The grand prize winner of the AOK Sugar and Spice collection and the two skeins of ArtYarns is:

cardingstories

The two runners up that will each get to pick a pattern of their choice from the Sugar and Spice Collection are:

billicummings & Raya

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

On this edition of YOTH we have a tremendously talented young man by the name of Stephen West aka West Knits. I had the absolute pleasure to meet Stephen back during the beginning of the year when I took a fun shawl techniques class that he was hosting while passing through my neck of the woods. Stephen just recently moved to Amsterdam and he was more than willing to come be a guest on the blog and do a Skype interview for us this week. Take a look...





Links and such from the videos:

- Our DELIGHTFUL yarn sponsor this week is: Hedgehog Fibres

- West Knits brand spankin' new site!

- Stephen West on Ravelry

- West Knits Book One collection

- Pogona pattern

- Flamboyan pattern

- A Verb for Keeping Warm - Blue Whale Shawl (not available until April for non-members)

- Amsterdam

- Knitting Brioche by Nancy Marchant

Thank you Stephen for visiting us here on YOTH! Come back soon. I also want to give a big thanks to our wonderful yarn sponsor this week: Hedgehog Fibres!

One of the beautiful new designs in the West Knits Book One collection is a pattern called Pogona, and the beautiful orange and green samples shown on the Ravelry pattern page are both knit up out of one skein of the fantastic Hedgehog Fibres Merino/Cashmere.

So, guess what I have for you this week!!



Yes, take a closer look! YOU know you wanna reach through the screen and give them a squeeze!



Two very lucky followers have the chance to each win one of the skeins of Merino/Cashmere shown above and the ENTIRE West Knits Book One collection in PDF format, which includes the oh-so-lovely Pogona shawl pattern! That's not all! Two runners up will also receive the chance to win a PDF pattern of their choice from Stephen's new collection as well.

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, 10/31/10. Stephen asks,"Is there a place or time where you would never consider knitting?"

Stephen's answer: I always have a knitting project (or four) with me and I often knit in public, but I would never knit during a yoga or dance class. I am well known for my ability to sweat. :)

Ve's answer: I'd never consider knitting while I am swimming. I usually knit with wool and my items would probably end up felting, and I'm good at multi-tasking but I don't think I'm that good!

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

The winner of the SugarLane Acorn Cap kit is:

Kate

Congratulations! Please contact me at yarnonthehouse@gmail.com for instructions on how to collect your prize.

Megan, owner of SugarLane, wanted to thank the YOTH followers and offer everyone a free pattern with purchase discount through October. Here's a special note from Megan herself:

"Once you place an order, type "YOTH" and let me know which free pattern you want in "Message to Seller". If you forget at the time of check out, you can always convo me or leave me a message in PayPal. I manually send out each pattern, so if the pattern you want has sold don't worry, it will be up again ASAP. Thanks for all your kind comments ~they made my week!!
Happy Knitting!
Megan"

This week on YOTH we have knitwear designer Heather Dixon of Army of Knitters on with us. I got the chance to do a fun Skype interview with Heather. Enjoy!







Links and such from the videos:

- Our FABULOUS yarn sponsors this week are: ArtYarns & fabulousyarn.com

- Army of Knitters

- Heather on Ravelry

- AOK Blog

- Winter preview

- Chambord Truffle Hat

- Life in the Catskills

- ArtYarns Silk Rhapsody

- ArtYarns Beaded Silk

Thank you Heather and ArtYarns so much for visiting us! It was a pleasure to have you and come back to visit soon.

Here is the stunning giveaway yarn:



The winner will receive the ENTIRE Sugar and Spice PDF Collection along with both of these beautiful skeins (enough yarn to make the darling Chambord Truffle Hat)!



Also, TWO runners up have the opportunity to win a PDF pattern of their choice from the Sugar and Spice Collection!

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, 10/24/10. Take a look at the Sugar and Spice Collection and let us know what your favorite pattern is. I can't pick just one! They are all so beautiful! However, I do really think I need a Chambord Truffle Hat now that I've seen the yarn in person.

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

The winner of the Never Not Knitting Sheepish kit is:

josiekitten

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

I have a fun indie knitwear designer with us this week. Check out my written interview with Megan from Sugar Lane Knits...

1. Please start by telling us a little bit about yourself and what you do?

My name is Megan and I am the owner and designer of Sugar Lane knitting patterns. I have a little Etsy shop called Sugar Lane where I sell my patterns. I am also a Mother to 5 busy kids. They range in ages from 14 to 4. I have one in high school, 3 in elementary school and one in preschool. I spend tremendous amounts of time in my car! When I'm not driving around the town I like to journal on my blog Hall's 7th Heaven, see what's new on Ravelry~I'm SugarLaneKnits if anyone wants to stop by and say "Hi" and work on new hat patterns. Of course, I always have a just for fun-just for me project that I'm working on!

2. You have adorable baby hat patterns. What inspires you?

I get inspiration from soooo many places. However, my initial foray into designing was because I wanted to make a hat for my little boy to head off to preschool in (Ha, no pun intended!). I couldn't find anything close to what I envisioned as the perfect preschool hat, so I knit my own. And voila! the Highland Argyle Hat was born. I got so many compliments from other mommies and then custom order requests; things just kind of evolved from there. Truly, the little people in my life are my biggest inspirations.

3. What is your process when you start designing a pattern? Do you have a routine?

My design process always begins with a clean sheet of graph paper and a pink eraser. I also need a Diet Pepsi and Twix bar within easy reach!

4. For budding new designers out there, what's the one piece of advice you have?

Advice? Really? Well, I would encourage new designers to just go for it. What's the worst that could happen? Even if the worst does happen then you know how not to do that again. I enjoy the whole yes,no of designing. Some things work and some don't~ sometimes the challenge of figuring that out is...dare I say...fun.

5. What will be next for you? Do you have new designs in the works that you can share with us?

Oh, yes! I have more new designs floating around in my little brain than I have time to chart out. (Boo! to laundry) I can tell you that I currently may or may not be slightly obsessed with Quatrefoil. I also am going to be trying out some new decreases for the shaping. And someday, hopefully sooner than later, I will actually get working on that ebook that has been on the back burner for way too long.

6. Why do you knit?

I knit because it makes me happy. I enjoy the process of knitting. I think even if it didn't make anything I would still knit because I like the feel, the motion. Luckily it does make things...awesome things. I can't tell you how much I love going into a baby shower and knowing I am going to blow all of the other gifts out of the water- just kidding!! ( I really do love giving knitted gifts and knitting for others though.)

7. When did you learn to knit and who taught you?

I learned to knit about 9 years ago and I had to teach myself. I bought a book and couldn't even get through the long tail cast on. It was a terrible exercise in frustration. I didn't even pick up needles again until 2 years later.

8. If you were to knit and live anywhere in the world, where would you knit and live?

If I could knit and live anywhere then I would live on a cruise ship. I'd just sail around the world knitting and going to exotic yarn shops. Sounds pretty good doesn't it?

9. What's been your worst knitting disaster?

I've been pretty lucky as far as knitting disasters go. Although, last year I knit a great pair of socks for my son...and his giant sized feet...and the cuff was REEEALY tight. I think the yarn eventually broke. That was kind of sad.

10. What's your favorite item you've ever knit?

My favorite thing that I ever knit was a washcloth. Seriously. My Grandmother- who was a fantastic and accomplished knitter in her younger days- requested one when I told her I had taken up knitting. You would have thought I had given her a bar of gold when I presented her with that little bit of garter stitch. She was so delighted with that simple, wobbly washcloth. It's one of my favorite memories~ever.

Thank you, Megan, for joining us on YOTH! Megan has put together a really cute Acorn Cap knitting kit for one lucky winner this week. Take a look see...



Isn't this just the most perfect little cap for Fall time?! You have a chance to win four skeins of KnitPicks Swish Worsted, a pair of size US 10 1/2 circular needles in 16" length, the full printed Acorn Cap pattern, and a couple other just-for-fun acorn treats!

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, 10/17/10. Take a look at SugarLane Knit's Etsy shop or Megan's Ravelry designs page and let us know what your favorite pattern is. I'm diggin' this trendy Skully Baby Cap! I may just need to knit a couple of these up for gifts!

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

The winner of the Never Not Knitting pattern collection is:

Diane

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

During the summer, I spent sometime knitting samples and doing test knits for some of my favorite designers. I love the opportunity to sample and test knits, because it allows me to try a new pattern and/or yarn and really take the time to concentrate on one project that I know has a purpose to be finished. I find myself starting other projects sometimes that don't hold my attention as well, because they don't necessarily have a home to go to right after. If you know what I mean! But, sample knits and test knits are important, so they find a nice comfortable place in my knitting schedule and get finished promptly (all the way - included seaming and such), photographed (most of the time), get packaged up all pretty if they are samples, and sent back to where they will have an important job!

One of the sample knits I did this summer was: Alana Dakos's Sheepish.



Isn't the sweater just darling?!



I can't get over how perfect these lil' buttons are!



Smooshy, soft goodness...



It's a really cute childrens' sweater that is worked bottom up in one piece (one of my favorite construction methods) and has little sheep on the pockets!! It was my first time attempting intarsia, and it really wasn't as hard as I had expected.

The main yarn in the pattern is Sublime Organic Merino Wool DK, which by the way, couldn't have been a better choice of yarn for this little sweater! It's so soft! Plus, it's organic! Alana's a master at pairing her patterns with yarns that are complimentary to all the aspects and features of her designs.

In exchange for the knitting work that I did on this sample sweater, Alana sent over enough yarn to make another Sheepish sweater (6 month size), a beautiful printed copy of pattern in the new design style she just released, and a set of the sheep buttons as well! It is the perfect lil' Sheepish kit and I'm passing it on to you, my fabulous YOTH followers!

One winner will have a chance to win this great Sheepish sweater kit:



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, 10/10/10. Have you done intarsia before? If so, do you have any tips for us newbies? If not, what's been stopping you? And, as always, you really don't have to answer my questions if you don't want to! You're always welcome to just say HI! :)

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