A very merry Christmas from all of us here in the yarn house. Except for Nick. Cuz he hates pictures.
Review: 2014 December KnitCrate
Consider my monthly KnitCrate's eye candy my Christmas treat to you :) This is only my second package, but I was so excited to see what we were getting this month that I tore it open with the fervor of a starving cat. Luckily, I wasn't disappointed (LOOK AT THE YARN!)
This month's pattern is Lapidary by Brittany Wilson, sent as a redeemable code for digital download on the site. It's totally drool-worthy (especially in the colors I received), and I've had to hide it at the bottom of all my Christmas projects so I don't get distracted. But believe you me: this thing is happening during my nearly-two-weeks off from work for the holidays. I'm not one to rush through Christmas, but I'm chomping at the bit to knit on this project.
From the KnitCrate website:
"Honeycomb-like patterns are hot this season and we couldn’t leave you out of that fun! Lapidary is worked on the bias and the colorwork is created with stripes and slipped stitches." Who doesn't love working on the bias? To me, bias designs seem to work up faster than others.
The yummy yarn was selected to coordinate with the pattern, which requires two colors. I was more than happy to get two skeins of Sunrise Fiber's Co's Frolic Sport in Electric Indigo and Jelly Bean; not only will they work up nicely in this pattern, but there's a little bit of pink in the Jelly Bean colorway. Two of my favorite colors combined in holy matrimony. Could I be any happier?
The Fun Extra is, indeed, a bit of fun. We received a Luxury Fur Pom-Pom, which is something you may have seen floating around in your LYS or online. These are fantastic for those times you don't feel like making your own (which is always for me... I absolutely hate the process of making pom-poms). It comes ready-to-attach to old or new projects that need a smidgen more pizzazz and is made of 80% acrylic and 20% polyester so it lasts a long time. You can check out what's available for purchase on the KnitCrate website.
December's Sweet Extra barely made it to the photo; I think you know why. It was Peppermint Hot Chocolate on a Stick from Ticket Chocolate and it was yummier than you could imagine. A perfect little treat to sip on while finishing up (or, in many cases, just starting) my Christmas gift knitting. Here's how it works:
Swirl our blocks of finest couverture into steaming milk or water and you’ll have a cup of hot chocolate worth lingering over. We can’t help but feel that the stirring adds to the experience, soothing you over while building up anticipation for that first sip. The hot chocolate that results is the same caliber you will find in the world’s finest cafes and bakeries. Trust us, we know our hot chocolate.
And finally, it's not splurging if I don't indulge in a minis add-on. This month, we received five more wonderful yarn from Sunrise Fiber Company in Classic Sock, a high-twist 100% Superwash Merino Wool 2-ply sock yarn. I love the mix of colors and can't wait to add it to my as-yet-to-be-started Beekeeper's Quilt.
So... happy, happy, happy things! Are you a KnitCrate subscriber? What'd you get this month?
Review: ArtBin Yarn Drum
If you’re like me, the ability to carry around your plethora of yarn isn’t optional; it’s a necessity. And sometimes, that necessity is evil.
Mobile crafting (for entrepreneurs who need constant access to their stash, anyway) is often undiscussed in the yarn industry; it seems like an unattainable oasis. The idea of needing to lug huge bags of yarn - however cute those bags may be, or however light those skeins may seem individually - is daunting.
But I recently added the ArtBin Yarn Drum to my supplies, and life has gotten so much easier.
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: