Knitting Daily : Contests

Winners! We have winners!

KD Sandi — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:48:00 GMT

It's always nice to start off a Monday on a nice note. And today's nice note is "We have winners!"

Earlier this winter, we published our special Holiday Gifts 2008 issue, and filled it with lots of cute little sheep cartoons--sheep hanging from knitting charts, sheep peeking out from behind sweater photos, sheep dancing across the instructions. The cartoons were drawn for us by the ever-witty Funny Man of Knitting himself, Franklin Habit, author of our book It Itches: A Stash of Knitting Cartoons.

The contest? Count the Sheep! We asked you to count, of course, all the sheep through the magazine. Then we had a bit of fun, sending you off in search of the sheep in warm woolies, the sheep bearing blue or red gifts, the sheep clicking away on knitting needles, and then, just to make sure you were paying attention, the pages in the magazine without any sheep on them at all.

Five lucky winners not only submitted the correct sheep counts, but were literally lucky enough to have their names drawn at random:

Yvonne Leduc (Stittsville, Ontario, Canada)
Nancy Nelson (Bristow, Vermont)
Martine Gervais (New Britain, Connecticut)
Tara Lynchard (Hendersonville, Tennessee)
Julie Fondurulia (Westminster, Maine)

Each of our five winners won an autographed copy of It Itches.

And for those of you who didn't win, here's a cartoon from Franklin's book to put a smile on your face anyway:

If you want your own set of wise-crackin' sheep, get yourself a copy of Franklin's book It Itches--look for it at your local yarn shop or buy it online from us.

You can still buy copies of Knits Holiday Gifts 2008. The patterns are classics for year-round giving!

Where in the world is Sandi?

If you are in the Minneapolis area this weekend (Feb 14-15), come join me and a zillion other knitters and crocheters at the Mall of America for this year's big Knit-Out and Crochet 2009, sponsored by the Craft Yarn Council of America. Some of the biggest names in yarnland will be there and I'll be interviewing them and blogging live from the Mall for next week's posts!

The Knit-Out and Crochet event promises to be tons of fun!

There will be knitting demos, crocheting demos, contests, fashion shows, and FREE knitting and crochet lessons. Rumor hath it that if you show up at the doggies-in-knits fashion show, you might catch a glimpse of your favorite Knitting Daily editor wrangling a pup or two.

Visit the Knit-Out and Crochet 2009 website for more information, times, and a schedule of events. And if you see me, come say hello!

-- Sandi

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? I finished a quick hat over the weekend; and am half-done with a pair of thrummed mittens. (My sister's Central Park Hoodie is on hold temporarily. My sister lives in Chicago, so she totally understands and doesn't mind waiting until the mittens are done.)

Announcing The Poetry Winners!

KD Sandi — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Imagine hundreds of photos of magnetic poems. Poems of all shapes and sizes and lengths; poems arranged on refrigerators, poems arranged on table tops, poems arranged on knitted scarves, poems arranged on piles of yarn.

Imagine several Interweave judges, each with their own favorites. There were spirited discussions. There was spirited waving about of printed out poetry. There was spirited reading aloud of one's favorites in order to drown out the voices of the other judges.

Yeah, baby. Whoever said poetry was for the meek and mild has never judged a poetry contest.

We finally came up with our three top prize winners, and here they are!

First Prize: Angela Lane!

All of the poems would win fame and glory, but in the end, only one poem would be immortalized in a mitten pattern for all to see. And that mitten-worthy poem--our First Prize Winner--is by Angela Lane of Vidalia, Georgia! Her poem was a hauntingly rhythmic refrain, one that could easily be the Knitter's Mantra.

Angela's poem is being worked into a custom knitting chart for a new set of Poetry Mittens; we will have one of our knitters here knit up the mittens and send them to her as soon as they are done. The pattern will be available for sale in the Knitting Daily store as soon as all that is done.

Second Prize: Staci Perry

Second Prize goes to...Staci Perry of Austin, Texas. Staci's poem was a lovely, succinct, rhythmic poem that spoke to our hearts and our shared passion for the craft.

Third Prize: Denise Lotter

On to our Third Place Winner! This poem, by Denise Lotter of Anaheim Hills, California, is the best of the many haiku we received.

Fourth Prize: Debra Warstler (Best Presentation)

The judging was pretty heated, even when we had narrowed it down to just a few. In order to appease certain, uh, factions (namely, the person who kept ending every sentence with "But the SHEEP poem, that one is soo cute that it has to win something. C'mon, folks: the SHEEP poem!!") we added a fourth prize winner in a special category: Presentation.

And Fourth Prize, the prize for Best Presentation, went to the prettiest-to-look-at-poem, which is entitled "Sheep" and is by Debra Warstler of Canton, Ohio.

Congratulations to Angela, Staci, Debra and Denise! You should be very proud of yourself, considering how tough the competition was. And thank you to all the poets who participated, making this such a fun contest to judge!

Want a Fearless Knitter Tee Shirt? Announcing The Knitting Daily Cafe Press Store!

You've been asking for Fearless Knitter tee shirts—now we have them! Visit the Knitting Daily Cafe Press Store for Knitting Daily and Fearless Knitter tee shirts, hats, messenger bags, tote bags, bumperstickers, mugs, and and all sorts of goodies. We even have baby bibs that say "I'm gonna be Knitting Daily!" and tee shirts for your dog.

If you have a suggestion for a Knitting Daily saying or image we could add to the Cafe Press offerings Let us know!

Go Shopping At The Knitting Daily Cafe Press Store!

Announcing the Readers' Choice Award Winners

KD Sandi — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 22:00:00 GMT

Can we pretend I'm Ryan Seacrest for just a moment? I feel as though this moment deserves a tuxedo and a gilded envelope...So, please dim the lights and let's open the envelope with our results!

Knitting Daily has voted, and here, in no particular order, are your Readers' Choice Award Winners:

Here they are: The top five patterns as selected by you!

Cable-Down Raglan, by Stefanie Japel

Nantucket Jacket, by Norah Gaughan

Sunrise Circle Jacket, by Kate Gilbert

Tweedy Aran Cardigan, by Norah Gaughan

Swallowtail Shawl, by Evelyn A. Clark

As promised, we have put together the five winning designs into a free eBook, which you will be able to download from now until 5 PM MST on Wednesday, May 14, 2008. After that, the eBook goes back into the vault and will not be available as a collection again.

I've gotta quote that guy in Indiana Jones for a moment here: You have all chosen wisely... The range of techniques and design elements in these Top Five is impressive, and together, these five designs truly display some of the most beautiful and innovative uses of the humble knit and purl stitch ever. First, we have the Swallowtail, a traditional lace shawl, designed by Evelyn Clark in a miniature—but still visually rich, still breathtakingly beautiful—version more suitable for modern wardrobes. Then, we have Stefanie Japel's elegantly worked Cable-Down Raglan, which uses ancient stitchery to produce a sweater with contemporary shaping and styling. Also worked in cables is the slightly more traditional Tweedy Aran Cardigan from Norah Gaughan, which adds modern curves and detailing to a well-loved cardigan style. The Nantucket Jacket, again from Norah Gaughan, starts with a very up-to-the-minute silhouette, and adds all-over pattern stitching, gussets, and some very beautiful detailing to produce a contemporary garment that sings with history. And finally, Kate Gilbert's Sunrise Circle Jacket takes the humble increase to places it has never been, producing a unique and beautiful jacket that is as fascinating to make as it is to wear.

Winners, all.

Stefanie, Kate, Norah, Evelyn: You bring us the best of knitting, so that we can aspire to be the best of knitters. Each of you is a gift to the knitting community, and we at Knitting Daily are blessed and honored to be able to share your work with our readers.

All right, Knitting Daily folks...haven't you got some downloading to do?

Download The Top 5: The Best of Interweave Knits Readers' Choice Awards (not available after May 14, 2008)

Enjoy! And need I say: Happy Knitting!

—Sandi

Meet The Winning Designers: Blog Tour!

We thought you'd like to hear from Kate, Norah, Evelyn, and Stefanie themselves, and then we thought it would be fun to have the winners be interviewed by some of your favorite knitting bloggers! So we're doing a Blog Tour—each day this week, we invite you to visit the blog indicated below for some behind-the-scenes scoop!

Here's the schedule for the festivities this week:

Monday, April 14: Sandi Wiseheart interview on Smoking Hot Needles

Tuesday, April 15: Norah Gaughan interview on Lolly Knitting Around

Wednesday, April 16: Kate Gilbert interview on Moth Heaven

Thursday, April 17: Stefanie Japel interview on Chez Aristote

Friday, April 18: Evelyn Clark interview on The Panopticon

Come join the fun!

Want to congratulate the designers yourself? Leave a comment!

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? Two inches past the hem of the New Skinnier Gathered Pullover.

A Delighted--and Delightful!--Grand Prize Winner

KD Sandi — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Just look at this wonderful photo:

That adorable, delighted face on the right belongs to Judy, our Knitting Daily Yarn Spree First Prize Winner. The lovely smile on the left belongs to Caryn, the manager of The Whole Nine Yarns, Judy's local yarn shop. I believe that bit of paper being clutched to in Judy's left hand is her winning gift certificate. (Caryn, let us know if you need us to print you a replacement certificate, as it looks like Judy might not want to let that one go.)

Judy, your joy at winning has captured our hearts here in the Knitting Daily offices. We are all so happy for you, and we send you our warmest congratulations on being our top prize winner!

Judy's Local Yarn Shop

The Whole Nine Yarns, owned by Debi Light, is located in Woodstock, Georgia, 30 miles north of Atlanta. They offer a large variety of the most luxurious and new yarns, accessories and fibers for knitters, crocheters, spinners and rug hookers. The shop provides an inviting and cheerful atmosphere where novice and master knitter alike are welcome and encouraged in their craft. Everyone there is always looking for new inspiration and fresh ideas, so you’ll find a great assortment of classes offered each month in everything from learn to knit to garment creation to fun accessories.
New technique classes are always a hit with their customers. Tuesdays are busy days at The Whole Nine Yarns with the Sit & Stitch group in the morning and Knit Night later that evening. Their dear customer, Judy, the Knitting Daily Yarn Spree First Place Winner, is a regular member of the Sit & Stitch group.

Everyone raise their needles and hooks in a salute to Judy and the good folks at The Whole Nine Yarns!

OK, Judy, Linda, and Gabriel: Time to get shopping! Have fun, and don't forget to send us a photo with your new stash enhancements.

Notes on The Ultimate Gift: Suggested Yarn Substitution

The Ultimate Gift sweater

Many of you have written to let us know that the yarn called for in The Ultimate Gift sweater is not easily obtainable. I wrote to the good folks at Tahki Stacy Charles, who make Filatura di Crosa Cashmere, and asked them if they could recommend a nice substitute yarn. Here is their kind and helpful reply:

If your readers are interested in making the sweater with the FDC Cashmere listed in the pattern, it is still available by special order. The yarn is not featured on our website, but we can provide pricing and order information by writing or calling the contact information given below.

If they would like to make the garment in a more cost-effective yarn, we suggest Filatura Di Crosa Zara (machine washable merino wool), which has a similar gauge and appearance. Zara is 137 yds per 50g ball and gauges 22 sts on #6 needles.

Tahki Stacy Charles Inc.
70-30 80th Street, Building 36
Ridgewood, NY 11385
718-326-3344

Thank you, Tahki folks! This info has been added to the pattern detail page.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? The Gathered Pullover, front cable nearly done. A very badly grafted hood on my husband's hoodie that might need some Knitting Daily magic. And the Secret Knitting Daily project continueth...

More Yarn Spree Love: Our Second Prize Winner!

KD Sandi — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

ou know, it's really fun to give yarn money to knitters. You are all so excited about the possibility of winning, and when the winners finally are announced, you are so delightful and celebrate right along with them. I get the feeling that if we were able to arrange a Knitting Daily field trip to help cheer on Gabriel, our third place winner, as he made those all-important spending decisions for his prize, then Dallas would suddenly be flooded with the Knitting Friends of Gabriel.

Second Prize Winner: Linda!

Linda wearing a shrug made from a vintage pattern

So, it's time to spread some more Knitting Daily love. Readers, I give you Linda, from Tuscon, Arizona, who now has a lovely $200 gift certificate that is hers, all hers, to spend at her local yarn shop. Linda sent in this little bio about herself to help us all live vicariously—er, uh, get to know her—a bit better.

Handwork and crafting have been my love as far back as I can recall. I remember learning sewing from my mother in 1st grade and embroidery when I was ten. I picked up crocheting at summer camp when I was thirteen and started making quilts when I was sixteen. My first college degree was in fiber arts, where I developed skills such as spinning, dyeing, weaving, basketry, and knitting. My grandmother was always knitting or crocheting; as the only one among her children or grandchildren that followed in these footsteps, I was given all her needles and patterns when she passed away. (A few years ago I found a shrug pattern dated 1953 in this collection, older than I am, yet very up to date. It was very fun to make!)

Knitting is my favorite way to "unwind" at the end of a busy, demanding day of work. There is just nothing like the feel of yarn slipping rhythmically through my fingers, stitch by stitch forming something beautiful and useful all at once. . . Sometimes I think it is my own soul I am knitting back together. . .

I am so excited about winning the Knitting Daily Yarn Spree! Visions of all sorts of amazing projects are dancing in my head, from a cabled cardigan (hmm, maybe a Central Park Hoodie?!) to a summery short sleeved cotton sweater. Not to mention new ideas I have for felted bags and flowers. . . This is going to be incredibly fun! I am deeply grateful to Sandi Wiseheart and everyone at Knitting Daily for this opportunity!!!

Linda's Local Yarn Shop

Kiwi Knitting Company

Linda's gift certificate entitles her to $200 worth of goodies from her local yarn shop, Kiwi Knitting Company, located close to the University of Arizona in Tucson's historic Sam Hughes Neighborhood. Customers come to Kiwi for more than its wide variety of beautiful yarns, books, and tools. Behind the doors of its 1930's home, they also find friendly faces, inspiration, expert teachers, project assistance, and a cozy, warm atmosphere. (Some also come to visit Rocky, owner Lynn's 10-yr old Airedale.) More than one customer has stopped in at the end of a hard day and left for home with peace in their heart. So, if you're in the neighborhood, stop by and give both Rocky, and the yarn, a few pats!

Congratulations and three cheers for Linda and for Kiwi Knitting Company!

Remember, inquiring minds here at Knitting Daily are anxiously awaiting photos of Linda's prize purchases. We're all going to be there with you in knitterly spirit, Ms. Linda.

And the First Prize Winner is...going to be announced on Friday. See you then!

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? Last night, Cap'n Frog and I sat down with a cup of hot tea and frogged the Gathered Pullover back to before the boo-boos. And the Secret Knitting Daily project continueth...

Yarn Spree Contest: And The 3rd Prize Goes To...

KD Sandi — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Many of you have been writing in, anxiously asking when the results for the Knitting Daily Yarn Spree Giveaway would be announced. We said the winners would be notified in mid-January, and I believe that today, January 14th, is "mid" enough for me. So, we ran our little random number generator on the thousands and thousands of entries we received, and all this week, you will get a chance to meet the winners and get a peek at their favorite local yarn shop where they will be spending lots of time rolling in yarn and petting skeins trying to decide what to buy with their shiny-new gift certificates.

Third Prize Winner: Gabriel!

I am very pleased to introduce to you Gabriel, a 25-year-old knitter from Dallas, Texas. Gabriel is a very, very happy dude right now, because—drum roll, please—he has just won Third Prize in the Knitting Daily Yarn Spree Giveaway!

Three cheers for Gabriel: *Hip hip hooray! (Repeat from * twice more. Bind off loosely in pattern. Weave in ends and raise a glass in the direction of Texas.)

I had the happy task of letting Gabriel know that he had won, and what he wrote in response to my request for a little blurb about himself utterly charmed me. With Gabriel's permission, I am reprinting it here, verbatim, because there is just no way I could ever say it better:

Hi Sandi!

OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! *does a limenviolet squeeeeeeeeeeeeee*

Well lets see, I've been a rabid knitter for the last three years or so. I caught the bug when I had ended a relationship (nothing serious but you know how boys/men can take up so much of your time) and had lots of spare time on my hands! What to do....... A bout of insomnia had me prowling the craft aisle of the empire of evil (starts with a W) when I happened upon on a teach yourself to knit kit. Purchased that, some yarn and the first thing I ever made was a sweater for my now deceased dachsund, Boober. Ever since, I haven't stopped! As for my prize, well, I think I'll definitely be buying myself a sweater's worth of Manos del Uruguay, or maybe some Blue Sky Alpaca, or maybe some tweedy business.........DECISIONS!!!! Thank you so much to everyone at Interweave press and Knitting Daily!

Gabriel's Local Yarn Shop

The Shabby Sheep in Dallas, TX

Gabriel won a $100 gift certificate for a spree at his local yarn shop: The Shabby Sheep, located in the historic State Thomas District of Uptown Dallas. They offer a range of classes, and you can take the type of class that suits your needs: technique-based, honing your skills on a specific technique; project-based, learning all the skills necessary to complete a specific project; series-based, where there are several related classes all on a theme (Baby Knitting, for example)—you can take just one or take them all. They also offer community events like PJs and Purls on Thursday nights. (Check their website for contact info and current calendar offerings.)

Our happiest congratulations to The Shabby Sheep and to Gabriel! We expect photos of Gabriel with his new stash enhancements, OK?

New to the KD Pattern Store: The Babette Blanket!

The Babette Blanket by Kathy Merrick

I used to be Managing Editor for Interweave Crochet magazine, and one of my jobs was opening the boxes of newly-completed projects for the magazine, fresh from the designer, ready to go to the photoshoot. I will never forget opening the package that contained the Babette Blanket: I gasped, and kept saying "Oh wow, oh WOW..." And I am pretty sure that is what so many of you said when you opened the magazine and saw those gorgeous photos: OH WOW! That issue has been out-of-print for a while now, and we're delighted to finally be able to offer the Babette for sale in the the Store.

Why not a separate Crocheting Daily newsletter and store? A lot of folks ask this. Wellll...we had to start somewhere, and so we started with knitting. We have plans for growing our crochet offerings in the future, but we did not want the crocheters to have to wait to be able to find their favorite projects easily, either in the free library database or in the store. So: we're using the same database for knitting and crochet, to give everyone easy accessibility, and we look forward to the future when we can provide the crocheters with their very own "home sweet home" in the Interweave webiverse.

Stay Tuned For More Prizes!

Wednesday, we'll meet the second prize $200 spree winner; and Friday, we'll meet the lucky person who won the top prize of a $300 yarn spree!

We had thousands of entries to this giveaway; after seeing all the entries, I am touched by all the passion and enthusiasm the entries represent. I felt a little sad that we could only give three prizes away since so many of you shared your yarn spree fantasies with us—but there will be other contests and giveaways on Knitting Daily, so there be assured that will be more chances to win some nice goodies in the weeks ahead.

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? I cannot tell a lie. I made a big boo-boo in the Gathered Pullover, and shall be calling Cap'n Frog in for help. And I'm working on a new Secret Project for Knitting Daily!

Gallery: The Ivy League Vest

KD Sandi — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 07:00:00 GMT

Annie goes Ivy League!

Katie's notes:

(Katie Himmelberg is assistant editor of Interweave Knits.)

This colorwork beauty, designed by Interweave Knits editor Eunny Jang, modernizes a Fair Isle classic with its close fit. Using a modest six colors, this vest is a complete study in Fair Isle; the classic construction elements include steeks and two-color corrugated ribbing.

View The Ivy League Gallery

When selecting a size, be sure to check all the measurements shown on the schematic; the stranded fabric is very firm (but flexible) and a too-tight vest may be uncomfortable in the waist area. The sample I tried on was a little smaller than my actual measurements, and while not uncomfortable, was definitely on the tight side! So, if you're looking for a more relaxed fit, I'd choose the size with a waist measurement that is larger than your own. For a close fit, choose the size that is closest to or less than your waist size.

Don't be afraid to switch up the colors to suit your personal palette; as we discussed with the Bonbon Pullover, the key is to choose colors with similar values so that you'll have the same balance between light and dark. Contrast is key; it really makes the patterns pop.

from Winter 2007 Interweave Knits

I think the Ivy League looks great as shown in the magazine, and it could be worn with a number of different outfits; over a long, sleek turtleneck, a v-neck tee that echoes the neckline of the vest, or a jersey dress.

Sandi's notes:

Note that in the pattern, Eunny points out: "The deep V-neck accommodates a bust size up to 5" larger than finished size." Thus, the V-neck is why the finished waist size is a better guide to which size to knit than the bust size. For example, after a bit of weight loss this past autumn, I now have a 40.5" bust and a 37" waist. The finished bust sizes for the Ivy League go up to 41.75", which would give me 1.25" of positive ease (not including the ease added by the V-neck). However, I would hesitate to make the 41.75" size because the corresponding waist measurement, as shown on the schematic, is only 35.5".

Freaked by Steeks? If you are in love with the Ivy League Vest, but are put off by the very mention of the word "steeks" in the introduction...well, don't be. Eunny has a wonderful, hold-your-hand tutorial on steeks in the Winter 2006 issue of Interweave Knits (and I checked, back issues are still available if you missed that one). The big fear with steeks seems to be the fear of the fabric unravelling once it is cut; however, as Eunny points out in the article, knitted fabric is less likely to unravel if you cut down through the rounds/rows than if you cut across a single round/row. Also, garments such as the Ivy League Vest are usually knit with a "hairy" wool whose little hairs naturally hold the stitches together. So: Be a fearless knitter, and fear not the steeks.

Sandi Wiseheart is the founding editor of Knitting Daily. She is now the author of the popular Knitting Daily blog: What's on Sandi's Needles.

Knit Cardigan Patterns From Knitting Daily: 7 FREE Knitting Patterns

Every knitter has dreamed of the perfect cardigan pattern that he or she might knit some day. From a cozy cable knit to luminous lace, this free ebook will be your dream come true. This is a wonderful and varied collection of cardigans-which is one of the most important pieces in your wardrobe. You'll want to make every one of these knit cardigan patterns, so download your free eBook now and get started (and don’t forget to tell a friend so they can enjoy their own copy!).

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Will You Be One of Three Lucky Knitters?

KD Sandi — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 07:00:00 GMT

This could be YOU in YOUR LYS!

We interrupt this broadcast of the Knitting Daily/Interweave Knits Winter 2007 Gallery Series to ask you this all-important question:

What would you buy if someone gave you $300 to spend at your local yarn shop?

This is not a theoretical question, my yarn-loving friends. This is For Real. Interweave Press is giving away gift certificates for a shopping spree at the yarn shop of your choice. Three of you lucky folks will win one of the following in a random drawing: first prize wins a $300 spree, second prize wins a $200 spree, and third prize wins a $100 spree.

(Go enter the contest. Then come on back to share a few good Yarn Fantasies with the rest of us.)

All right, now that you know it's a REAL question, let me repeat it so you can start thinking about what you would do with your winnings:

What would you buy if we gave you a $300 shopping spree at your favorite local yarn shop? How about a nice $200 spree? Or a $100 spree?

Be still my heart.

What would you choose?

Well, no. Not be still MY heart, because I, as Knitting Daily Ringleader, cannot, of course, enter the drawing, not even under a false name. (Think about this. Every local yarn shop owner from here to Estonia has my photo. There's no way I could sneak in with one of the Yarn Spree gift certificates and try to pass myself off as Someone Not Sandi. Especially not when I headed straight for the anything-silk-and-purple section. Right there, I'd be caught red-handed. Or rather, purple-handed...)

But for the rest of you: Be still your hearts. Imagine it. A gift certificate for $300 is in your hand, and the entire yarn shop is your oyster.

A girl can dream, though. Even though I can't enter the drawing, I can live vicariously through all of you. Tell me what your shopping spree would be like, and why your local yarn shop is the best one there is.

Next week: The Ivy League Vest Gallery, and more!

Sandi Wiseheart is the editor of Knitting Daily.

What's on Sandi's needles? Six inches of the Gathered Pullover; a pair of socks on two circulars with partial heel flaps, and six inches of the hood of my husband's cabled hoodie.