Free Knitting Pattern: Autumnal Sun Coaster/Dishcloth

I recently survived an "I don't have enough cotton-based yarn" phase. I'm not sure if it was the plethora of dishcloth patterns I'd seen (combined with my need for instant gratification) or if I just couldn't get over all the overwhelmingly beautiful colors now available from Lily Sugar 'n Cream.

Whatever the reasons, I had stockpiled a full, ginormous box of Lily Sugar 'n Cream that I purchased from Blitsy during my cotton yarn gorge-fest. And I needed to do something with it.

So I dug into my new stash and got to town on a new technique I've become obsessed with: knitting wedges to create a circle. It's a simple technique and there's a lot you can do with it, and I wanted to see what I could design.

And so, this quick-and-easy dishcloth/coaster was born. The size can easily be adjusted to create a placemat that would look lovely as part of your holiday settings this year.

Although I used fall colors for my prototype, a red-and-white variegated cotton yarn would make for an amazing peppermint motif post-Thanksgiving (hint-hint!) Or choose solid colors to coordinate each circle with your home's decor. The options are endless, which makes this pattern versatile and customizable to your preferences!

Blog Hop + Giveaway: Zutter Bow-It-All (YES! It can be used with yarn!)

The Zutter Bow-It-All is a product I've always wanted to try, but could never warrant spending the money on. It's not expensive, but I've been trying to stick to only fiber crafts (i.e.: knitting and crocheting) and didn't need something else to distract me. For the longest time, that sounded like a good plan and I was doing pretty well with only knitting and crocheting.

However, Blitsy recently sent their creative team (if you haven't checked us out yet, what are you waiting for?) some Bow-It-Alls to test in anticipation of their AMAZING Black Friday Sale, featuring the fabulous Bow-It-All 2.0. If you're not familiar, it's a nifty helper tool that's easily portable and, well, handy. Because it actually does what it says it's going to do - and with no fuss. Once you get the hang of it, anyway. I have to admit I needed some initial help from the YouTubes, which is fine because there are plenty of tutorial videos available.

You're yarn people, though, so how does this apply to you? Well, as it turns out, you can make absolutely gorgeous bows with pretty much any yarn you've got sitting in your stash. Think how cute your knitted or crocheted gifts will look if they're wrapped in a bow made from the same yarn! Just use your scraps and follow the Bow-It-All's included instructions to design bows that match the gift you're giving. It can even be a "hint" as to what's inside the package. Plus, it looks adorable.

I mean, check out what I was able to make using some leftover ruffle yarn in my stash:

Aren't they pretty? And kind of shabby chic, too, but in a sparkly and festive sort of way. Which... if I were going to be shabby chic, I would want to do so whilst covered in glitter. Is there any other way?

Ready to try it out for yourself? Want to get your hands on your very own Bow-It-All? Just want something else to make with all those scraps you've got sitting around the house?

Well, then you're in luck, Because Blitsy is giving away a Bow-It-All 2.0 to one winner TODAY ONLY! Here's how to enter:

Leave a comment on this blog post. Then check out the rest of the creative team (listed below) and leave comments on their blogs for more chances to win! Make sure to hurry, though. The giveaway ends at 10PM CST TONIGHT! So get to hoppin':

An InLinkz Link-up

And seriously, make sure to check out Blitsy's site on Black Friday. Support a friend's craft addiction by getting them supplies at gloriously low prices for Christmas, or invest a little bit on yourself. After all, I think we'll all need a little pampering after our Thanksgiving festivities, so why not celebrate with some online craft shopping (and a bottle of your favorite wine - because reasons).

Enjoy the blog hop and have a happy Thanksgiving weekend :)

Review: 2014 November KnitCrate

I think it's safe to say that I'm a KnitCrate convert. Not that I needed much converting, but I'd been straddling the fence for a couple months now, waiting to see what my fellow bloggers/yarn fiends had to say about it.

Last month, I took the leap and subscribed to a monthly delivery of the Indie option. The Indie kit is comprised of hand-dyed and hand-painted yarns in various bases from the best dyers in the industry. Now that's a bold claim, right? I decided to check it out for myself and see if the kit lived up to the hype.

And maybe it's because I've been obsessed with indie dyers the past couple months, or maybe it's because I've entered the land of "All madelinetosh, all the time", but the November KnitCrate was exactly what I needed to become a new life-long subscriber. This month's featured yarn is Tosh Merino Light in the Cotton Candy colorway, exclusively created for KnitCrate subscribers. It's a beautiful minty blue and red, which are incredibly on-trend colors for the holiday season; I've been seeing this combo everywhere from various TV commercials to Clementine's ensemble in the latest Hallmark Channel Christmas movie "Northpole" (if you haven't seen it, you must!)

November's "Fun Extra" is something called "Needle Keeper - The Magic Wand". I wasn't sure how it worked when I first opened it, but I'm pretty sure this will be traveling everywhere with me moving forward. You stick your needles through the black rubber tip to make sure your needles don't go anywhere, thus destroying your hard work. It also ensures the connection between your needles and the cable doesn't get damaged. Seriously, how annoying is it when those things break and all that lovely knitting is lost? Now I just wish I had more to keep up with all my WIPs.

Oh, and then there was some delicious candy, too. In each package, KnitCrate includes a "Sweet Extra", and this month it was SuperFruit Chews from Lovely Candy Co. They're made with real fruit and are gluten- and GMO-free. Basically, healthy(er) Starbursts. Needless to say, those things did not survive until my photo shoot this past weekend. I'm only a little ashamed of my gluttony.

That said, just the monthly kit was not enough for me. To repeat myself, I am a glutton, and my click-happy response to all the goodies now available to me in the KnitCrate store is only proof of that fact. You also get a chance to add on some products with your order, so I picked up the Madelinetosh (I told you I've entered a downward spiral) Twist Light in the Care colorway, dyed specifically to raise funds for Doctors Without Borders. From the KnitCrate website: 

This is the first wide-release color in the new Twist Light line, with a full array of colors coming in early 2015. This limited edition rainbow colorway has been created for Doctors Without Borders available solely in Mad Tosh Twist Light base only. Madelinetosh has agreed to give 100% of their profits of the sale of this colorway directly to Doctors Without Borders until they reach their goal of $10,000.

Buy yarn and support a good cause? Just call me a philanthropist.

I also invested in a mini skein add-on so I could try some new yarn samples and knit puffs for my upcoming Beekeeper's Quilt. This month's Mini-Skein Assortment was also some HAND DYED Madelinetosh Tosh Sock yarn and included five small skeins in a variety of beautiful colors - the perfect amount for testing different fibers. I'm addicted.

In conclusion, I'm in love with my new investment. It's not exactly cheap, but it is fun, and I think it's going to give me a lot of opportunities for self- and gift-knitting throughout the next year. There are many different kits available, so prices do vary and give you an opportunity to customize your package with the type of yarn and projects that you'll enjoy knitting. Make sure to look at/drool over all the options:

Finished: Gallatin Scarf

This picture doesn't really do the scarf justice (partially because you have to deal with my huge face, but ya know, whatever). Trust me when I say it's gorgeous! The scarf, not my face.

A friend of mine visited the homestead a few weeks ago so we could essentially have a yummy dinner and spend the rest of our time knitting (and yarn shopping, too, but mostly knitting... and drinking craft beer). I was leaving to work in Las Vegas the next weekend, so I wanted a quick project I could whip up in any down time I had, which I knew wouldn't be much. My preference for quick projects means that I can finish them in a couple days, but they can't be boring, either, or else I put it down and dread going back to it.

I also knew I wanted to make some sort of scarf, but not a typical scarf. See, here's the thing: I hate making scarves. Hate them with the fire of a thousand suns. I get so tired of working the same stitches over and over again for what - six feet? No thanks. So instead, I wanted a triangle scarf that I could wear like a cowl and maybe help jazz up my plane ensemble a little bit. Because when you're on a plane for 5.5 hours, it's important to not look like complete crap even if you're aiming for comfort (if you could pass that message along to some of my fellow travelers, that would be swell - pajamas in public are unacceptable after post-college graduation).

After a brief skip through Ravelry, I found the Gallatin Scarf knitting pattern. I have to admit that it wasn't love at first sight, but the construction seemed interesting and the lace pattern was simple enough that I knew I wouldn't drive myself berserk trying to figure it out in less than a week. I chose some yarn that had been sitting in my stash for well over a year - maybe even two years - and went to town.

The yarn I used is Mountain Colors Twizzle in the Springtime colorway and I love the way it turned out with this pattern. I'm not a huge fan of variegated yarns, but the color change on these isn't close enough for pooling to become an issue (at least with this pattern).

The result? I'm in love. I wear it everywhere, especially now that a bitter cold front has moved in and I don't want to leave the house without first putting on at least 15 layers. I did manage to wear it on my flight to Vegas and have received many compliments since. My mom even wants one for Christmas, so I'll be seeing many more of these in my future. And that's a good thing!

ONE WEEK ONLY: Find Golden Scissors and Win Up to $1,000!

Have you heard that I'm a member of the all-new Blitsy Creative Team? If not, consider yourself informed :) As a proud Blitsy ally, I not only get to publish patterns and tutorials on the Discovery section of their site, but I also get to help out with fun little promotions from time to time, including giveaways (and who doesn't love a good giveaway?)

Which means it's super seriously important for me to tell you that  - right now - Blitsy is offering a pair of golden scissors to random lucky customers.

"What does that mean?" you ask? Good question. You deserve to know all the details about this amazing craft-hoarding opportunity, so here you have it:

But wait... there's more! (Yes, I seriously just typed that and I am ashamed)

To celebrate my new membership on the Creative Team, Blitsy has offered me a chance to give away one additional pair of their coveted golden scissors. That means you can win $10 in your Blitsy account - just for kicks - PLUS the opportunity to win $250, $500, or $1000. WITHOUT EVEN NEEDING TO ORDER SOMETHING FIRST!

Man, I knew I loved these ladies.

Ready to shop? Just follow the steps in my Rafflecopter widget below for your chance to be part of Blitsy's most interactive giveaway yet (with lots of chances to win!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winners will be chosen on Friday, November 21st, and submitted to the folks at Blitsy immediately after. Have fun!

PS: If you like this giveaway, then you'll want to make sure you are following Blitsy everywhere online so you can enjoy even more giveaways for Black Friday. It's coming sooner than you'd think! All their links are below:

Website/ Facebook/ Instagram/ YouTube

More Chances to Win!

Check out these other Blitsy Design Team members for more chances to win a pair of Golden Scissors:

An InLinkz Link-up