Do I Dare?

Edited to add on July 6: The contest is now closed!!! No more entries are being taken. Thanks to all for entering.

Hi Knitters,

Well, do I? Of course I do.

I have a couple more giveaways to offer you. It has been the summer of giveaways around here. The next giveaway I have to offer you is the beautifully done Vogue Knitting Stitchionary 5: Lace Knitting. It lives up to all expectations. I have all of the Vogue Knitting Stitchionary Volumes and I was waiting on pins and needles for volume 5 to come out. I've already read through the pages and with my post-it notes at the ready I have marked some of the lace patterns I will be trying out soon.
I love the fact that the stitchionaries are done in color themes. This one uses shades of blue to highlight the chapters which are: Easy/Mesh, Allover, Edgings, Motifs, Combos and Chevrons. That just about covers it.
There is great variety and the patterns are both written row by row and in chart form. This book covers all bases.
This pattern of overlapping leaves will definitely show up in something I will be making. No questions. Isn't that gorgeous? Love.
The range of difficulty goes from super simple all the way to ultra-complicated. Vogue always hits it out of the ballpark.

Anyway, for the giveaway I am offering a copy of Stitchionary 5 to one lucky knitter. Please leave a comment on this post that includes a way to get in touch with you in the chance that you win (email, ravelry name, link). I will randomly select a winner in a couple of days and post the winning comment here. At that time you will need to get in touch with me to give me your mailing address so the book can be sent out. One entry per person, please.

Have fun and go for it!
I dug around in some bins the other day and found this bountiful bouquet of Manos Cotton Stria. What a fantastic cotton this is. I love the texture and the tonal hues of bright and subtle color. I have wanted to knit up the free pattern, Petal Shawlette, since I saw the pattern in May from Loop in Philadelphia (Craig has a great blog with free patterns). I finally hand-rolled a couple of balls and got to it.
I always think this yarn looks like candy. The Manos Cotton looks very similar to the recommended Cotton Blossom yarn for the pattern. The Cotton Blossom comes in skeins of 200 yards which is very generous.
The shawlette is a simple quick pattern worked on a US size 9 needle.
I haven't even finished the first ball of cotton so I think I will make mine a little bigger and keep going for awhile before I add the final edging. You might like to make one of these, too. Cotton and summer just go together.
The sleeves are coming along on my Garter Yoke Cardigan, too. I have been having fun working a few quick rounds here and there when I sit in this chair in my living room. I just leave it sitting on the arm of the chair. When others sit there they just ignore my sweater hogging up the chair. They sit right on it. Good thing it's a sturdy piece.

Did you see the Knitscene preview? I can't wait.

I am running the Spud & Chloë Facebook page if you'd like to join me. Click here.

Blue Sky Alpacas just started a Facebook page, too! Click here to check that out.

My new free hat pattern is up and available on Spud says! Click here for the pattern.

Guess what? Someone dear to me is sending me her spinning wheel! It is just sitting in her closet and she wants me to use it. Mama may have a new hobby! I am calling Liz at the Sow's Ear (they are having a big sale from July 2-4th) when I get it to see if she'll give me some private lessons. I can't wait.

I am thinking about that fun quilt top I finished two summers ago, too. I think I will pull that out and finish it up. I have all of the materials I need to finish. I have been thinking about my old granny square throw that is half done. That I would like to finish as well.

That's enough for this post, right? I keep thinking of more things to tell you.

Enter the giveaway!!!

best, susie