed  Jaala Spiro, the  editor-in-chief to ask permission to use some covers/pages here,  she generously offered a year subscription giveaway. Cool, yes? That's 5 issues! So, here's what you need to do: go look a the Holiday Gift issue. In  the comments, tell me what you liked. Could be a project, could be some of the reviewed yarn, could be the interview. Maybe the cookies? Enter by midnight Friday November 12th. Drawing by random number.

fall ahead, caption contest, & lotsa links

Don't you love how Labor Day Weekend shakes your sheets into autumn with a crisp snap? Make  plans  now  or suddenly you're neck deep in pumpkin, cooking Thanksgiving dinner and wondering what happened to fall. First up for me: 

Photo Workshop Weekend in St Paul MN at The Yarnery September 25 &  26th
scroll down fr the Yarnery link, or click here for details

If you have a passion for photography,  join us for 2 days of hands-on digital camera workshop. Pixels, fiber, FO's..what more could you want?

 

This needs a good caption, doesn't it?  Contest below.

We'll be taking a field trip to a historic farmstead on the Saturday afternoon of the workshop. I'm thrilled to have that setting for teaching about shooting FO's on real people, for showing how you can work with different  light situations,  on a porch, in open sun, in shade, and also have all the textures & colors and props to use as backgrounds. And, sheep. Not promising any will have mad modeling skillz. This cutie was from the photo workshop weekend at Juniper Moon Farm, click here to see some of the workshop in action. The class is half full so go guilt a friend or loved one into coming along and call The Yarnery to sign up. *

Caption contest/ book & yarn giveaway

Leave  a comment on this post with a caption for the photo above, and you're entered to win a copy of the book Shear Spirit: Ten Fiber Farms, Twenty Patterns and Miles of Yarn, or  yarn.

Mention the contest and link to this post  from your blog your Facebook or Twitter,  and you get an extra entry for each mention.  Deadline for captions is September 10th.

Two  winners: one drawn randomly, to win the book. The second, for the best caption, gets 3 skeins of Brown Sheep Lambs Pride yarn (appropriate, no?)

* the Twin Cities are a terrific place to visit for a weekend, if you're not from the area.  And you can't do better than The Yarnery folks as hosts, they're the ones who serenaded  the Yarn Harlot and Mason Dixon Knitting Ann & Kay. Talent and senses of humor, plus they can knit like nobody's business. btw, those are links to posts with YouTubes of the Yarnery Singers in action, you really should view them.