50 Sunflowers by Kristin Nicholas - Giveaway!

Hi, Knitters,

I have a treat for you today. Kristin Nicholas has done it again with another fantastic book. This collection is creative, innovative and downright sunny. Kristin has created 50 sunflowers for you to create using different techniques through knitting, crocheting, and felting. Along with the sunflowers are leaves, a bumble bee and ladybug and an adorable robin. The entire book is whimsical and fun.

The layout of the pages is gorgeous and clear. I love these two page spreads showing all of the flowers in wonderfully clear detail.

The backgrounds are just as stunning. The variety of flower design in the book is staggering.

The book includes clear instruction on the basic techniques. It's very beginner friendly. Kristin tells you how to read the crochet charts and instructions. There is a color theory section, one of Kristin's specialties. Special techniques are made very clear and there is a section on both materials and embroidery, as well. Step-by-step tutorials are included in the beginning section. The written patterns for the flowers and such are next. The book ends with a nice variety of projects you can make with your beautiful handcrafted flowers. 

I love the idea of felted flower napkin rings either in the spring or summer or even to cheer up the winter doldrums at your dinner table. I love that each flower on the napkins is different. Gorgeous idea by Kristin, as always.

Kristin also includes projects that combine store-bought ideas along with your handmade flowers. Fun projects made with store-bought items include embellished lampshades, a child's cardigan, a decorated straw bag and more. There is much to choose from.

What an adorable gift this sunflower washcloth would make paired with a good-smelling bar of soap. Anyone would love to receive this for the kitchen or bath or even a baby gift.

Of course, with her Kristin style and artistic flair she has included the flowers in framed artwork to adorn your walls. This idea makes me so happy. Don't you just love the way those framed pictures look? I would love to hang these in my house.

Kristin is a longtime favorite of mine. I pretty much love anything and everything she does. She is a storyteller, an artist, a farmer, a devoted family woman, and mainly, a creative spirit. If you are not already following her blog, you should subscribe. Kristin also has an informative newsletter which I subscribe to as well. Her designs and books are all on my shelves. Her books are a constant source of inspiration and reference for me. I go to her books for not only patterns but color ideas, techniques (steeking and putting in zippers are my two favorites), project information, colorwork charts (Color by Kristin has a chart dictionary that I love and use often). 

Click here to purchase Kristin's available books, including 50 Sunflowers, directly from her online shop. I love that she sells her books directly  because that helps to support her farm. I encourage you to take this route. 

Click here for Kristin's wonderful farm-filled blog! It is a must-read! Her farm and sheep photography is amazing.

Click here to see Kristin's new book, 50 Sunflowers, on Ravelry!

Here is the book description from Ravelry:

In 50 Sunflowers to Knit, Crochet & Felt you’ll find:

• Over 25 crocheted sunflower designs, plus a monarch butterfly and ladybug. Crochet instructions are both written out and charted.
• Over 25 knitted sunflower designs, plus a robin, swallowtail butterfly, honey bee and a woolly bear caterpillar.
• 15 ideas with instructions for how to use the designs in your home, as part of your wardrobe, or anywhere in your life.

50 Sunflowers to Knit, Crochet and Feltbrings Kristin’s sunflower garden to life in knit and crochet stitches. Inspired by her summer garden, the book presents a joyful collection of small knit and crochet projects that are fun to create and will add to the joy of gift-giving. Kristin includes a how-to section that will make you feel more confident about working with color combinations.

To enter to win a copy of Kristin's 50 Sunflowers book, please leave one comment on this blog post. Leave your Ravelry ID or an email address so I can get in touch if you win to gather your mailing address. Please be patient for your comment to appear on the blog as I approve all comments to avoid spam. I will be back in a couple of days to choose a winner by random number generator. The book will be sent directly from the publisher. 

Good luck! You will love this book for years to come. It is a true flower adventure.

best, susie

Sugar and Spice is Everything Nice

 (All photos provided by Sugar and Spice, photographer Caro Sheridan)

Hi, Knitters,
Today I have something fun and fresh to review in the crochet world. The fantastic Linda Permann has authored a brand new crochet ebook called, Sugar and Spice, Six Bakery-Inspired Crochet Fashions. Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen more gorgeous crochet designs in my life. Linda called on some talented friends to help her pull her new book together. The photography is simply stunning and is by the talented Caro Sheridan or splityarn on Ravelry (she also has a photography class on Craftsy.com called Shoot It!), and the one and only Amy Herzog is one of the beautiful models. Linda is a talented and experienced designer as you'll see, so you can be completely confident when using her patterns.

Here is Linda's description of the book:

When I think of fall, I remember pumpkin patches, changing leaves and crisp morning walks. I savor those first cool mornings, and as the temperatures fall, my urge to snuggle up with crochet gets even stronger.

The six designs in Sugar and Spice were inspired by my love of crocheted texture—and desserts, ranging from simple to ornate. Bubbling cherries swim a cobbler crust, embossed designs adorn an Italian cookie, and glowing beads of sugar dance along the edge of a freshly baked pie. Just like a delicious dessert, a beautiful hat, shawl or sweater will leave you feeling warm and content.

I hope you find inspiration in these pages to make your own crochet delicacies, either as gifts or to cherish for yourself.

Happy Crocheting!

I think this cardigan is wonderful. There is so much detail and the fit is perfection. I would wear this thing out. What a perfect everyday little cardigan.

Click here to see more information about all of the patterns on Ravelry!

Click here to see more about Linda Permann! Really, you have to click on this link and just look at her work. Linda is so incredibly talented. She recently moved to Colorado to work at Craftsy.com - one of my favorite places to be! Craftsy is lucky to have such talent and experience.

I met Linda briefly at TNNA a couple of years ago. She is just as smart and adorable as her designs. As far as this ebook goes, I love every design in here. Each project is stylish, beautifully made and designed. Plus the projects look fairly quick and fun to crochet. Linda seriously takes crochet to an enviable level. Every project is stunning.

Click here for Linda's website and blog!

All six of the designs are made in Malabrigo yarns. What's not to love about that? I think Linda's pairing of yarn and project is perfection throughout the book.

 The Pinzelle Beret is exquisite.

 I love this Cherry Cobbler Beanie. Who doesn't like cherry cobbler?

I am going to have to try to crochet one of these hats.

 This is one of my favorites, the Tart Shrug. It is so pretty and sweet looking.

 These colors could not possibly look any better on the beautiful and talented Amy Herzog. She has the best hair in town. This is the Cocoa Wafer Cowl. It is all a winning combination, including the photography.

Click here to see all of Amy Herzog's designs! She has a new book coming out this spring, as well. I'll be reviewing this one as soon as I get a copy.

The gray with the yellow with Amy's wonderful coloring makes me want to crochet the Sugar Sparkles Shawl immediately. Just look at the border on this one! It is incredible.

I can't recommend Linda's work enough. She is a great one to follow. The ebook filled with these six designs can be purchased for download for a mere $18, which is only $3 per pattern. That is a steal. Let me know what you think.

best, susie

Cashmere, Buttonholes and More Socks

Hi Knitters,

Happy Valentine's Day! I don't have any heart knitting for you today, but I do have an excellent project in a Valentine-y red. It'll have to do this year.

Every once in a while you see a pattern that you know you have to make and that you have to start immediately. The Purlbee's Two-Color Cowl struck me like this for some reason. 

Click here for the pattern for the Two-Color Cowl.

I like to dabble in crochet every once in a while. This cowl was the perfect counter to the knitting and designing I have been doing lately for my book stuff. I had this Trauco, Araucania 100% cashmere lace weight, just sitting around but I never knew what to make with it until I saw this pattern. 

Click here to see the Ravelry yarn page for Trauco.

Click here for a quick video of me crocheting this cowl.

I pulled out my trusty US D/3-3.25mm crochet hook that I wasn't even sure I had, and got to work. I just chained until I had about 22 inches and joined to work in the round. I ended up with fewer stitches than the pattern calls for but I figured it would be fine and it was. This is an easy and well written pattern. You need to know how to chain, slip stitch, single crochet and double crochet. Those are very basic crochet skills and I love the end result.

I can't believe how light and airy this cowl is, it feels like butter. I finished my Two-Color Cowl Sunday night. In the morning, I soaked it in Celebration Soak Wash for about 20 minutes. I squeezed out the excess water and laid it flat to dry. It smells so good. 

It dried in no time at all. By the end of the afternoon the cowl was completely dry. I wore it for the rest of the day and night. I love the tonal variation of the yarn as it adds interest to the fabric. Also, I made my cowl about 13-inches in length instead of the 16-inches suggested in the pattern. That is plenty long for me.

Anyway, I deem this project a huge success, good enough to use a skein of cashmere. This is the first time I have worked with 100% cashmere so that was fun and new. If you are a beginning crocheter the Two-Color Cowl would be a perfect project for you. It's so simple and fast.

I love the Purlbee, don't you?

On a different note, while I was waiting for my new cowl to dry, I was wearing my Owls cardigan. I have been meaning to tighten up the buttonholes a bit as they were a little too big for the buttons I selected and kept coming undone while I was wearing the cardigan. This was the perfect chance to get this done. I often end up tightening knit buttonholes after I make a cardigan so the buttons stay buttoned.

I used a matching gray thread and sewing needle to do this. On the wrong side of the buttonhole I take a few stitches to close up the hole a bit. Before tying off the thread and cutting, I always try to pull the button through the hole to make sure that I haven't made it too small. If it's a good fit I tie a couple of knots and pull the end through a few stitches and cut the thread. It is completely invisible and secure.

I wore the Owls cardigan for the rest of the day along with my new cowl. The buttons now stay closed which makes me happy! What an easy and effective fix.

Also, while my cowl was drying and I had my basin and Soak out, I quickly washed a pair of handknit socks I made a couple of years ago. This is one pair that has been borrowed by my Peachy (and never returned). I believe it is Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn (do they still make this yarn?). I used my simple sock pattern, click here if you missed it.

I don't wash these socks in the machine because this is a single ply wool and I think they would felt. It is so easy to handwash wool and then it always smells so good when you are done. I actually kind of enjoy handwashing my woolens. These particular socks have been worn and washed a lot and they are holding up very well.

That's it for today. I am thinking about another book giveaway soon. I feel like I haven't done one in a while.

Have a super Tuesday.
best, susie

A Quiet Sunday Project

Hi Knitters,
Here is a short viewing of what I am doing this lovely and quiet February Sunday. It involves fingering weight cashmere and a crochet hook.

Click here to see the project I am making.

Have a happy Sunday, everyone. I hope you get some quiet time, too.
best, susie