6.20.2011

giveaway #63

The two winners of the Springtree Road giveaway are:

jessecreations & Jade

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


When it comes to knitting, my favorite projects to knit are shawls. I love them! There's always a shawl of some sort on my needles at all times. My second favorite knitting projects are hats. Hats are a hot item in my family and constantly on request. My husband tells me that I don't love him much when he doesn't receive a hand knit hat on a regular basis! So, being the good wife that I am... I knit him hats. And, not just any hats, but his AND my favorite: hats designed by Stephen West from West Knits. He's one lucky hubby! I've knit the Windschief and Piece Out hat for him, and have several more in the queue to be knit. Recently I had my bro's sweet girlfriend model hubby's Piece Out hat for me when we took a girl's trip up to Port Townsend.




Isn't the hat fantastic?! I love how unisex the pattern is and the cute little flap can be left unbuttoned too. Not to mention that I knit up the hat in my some of my favorite yarn right now: Quince & Co. in their worsted base called lark. I can't put into words how much I enjoyed knitting with this yarn! It's so smooth and produces well defined stitches, yet it has the greatest bounce and texture to it. Really a must try, if you have not given Quince & Co. yarns a whirl yet.

On my list and in my stash to be knit is the Westward hat in osprey. As soon as some of my current FO's get finished up!! I'm also dying to knit: Daybreak, Herbivore, Pogona, Skinny Skid, Lakedale Shawl... alright, let's be honest here, I want to knit 99% of Stephen West's patterns! Now, I just need to win the lottery, so I can purchase all the Quince & Co. yarns that I want and I'm set!

Stephen visited us on YOTH last year and I was able to do a video interview with him back then. Check that out if you haven't seen it before. This time around, Stephen was kind enough to answer some of my questions and let us know what he's been up to. Click here to read the interview.

Quince & Co. has been extremely generous and has sponsored NINE SKEINS OF PUFFIN (in a color of your choice) for one Grand Prize winner. That's enough yarn to knit the beautiful Brickstreet blanket. This of course means that the Grand Prize winner also wins a PDF copy of West Knits Book Two as well!

For the Grand Prize giveaway, Stephen and I have decided to do something a little different! We are holding a photo contest!! Upload ONE picture to the YOTH Flickr Group that has been setup for this specific giveaway. The picture needs to show off how you wear your West Knits in the summer! Inside A/C rooms? Or, do you brave and wear your warm woolies at the beach or in the sun?

And, if you've never knit a West Knits original, then what are you waiting for?! Here's your chance to knit up one of Stephen's spectacular patterns and showcase your FO in a photo contest. No better time as the present (as they say). Stephen also has several free patterns available, so hop to it before the contest is over in two weeks.

That's not all ONE Runner Up will also receive two skeins of osprey (enough yarn to knit the Honegart hat) along with a PDF copy of West Knits Book Two. Plus, TWO additional Runners Up will receive the e-book as well. Whew! That's a lot of goodies! Now, for these Runner Up prizes, we will be taking regular comments as usual. So, don't worry if you can't post a picture. You'll still have an opportunity to snag something great if you're randomly picked!


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, 7/3/11, and you'll be answering the same question the photo contest poses: How do you wear your Westknits in the heat of summer? Inside A/C rooms? Or, do you brave and wear your warm woolies at the beach or in the sun?


I'll randomly pick the winners in 2 weeks and post the results along with the new giveaway, so be sure to check back. Good luck everyone.

Sincerely,

Ve

78 comments:

Jen Price said...

I can't imagine wearing any knits in the heat of our summer here in Texas. Our car said it was 108 the other day!

Sparkee Spud said...

I love knitting up hats! I have yet to knit a West Knits anything, I'm going to check out the free patterns now!

Amanda said...

Ditto on what Jen said...I can't imagine wearing knits in the summer heat of middle TN! Maybe inside overly a/c'd buildings. I'll have to try a West Knits pattern. My husband has a large head and the last hat pattern I tried ended up being way too small for him.

Ginger said...

I have never knit a West Knits Pattern and I doubt I will have time to in the next two weeks. Lately I haven't been wearing much knitwear, but I did regret not having a shawl with me the other night!

Amanda said...

With a tank top :)

Reneelynn said...

I also have never knit a
"West Knit" . but will be checking them out!! Probably in the A.C. but maybe on a cool evening here in MI.

Debbie said...

My office is freezing year-round, so I wear a sweater every day. I have some cotton yarn that would be great for a Boneyard -- maybe that will be my next knit!

Zabbers said...

I have a black alpaca boneyard that I was just wearing yesterday over a light top because AC (great for the humidity, but it's not really hot enough for it) was making me cold! I'll have to get a picture of myself wearing it. The weather's been really wild lately, too, so I carry a shawl around when I'm wearing strappy things in case I'm outside in the evening, and if it's the right color, it's the boneyard!

Knittinchick said...

I was at a church campout this past weekend in the beautiful Rocky Mountains... it rained the whole time and was 3C when we woke up.

I was wishing for a toque when I woke up... other than that, cardigans are the norm for the late evenings when they cool down but we still have sunshine!

Frankly Beka said...

West Knits in the Summer, hmm... I wouldn't try to fit the woolly into the Summer. However, I would switch to a bamboo yarn (maybe one that is a little bit thinner than the one recommended). Work up the project in the same gauge, and have cooler fabric that breathes (and with thinner yarn isn't as bulky and warm on the shoulders). Not only do you get Summer-conscious knit-wear, you get to knit more West!

Vanessa said...

I just head 30 minutes north to San Francisco, which is a perfect place to wear knits year-round!

Laura Marie said...

It is suddenly summer where I live with the weather man calling for triple digits today! I do manage to find a chance to wear my handknit shawls when I go out in the evening. I always seem to sit under an air conditioning vent.

Poetic Knitter said...

I have never knit any West Knits designs. I have been admiring a few of the patterns. Thanks for the giveaway!

Knitmish on Ravelry said...

I am yet to knit something designed by Stephen West. I have been admiring the two-coloured shawls for a while, but only a couple of weeks ago tried knitting with more than two colours at once. Isn't that hard, so now I have no excuses :) In Vancouver, Canada, I can still wear even my heavier, worsted weight shawls in the evening when outdoors, so that's what I ususally do instead of a jacket.

Debbie S said...

I have never knit a West Knits Pattern and I doubt I will have time to in the next two weeks, but now I'll be checking them out. Thanks for the giveaways.

Kassia said...

I'm in Iowa....the weather is really variable this year but in general, our summers are too hot (in my opinion) to wear my knits!! Unless constantly having knitting in my hands counts LOL. :)

Sarah V. (Barf Green Is Best) said...

I have a TON of Westknits patterns in my Rav queue, and yarn lined up for them, too! When I lived in hot hot summer weather, my knits were used for freezing air conditioned offices. Now, I live on the cooler west coast, and I use them to make evening walks on cool summer nights more comfortable.

Zilliah Bailey said...

I knit lacy things in cotton to wear for the summer, it actually works pretty well!

Jodi said...

I actually do break out my handknit wool shawlettes when the a/c is too cold! Plus I love the pop of color.

Sabrina said...

I tend to wear my knits in the AC, but there are plenty of opportunities, most places are keep it pretty cold inside.

bean1082@gmail.com

marianne said...

I keep meaning to knit a Boneyard shawl but still haven't, alas!
I would wear it in the heat of summer by...traveling to the opposite hemisphere, where it would be winter!! :D best idea, or best idea EVER? ;D

Orli said...

I've given away all my West Knits because people love them so much they won't let me keep them! :)

I'll settle for runner-up hopes and dig in my stash for some inspiration...I think I see a Daybreak shawl in my future.

Dana said...

Here In Tel Aviv, Israel, you won't find any person in his right mind caught wearing any knit during summer time.
The heat can climb up to 35 celsius and the humidity can cause any wooly knit to felt :)
I must say that the only option is to wear knits in winter or in a well air-conditioned place.
That of course doesn't mean that I will not have a good use for this wonderful giveaway :)

billicummings said...

I live in Michigan, enough said. You can wear hats all year round, pretty much! Days can be hot and nights cool. I really love Stephen's designs. Can't wait to see if I win so I can get started! Thanks ~ Billi~

DramaticKnits said...

I plan on wearing my Chadwick when it gets cool again. That perfect weather where it's cool, but not cold enough to wear a coat.

Needles And Ewe said...

I am lucky in that we are so close to the mountains and the beach here in Fresno, CA. A hot summer day in Fresno is often cloudy and cool at the beach and it's quite chilly in the mountains at night--great for wearing the newly finished wool projects that you don't want to wait to use.

Elise said...

I have knit with Quince yarn and I LOVE it and could use more! I would love to try knitting one of West Knits patterns

LuisaM said...

I have never knit a West Knits Pattern. From the free ones I could knit Knothole but I'm afraid it's not a hat!
Knitted items don't get much use in summer around here, maybe in a chilly night.

Marlitharn said...

I've not knit any West Knits patterns, but I love their hats! No pictures of me, unfortunately; I am whatever the complete opposite of photogenic is.

TK said...

I've knit Windshief and Daybreak. Both were made with wool, so they were gifted to my brother and a friend. I'm sure my brother wears the hat all the time. He's bald and hats are his wardrobe staple. The friend is a great shawl-wearer, so even in New Mexico, I'm sure it's close at hand. I'll have to have her send a picture!

West Knits patterns are great! I've got a few others queued to knit soon.

Jaime P said...

I take my clockwork shawl with me to airconditioned restaurants. It's one of my favorites - knit with creatively dyed yarns - which I just love. About to start the Lakedale in malabrigio!

Turtle said...

lol, i live near you so... what heat!?? what summer?? I havent had the opportunity to knit a West Knits item. Would love to though and see where the summer wearing takes me!

susanmhj said...

I haven't knit anything from West Knits, but will check it out! I think I would die wearing heavy knits or wool here, gets so humid this time of year! So, I wear knitted cardis and scarfs in the a/c!

kmvdvm said...

in wisconsin we still have cool enough evenings to sometimes sneak in some woollenness :)

Rachelle said...

I've not done a West pattern yet, it's winter here so I couldn't do a photo of summer wearing anyway. I do want to try one of his though; got some yarn coming...

renewedmind said...

I don't really wear many knits in the summer, just on occasion for an evening out. However, I LIVE in them during the winter! Lovely pattern and yarn!

tothfamily25 said...

fun fun I wanna try one

Stephanie said...

I of course love WestKnits shawls since I've knit Herbivore, Pogona, and Daybreak. I usually throw one of these into my purse when we go out to dinner and then I have something to cover up with if the AC is too cold.

Lisaknits said...

In the heat of summer it is too hot!!

Erin said...

I like to have a shawl for cool restaurants, but I've still got Pogona on the needles. Other than that, any knitting is worn in the summer for modeling purposes only. :)

Knittingdancer on Ravelry said...

I like Stephen West patterns but have never knitted one before. Most of the time, it's too hot in Alabama to wear knitted items unless you are in a really cold air-conditioned room.

Megan said...

It still gets cold in MN at night, so I wear my knits when the sun does down...would be interesting to try to get a good campfire picture of a knitted item. Thanks for the chance to win!

brandyivy said...

hmmm...i have never knit anything by west knits before but i am looking forward to trying out the patterns!

mhchong said...

I wear knitted shawls in the summer... especially in rooms with the AC cranked on! Not much knits in the hot heat outside though.

Linda H. said...

Sigh - I have made many of Westknits small shawls - the Boneyard in particular. But I have given them all away as Christmas gifts, so can't show a icture of me wearing one in summer... I made a Boneyard in Quince's superbulky for a very dear aunt undergoing chemo. I know she wears it all the time, even in A/C as she so feels the cold.And you are right, their yarns are just great to knit!

not any more said...

Here IN NYC everywhere you go there is A/C so i where it on the bus, the train, in the shopping mall, in the supermarket, and at work, gotta love wool.

MOE MOE

melonkelli said...

When I go up to the mountains to cool off. That's also when I get my knitting done.

Maryse said...

Nice patterns and thanks for the links! I have never knit any Stephen West pattern, but now that I know them, I will keep it in mind for sure! Thank you for the contest!

fracksmom said...

Living in So Cal all of the hats I make are for friends in other places. I follow west knits and didn't know he had free patterns so I grabbing the link and making a Christmas present

fracksmom said...

Living in So Cal all of the hats I make are for friends in other places. I follow west knits and didn't know he had free patterns so I grabbing the link and making a Christmas present

Anonymous said...

I love the hat and want to make it.
I have a shawl on my needles now - my first one and can't wait until it is done.

Anonymous said...

love the hat and want to make it.
I have a shawl on my needles now - my first one and can't wait until it is done.

sorry - didn't put my name on it.
julie

|chee-uh| said...

Yes please! That hat is something I definitely want to make.

monkalicious on Rav

lorraine said...

ditto on never knitting a west knit but i saw an amazing shawl pattern he did on the new knitty and i think im going to take the leap! raineoc@yahoo.com

Rachel D. said...

I usually run colder than most people, so I can wear knit hats at night at least all year long.

Natalie Servant said...

In the summer the only place I need woolies is at the office, so it's the perfect place to throw on a shawl or scarf.

sacha said...

Summer has some cool evenings around here- so I get chances to wear many items!

Angelbibity Designs said...

I love to knit hats!

Stranded Things said...

I guess the upside of living near the Arctic Circle is that you can always wear wool! It's nice to have something warm to throw around your shoulders at the summer cabin.

Page said...

Definitely in the AC. Our house doesn't have central air so whenever I am somewhere that does I need something to keep me warm! Hope to post a picture too!

Gracey is not my name.... said...

I freaking love the Piece Out hat!!! I have never knit a West Knits design, but then again, I've only knit 2 things so far....I will be getting that design!

mommieof4munchkins said...

I guess it all depends on where we are living at the time, but I plan on spending summer nights camping in my handmades. Just bought the Meadowbrook pattern to cast on this week so I can get pics for the contest while camping in Canada ;)

Phyllis said...

I've never knit any of his patterns, and sadly, I don't have the time or inspiration to start right now. I can't imagine wearing anything wooly in this heat, though! AC is rare in this part of the world, too.

Tara said...

I finished a Westknits scarf early in the summer and have yet to wear it! I love summer, but of course I am pining for those slightly cool fall days when I can start wearing all my hats, scarves and mitts again.

Anonymous said...

I gave away the only Westknit (Boneyard shawl) I've done, but I'd love to make more. Here, it's good to have some wool for when I go sailing, it can get cold at sea.

Ravnejenta on Ravelry

Juney said...

I would wear it inside at the movie theater! I always freeze in there!

Juney said...

I would wear my mine in the movie theater hear in Georgia! I always freeze in there!!

Lael said...

I can only wear knits in A/C or on cool days, as the heat does me in! I much prefer cooler weather, so I can wear whatever knits I want!

Anonymous said...

Ha! We've had only a small handful of warm and sunny days since May here in lovely Maine, home to Quince yarns and so many wonderful knitters, designers and yarn makers. Clockwork is coming up soon in my queue, waiting only for me to settle on which fabulous yarns to choose for it. Have flagged several more of Steven West's great designs for this year's passel of winter gifts. How about designing a fabulous cummerbund for a groom, please? I will knit it!

Cindy said...

Sometimes the office gets cold enough, but it is hard to imagine wearing a hat in this weather.

Anonymous said...

I am a volunteer at special olympics in Athens and I NEED my pogona when I go to my placement because the AC is just to strong! I also uploaded a picture at the pool!

sophia.komninou at gmail.com

CarolineN said...

I wear mine at the office... a/c is too cold! So, I keep warm this way...by wearing cool hand knits!

Kristina said...

I wear shawls in air conditioning, when I'm at a function that requires fancy dresses (I prefer sleeveless). I get cold in some of those buildings!

Brenda said...

I have 2 answers: I just got back from Australia where it's winter! I Wore my handknit shawls there everyday! Here in Los Angeles it's still cool in the evenings, so I do wear a scarf or shawl when I go out at night, esp in the beachy areas. Thanks!

PenCraft said...

I haven't knit any of the West Knits Patterns yet. Some really lovely ones though. Too bad I can't post a picture to enter. :(

Donner said...

I wore my Clockwork Thursday night on a lovely patio/bar visiting with old friends. It was a bit chilly that night and the Clockwork is the perfect size to keep you warm but not too warm. Now my friends want me to make them one.

solitaryknitter said...

in the evening after a shower I get chilly. Most people warm up after a shower - I get chilly. A shawl or socks counter that - even in the heat of summer.

Liz said...

Having grown up in Seattle but now living in Michigan, I love the rare days in the spring and summer when the temperature drops and we get a gray, misty, rainy day! It's then when I go straight to my knits to add some warmth and curl up with a cup of coffee and pretend I'm back out west!
I posted a photo of me wearing Stephen West's Purl Ridge Scarf in Fiberphile Super Squish Worsted.