The winner of the 3 skeins of Spud & Chloe yarn and the Chloe sweater pattern giveaway is:

Melissa who wrote, "MMMMMMMMmmmmmm Spud & Chloe! Yummy! I think that WB.'s Jordan would be perfect: linen/silk/hemp = cool knitting, it knits up in a flash and looks great - wait - are we supposed to suggest others' patterns? I hope that's ok..."

&

The runner up who wins a copy of the Chloe sweater pattern is:

SovereignCruz who said, "Add me for a chance to win. I think you should cast on something that you can easily work on and not be totally committed to since you will be enjoying your holiday, as well. I think the Fairies and Flowers Scarf (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fairies-and-flowers-scarf) is absolutely darling and the pattern only just came out. I think it would be a fabulous thing to work on in your leisure hours and with a beautiful end product perfect for summertime wear. Enjoy Hawaii!"

Congratulations! Please contact me at yarnonthehouse@gmail.com to claim your prizes.

I have another photo tour to share with you this week. Do you remember me talking about my favorite LYS in my neck of woods that I visited on the LYS Tour, Churchmouse Yarns and Teas on Bainbridge Island, WA? Well, I got to visit Churchmouse again (for the 3rd time since the LYS Tour, may I add) and spent the afternoon last Thursday with Kit and John, shop owners of Churchmouse. Take a look at some of the wonderful pictures I took while visiting with them...

We sailed into Bainbridge Island on a ferry boat named Tacoma. I brought my mother along on the trip to keep me company and to get her away from her work for just a little while. She tends to work more than play and I thought what a wonderful treat to pull her away from all that by taking her to Bainbridge Island with me!



This was our breathtaking view when the ferry was docking on the island. Isn't it magical? Churchmouse is only a few blocks from the ferry terminal. The sun was out that day, and my mom and I decided to walk instead of take our car along.



When you walk up to Churchmouse the first thing you see are these gorgeous black doors. There is something majestic about a set of black doors in my opinion and I love just looking at them when I first arrive. It's actually one of my favorite things about Churchmouse - lots of curb appeal!



Once you step through the double black doors, you enter into a beautiful land of yarns and teas! Churchmouse has class and style. There are gorgeous knitting wear adorned mannequins placed all over the store and delightful tables that are decorated with baskets and containers of yarn. Churchmouse just has the charm!



Right to your left when you walk in there is a magnificent shelf cabinet that holds a rainbow of Malabrigo. One of my favorite corners of the store of course!



You look down at your feet and there sits bowls of Zauberball. The store is so wonderfully decorated and inviting I think I might just ask Kit and John if I can move into Churchmouse! Who wouldn't want to live in a beautiful yarn store?!



To the right of the Malabrigo shelf in the same corner sits a tantalizing compartmental shelf unit that holds little batches of Koigu skeins. I'm not sure what's better - the Koigu itself or the cabinet that's holding all of it!



Recently, Churchmouse debuted their new knit design collection featuring eleven stylish and classic knitting patterns. Atop this cabinet is a display of two of my favorite Churchmouse Classics designs: the Koigu Beaded Beret and the Barb’s Koigu Ruffle scarf. Kit is already in the process of designing and preparing the next collection scheduled to be out by the end of this summer and will include eight baby patterns this time. Can't wait!



Below that is the Koigu Linen Stitch Scarf display, another great pattern in the collection. This pattern is a perfect fit for the varigated yarns that Koigu offers and one that I will definitely be knitting up in the near future. Did you notice the beautiful photography? The pictures for the collection were all photographed by the well known and very talented Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed.



Over on the other side of the store is where I originally found and fell in love with the Habu textiles Kushu Kushu scarf kit. The alluring spools of almost thread weight yarns are leaning against eachother in a sea of dazzling neutral colorways that are hard to choose from.



In the back of the store is where Churchmouse has all of its tasty teas. There is a splendid antique cabinet that holds ceramic containers filled with aromatic teas from all over the world. Have you noticed the elegant black and white theme the store has yet?



Churchmouse also carries a custom blended tea each season that is made only for them by the tea master Steven Smith.



Kit and John are two of the loveliest yarn shop owners I have had a chance to meet. If you are ever in the Seattle neighborhood, you'll have to be sure to stop in and visit them. It can't be missed! Also, if you are in the area on September 11th and 12th, Churchmouse Yarns and Teas will be celebrating their 10th anniversary (watch their website or newsletter for details).



Churchmouse is sponsoring this week's giveaway with a chance for one lucky follower to win a hard copy of the entire Churchmouse Classics set - featuring all eleven patterns nicely packaged in a cute folder that ties with an adorable ribbon on one side. Four runners up will also have the chance to win either a hard copy or PDF version of one pattern of their choice from the collection.





Thank you Kit and John for letting me into your beautiful knitting and yarn corner of the world. It was an absolute pleasure to meet you! I'm sure we'll be seeing eachother soon again.

I would like you to do the following if you would like to be entered into this week's giveaway:


1. Read over the rules if you have not done so already.

2. Leave a comment on this blog post by the end of Sunday, 8/1/10, telling us which Churchmouse Classics pattern is your favorite. See this page here. I think my favorite if I was only able to choose one would have to be the Welted Fingerless Gloves.

I'll randomly pick the winners on Sunday and post the results on Monday along with the new giveaway, so be sure to check back. Good luck everyone.

Sincerely,

Ve

...this little beauty?



It is a skein of Artyarns Mohair Splash that I picked up during my LYS Tour.

I was so excited when the other day I opened my mailbox and to my surprise there was an unexpected package inside. Lo and behold when I open the package, what do I see? My Mohair Splash's older and more colorful sister!



It's a skein of Artyarns Cameo (75% cashmere and 25% mohair blend), which I can't seem to find a link online or on Ravelry for. Either way it is one lovely, fluffy, skein of goodness! And, it is a thank you gift from my friend Joanna from Slate Falls Press. You remember Joanna! She's the talented and darling lady that wrote Phoebe's Sweater. Thank you Joanna for the wonderful treat! Aren't the two skeins cute together?



It's like a family reunion!

Happy Friday, everyone!

-Ve

The two winners of the Hazel Knits giveaway are:

Rachel who said, "There's too many colorways I like! Sweet Crush, Chocoberry, and In the Clover are the three favs for now but I think I would love any skein of yarn, she really makes beautiful yarn!"

&

Celeste who wrote, "I love bold berry colors (and berries themselves...mmmmm), so Baroness was definitely my favorite."

Congratulations! Please contact me at yarnonthehouse@gmail.com to claim your prizes.

I have a very short podcast to share with you today. The summer activities and knitting have kept me quite busy this past month, but I have a wonderful giveaway scheduled this week. Take a listen...



If you cannot see the player click here.

Links and such from the podcast:

- Our terrific sponsor this week is Alana Dakos from Never Not Knitting. Alana has a wonderful blog and podcast that she does in addition to designing knitwear for children and women.

- Check out my interview with her a few months ago if you have not had the chance to listen to it yet.

- You can see all of Alana's patterns here!

- Chloe sweater pattern on Ravelry

- Spud & Chloe Sweater yarn. See what I mean about all the lovely colors!

- Alana's original Chloe sweater knit up in Grass, Watermelon, and Popsicle.

- Popsicle Socks pattern

- Spud & Chloe Fine yarn

- YOTH (YarnOnTheHouse) Ravelry Group

- The Sock KAL thread.

Here are some pictures of Jasmine modeling her new Chloe Sweater:








Giveaway yarn!



One winner has the chance to win the THREE skeins of Spud & Chloe pictured above and a copy of Alana's Chloe sweater pattern that ranges in size from 3 months all the way to 10 years in girls. One additional runner up also has the chance to win a copy of the Chloe pattern.

I would like you to do the following if you would like to be entered into this week's giveaway:


1. Read over the rules if you have not done so already.

2. Leave a comment on this blog post by the end of Sunday, 7/25/10, telling us what you think I should cast on for during my trip to Hawaii. Do you have any fabulous knitting suggestions for me? If not, just leave a general comment or say hi to either Alana or myself.

I'll randomly pick the winners on Sunday and post the results on Monday along with the new giveaway, so be sure to check back. Good luck everyone.

Sincerely,

Ve

We had beautiful weather this weekend and it was a perfect time to step outside and take some pictures of my finished Haruni knitted out of HandMaiden Sea Sock (which by the way is one of the most luxurious yarns I have ever knit with). I thoroughly enjoyed knitting this shawl pattern and I'm ecstatic about the way the pictures turned out. Jasmine, my daughter, was of course my lovely model again!









Happy Sunday!

-Ve

The three winners of last week's Three Irish Girls giveaway are:

Blog Author who wrote, "Of the colors shown, O'Neal is summery and evocative. However my favorites aren't on the page: Georgia Peach, Father Time, Estuary, Pansy."

Kristen who said, "Today my favorite is Eire, but there are so many lovely ones that it changes!"

&

sacha that commented, "Wow- Maeve is fantastic so are Ciara and Skye- what a chance!!"

Please contact me at yarnonthehouse@gmail.com to claim your prizes.

I am one lucky lady! I just spent part of my Monday afternoon meeting Wendee Shulsen, the artistic and clever yarn dyeing entrepreneur behind the company Hazel Knits. Wendee was nice enough to let me come visit her newly re-decorated studio in Seattle. We had a blast talking about yarn dyeing, knitting, and all the other great things related to fiber goodness. Here's my picture tour of Hazel Knits...


Meet Wendee!



Here she's letting me take some "action" shots of her dyeing some Stitch and Pitch yarn in a colorway named Hometeam Baseball. It's a color that's inspired by our Seattle baseball team the Mariners. Messy work, huh? I told Wendee that I'm surprised she stays so clean!



Wendee has a real knack for color. She said that she loves vibrant, crisp colors and doesn't do muted! She takes the extra time to allow her dyes to truly soak in, and that's why her colors are so bold and vivid.



The whole process looks intense to an outsider such as myself, but Wendee's been doing this since 2007 when she opened her Etsy store. With almost 2000 sales on Etsy and a really great retail website, you know it's gotta be good!



I was honestly expecting to see a studio with big blotches of dye all over, but Wendee is so organized. Every nook and cranny in that studio had a purpose. She even had her dye bottles all lined up neatly on her work station!



This is the shelf where the yarn that has just been drenched with dye is placed to allow it to soak into the fiber. Those bowls were gigantic!!



I couldn't resist taking a picture of the really cool pots! These are used to set the dyes and she also kettle dyes some of her yarn using these pots as well. You'd have to see these in person to understand how large they are.



What is it about spools of yarn that is so alluring? Just like the pots, these suckers were big!



Around the corner from the dyeing station, in a separate closed off room is the drying area. I walked into this room and was mesmerized by all the lively, shimmering hanks of yarn hanging from the ceiling.




Alright... they weren't shimmering, but they were marvelous in all their drying glory! Wendee's colors almost glow from within. Aren't they beautiful?!



Down the hall from where all the dyeing action happens is Wendee's office and packaging area. This room was so adorable! The first thing you notice when you walk in is the cute little samples she has knit up and displayed. These little teeny-tiny baby hats were precious!



Wendee is especially talented (or at least in my opinion) in semi-solid colorways. She calls them Tinted and Layered Solids on her website. When she first started dyeing yarn back in 2007 (after working for a LYS part time), she thought the overall yarn market lacked quality variegated, hand dyed, sock yarn, so she decided to try making some of her own. She still offers a large selection of variegated yarns, but has recently started doing more and more semi-solid tonal colorways.



We had a good chuckle when we were talking about where she gets her inspiration from for the colors she dyes up. She said that she had watched last week's interview with Three Irish Girls and it made her laugh when Sharon was talking about how everyone says their inspiration comes from nature. Wendee loves to hike and she spends most of her free time out in nature, but she said that she gets her inspiration from everywhere as well. Like one of her recent sock club inspirations came from purple and orange popping up everywhere she looked (vitamin bottle, a pen she was using, corn chip bag, etc.). She kept seeing this color combo over and over that she just had this urge to use it for a whole sock club color theme!



This is one of her new base sock yarns. It's a merino 9-ply fingering weight. Really lovely stuff!



Wendee told me that when she first started her yarn dyeing business, her and a good friend went to see the Yarn Harlot at a local event when she was in town and brought along a skein of her new variegated sock yarn as a gift. They had to draw a lottery style ticket to stand in line to meet the Harlot and once they walked up, Wendee was star struck and couldn't speak. Her friend saved the day, told the Harlot about Hazel Knits and Wendee gave her the skein of yarn she had brought along. One day shortly after that, Wendee had gotten up to an inbox full of sales. She'd been Harlotized! The Yarn Harlot herself had blogged about knitting with the Hazel Knits yarn. This is the color...



Hazel Knits also offers these wonderful artisan handcrafted ceramic yarn bowls. Wendee has them made up custom for her shop by Brad Henry Pottery. You can find them for sale on her site.



I couldn't resist taking a picture of her big Keep Calm and Carry On poster. You can also kind of see the neat lanterns reflected in the glass up in the top left corner that she had hanging in her office.



Here's some more artwork she had in her work space.



And, of course I had to ask her what's on her needles at this moment: a sock (which I forgot to ask the pattern of, shame on me) and...



...a beautiful pattern called Pacific Diamond by a local designer named Samantha Roshak who specifically designed this pattern for the Hazel Knits Artisan Sock yarn in a color named Pacific.



Don't think I forgot to ask Wendee what her favorite cocktail or drink is. She answered, "I'm a beer girl!"

Wendee, thank you so much for showing us your creative space. It was a treat to visit your yarn dyeing studio in person. Hazel Knits is sponsoring the chance for TWO lucky followers to win a skein of Artisan Sock yarn in a color of their choice or one of Hazel Knits fabulous kits. Check out the website here to see all the fantastic colors and kits! You can also find Hazel Knits on: Ravelry, Etsy, Twitter, and Facebook.

HAZEL KNITS IS ALSO OFFERING ALL THE WONDERFUL YOTH FOLLOWERS A 10% DISCOUNT THROUGH THE END OF JULY. JUST ENTER COUPON CODE: "YARNONTHEHOUSE" DURING CHECKOUT. THIS DISCOUNT EXCLUDES SOCK CLUB.

I would like you to do the following if you would like to be entered into this week's giveaway:


1. Read over the rules if you have not done so already.

2. Leave a comment on this blog post by the end of Sunday, 7/18/10, telling us which Hazel Knits colorway or kit is your favorite. Check out the beautiful colors and kits here.

I'll randomly pick the winners on Sunday and post the results on Monday along with the new giveaway, so be sure to check back. Good luck everyone.

Sincerely,

Ve