2014 TGIF Secret Santa Swap Reveal

I'm not sure how many of you know this, but it's been kind of a rough season for me. On top of piling on too much work outside of work (still fun - don't get me wrong - just keeping me busy!) and the usual holiday fare, my grandfather passed away last week. Needless to say, any blog posts I had planned didn't get posted.

I wasn't really sure how to get back into the blogging groove, as I had the same issue writing after my grandmother passed away in April. It just doesn't feel important anymore, even though it is; writing has always been a sort of therapy for me and I've been keeping journals and blogs for as long as I can remember.

Luckily, though, I had something exciting to kick my butt back in gear and come to you with some joyful news. I had joined the TGIF Secret Santa over on Ravelry a couple months ago as a way share some Christmas spirit with fellow yarn lovers. In the past, I've received ornaments from different areas of the country, handmade gifts (which are always a treasured bonus) and, of course, yarn that I can't always get in my area.

I had fun putting together goodies for my own Secret Santa... and even more fun when I came home yesterday to see that my secret Santa was Margaret (one of my favorite YouTubers). I knew immediately that her package would not only be fun to open, but incredibly thoughtful and purposeful - exactly how she appears in her videos.

Here are the amazing pressies she selected for me:

• A knitting pattern book I had on my Amazon wish list (Knockout Knits by Laura Nelkin)
• A cat paw bottle opener that was also on my Amazon wish list (I laughed SO HARD! I can’t wait to put it to good use
• A gorgeous hand-carved wooden nativity to add to my collection
• A cute little “D” ornament that is going on the tree as soon as I’m done typing
• Kitty treats for Charlie and Nelson (Backstory: Margaret's cat Smitty looks like my Charlie and these are some of Smitty's favorite treats, so he thought he'd share some with Charlie :) )
• A rope penguin doggy toy for Fritzy
• Beautiful Berocco Brio yarn in the 9447 colorway "Riot" (and it sparkles - my favorite!)
• A Margaret-made project bag :D I’ve been dying to have one since she started making them!!!!
• Some delicious-sounding “Nighty Night Before Christmas” organic tea
• And the piece(s) de resistance: two pint glasses with the BEER INSTITUTE logo because I’m a bit of a beer snob and enjoy teaching people that there is more than one flavor - and yes, it can be delicious! I LOVE THEM and so does my hubby. He was impressed :)

I can't stress enough what a happy surprise it was to not only receive these amazing gifts when I needed it most, but to also have Margaret as my Secret Santa. It brightened my entire week!

Free Christmas Crochet Pattern Roundup

By now, I’m sure you’re all going crazy finishing up those last-minute gifts. If you’re anything like me, then procrastination is king and stress results in a better product (I don’t know how, but it does. Really.)

But in the midst of all the chaos, we could all use a little break, if for no other reason than to get back in the spirit of the season. That’s why I’ve selected these ridiculously fun and quick crochet patterns for you to make before the festivities end. As a bonus, you can use them to decorate your house or attach to gifts (because you’re done with those, right)?

PLUS… if you’ve purchased a ton of holiday-themed yarn from Blitsy (or just want an excuse to buy more), then you’ll love that these patterns are from companies whose products are consistently featured on Blitsy. Just head on over here to see what’s currently available for all your crocheting needs.

Anyway, onward to my favorite quick-to-crochet free patterns:

Red Heart's Winter Trends 2014

Red Heart has released their list of Winter Trends for 2014, and I'm a fan. From mitts to cowls, from cuffs to shrugs, they've compiled some delightfully colorful patterns to spruce up an otherwise all-white-all-the-time winter season. Here are my favorites:

Bulky Boot Cuffs

Party Time Sweater

Cable Your Scarf

Chic Cowl Neck Poncho

What do you think? Will you be making anything trendy this winter?

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 :)