Live Loop Cables in Crochet: a Book Giveaway

Just in case you haven't heard, I have published a book! It's called Live Loop Cables in Crochet, and features an innovative way to make cables in crochet fabric.

Live Loop Cables in Crochet includes patterns and charts for 25 blocks and 11 projects, plus detailed tutorials for basic and advanced Live Loop cable techniques. Here are just a few of the projects:

Clockwise from upper left: Eiscir Neckwarmer, Bonus Points Shawl,
Bubbles the Cowl, Scarf of Many Cables

If you enjoy stretching your crochet skills and learning new techniques, Live Loop Cables in Crochet is the book for you. And here's a chance to win a free copy!

To enter:

• Leave a comment on this post that includes the word "cable", OR send me an email with "cable" in the subject line (see my profile for the email address).
• If you leave a comment, please make sure your online profile is set up to receive replies and/or includes a way for me to reach you.

This giveaway closes on Tuesday, September 15, at midnight US central daylight time. The winner will be chosen by random number generator.

I'll announce the winner's name on Wednesday, September 16.

This giveaway is international. Good luck!

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Beesong Pattern Winner

Here is the pattern set on offer:

Here are the entrants, listed in chronological order of entry:

1. Teresa (blog comment)
2. Vicki (email)
3. ds (email)
4. Mere (comment)
5. Debbie (comment)
6. cawingcrow (comment)
7. Axta (comment)

And here is the Random Number Generator doing its thing:

Congratulations to cawingcrow! I'll be emailing you for your Ravelry ID.

Many thanks to all who commented and emailed! And thanks to SweetGeorgia yarns for providing the prize.

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Beesong Hat and Mitts + Pattern Giveaway from SweetGeorgia Yarns

Just in time for cooler weather, I'm happy to present the Beesong Hat and Mitts, a new pattern recently published in SweetGeorgiaYarns's first-ever fall/winter crochet collection:

Photo by Josh Yong for SweetGeorgia Yarns

The Beesong Hat and Mitts are richly textured and beautifully soft, with honeycomb-patterned center panels and slip stitch ribbing bands. The slouchy hat features a fun, flowery-looking chained pompom.

Both hat and mitts were worked in SweetGeorgia Yarns Superwash DK, a lovely sproingy yarn that crochets up beautifully. The colorway is called Apple Pie, and was specially dyed for this design; it's a gorgeous gingery shade that reminds me of molasses cookies.

I'm very excited to be part of Crochet Fall with SweetGeorgia, which also features amazing patterns by Elena Fedotova, Kirsten Joel, Nazanin S. Fard, and Jessie Rayot.

To see the entire collection, visit the lookbook, Ravelry, or SweetGeorgia's pattern page.

SweetGeorgia's dizzyingly delicious array of yarns can be viewed here.

Giveaway

SweetGeorgia Yarns have generously offered to give away a copy of the Beesong Hat & Mitts pattern. The winner will receive a free pattern download to their Ravelry account.

If you'd like a chance to win, leave a comment below that includes the words "bees", OR send me an email (see my profile for the address), with "bees" in the subject line.

~ Winner must have a Ravelry account. If you've never joined Ravelry, click here (it's free!).

~ If you leave a comment below, make sure your online profile is set up to receive replies. If you're a "No-Reply Blogger", or if your online profile does not include an email address, please include a way for me to reach you.

Giveaway closes on Thursday, October 11, at midnight (US Central Daylight Time). The winner will be chosen by random number generator.

The winner will be announced on Friday, October 12.

This giveaway is international and open to anyone with a Ravelry account. Good luck!

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A Woolly Winner!

Many thanks to all who entered the Woolly Giveaway! I so enjoyed your comments and emails.

Your names were numbered in order of entry (including those who entered via email). The lucky winner, chosen by Random Number Generator, is Number 19: Dino. Congratulations, Dino! (Cheers and applause from the stands; bleats and hoof-stamps from the pens.)

Dino, would you please send me a message with your contact information? You can reach me via comment here, or via email. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks again to all who entered. Happy October!

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A Woolly Festival and a Giveaway

Earlier this month, my sister and I went to the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival, a happy gathering of all things woolly held each year at the Jefferson County Fairground in Jefferson, Wisconsin.

First we visited the sheep barns (yarn on the hoof!) where we saw an astounding variety of breeds and personalities.

There were friendly sheep and curious sheep:

Happy sheep and placid sheep:

Nattily-clad sheep and mysterious masked sheep:

And the wool! Black, brown, tan, white, cream, grey, and every shade between, with every conceivable texture of curl:

We saw wool on the sheep, wool on the floor, wool in bags (hundreds of bags):

Then we looked in on the sheep judging:

After a brief stop for refreshments (root beer float made with sheep's milk ice cream for me), we made our way to the AMAZING hooked rug display:

I love this one:

Look at the detail!

Some rugs were pretty, and some whimsical:

This photo is for the Goatmother :)

These were some of my favourites - check out the lovely knitted detail on the lower left:

A kind member of the Cream City Rug Hookers gave us a demonstration of the craft, and let us try our hand at it:

Already surfeited with color, we took a breath, made sure our wallets were handy, and walked across the fairground to look at yarn.

Yarn.

So. Much. Yarn.

It was a bit like going to a great museum - the eyes can only take in so much, and eventually what you see becomes a blur. But what a gorgeous blur....

In addition to yarn, there were buttons and shawl pins and spindles and straps...

...and weaving and hats and mittens and baskets, and all sorts and shapes of lovely handmakes:

It was wonderful. I can't wait to go back next year.

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One of the best things about a festival like this is the chance to meet the shepherds and spinners, the dyers and weavers, the painters and shapers of all the lovely things on display. We loved hearing their stories, getting their expert advice, and having a chance to support their good work.

I brought home some wonderful Wisconsin-grown and Wisconsin-spun yarn, plus a gorgeous handmade button by Belinda Carson of "B" Unique Jewelry and Crafts:

Giveaway

You could win that beautiful button, and a skein of Wisconsin yarn, by entering the (drumroll please):

Yarn! Button! Magazine!

The cheery orange button measures about 2" - perfect for accenting a shawl, cowl, or hat. The Romney Yarn, from Yorkshire Rose Farm, is a lofty worsted weight in soft bluish-grey with hints of warm taupe.

Also included: a copy of Interweave Crochet Fall 2017, which features two patterns and an article by yours truly.

To enter the Woolly Giveaway, just leave a comment below that includes the word "wool".

~ If you're a "No-Reply Blogger", or if your online profile does not include an email address, make sure there's a way for me to reach you.

~ If you can't leave a comment because you don't have an online profile, send me an e-mail (see my profile for the address) and include "wool" in the subject line.

Giveaway closes on Sunday, October 1, at midnight (US Central Daylight Time). The winner will be chosen by random number generator.

Winner to be announced on Monday, October 2. (Can you believe it's almost October?)

This giveaway is international. Good luck!

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It's crazy hot in Wisconsin right now. How's your weather?

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Vintage Crochet ~ a Double Giveaway!

(Note: The magazine giveaway is now closed, but the apron giveaway will remain open until August 28, 2016. See below for details.)

Have you seen Vintage Crochet 2016, the special issue from PieceWork magazine? It's a beautiful collection of 21 vintage-inspired patterns and 7 feature articles, all celebrating the tradition and history of crochet. The patterns include a wide variety of techniques, including Irish, filet, Tunisian, hairpin, and more.

I'm very excited to be part of this issue, and even more excited to have a copy to give away. And just to spice things up, I'm holding a double giveaway. Read on for the details....

1. Vintage Crochet 2016 Giveaway (giveaway now closed)

You could win your very own copy of Vintage Crochet 2016, and a skein of lovely Malabrigo Silkpaca in Polar Morn (a pale silvery-grey with faint bluish undertones):

How to enter the Vintage Crochet 2016 Giveaway: Leave a comment below that includes the words "Vintage Crochet".

~ If you're a "No-Reply Blogger", or if your online profile does not include an email address, make sure there's a way for me to reach you.

~ If you can't leave a comment because you don't have an online profile, send me an e-mail (see my profile for the address) with "Vintage Crochet Giveaway" in the subject line.

Giveaway closes on: Sunday, August 14. The winner will be chosen by random number generator.

Magazine winner to be announced on: Monday, August 15.

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2. Apron Give-Back-Away

Yes, I'm giving away the original Modern Afternoon Apron - the very same apron that appears in the magazine:

Left photo by Joe Coca for Vintage Crochet 2016, copyright F+W Media 2016.
Right photo by me. :)

But this Apron comes with some strings attached (really obvious apron pun). I'm happy to give this apron away, but I'd like you to give something back.

How to enter the Apron Give-Back-Away: Make a donation to Bike MS - ANY amount, big or small - on my Bike MS Washington fundraising page. (To donate, click here or on the blue "Bike MS" button near the top of the blog.)

Please note: this money isn't for me. All donations go straight towards services and research to help people with Multiple Sclerosis. I do have a fundraising goal to meet, and I'm excited about being part of this amazing bike ride. But even if something happens to keep me from riding, your donation will still be doing good work for people with MS.

How the winner will be chosen: You can make a donation to Bike MS at any time, but I'll choose a winner by random drawing from those who make donations from today, August 2, through Sunday, August 28.

Apron winner to be announced on: Monday, August 29.

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You are welcome to enter both Giveaways! Just remember: comment for the magazine giveaway, donation for the apron giveaway. (Even a dollar will help the fight against MS, and every dollar counts. Yes, I'm shameless about asking for help in a good cause.)

Both giveaways are international. Good luck, and, as always, thank you for reading this.

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A Flowery Giveaway

Thank you.

Thank you for visiting, for reading, for commenting, for emailing. Thank you for letting me into your lives, and for being a part of mine.

You're the quiet friendly presence in the background of my thoughts; the encouragement to write something when I'd rather bury my head in a book. You're the constant unseen companion on every walk and ride; when I pull the camera out of my pocket to snap a barn or a flower, I think of you. You're the cheering section for my design efforts, the sounding-board for my crochet geekery, the inspiration to keep making and connecting.

When I look at a map, I see more than states or countries. I see places where friends live, and wish I could visit them all.

Thank you.

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A little pile of gifts has been growing on my desk. When I sat down to write this post, I realised that they all had something of the planty-flowery about them. (Quite unintentional, but not surprising, given the trend of my thoughts this summer.)

There's a lovely yarn called Magnolia, which I bought for its softness and its fresh leafy colour. A big raspberry-red button. Two adorably casual flowered plates (by "casual" I mean "plastic"). And a pale-green tea towel embossed with vegetables.

All these delights could be yours! To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below.

• If you're a "No-Reply Blogger", or if your online profile does not include an email address, make sure there's a way for me to reach you.
• If you can't leave a comment because you don't have an online profile, send me an e-mail (see my profile for the address) with "Flowery Giveaway" in the subject line.

This giveaway is international, and will close at midnight (US Central Daylight Time) on Sunday August 30th. The winner will be announced on Monday, August 31st.

Good luck, and again, thank you!

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And In a Stunning Twist of Fate, the August Giveaway Winner Is....

...Amanda of Crafty in the Med!

I've seen Amanda around Blogland's comment sections for years, but only "met" her a few weeks ago when her giveaway and mine were both featured on Linda's Crafty Corner. Our giveaways were announced within a day of each other, and ended within a day of each other.

And wouldn't you know, out of all the lovely gals who entered my giveaway, Amanda's is the number that came up:

Many thanks to all who entered, via comment and email, for your sweet and encouraging remarks. I wish I could send something to every one of you.

Wouldn't it be fun if we could all sit down and crochet (or knit) together.... :)

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Recently Published Patterns and a Giveaway!

It's been way too long since I've had a giveaway, so while I was at the Knit and Crochet Show I collected a few goodies to pass on to one of you.

On offer: some swooningly beautiful hand-dyed yarn from Nightingale Fibers, a luscious lanolin lip balm from Long Island Livestock Company, and a cheery pink mini-cozy hook or needle bag by Namaste. (Bag is 8½" long by 3" wide.)

Also included in the giveaway will be a copy of either Crochet More 2014 OR Crochetscene 2014 - whichever the winner prefers. Each one features a pattern by yours truly (details below).

Which would you like to win?

How to enter:

1. Leave a comment telling me which magazine you'd like to accompany the goodies. (Be sure there's a way for me to reach you.)

OR

2. If you can't leave a comment because you don't have an online profile, send me an e-mail (see my profile for the address), and include your chosen magazine in the subject line.

That's it!

~ This giveaway is international.

~ The deadline for entries is Saturday, August 23, 2014 (midnight, US Central Daylight Time).

~ The winner will be announced on Monday, August 25th.

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I'm very excited to announce two more recently published patterns. Firstly...

Mountain Shadows Bracelet, in Love of Crochet's Crochet More 2014

Mountain Shadows is a quick, fun project that uses graduated stitch heights worked in front and back loop rows to create the bead-tipped "mountains" of the name. The pattern is available in two widths, 3/4" and 1-1/8".

Here are the magazine versions, made with Capri by Steinbach Wolle:

Photo copyright Love of Crochet

The purple model is my original sample, 7/8" wide and worked in Planet Penny Cotton Club yarn:

Crochet More 2014 is available now on newstands and in craft stores. To see all the lovely patterns in this issue, check out the Ravelry page or Love of Crochet's website.

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And secondly...

Atomic Rose Poncho, in Interweave Crochet's special issue Crochetscene 2014:

Photo copyright Interweave Crochet

Atomic Rose features swirly floral-centered motifs with join-as-you-go chain stitch borders. Half double crochets worked in the back bar give the "roses" great texture. Each motif takes just a few minutes to make, so this project grows very quickly. The wide neck opening allows several different styling options.

I was lucky enough to see the finished poncho modelled live at the CGOA banquet this year, and I have to say it had such lovely drape and movement, it took me a moment to recognise it as my own pattern!

Here's the Atomic Rose in progress, using Soft Linen by Classic Elite Yarns:

On the blocking board (miraculous transformation by water):

And again on the model:

Photo copyright Interweave Crochet

Crochetscene 2014 can be ordered online here, and will be available in stores August 12. The fun, hip patterns in this issue can also be seen on the Ravelry page.

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Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win one of these great magazines and the other goodies pictured above!

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