GIVEAWAY || BIRCH FABRICS SERENGETI FABRIC GIVEAWAY!

Who's in the mood to win some new fabric? 

Birch Fabrics has a colorful fun new line out called Serengeti in poplin and knit! Designed by Jay-Cyn Designs this collection of prints featuring animals, geometrics & more is so lively! I adore the color palette and can easily see this line of poplin and knits working into so many projects! Can't you just see those elephant or giraffe prints in a cute pair of pj's or leggings for the wee ones? Heck I'd want a pair too!

All Birch Fabrics are 100% Organic Cotton too! I've been a long time fan of Birch Fabrics and can vouch for the excellent quality of their fabrics. They never disappoint with their designs and fabric quality! Ranging from poplin, knits, voile's, double gauzes, & more there is something for every project you're dreaming up at Birch Fabrics. For inspiration don't miss their blog HERE. There are lots of free projects, patterns, giveaways and more to be found.

Would you like to win some Serengeti? Birch Fabrics is giving away the following to 2 lucky winners:

Winner #1 - 3 yards of their choice of Serengeti Knit!!!

Winner #2 - 2 yards of their choice of Serengeti Poplin!!!

Enter below for your chance to win some of this gorgeous fabric!! In the meantime you can find all things Birch Fabrics here:

WEBSITE // BLOG // FACEBOOK // INSTAGRAM // TWITTER // PINTEREST

GIVEAWAY || HOME BY PAM ALLEN of QUINCE & CO.

I've been drooling over my copy of Pam Allen of Quince & Co.'s latest book HOME since I first got my hands on a copy.

I knew when I first saw the lookbook that HOME had to be mine. I am a huge fan of Pam Allen's design aesthetic and work. Throw that in with Quince & Co. yarns and you've got me head over heels in love. It's pretty much a given that I love everything Quince & Co. does...lol, but this latest collection really had me smitten. HOME features 18 knittable projects to keep you comfy! And boy do they do! I can't even pick my fave! I seriously would love to make each project.

Ranging from gorgeous cardigans with interesting shapes and details, to socks, slippers, vests, blankets & pillows and more there is a project in HOME for everyone! And since I'm so in love with HOME I knew you all would be do! I mean how could you not love this book?! So I had to giveaway a copy of the book and the ebook of HOME.

You can check out all the projects below and above and drool over them by checking out the HOME lookbook HERE. And also find them on Ravelry HERE.

Which patterns are your fave? Aren't they all so pretty? Pam did an amazing job! I just want to jump in and hang out there. I love how all of Pam's patterns in HOME feature gorgeous texture and special & interesting technical details that every knitter loves! My mind just gets giddy with these kinds of patterns. And the color palette (signature Quince & Co.) just screams relaxation and calm. I want to snuggle up in all of them......and knit ;)

Here's some more pics from HOME. Drool away my friends.....and then when you are done getting inspired enter to win a copy of HOME at the bottom of this post.

Enjoy and good luck! Pour yourself a nice warm cup of coffee and let yourself get taken away with HOME. Happy knitting!
All images © Quince & Co.

GIVEAWAY || $75 FAT QUARTER SHOP FABRIC GIVEAWAY!

Who's in the mood to win $75 worth of fabric for Christmas? 

We're all still under the weather at my house so I figured what better way to cheer myself up than to giveaway a $75 Gift Certificate to the amazing Fat Quarter Shop! Wahoo!

Follie by Lotta Jansdotter, Image Credit: Windham Fabrics

Fat Quarter Shop is your go to online fabric shop! They are my favorite place to get charm packs, fat quarter bundles and all my fave prints! Plus have you seen their YouTube channel lately? So many awesome videos to learn and get inspired by as well! If you haven't been to Fat Quarter Shopyet go visit! You're sure to find a few things you'll be adding to your xmas wish list!

Here's a few of the fabrics I'm coveting! 

1// Cotton + Steel 2// Lotta Jansdotter 3// Katarina Roccella 4// Judie Rothermel 5// Primitive Gatherings          6// Katarina Roccella 7// Maureen Cracknell  8// Maureen Cracknell 9// Elizabeth Olwen

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You ready to win some new lovlies to get kick off your sewing for 2015! Simply enter using the Rafflecopter entry below. Good luck and happy sewing! Winner will be announced next week!

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GIVEAWAY WINNERS || YOTH YARNS & CALLIOPE FABRIC GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

I've been in bed for days fighting a nasty, bad cold bug.

For over 6 days now I've been sick with this darn thing. I even lost my voice and if you know me you know that is awful! Me not talk? Crazy! The hubs thought it was an early xmas pressie...lol. On the plus side I've watched Gilmore Girls for days and days.

The blog will most likely be quiet this week as I hopefully start to feel better soon.  Bear with me...I will be back :)

In the meantime, here's the winners of 2 of our latest giveaways!!!

/// YOTH YARNS GIVEAWAY

Winner #1 - Sweaters worth of Big Sister

Commenter #40 Rachel 

Winner #2 - 1 skein of Little Brother

Commenter #70 Jocelyn

Winner #3 - 1 skein of Little Brother

Commenter #66 Lori

/// CALLIOPE FABRIC GIVEAWAY FROM HAWTHORNE THREADS

Winner #1 - Fat Quarter Bundle of Calliope
Commenter #17 Kristy

Congratulations ladies!!! You won some awesome prizes!! And a thank you to all who entered!

Please show YOTH Yarns and Hawthorne Threads some love for their generous prize donations and great giveaways!!! Both are worth visiting and shopping at.

GIVEAWAY || YOTH YARNS REVIEW & GIVEAWAY!

Last spring I fell head over heels for YOTH Yarns. You know... that kind of yarn love where you know the minute you see it that you must have it.

Since then I've been anxiously awaiting the time when I could share about the fabulousness of this "to dye" for yarn company on the blog! I had the lovely chance to meet Veronika, one of the co-owners of YOTH Yarns, at our stop to visit Tolt Yarn & Wool in Carnation, WA during Vogue Knitting. I already knew Veronika was talented and sweet (have you read her blog Yarn on the House?) but when I spotted her brand spanking new yarn I knew I was hooked. They've got squish factor, are great for texture, the colors are your new fave go to's and they are just plain awesome to knit with! My friends and I have all been coveting our lovely skeins and I have no doubt in my mind that YOTH Yarns is going to go far and do big things.

 

// What are the YOTH Yarns? YOTH Yarns are available in two sizes in a lovely MCN blend: DK weight, aptly called Big Sister, and fingering weight, called....you guessed it....Little Brother. The yarns are named after Veronika and her business partner and brother Daniel. I love their story and I love that it's a family business. You can read more about Veronika and Daniel on their About Page HERE.

// What is the goal of YOTH Yarns? Veronika and Daniel created YOTH Yarns to bring sophisticate, unisex colors to the market that they believe not only have a special place in their hearts, but are what is missing out there. They are hard at work creating 4 color palettes. Their first one is the Raw Palette. You can find it for sale online at yothyarns.com and in their two exclusive flagship stores: Tolt Yarn & Wool in Carnation, WA and Baaad Anna's in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

I feel so lucky to have some delicious YOTH Yarns in my stash and have plans to add many more. YOTH is planning on releasing their next color palette - FRESH, a group of 12 crisp and earthy blues and greens. I cannot wait! Seriously! I've been bombarding Veronika's inbox for the when's and how's of getting my hands on some. But for now here's a sampling of the RAW Palette (shown below) that is out now.

"Our yarns are lovingly curated by Little Brother and Big Sister, dyed in a beautiful dye house in Maine and then shipped to you from our home in Woodinville, WA. We bring you sophisticated color palettes that are as delicious to the eye as they are to knit."

And just to add icing on the cake Veronika is also a talented designer. You can see all her patterns HERE. She's getting ready to release a small collection of 4 garment pieces and 2 neckwear pieces soon! They will also be at Stitches West this upcoming spring with lots of their One of a Kinds and their completed color palettes! Drool!!!

And because I love YOTH Yarns so much I couldn't resist hosting a giveaway for you all to win a chance to knit with YOTH Yarns too! Are you ready to hear what the prize is? 
Keep reading below to enter!

// THE PRIZE

- One winner will win 6 skeins of Big Sister (sweater's worth) in a color of their choosing (in stock colors only). Wahoo! How's that for a prize!

- Two runners up will receive 1 skein of Little Brother in a color of their choosing (in stock colors only).

// HOW TO ENTER
- Simply leave a comment below letting us know what color you would choose if you won. You can find all colors HERE on YOTH Yarns.

// THE RULES

- You must leave a valid email address in your comment or you will be disqualified. If you are commenting with your google+ profile please make sure you have a valid email associated with your account.
- Giveaway is open until Dec. 3rd, 2014, midnight, PST.

Good luck and happy knitting!!! And if you can't wait to see if you won I highly suggest popping on over to YOTH Yarns and scooping up on a nice xmas treat for yourself. You deserve it....

A big thank you to YOTH Yarns for offering such a generous prize and to Veronika for putting up with me nagging her for months about my love of YOTH Yarns. You can find all things YOTH Yarns below....

 WEBSITE // BLOG // INSTAGRAM // BIG SIS // LITTLE BRO // RAVELRY // PINTEREST

MOMENTS || BRING ON THE COLD WEATHER!

It's been freeeeeeeeezing cold over here and I'm happy to say that I've been bundled up in handknits and the yarn is.....EVERYWHERE. 

Best part of the fall/winter season. I think I have multiple knitting projects in progress in every room of the house right now...lol. I've been sewing and knitting and knitting and sewing. It's been fun but definitely busy. I've been binge watching Gilmore Girls, which I'm sure a ton of you have too. It's so fun to know that when I'm watching I know lots of you are too. I have a special place in my heart for this show and I'm so excited it's finally on Netflix here in Canada.

See that mug there - that's my fave mug evah from one of my yarn shops evah - Tolt Yarn and Wool

What's all the knitting & sewing I've been doing? I've got a new sweater pattern (shown above), shawl (swatch in the pic at the top), and a few more lovelies in the works coming your way for the knitters. For the sewing I've been working on getting the new Grainline Pattern - The Linden Sweatshirt sewn up as well as the new True Bias pattern - The Sutton Blouse. I'm on a mission to sew some more clothes for my wardrobe and fell in love with both of these patterns. I think they will make great staples for the fall/winter.

We've also been enjoying our new home and I've been loving decorating it too! I hope to share pics soon! You can easily stay up to date behind the scenes on what I've been up to and making by following VeryShannon on instagram HERE.

I've also got some giveaway winners to announce!  Two winners to be exact!

GIVEAWAY #1 // FANCY TIGER SAILOR TOP PATTERN

The winner is Commenter #13 - Swedish Scrapper!

GIVEAWAY #2 // FAT QUARTER SHOP $50 GIFT CERTIFICATE

The winner is Commenter #113 - Tabitha!

Congratulations ladies! I'll be in touch soon in regards to your prizes!!! Thanks to all who entered!

What are you all busy making? Anyone else watching Gilmore Girls? I'd love to hear what you've been working on! Let's chat!

SEWING || HAWTHORNE THREADS CALIOPE BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY

Sweetheart Dress by VeryShannon using Calliope by Hawthorne Threads

Have you guys heard the news about the new fabric lines from Hawthorne Threads? I'm beyond thrilled to have been asked to join in on the launch blog tour for one of their new lines - Calliope! Isn't it gorgeous! 

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We couldn't resist making a Sweetheart Dress when we saw the prints in Calliope! Hearts + feathers = yes please! I was more than happy to sew up our pattern with the print Feathered Hearts in Bluebell (shown on the skirt) along with the equally adorable print "Jubilee in White" for the bodice. And well you can't see it here we used "Poetic Plumes in White" for the bodice lining and it's gosh darn pretty too!

My little girl is wearing a size 3T bodice with a size 4 skirt. Only modification I made to our Sweetheart Dress Pattern was to use the full width of the yardage for the skirt for extra twirl factor! She loooooves that! She's really into ballet and dance and I think this is her favorite dress we've made her yet! She wouldn't take it off. You can read more about the Sweetheart Dress Pattern and purchase it from our shop HERE.

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My girls absolutely loved the colors and patterns in this line and so did I! I think the colors would work well for any season and match along seamlessly with other tones and neutrals. I can see these being used many times in our home for both clothing, accessories and in decor. The Calliope Panelscould easily be worked into pillows, wall hangings and more! You can really let your imagination go wild with Calliope! It works for so many things!

Plus if you keep reading below you can enter to win some too!

If you check out the Hawthorne Threads blog post for Calliope you can see all the amazing projects they have sewn up using it! I loved how many different ways they incorporated the prints! So inspiring!

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You can see some of the lovely prints from Calliope below and pre-order/see them all from Hawthorne Threads HERE.

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You ready to enter to win some Calliope? Yay!

// THE PRIZE

- one lucky winner will receive a Fat Quarter Bundle of Calliope! Thank you Hawthorne Threads!

// HOW TO ENTER

- simply leave me a comment below letting me know what you would make with Calliope!

// THE RULES

- you must leave a valid email address in your comment or you will be disqualified. Giveaway open until November 16th, midnight, PST.

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And don't miss the rest of the stops on the Calliope Blog Tour for more inspiration & chances to win! Thanks for having me Hawthorne Threads!

Monday, November 10th - Welcome to the Mouse House

Tuesday, November 11th - Violette Field Threads

Wednesday, November 12th - Very Shannon

Thursday, November 13th - C'est la Vie

Friday, November 14th - Hawthorne Threads

GIVEAWAY || FAT QUARTER SHOP FABRIC GIVEAWAY!

 Who's in the mood to win some new fabric?

The Fat Quarter Shop is giving away a $50 Gift Certificate to Very Shannon readers!! I've picked 9 prints that I've been drooling over but there are so many more! It was hard to narrow it down, virtual shopping is always so fun! I've been crushing still on black/white prints and of course, since I've been watching the newest season of Downton Abbey I couldn't resist their new prints of knit stitches! Love it!

// PRINTS SHOWN ABOVE

1. Pink Cheeks XOXO by Cotton + Steel 2. Bake by Julia Rothman 3. Rose Cable Knit from Downton Abbey 4. Gramercy Commute by Leah Duncan 5. Mustang Denim I Heart Bees by Melody Miller 6. Black Cat Netorious by Cotton + Steel 7. Gray Knit from Downton Abbey 8. Gramercy Fog Central Park by Leah Duncan 9. Geometric Bliss Black Fractal Garland by Jeni Baker

THE PRIZE
- One lucky winner will receive a $50 Gift Certificate from Fat Quarter Shop!!! 

HOW TO ENTER
- Simply leave me a comment letting me know what you would use your $50 GC from Fat Quarter Shop for.

THE RULES
- You must leave a valid email address or you will be disqualified. Giveaway open until Mon, Nov. 10th, 2014, midnight, PST.

Check out Fat Quarter Shop's "What's New" and "Coming Soon" pages for more lovely prints to get inspired by! I know I'm anxiously awaiting Carolyn Friedlander's new line Doe. I want it all..lol.

Happy fabric shopping!

You can find all things Fat Quarter Shop here:

WEBSITE  |  BLOG  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  |  PINTEREST  |  YOUTUBE

SEWING || FANCY TIGER CRAFTS SAILOR TOP & GIVEAWAY

Awwww...shucks you guys, I'm so excited to be part of the Sailor Top Pattern Tour for Fancy Tiger Crafts today!

You know that excitement you get when someone emails you and you do a little squeal of excitement? Well for years I've been a fan of the shop Fancy Tiger Crafts. I'm dying to find a reason to go to Denver, CO so I can visit the shop for real. I read the blog, drool over their projects/patterns and dream of walking with my own 2 feet into their seriously amazing shop. The kind of shop that I just want to sink into and never leave. I mean how can you go wrong with a place filled with all your favorite things that is "rainbowized" (not kidding - it is!)! I love it! Jaime and Amber have curated a feast for the soul, heart and eyes. And now they have an online shop too! Watch out Santa...momma wants it all for xmas...lol.

When they wrote to me asking to join in on the blog tour for their new sewing pattern - the Sailor Top, I was so excited. I honestly have been a lurker of theirs and was just so darn thrilled they even knew who the heck I was! Icing on the cake is that the pattern is seriously adorable. Such a fun, quick and addicting sew, I've got another one ready to cut out asap!

Now, it just so happens I've been looking for a top just like this for months. Really. No joke. One that covered all my rolly bits but didn't make me look 9mths preggers. One I could wear with leggings and jeans. I wanted a quick sew and not something that required serious amounts of fabric or brain power. Enter the Sailor Top. That yoke - I love it. Serious. I'm a dork for finishing inside of garments and this top made me so darn happy. The neck and sleeves have facing. Yes, I love facing. I get sick of bias tape sometimes. I admit it drives me bonkers and I've never gotten along with it. Facing - now me and facing are great friends. Pretty inside = pretty outside. The thick hem on the bottom of the top balances out the sleeve and yoke just perfectly.

This was again - my wearable muslin. I've gotten into a bad habit of doing this folks. I keep starting with a muslin but then loving it so much I photograph it and never get the other one done in time. Bad Shannon. Anyhoo, this one was made from a print I have had in my stash for about 2 + years from the back dusty dank corner of Fabricland that was comprised of an end of bolt that was 2yds and 1yd cut apart. I still bought it. And it's sat in my stash for eons and for some reason it just screamed Sailor Top to me.


In hindsight it is a bit thick for the kind of drape I would normally like but with the weather outside I'm darn happy to have a bit more warmth to it. I've had it on 2 days in a row now with leggings, my new babies (aka my Blundstones), a cute grey lace tank and a cardi. It's my new staple. Which is why I need to make about 3 more. I need one in rayon, one in voile and I'm dying to try one in a knit too! See.....it's addicting! I made my whole Sailor top on my serger (Babylock Imagine) except for the finishing details. Made it a super fast project! One afternoon including pattern taping and cutting!

And the Sailor Top is also good for beginners looking to jump into their first top! The pattern is very clearly written, labelled and the diagrams are super easy to follow. You'll learn some new techniques, finishing and the fit is great! Only change I have to tweak on my next one is taking my yoke in just a tad due to my sloped shoulders. I have a tad bit of sag in the center front neck. I think 1/4" on each side of the yoke would do it. I love how the gathers are across the entire neckline too! It's carried throughout the whole raglan! And yes - I said raglan. Oh my knitter heart just loves me a raglan. So flattering and comfy to wear. And I love how it goes with so many pants and styles. This can easily be taken from super casual to work wear in a second!

Please forgive my messy hair and hat in these pics. It has been raining for what seems like weeks here and I have already forgotten the sunshine from last weekend. Thus the hat. My hair does not respond well to rain. Nope. Goes bonkers. So most of the time if the weather is misty or raining I wear hats. I love me a good hat. So now that it's colder out I've gotten the Keaton out of my stash to wear again. So you're getting the "real me" in these shots. Not a lot of makeup, no fancy hair do, in between kid school pickups and lunch making, and in the other corner of this shot is all the parts and tools that we're using to keep on decorating the house etc. I literally swept it to one side so as not to scare you. And don't worry. I'm not keeping my walls brown and beige with these grey curtains. The drapes are new, the paint colors are going :) I'm just preemptively decorating :) When you live far away from an Ikea and you get a chance to shop there you take it and stock up. Which is exactly what I did last week.

All in all I give the Sailor Top pattern two enthusiastic thumbs up! Wish I could wear one into Fancy Tiger Crafts right now to show it off! Someday right?

PATTERN: Sailor Top by Fancy Tiger Crafts
FABRIC: From stash
SIZE MADE: XL Bust graded out to XXL in hips
MODIFICATIONS: None
OUTFIT: Jeans (American Eagle), Hat (KEATON by me), Boots (Bludstones)

Would you like to make a Sailor Top? Read below on how you can win a copy!

/// THE PRIZE
One lucky winner will receive a copy of the Sailor Top by Fancy Tiger Crafts. Yay!

/// HOW TO ENTER
Simply leave me a comment with what fabric you would make your Sailor Top in.

/// RULES
Giveaway is open until Wednesday, November 5th, midnight, PST.

But wait - that's not all!!!!!!

Creativebug, a website full of DIY video classes, is giving Very Shannon readers a free two week membership! With your membership, you can take the Sailor Top class and learn how to make the Sailor Top right along with Jamie and Amber from Fancy Tiger! For more info & to find out how, click here!

For more Sailor Top inspiration and more chances to win a copy of the pattern, check out the rest of the Sailor Top blog tour:

Monday, October 27th | A Verb for Keeping Warm
Tuesday, October 28th | Miss Make
Wednesday, October 29th | Workroom/Make Something
Thursday, October 30th | Sewbon

Friday, October 31st | Very Shannon

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of the Sailor Top in exchange for this post but all opinions in it are my own. This post also contains affiliate links.

SUMMER SWEATER KNIT ALONG || GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

© Jared Flood / Brooklyn Tweed

It's Friday and I'm in the mood to giveaway some AMAZING prizes from our Summer Sweater Knit Along 2014 Giveaway!!!! 

This was our largest and best knit along yet! We had so many entries and so many wonderful knitted garments! I can't wait to show them all to you next week in our Starring You post! We also had generous and amazing sponsors this year for our SSKAL! I was seriously drooling when putting the prizes together! I hope you all go and show these wonderful businesses some Very Shannon love! They are all great businesses and they are all super supportive of our knit alongs and it's so very appreciated. To see all the sponsors and there awesome prizes check out the post HERE. And don't forget you can always find all our of Summer Sweater Knit Along posts and info on our SSKAL Homepage HERE. And our Tips & Techniques page filled with guest posts is HERE.

So....are you ready to find out who our winners are? I am!!!!

The winner of Prize #1 is..... - LOELEE (Ravelry Id) // Laurie

Congrats you've won the following prizes - Brooklyn Tweed Biston Kit, Tanis Fiber Arts Eventide Shawl Kit, Gift Certificate to The Yarniad, Gift Certificate to Hazel Knits, Sweaters Worth of Leizu DK from Julie Asselin, Road Trip by Tin Can Knits, Gift Certificate to Chicken Boots

The winner of Prize #2 is......#137 - SPINKNITUP (Ravelry Id) // Timiae

Congrats on winning and on your new baby! You've won the following prizes - YOTH Rutherford Hat Kit & Sweet Magnolia Cowl Kit from Tolt Yarn & Wool Shop, Gift Certificate to Jane Richmond Designs, Gift Certificate to Lakes Yarn & Fiber, Gift Certificate to Red Sock Blue Sock Yarns, Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery Prize Pack

I'll be in touch with you over the next few days in regards to your prizes!!! 
 

A big thank you to all of you who signed up and knit along with us this year!

THIS POST IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY...

SUMMER SWEATER KNIT ALONG || GIVEAWAY TIME!

© Brooklyn Tweed / Jared Flood

Our 2 week extension is over and it's time for our annual Summer Sweater Knit Along Giveaway!!!!

I know how much you guys love the giveaway post from the SSKAL and this years does not disappoint! There are definitely going to be some lucky winners this year!!! So well deserved with all the amazing knitting that has been going on!

First I have to give a big thank you to our official Summer Sweater Knit Along Sponsor - Brooklyn Tweed! There support has been amazing!!!! Jared Flood is one of my top sources of inspiration and his gorgeous yarns and collections, featuring himself and other talented designers, keep all of us knitters drooling! A big thanks to them for cheering all of us on from the background! It's been amazing!

And we can't forget about all of the other amazing sponsors we have! Some have been with us from the very first SSKAL! I adore each and every one of them and they are all talented and inspiring companies you should definitely check out. They would love your support!

/// PRIZE ///

- a pattern kit for Biston (using Loft Yarn)

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- a Gift Certificate for $35 to Hazel Knits

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- a copy of Road Trip by Tin Can Knits

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- a pattern kit for the Eventide Shawl by Tanis Fiber Arts ($70 value!)

/// PRIZE ///

- a Gift Certificate of $25 to Chicken Boots

/// PRIZE ///

- a Gift Certificate of $25 to Lakes Yarn & Fiber

/// PRIZE ///

- a Gift Certificate of $25 to The Yarniad by Hilary Smith Callis

 

/// PRIZE ///

- a Gift Certificate of $25 to Jane Richmond Designs

 /// PRIZE ///

- a sweaters worth of Leizu Worsted from Julie Asselin

 /// PRIZE ///

- a YOTH Rutherford Hat Kit (retail value $30) and a Sweet Magnolia Cowl Kit (retail value $60)

/// PRIZE ///

- a Gift Certificate for $40 to Red Sock Blue Sock Yarn

 /// PRIZE ///

- a prize of Once Upon a Time Sampler, The Mysterious Halloween Town, Halloween Spooky Sampler!

/// HOW TO ENTER ///

- You must be signed up in the SUMMER SWEATER KNIT ALONG 2014 and have started a project during the time of the knit along.  You DO NOT have to be done your project but you must have cast on and started knitting. 

/// THE PRIZES ///

FIRST PLACE

Brooklyn Tweed Biston Kit, Tanis Fiber Arts Eventide Shawl Kit, Gift Certificate to The Yarniad, Gift Certificate to Hazel Knits, Sweaters Worth of Leizu DK from Julie Asselin, Road Trip by Tin Can Knits, Gift Certificate to Chicken Boots

 SECOND PLACE

YOTH Rutherfor Hat Kit & Sweet Magnolia Cowl Kit from Tolt Yarn & Wool Shop, Gift Certificate to Jane Richmond Designs, Gift Certificate to Lakes Yarn & Fiber, Gift Certificate to Red Sock Blue Sock Yarns, Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery Prize Pack

/// THE RULES ///

- You must have a valid email address when you signed up for the Summer Sweater Knit Along.

- You must have taken part in the Summer Sweater Knit Along 2014 that is now over.

- Giveaway ends Sunday, October 12th, midnight, PST.

Good luck and thank you again for knitting along with me! Next week is our "Starring You" post so get those lovely FO pictures loaded on Ravelry.

THIS POST IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

GIVEAWAYS || WINNERS

I hope you all had a wonderful long weekend!

We had a lovely weekend here relaxing and doing some more home reno projects and are ready to get the wee one ready for her first day of preschool (2nd year) tomorrow! Unfortunately though, here in BC, Canada, our teachers are still on strike (don't even get me started). My oldest, who should be starting Grade 2, will still be home with me full time. She's been off school since early June due to the strike. The poor thing is desperate to start school. It's so sad to see her so upset that school isn't starting anytime soon. It breaks my heart. If any of you have any great online resources for me I'd love to do a bit of homeschooling with her until the strike is over. Thanks in advance for any tips/resources you have to share. I so appreciate it.



I'm trying to stay positive about the whole thing but it's hard not to get frustrated as a parent. I'm thankful I work from home and can try to bend my already crazy schedule to fit 2 kids home into it during our busy season. So bear with me this month if here and there it's a tad quiet on the blog. We're doing the best we can :)

But on to happier news! I've got 2 winners from our last 2 giveaways to announce! These are some fabulous prizes ladies!!!

SEW A MODERN HOME GIVEAWAY
The winner of a copy of Sew a Modern Home by Melissa Lunden is....

COMMENTER #35 - Sarka

ANTHOLOGY VOL. 1 GIVEAWAY
The winner of a copy of Anthology Vol. 1 by Carrie Bostick Hoge is....

COMMENTER #41  - AngelaH

Congrats! We'll be in touch with you soon in regards to your prize!

Thanks for all who entered and to our awesome prize sponsors! See you tomorrow with another fabulous guest tutorial for our Summer Sweater Knit Along!

SUMMER SWEATER KNIT ALONG || MADDER ANTHOLOGY VOL. 1 BOOK GIVEAWAY

Boy oh boy do I have a lovely and oh so pretty prize to giveaway today for our Summer Sweater Knit Along!

One of my most favorite designers, photographer/stylists is the oh so talented Carrie Bostick Hoge. Her work is constantly inspiring me and I am truly inspired by all of her work. I was super excited to see the release of her new book Anthology 1. Drool factor on high here folks!!! Seriously. You all know how I get obsessed about stitch patterns well this book is a knitter's dream! Carrie has taken 4 unique stitch patterns and incorporated them into a collection of dreamy and gorgeous garments and accessories!

THE BOOK INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:

CAMILLA | 6 Patterns including a pullover, shawls, child & baby garments & a blanket

SIBELLA | 4 Patterns including a cardigan, cowl, pullover and scarf

IMOGEN | 6 Patterns including a pullover, tees, a cowl, and a blanket

BEATRICE | 6 Patterns including cardigans, a wrap, cowl, tee and scarf

Each pattern is beautiful in it's own right. But when combined in different forms it creates an addictive collection of patterns just yearning to be cast on! Incorporated into different weights and styles these stitch patterns just beg to be knit up! There are patterns for babies, children and for adults. Also included are shawls, blankets and more. Each pattern is knit up with the equally as addictive Quince and Co. yarns! Seriously....could it get any better? Accompanied by Carrie's signature photography and graphic design Anthology 1 is a must have for any knitter's coveted collection of books.

Would you like to win a copy of Anthology 1? Keep reading to find out how!

Aren't they gorgeous! You ready to win?

THE PRIZE
- One lucky winner will win a hard copy of Madder: Anthology Vol. 1 when it's released (Oct) as well as the eBook which is available now.

HOW TO ENTER
- Simply leave me a comment below letting me know which pattern from Madder Anthology 1 you would make first!

THE RULES
- You must leave a valid email address in your comment or you will be disqualified. Giveaway is open until August 25th, 2014, midnight, PST.

A big congrats to Carrie for this amazing book! I can't even decide which is my fave or what to cast on first! Thank you for all the inspiration! You can find more about Carrie here:

WEBSITE || RAVELRY || TWITTER || FACEBOOK || PINTEREST || INSTAGRAM

THIS POST IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

GIVEAWAY || SEW A MODERN HOME BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY

Photo Credit || Brent Kane and Martingale

I'm so excited for the release of the new book "Sew a Modern Home" from my lovely friend Melissa Lunden!!!

I love when a new sewing book comes along that gets me really itching to pull an all day sewing marathon.  The kind of book that has me already daydreaming about fabric choices, colors and more. Sew a Modern Home: Quilts and More For Every Room is filled with inspiring projects that easily fit into my home and yours. The book covers most rooms in your home and is broken down as such in the book. I really liked that detail. Here's the rooms broken down....

LIVING ROOM | 1 Quilt and 2 Pillows

DINING ROOM | Placemats, Table Runner and Napkins

MAIN BEDROOM | 1 Quilt and 1 Pillow

GUEST BEDROOM | 1 Quilt and 1 Pillow

GIRL'S ROOM & BOY'S ROOM | Each have 1 Quilt

NURSERY | 1 Quilt, 1 Crib Skirt, 1 Crib Sheet and 1 Crib Bumper

OUT & ABOUT | 1 Quilt and 1 Tote

Photo Credit || Brent Kane and Martingale

I am particularly in love with a pattern for the Main Bedroom called the Desert Morning Quilt shown above. I need to add that one to my "must sew" list asap!I love it's subtle tones and clean palette. I just adore how it was quilted. It's hard to see in this shot but it's stunning! It would fit into my home just perfectly!


Sew a Modern Home's quilt patterns are true to Melissa's signature style. I've been a long time fan of Melissa quilt patterns (Lunden Designs) since we met over our shared love for Cynthia Mann's Birch Fabrics. I've written about Melissa's patterns before and truly do love them and highly recommend them. She writes patterns that are fun to sew and when done offer that wow factor! The book carries on her clean pattern writing style and pattern design. The patterns offered are useful and ones that could easily be added to your home or gifted to a loved one for their home. Each pattern could easily be transformed based on fabric choice and color easily lending the reader a chance to express their creativity as well.

Photo Credit || Brent Kane and Martingale

The book also offers up some basic instructions at the start of the book that are quite helpful. Melissa covers supplies, terms, techniques and more. Sew a Modern Home is laid out cleanly and neatly and the photographs are clear and bright. The pattern diagrams are also very easy to follow allowing a beginner to jump right in. Melissa has written a book that would be a nice addition to any sewers home library and one that would be well loved and used throughout the years.

Would you like to win a copy of the e-book Sew a Modern Home? 

THE PRIZE
- One lucky winner will win an e-copy of the new book Sew a Modern Home by Melissa Lunden, published by Martingale.

HOW TO ENTER
- Simply leave me a comment letting me know why you love modern sewing projects.

THE RULES
-You must leave a valid email address or you will be disqualified. Giveaway open until Monday, August 18th, 2014, midnight, PST.

I'm so thrilled to be included in this blog book tour with so many other fabulous bloggers! Don't miss checking them all out and entering to win an e-copy at each stop on the tour!

Congratulations again Melissa! I'm so excited for you! It's such a lovely book!!! Big hugs your way!

8/13 – Lunden Designs
8/14 – Very Shannon
8/15 – West Coast Crafty
8/16 – Boston Sewer
8/17 – One Shabby Chick
8/18 – Cactus Needle
8/19 – Fabricworm
8/20 – Generation Q Magazine
8/21 – Martingale
8/22 – Prudent Baby
8/23 – Stitchery Dickory Dock
8/24 – Fave Quilts – Seams and Scissors

*All images courtesy of Martingale and Brent Kane.