The Grand Prize winner of 3 skeins of Sandra Singh 1 ply Merino and a PDF copy of the Hooded Scarves and Cowls is:

Laura

The 1st Runner Up who wins 2 skeins of the same yarn and a copy of the pattern is:

Fluffy

And, lastly the Runner Up who wins a copy of the pattern alone is:

Wooly Knits n Bits



Maybe I'm aging myself here, but I'm still amazed at how the internet works in many wonderful and mysterious ways! I'm astonished at how easy it is to meet and form friendships online through various communities - especially awesome knitting communities like Ravelry. And, I still hold true to saying that knitters are some of the nicest folks around.

Since starting this blog, I've had the opportunity to meet many knitters and crafters from all over the world. Natalie Servant, this giveaway's featured knitter and artist, is one of them. Natalie and I met via my blog! She started following and entering my giveaways, and ended up winning one last year. We have stayed in contact since then and Natalie has come full circle and is now sponsoring this week's pattern giveaway along with her friend, Hasmi, who is the indie dyer of Rocky Mountain Dyeworks and is sponsoring the yarn portion. Here's Natalie sharing a bit about her inspiration behind her newest pattern collection, Summer in Provence:


What made me come up with my "Summer in Provence" series of shawls?

I'm always looking for inspiration, for new challenges. I'm a big fan of Art Deco, which is why my first lace designs were based on the Chrysler Building and the Eiffel Tower. I had so much fun running a Tour de France knit along (KAL) for my Eiffel Tower Shawl that I decided it should be an annual thing. I also wanted to continue with a French theme for the event. Late last year I began searching for the right idea.

I've been lucky enough to visit France a number of times and I have fond memories of visiting a perfume factory in Grasse. I also have a set of greeting cards that I've been hoarding because I love them. The box shows lavender fields in bloom with their characteristic rounded rows. All of these things plus the lavender growing in my own garden started me down the path to this series. I had also recently purchased a zingy purple fingering weight yarn from Posh Yarn in the UK, so I was set. The Lavender Fields Shawl was born and the design process just seemed to flow naturally. It has both of the rounded rows of lavender in the body and of the little lavender buds as nupps (or beads) in the border.



When I thought about creating an e-book of related shawl designs, I pictured the wonderful views you see when watching the Tour de France when the cyclists are whizzing around the country. I started a little list, and settled on three more designs: sunflowers, vineyards, and poppies. I sent Hasmi at Rocky Mountain Dyeworks some of my inspiration pictures and she very graciously dyed some yarn for me.

With the Sunflower Field shawl, I played around, sketching a little before I had exactly what I wanted. The shawl is very true to my drawings, with the big sunflowers at the top, the sunflower leaves down the middle, and the border echoing the petals of the flowers. Hasmi's Sunflower colorway in Bow Falls Fingering was perfect. This shawl was the subject of my Tour de France KAL this year. I've got to remember not to do another yellow triangular shawl for next year's KAL!



I've promised 2 more shawls for the e-book. The Vineyards Shawl is due out in the next couple of days, and I'm thrilled with the results. Once again, Hasmi worked her magic on some yarn: Glacier Ice Lace in Vineyard and Merlot. Mmmm, alpaca & silk. I knew from the start what I wanted to accomplish with this shawl - stockinette leaves on a vine standing out from a lace background with little curlicues. Then I topped that off with a border full of bunches of grapes. This one was a little more painful to design, but I'm so glad I stuck to my vision.



The fourth and final shawl in the series is due out at the end of September. I've got some great yarn lined up for my design based on poppies, and I hope that all the folks that have told me they're waiting for my poppy design enjoy it!


Thank you, Natalie & Hasmi, for being our lovely sponsors! Now, check out what you have a chance to win:



One Grand Prize winner will receive TWO skeins of the gorgeous and super soft Rocky Mountain Dyeworks Glacier Ice Lace in the colorways Merlot (purple) and Vineyard (green) and a PDF copy of the Summer in Provence e-book. Two Runners Up also have the chance to win a PDF copy of the e-book!


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, 9/11/11. Check out Natalie's patterns and tell us which pattern you might like to knit up.

I am in love with the Chrysler Crown Shawl. I have plenty of lace weight skeins at home that would be very happy to become a new shawl for me to wear!!

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

The Grand Prize winner of the Stripe Study yarn + pattern giveaway is:

Katie

And, the 3 Runners Up who will each receive a PDF copy of the pattern are:

Stranded Things, Donner & Tish

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


The summer is slowly coming to an end and I'm gearing up to head off to Mexico this Saturday for a family vacation!! It'll be a lovely change from the Sunless in Seattle days here. Alright, we've had a couple good ones... either way I can't wait to kick my feet up by the pool and sip on a Margarita. Hope all my knitting friends are having a good summer!!

The sponsor this giveaway is a fantastic online yarn store owner by the name of Sandra Singh. Sandra was a featured guest last year as well, but she's returned with a fun pattern and yarn giveaway this time that will get you ready for the Fall knitting ahead. Check out my "catch up" interview with her:





1. For those followers that don't know about you and your shop Sandrasingh.com, why don't you start out by telling them who you are.

Hello Ve and Yarn On House readers! I'm so happy to be here and appreciate this opportunity to talk with you and sponsor this giveaway.

I'm Sandra Singh, the Sandra behind Sandraisngh.com. I opened my yarn shop's virtual doors in May 2005 and have been open 24/7 ever since. My website was inspired by my joy and commitment to helping fiber artists transform their creative inspirations into beautiful realities, I love helping knitters & crocheters find the right tools so they can create, grow and learn and ultimately love their craft. And the idea of running my own website was ideal when I first began, (Ravelry hadn't been invented yet) and everyone was just beginning to shop and connect online, it was the perfect way to reach knitters worldwide.

2. In the last year or so since you were on the blog last, what have you been upto?

May 2010 was my site's 5th Anniversary and I introduced my own yarn collection. It all happened rather quickly, even though producing my own yarn line had been a goal since I first opened. I knew from the start, when I touched my first skein of merino wool yarn, that this squishy soft fiber was the one I wanted hand painted in custom colors. I was finally able to realize this dream when a fellow fiber enthusiast put me in touch with a family from Uruguay who had been working with Uruguayan Merino Sheep for nearly a decade. Upon sampling their 100% merino wool yarns I discovered they crafted some of the softest, most supple yarn available and all of a sudden my ambition had taken on a life of its own!

As some of the knitwear designers I work closely with, and I, began to work with these yarns we found they were smooth to knit and produced finished fabrics with well defined stitch definition and lovely drape. They washed and blocked nicely, holding their desired shapes and all were soft enough to be worn next to the skin.

For several years this family had been working with local Uruguayan artisans to hand paint their fibers in stunning, brilliantly saturated colors. My line of colorways include some of the most unique semi solid and variegated hues available, colors that appeal to men, women and children. I'm proud to offer you a Lace, 1 Ply Merino Worsted and 3 Ply Merino Worsted, all crafted of 100% Uruguayan Merino Wool and put up in very generous skeins.

3. How has the yarn line been doing? What's new and what's to come?

My yarn has been well received and I have many repeat customers, knitters, and crocheters, especially love the Lace and 1 Ply Merino Worsted. And the pattern for this giveaway was among the first to be written especially for my yarn. I continue to grow my Sandrasingh.com Exclusive pattern collection and right now a couple of designers are working on projects for my Lace!

4. What are some of your most popular colorways?

For over a year now many of my customers have been knitting sweaters and vests in my Sandrasingh.com 1 Ply Merino Worsted. For these larger, staple garments all the colorways in the Blue family have been really popular, deep blue shades were most used by fashion designers this year and for so many skin tones blue is such a flattering and easy color to wear. Some of the favorites are the darker shades such as Midnight Blue and True Blue and the medium to lighter shades Turquoise, Sky and Neptune. Also many of my customers have been attracted to the really rich jewel colorways such as the Green shades Deep Emerald, Forest Green and Highland and the Purple and Burgundy colors Wine, Burgundy Spice, Cinnamon Girl, Black Plum and Athena. There has also been a return to neutrals, which is so adaptable to your existing wardrobe, making Blue Grey, Khaki and Charcoal also popular.

5. Tell us a bit about the pattern and yarn that are being sponsored this time.

Nothing makes me happier than singing the praises of those I work with and with Lisa Ellis there are so many wonderful things to say! Not only is she the creative genius behind Hooded Scarves and Cowls she's also a very talented knitwear artist, a knitting instructor and the owner and designer of Lisa Ellis Designs. I've had the pleasure of working with her since 2008 and my customers are huge fans of her patterns.

This past Spring I asked Lisa if she would like to design a garment in my 1 Ply Merino Worsted and I was thrilled when she immediately said yes, I mailed her 5 skeins and she instantly knew that the yarn's softness and texture would translate beautifully into a hooded scarf and into a cowl, and of course I agreed to what she thought best. This pattern includes four different, but complimentary styles, 2 hooded scarves and 2 cowls. The hooded scarf designs are simple to knit either from top down or bottom up and the cowls are either knit in the round or flat. Pick your style and skill level, nothing is too complicated but all are extremely satisfying knits.




In May I also did a giveaway for this pattern and yarn on my blog and at that time I had the pleasure of interviewing Lisa, if you're interested in learning more about this talented knitwear artist please stop by, knittingwithsandrasingh.blogspot.com.


Thank you, Sandra, for being our wonderful sponsor this giveaway! Here's a look at the awesome yarn that's up for grabs...



One Grand Prize winner has the opportunity to win 3 skeins of Sandra Singh 1 ply Merino in the beautiful color Black Plum and a PDF copy of the Hooded Scarves and Cowls. That's not all! One Runner Up will also receive 2 skeins of the same yarn and the PDF pattern, and one additional Runner Up will receive a copy of pattern only.


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, 8/28/11. What's your favorite Sandra Singh colorway? Check out all her unique colors here and click through each base to see which you like.



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

I'm so excited to share my finished Stripe Study Shawl with you!! It turned out better than I even imagined. I'll let the pictures do the talking...

What do you think of my picot bind off edging?


Pattern: Stipe Study Shawl
Designer: Veera Välimäki
Yarn: Three Irish Girls Adorn Sock
Colorways: Padraig (green) & Sea Glass (blue-green)
My Rav project page here
Modeled by: Jasmine

Have a great weekend, everyone!

-Ve

The very lucky Grand Prize winner of the 8 skeins of Madelinetosh and a sweet l'il copy of the Gramps Cardi is:

funderbug

The two Runners Up who will each receive a copy of only the pattern are:

Amanda & Phoebe

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


What happens when you combine colorful stripes with an interesting and ingenious shawl construction?! You blow knitters' minds with all the possibilities. That's what!

I'm sure that most of you can guess which shawl pattern I might be referring to with just the words stripes and ingenious construction. It's the Stripe Study Shawl by Veera Valimaki. This shawl pattern and I have somewhat of a love story...

I saw this beauty the day it came live on Ravelry. Now, I'd been following Veera and her designs up until this point and really liked most, if not all of her beautiful and contemporary sweater patterns. I actually had a majority of them marked as favorites already! But, that one lovely day in February, I fell head over heels for the Stripe Study. I stalked this shawl everyday (OK lets be honest here, everyday, ALL DAY!). I was enchanted by all the lovely projects going up and how quickly they were all coming in.

So started the long delibiration period! I was so obsessed with getting this thing perfect, I second guessed all the color combos I was coming up with. What yarn?! Which colors?! How do I want the colors to flow?! Light or dark color for the main color?! And, oh my goodness, I didn't want to copy anybody else's color choices! My friends, I spent countless hours contemplating what to do. I'd never had this happen to me before. This wasn't my first striped shawl!

Finally, I just had to step away! (Veronika, put the mouse down and walk away from the computer.) I probably could have knit a couple of sweaters with the amount of time I was spending browsing through yarns and projects. Once I gave up the fight of trying to find the perfect two colors, the choice became clear and I purchased my yarn.

Unfortunately, life has gotten in the way and I have been unable to finish my shawl to photograph in time and share with you today, so I'm going to torture you a bit and share my choice of yarn and colors a little later. With that being said, I also have the unfortunate news that this giveaway's sponsor fell through as well, but life is funny like that sometimes. So, when it gives me lemons, I always try and make a lemon drop martini out of it (kidding)!

I have for you today two skeins of some beautiful unclaimed yarns from previous giveaways. And, guess what! They're almost the same colors that Veera herself used in her original shawl. Remember…


Miss Babs's Yummy Sport & Sock yarn




And, Anzula's Squishy



These two yarns are so lovely and they go perfectly together! It's yarn, pattern, and giveaway fate here folks. One lucky Grand Prize winner will receive the two skeins of "unloved" yarn and a PDF copy of the Stripe Study Shawl. Three additional Runners Up will also receive a PDF copy of the 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, 8/14/11. What's your favorite Veera Valimaki pattern? Check out her cool blog here or Rav patterns page here and report back. I'm pretty sure I'm off to go stalk this one next!



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