Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Happy Anniversary!

First off, I want to thank all of you for your kind words and support.  Once again, I am stunned at the open hearts and minds of the knitting community.  Thank you, with all my heart.

Now, last year on this date I started this blog.  I didn't know what it would become or the things that would happen in the last year.  I didn't know how many wonderful people I would meet through the blog, or how much life would change.

So welcome to our paper anniversary!

In celebration of every step of the way so far, I'm giving away some full projects.  I've got patterns, I've got yarns, and I've got some secret goodies to go with them!

Without further ado, here are the details.
First up is a weekend project.  Something you can finish in a weekend, and that will be useful.  I use this myself all the time, and I knit them up for friends as well.

Dangerous Curves Market Bag!
This is a good project for a beginning knitters.  It uses slipped stitches, knitting back and forth, picking up stitches, knitting in the round, and the most basic of lace.  It's designed to allow you to carry back your goodies without breaking your long breads and it is washable to boot.

The yarn to make this is in blue rather than red, and I'm including enough to make a 2nd smaller bag.  Here are the skeins in question:
blue cottons, cable construction
Our small project is something a little different.  Colorwork.  Shown below as a tam

And here on my model (bribed with hot chocolate) shown as the slouchy version.


This is a small project that uses faux-fair isle techniques.  The yarn for the giveaway includes enough to knit both hats.

Next up, our medium project.  This is a smoke ring, a loose lace cowl knit using 2 strands of lace-weight yarn to make up a heavier weight.  First, my increasingly antsy model wearing it:
And now the yarns
This project actually has 3 different sizes/patterns in it and the winner has a choice of greens or the neutrals shown on little man above.

And finally, the large project.  I'm going to send the winner of this project a fully written out version of the serious scarf pattern.  A copy of this pattern will be offered for free on the original page within the next week, but in .pdf format instead of just the recipe instructions.  I'm hoping to encourage more masculine lace!

And to create your scarf (or lap blanket, etc), I have 10 skeins of Elann's peruvian highland bulky
In a gorgeous almost-navy color.

I know my modeled shots of the other items are not fabulous, but I will be putting up better ones soon.  I have a date with a friend who has agreed to model.  I won't have to chase her around the house begging, "please just let me take the picture."  I know, very novel!

Giveaway details!  To enter, simply leave a comment telling me what your favorite kind of knitting is.  Is it fair-isle?  Is it lace?  Is it cables?  Inquiring minds want to know.  Please include some contact information so I can contact you to get you your goodies.  This will be open until August 26 at 11PM Eastern.  Winners will be announced on the 27th.

Thank all of you for your support and encouragement!  You've made this last year a delight, and I hope to harass you with posts for many many years to come.

Happy Anniversary!

10 comments:

  1. Wow, congrats on your anniversary, and what an amazing giveaway!

    My favourite type of knitting... Hmm, I'm not experienced enough to have tried many techniques (colourwork is the one I want to try next!) so cabling would probably have to be my choice - I love how it looks so much more difficult than it is!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations!

    This is a great giveaway. I always prefer having a question to answer rather than just being asked to comment.

    My favorite kind of knitting is in-the-round. I have small kids that always seem to NEED something in the middle of a row. It is so much easier to cope with my mommy guilt if they only have to wait until (at max) the end of *a repeat*.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Congrats to you for 1 year of blogging, and thanks for bringing us along on this fun ride. I'm fickle about knitting techniques - I go thru phases. Fair-isle texture, cables, back to fair-isle, entrelac. I really don't have a favorite.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Congratulations for a year! I love your blog. And your projects---be still my heart!!
    I find it hard to pinpoint my favorite (everything is my favorite when I am knitting it :)) but right now I'm really into cables and lace. Although I've done some colorwork as well and really like that.
    (I'm Knitsensei on Ravelry.)

    ReplyDelete
  5. We share a blogversary! The only difference is that I started my blog the year before you (so yesterday was my second blogversary).

    Woo-hoo!

    As for the knitting...I have a love of hats with some ribbing (just a little interest to keep me going) and socks. I haven't tried fair-isle (yet) and lace can be a challenge for me. I just like to knit. Isn't that enough?!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I like cables in knitting. They look so hard but are easy to knit. I am trying to get into a little lace now.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hmmm....cables are always easier than they look but are time consuming...fair isle, really havent done much....lace, well, I find it either easy and rewarding and difficult and frustrating! But since - when succssful - it is so beautiful - I guess I woul dhave to choose lace!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi..happy blogversary..!
    I've just started knitting not long..yet to try out many things..especially colour-work..
    I'm more into simple lace now..basic knit..purl & yarn over..(is it considered lace..?)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Congrats on the first year. I love cables and have just started lace knitting with fingering weight yarn with shawls. Just started doing socks.

    RAV GailGodwin

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wonderful and congrats on a full year of blogging! You have done a marvelous job. I enjoy reading your posts. It reminds me I am not the only one!
    My favorite type of knitting is lace knitting but I prefer fingering weights or above so that I see progress. I have learned that lace weight goes very slowly. I also love going in the round so I don't ahve to purl as much! LOL!

    Girlieknitwit on rav

    ReplyDelete