Who Wants to be a Designer?

Hi Knitters,

There has been a lot of cool behind the scenes stuff going on around here and now has come the time that I can let you in on some of the coolness! First off, I don't know if any of you have heard the exciting news about the brand-new yarn line coming out this June '09 at TNNA from the fantastic people at Blue Sky Alpacas. The yarn line is called, Spud and Chloe. That is the logo above. Adorable, right? 

I have been doing lots of work for the Spud and Chloe line and I can tell you firsthand, the yarn is simply spectacular. It is a simple, straightforward line of yarn. There are three weights, sock (fingering), sweater (worsted) and outer (bulky). The yarns are made from all natural fibers and are machine washable. The colors are perfect for versatility and gorgeousness in general. The yarn is a treat, soft and squishy, really yummy. I was blown away the first time I got to use it and I'm not kidding.

Besides the description on the logo, "sweet yarns for real life," (which I love) here is the company's description:

"New from the makers of Blue Sky Alpacas, Spud and Chloe is a line of luxe yarns designed with life in mind. With a soft hand, spot-on colors and the option of gentle machine washing, everything you make is family-friendly and easy-going, made for real life."

What could be better than that?
Here is a little sneak peek at some of the designs coming up for Spud and Chloe. But here is where it gets even more interesting for you. The good people at Blue Sky Alpacas (BSA) are putting on a design contest for anyone to enter.  There will be 3 winning designs selected by the BSA staff. The prizes are phenomenal, a chance of a lifetime!

Each of the 3 winners will be announced with a featured link and picture on the Blue Sky Alpacas website's front page. (That's huge!!) The winners will also receive 3 skeins in each line of Spud and Chloe. This is before it is even released to the public so you will get the ultimate sneak peek! This is a large prize offer worth quite a bit. You will love this yarn, no question.

These are the specific requirements for the design contest:

1. Submit only one original pattern.

2. Patterns may range in difficulty from washcloths to lace shawls.

3. The contest will start May 1rst and end May 31rst (absolutely no later than).

4. Submit your original design to the BSA group on Ravelry called High Fiber. The official entry thread will be opened on May 1rst. Just hop on this forum and you will see that the top 3 topic lines are devoted to this contest.

5. Each submitted design has to have a free pattern link (yes, the pattern has to be available for free!) either on your blog or on Ravelry. 

6. You can use any of the Blue Sky Alpacas yarns for your design. Only Blue Sky yarns, not a mix with another brand. You can use two or more different Blue Sky yarns within the same pattern.

7. The 3 winners will be announced with a featured link and picture on the BSA website's front page under "Staff Pick" of the month. If you win, your linked pattern will run for approximately 30 days. Months will be July, August and September. (One winner per month)

8. There is a question line open on High Fiber. If you need any answers about the contest you can ask here. 

I am also happy to field any questions as well and I will try to get the answers for you. I think this is an exciting opportunity for any designer trying to break in. It is an amazing chance to get some attention for your knitting designs and blog. I strongly encourage any of you with free patterns already up and running or a pattern just waiting to be posted for the first time to enter. Contests like this don't happen very often, if ever, so take advantage. 

I can't tell you how many knitters write me all of the time asking for advice on getting a pattern published or getting a book deal. Well, this is the perfect place to get your feet wet. Here you go.

This is your chance to shine, Knitters! Just do it!

The Spud and Chloe website is here. It should be up and running pretty soon and I'll keep you posted on that. 

Also, there is a brand new twitter page for Spud and Chloe where there will be updates and contest news along the way along with other news about the yarn line and new patterns. Please join in and follow Spud and Chloe on twitter, too. There is going to be a lot going on over there shortly.

Take care and good luck! Let me know if I can help you along the way. I am more than happy to help.

best, susie