December Should Be Donation Month Worldwide!

I've been working on some awesome stuff, I was even given a large commission to create some items for two children! Wool and acrylic products with fun colors. I took some photos of them, and I will post them under here. Making tons of things for other people is definitely an entertaining way to do something independent on weekends.

Are you looking for something to do with your expansive(let's just say overflowing) excess yarn? Have you considered looking up a local "Prayer Shawl Ministry?" If not please do so. Your yarn could go towards making a sick person feel just a bit better. One skein of worsted yarn could become a nice, large cowl or shawl.

Speaking shawls...a shawl can be a triangular, rectangular or a very large square.  So if you're a granny square maker, consider stringing your squares and popping the shawls in an emergency room, or giving a local hospital some items to give new mothers-- just consider it is all I'm saying.

I have recently become a part of a prayer shawl ministry, and though it is not my home church, I am very appreciative that they let me join them in their mission. They pray over them with their pastor, then send them out.

If you don't want to join churches in their outreach, how about finding a group(they call themselves a coven) of witches that wish to also bless and deliver blankets/shawls to the needy? Or volunteering at a homeless shelter?

I know it sounds weird, but I feel very much that my life has a purpose despite my unemployment right now...because I can give my time and my energy towards a group that is doing some good in this neighborhood. My local area...where it is needed the most.

No review this month, I just wanted to bring up the amazing work being done in Woodbridge,VA. From the local shelters keeping the homeless fed and able to get around town(on the bus system,but still, that's an accomplishment compared to other well off areas that have tent cities), to giving prayers and shawls to those recovering from illness or fighting it.

I hope and pray one day homelessness will be a thing of the past, and poverty will be looked at with the proper viewpoint--as something the community needs to eradicate one family, one meal, one home at a time.

End of Year Remarks

I can't believe it! I made it a full year...I blogged for a full year, guys! I might do a giveaway in January for actually making it 52 weeks and keeping my schedule to the blog. :) Here's to another year. And here's to more of you reading, enjoying this blog and just making my day with your e-mails!

If you have questions or want anything I have made, I would be more then happy to show you how it is done, or just give some tips!


Total donations this year? 2.00!
Yup! Enough for a skein of yarn, and I'm very grateful for that. Thank you for all you do, even just reading this page means alot to me.

 

What's teh best part about November?

(images when I can get my camera some batteries! Please have patience.)
Good question! I think it might be the changing weather, the ability to pull out my woolen gloves and hat. Or it could be the wonderful expectation of snow and hot cocoa hovering on the horizon! I consider snow and cold weather a blessing instead of a curse. I hope you do too.

What have I been up to? I am working on quite a bit right now, and I will be shipping out the prize from last month this week! I also have an order incoming and another one that needs to be done by the second week of December!! Wowwie how exciting!

 I would like to do a review!

I decided to make a HUGE blanket, and I was curious about a yarn in Joann Fabric, so I took a visit. I was not disappointed, let me tell you!

Sincerely Yarn(Sincerely Red)

This yarn was rather supple. When I was crocheting fabric, it through I fully expected to have rope burn(I knit/crochet at high speed). What I found is that this yarn was gentle on my hands. Silky as a matter of fact. As I kept going, I found that the yarn was holding on to a cinnamon odor, and upon a little bit of online searching I found out why. Joann, Michaels, and a few other stores place "holiday" scents in buildings to bring a nostalgic feeling to those shopping. If you are allergic to these types of products, I would suggest staying out of the store until January...

This yarn was in a larger packaging, and I will never cease to be amazed at the progression of 100% acrylic yarn. It doesn't have to be hard and without give, it doesn't have to be full of factory made knots or stretched super thin from the machines going too fast.





Softness:5/5(what a soft acrylic! On par with the mixed material of Big Lots Gala, but more in the ball )
Price:5/5 (try to get it with a coupon for extra savings)
Color:5/5(very rich and definitely a "true red")
Ease of use: 5/5 (I could use it from the hank with no kinks, a rare occurrence for me considering the speed I pull from the hank)

Red Heart has recently released a "Soft" line, and when I can afford it, I will review it in the future. Until then, stay healthy, and WARM!

If you would like some product from me, feel free to e-mail me or just visit my zibbet shop and purchase a handmade scarf! I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Oh October! A review and a winner!

Hey guys! Ever just wonder why someone won't do something simple if they want it? Like sharing candy or something they deem "important"? Me too! :) I love to share information, tips and if it is asked for, tricks of the trade!

Last month was craaaaazy! I got to crocheting and learned the "Cathrine Wheel" as well as a dozen other funky things. I'm just going hog wild with things I am crocheting/knitting. I've got a nice "trunk" full of things to sell already though,and I'm looking forward to November. (pictured: my Cathrine Wheel work in progress, a napkin to keep the palms dry, my personalized yarn bowl and my tea mug...empty :P )

Speaking of November, I will be taking part in the Bethel United Methodist church craft bazaar! It's on the first Saturday of the month! Please come by so I can say a hearty hello and thank you for your support in person. This will be my first ever craft event, and I hope it'll be a raving success. I've gotta prepare business cards, a jar of ???(for a contest), and also make sure projects are 100% finished to my liking(which means I am just double checking ends/odds). I might also design a sign for myself to use while I'm out there. Speaking of designs I made some adorable necklaces. They aren't huge(maybe 1/2 inch for the largest ones), but they are quite lovely. :) If you'd like one let me know, they're gonna be gone once I go to the fair though, so order NOW. On with the review!

Review: (GalaYarns approx. color chocolate+glitter)

Have you ever gotten tired of waiting for expensive yarns to go on sale and just want to make something absolutely luxurious for yourself without breaking the bank? Enter GALA yarns. I found this gem at Big Lots of all places. When I did a feel test which consists of: pull a bit of yarn and see strength, and lastly do a back of hand "softness" test. This stuff is SOFT! I tried to get a proper image of the glitter, and I managed to get one of them on the right first image. That white spot is not a glitch, that's a glimmer, one of many spread throughout the yarn.

This stuff is so soft! As I was balling it, the yarn felt similar to pure silk, with out the silk cost! I'm sure by now you're wondering the price. I'm getting to it I promise! When I was knitting this stuff up it barely felt like I was knitting at all.

The overall pricetag for this 50g ball of airy fluffy goodness? One dollar. Let's just say I purchased two, just because of sticker shock--in the good way!
Softness:5/5(comparable to the lovely orange yarn that INSilk Schoppel created. Great buy guys, hit up your local Big Lots to fill your stash. Do a touch test before buying, and you'll be on par with the luxury yarns)
Price:5/5 (great price point for giving a child some new skills, or renewing your passion for yarnwork)
Color:5/5(there are alot of browns out there, but this really does look chocolate. I'll try taking a better photograph)
Ease of use: 5/5 (easy balling, easy knitting, only hard because you miss it once it's into a project lol)








Raffle Prize Update:

If you didn't win just enter again this month and you might walk out a winner! It has to be a minimum of a dollar, as 1 dollar = one entry. If you donate, say, 5 dollars you get 5 entries! It's really a great way to  come out a winner. But if you order from the shop I'll count what you spent as individual entries. : ) So come by, shop, and win! Thank you everyone for playing in the raffle.

As far as our winner? Ah yes the envelope just came in. Our winner this month is Cait!Please e-mail me at [ehamiltondesign at gmail dot com] by the 31st of October this info, anything omitted means the prize cannot be sent:
Full Name
Address
Color of the Item
Item Wanted

Will We Have a Winner This Month?

Well...that depends on you! There are two ways to enter: make an order in my zibbet.com shop OR put a few dollars in the yarn fund!

What's the prize? It's anything you want it to be! A purse, a hat, gloves, a free-form purple lips pillow, a bouquet of roses...the choices are as infinitely unique as you are.

Remember, you can only win if you take a chance on the raffle.

The raffle is drawn via random.org's number system on the last day of the month. I give everyone a number, in no particular order, then set it from 1 to whatever the highest number is. I hit your number, you win!


This is to remind everyone that if you enter with a dollar, you just might win something worth much more. :)

I'll do the yarn review this week, and hopefully I can report a winner there as well!

I forgot to take a photo, but Brandon was nice enough to do a review! Go check him out and give him a view. He talks about alot of things, and is fun to watch!

(url link just in case this goes down: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am1YwlTO7i )

Oh wow where does the time go?

Today I got started on taking pictures, but I'm not quite done yet. I'm also prepping for the upcoming craft fair at Bethel Methodist Church on Smoketown in November.  I planned on doing the one at Garfield, but the bar to entry is way too high (60USD just to get a table! That's rather high, even for a two day fair and the cost gets invariably passed onto you guys in the products when that happens.)

If you're curious as to what I've been making, you wanna talk techniques or you just wanna say hi(because you read the blog) then drop on by! You'll be glad you did, and it'll give me something fun to do aside from creating more pieces!

I've been looking at local flea markets, and I might start using them to open up my first physical shop, rather then keeping my products exclusively online. Do you think that is a good idea? I've seen and heard of individuals getting a great start at flea markets, but if you have contrary or first hand knowledge I'd love to hear it. Some locations are: Manassas, Woodbridge and Springfield.

I considered D.C. but I am not sure I would want to go such a long distance without a vehicle every day with all my products in tow...

As for a review, I will get to it next week. This week I am doing research and I want to focus on one thing at a time.

I made some cute things since we last met, so I will try to get some satisfactory imagery of them.

Hey it's almost time for school!

Well that's a great thought right? Back to learning...to friends? I purchased some awesome size 8 boye circular knitting needles on the cheap.

I'm also going to change it up. Today, instead of reviewing a yarn, I'm going to point you to a site so you can learn how to make your own afghan hook with a bit of practice. Check it out!

(if you don't wanna take the jump but still want to learn how I'll post what you need)

You're gonna need:
A saw of some sort to make a slit to work with
A whittling knife
A bit of news paper to catch the whittling if you insist on doing it indoors

This was so much fun and so easy in fact, that I went ahead and made it from a dowel that we've had in the house for a really long time that was just sitting there. :) Here's mine!:

(photograph of the afghan hook)
If you'd like to have one of them, let me know and I'll set up a contest!


Take advantage of the yarn sales going on, Mary Maxim, Michaels, JoAnne Fabrics and Yarn Cloud are offering. Walmart is also selling some yarn/hooks cheaper then normal, but they haven't advertised it. I would suggest keeping an eye out so you can get some seriously amazing savings! :D

Kinda short but worth it!

I'm doing a ton of knitting/crochet right now. :) Does any one else think that it's been a crazy hot summer this year? I do. It got me to thinking about ice cream~

cherry icecream

Chocolate softserve(om nom)


Mmm softserve. The chocolate/vanilla swirl and cherry/vanilla swirl are just two flavors I can make for you. Feel free to ask for custom flavors if you'd like me to make one for you!  If you'd like some of my icecream you can go to my zibbet page, or just at tophatter. OOorrr you can just leave a comment with your interest. :)

Happy 3/4 of the month being over!

Ohh lala~We have a winner!

Ever start making something and then realize, you're doing an older stitch! You've found something that hasn't been done in quite some time or you've made an easy peezy crochet pattern that looks great?

Well I had an afternoon like that. I was crocheting the left-overs from that sumptuous orange yarn I reviewed last month...and I made a really pretty stitch. I might go ahead and show pics of the stitch next month.

I found this amazing pompom maker...I will be asking my older brother to allow me to hit up a store that has it for less then 10.00 USD. I really could use it to make some adorable <3 shaped pompoms for girly hats and scarves! 

Unfortunately I don't have any images on things I've been up to lately(as they are all unfinished goods. Trying a new type of to see if I can streamline my process/make it faster), but I DO have a review fellas and ladies.



Review(Schulana Tamarillo #46
100% Cotton; worsted weight)

Ever use a yarn that was odd? I mean really odd, but in a good way. This yarn would be such an example. It has beautiful flecks of beige and chocolates mixed in with long stretches of heather grey. When crocheting this yarn I honestly had no idea how it would end up. When I gave it the initial tug it didn't budge. I do this with all my yarns when I am learning about a new skein's particular give...so I don't overwork/snap it by accident later on. I found it odd and continued on, crocheting it. I thought to myself 'this is going to be one of those yarns that I gotta lace peg after I'm done isn't it...?'








Well, I was wrong! And gratefully so. As I was making my amigurumi birdy(original pattern) I found out very quickly that it made a luxurious, giving cloth that could take being stretched once it was made into a pattern. I love this style of yarn, and I might go find some in a different brand.  Yarn Cloud might just have it, because they are home to alot of interesting yarns and helpful folks. :)


                                                                                                 

Softness:5/5(it's like knitting rope without all the ropeburn...and I love it)
Price:3/5(sorry guys, there's like 3 places to buy online, and two of them have very limited stock)
Color:5/5
Ease of use: 5/5(buttery as long as balled first and not used from skein)


Prize update

Gracious! It's the end of June and we have a winner! This month's winner happens to be a purchaser from the shop. Congrats Brandon P. ! He will be contacted via e-mail and I will post a photograph of the prize once it is completed. :)


Keep in mind this month is a new month. The winner of July has yet to be decided. Donating even a dollar will enter you into the raffle folks! :) All proceeds only go towards products to be reviewed( for instance, yarn, tools or objects to be given away)







                                                
                                                                                                     Okay birdy, wave bye bye!

Oh! I have more purses to showcase

Remember last month when I was supposed to put the purses up for purchase? Well...I forgot to do that. Sorry! In addition I made three more purses these past weeks! And one of them was recently purchased. :) The buyer thanked me and said quote "Its beautiful". I love getting feed back on my products, and that one made my day.

Not to mention I've been building up a cache of winter caps/summer female hats for purchase. Those will be available for purchase late July~

I will be doing a giveaway for donators every month now. If you donate 5$ this month or make a purchase in the shop,or e-mail me to purchase a specialty order, you will be entered into a raffle. At the end of the month I will pull a name from the list, and the winner will receive one custom order. You can decide what that prize is. A purse? A hat? An amigurumi plush of a panda? A bunny hood like Link in Majora's Mask? The possibilities are endless!  :)

And now, picture time!!

 Berry purple headband, crochet

 Grape purple headband

 Charcoal black crochet headband. The camera couldn't capture the intricate details on the band

Cream white Fan headband, crochet

 Knit headband, frilly and girly. If you would like me to add a flower or something to ANY of these, let me know!

Knit headband, it's smaller then the others in appearance, but sits comfortably on your head, regardless of which side you choose to wear. :)

Headband set(minus grape). There are crochet and knit ones in there...all of them are ready to be worn. If you're interested head over to my shop, or leave a comment here to buy one or buy em all! 20$ for the set and 5$ per each band


Keep in mind, I'm still reviewing some amazing yarn that I won last month. The one up this time is rather fascinating. See you in a few weeks!

Purses, Purses and Purses

Hello everyone! I finished making some wonderful purses. Once I get a few more I will start listing them in earnest. Right now I just want to get a few various purses as a stock. They will probably be first come first serve(OOAK), and probably one of a kind colors, as the yarn I currently have in stock is all vintage(I'm talking 20+ years of age)!

The moment you all have been waiting for:
Warning! Picture Bomb:

Bolero(this is the subject of today's review! My camera skills could use some work on this one...)

Purses in various forms of completion

Review(Schoppel Wolle IN Silk:worsted weight, Silk/Wool!) Image from: http://www.dull-roar.com(check em out and say thanks!)

Wow...what to say about this yarn. Well for starters it's amazingly soft and warm. Pure luxury yarn. When I first changed it from a skein to a ball, I found that it was easily twining. To wind I actually use a large plastic rubbish bin turned upside down. The wide end creates a nice spot for the yarn to sit while I handwind it. It didn't mind me winding it as other yarn brands did, and it also didn't kink up like I honestly expected it to. 

This yarn was sexy to knit with. The Schoppel Wolle IN Silk actually has an oval shape to it, which is crazy unique from what I've seen! It was smooth, gentle and made a soft hissing noise when it turned into the bolero.  It was awesome to use and a fun 3AM partner. I've even got a small ball of it left...wonder what it would like to be turned into? :) I just want to use it all up, as it's so beautiful and REAL, much like the lemon yellow yarn I told you about earlier.

Softness:5/5(plush from skein to finished product)
Price:1/5(17-30 dollars per skein! Yikes! 225yards; so buy if in your price range)
Color:5/5
Ease of use: 5/5(It's great if you love low effort yarn with a gentle feel to it, cast off and knit away)

Hey, if you're aware of my Facebook page, I'd strongly suggest getting back in touch with it. I'm doing some small trivia questions, and the winner gets a nice prize. :)
 Sweet Yarn on Facebook


If you would like to give me a tip to support the purchasing of yarn/supplies, or  you just like the blog, please feel free to tip/donate to me! :) Even a dollar helps! All goes towards the yarn fund <3

Update on the Review Status

We only have 13 spots left, so if you are interested in me reviewing your products OR giving them away to my readers, please don't wait too much longer. :) You can easily reach me at ehamiltondesign-at-gmaildotcom(please put in the appropriate dot and at sign respectively).

I am looking for:
Yarnbowls
Knitting or crochet hooks
products to make knitting and crochet easier
Yarn
Novelty Yarn or New Product
yarn ballers(electric and hand crank)
knitting instructional materials
crocheting instructional materials

If possible send two, so I can do giveaways! :) Thanks!

Guess What's Coming to Knitter!

*I'm about to go to college again, in hopes of improving my job skill set. Let's hope it not only boosts my knowledge, but offers me a new field of open, unclaimed jobs like I haven't seen before lol*
That's right! The yarn I won is here! It got here right on schedule...actually ahead of schedule. I was fully expecting the post to take 8-10 days to get it here. Boys n' girls do we have a nice lot of yarn to review! I plan on reviewing the first of the batch in the second update(aka next post).

I'm still trying to get tophatter.com to work for me...I asked the staff questions, but I really wasn't told anything substantial as to why I cannot directly list. If this continues, and it's not just me...this could be a bad sign for the site. I hope they aren't trying to cut corners and in the process cut sellers a bad deal. I sincerely hope that isn't the case, because it's a decent website, and I've managed to get a few items sold that otherwise would have sat in inventory(you know the odds and ends a shop gathers every once and awhile).

RIGHT! You wanted to see the yarn didn't you? Haha, no I didn't forget, honest ;)
(the first sight of the yarn after nudging open the box. It was well packed, and ensured nothing would be coming out/moved before it got to me@sweetyarn)

(the yarn out in the open. Oooooh eyelash, thick and orange! I haven't seen pumpkin orange yarn in awhile!)

Everybody please, when you can, send a big old thank you to Dull Roar for even offering the opportunity! :)

Stay tuned, next time we meet we've gotta talk about one of the yarns I won, and maybe discuss what I did with it(if I'm that quick on the draw).

Oh my goodness! I won something to review!

Horray! I entered a contest for yarn, and I won! Now I will have some great yarn to review over the next year(assuming there are at least 9 yarns inside the package*fingerscrossed*) If you're wondering where I got such an amazing prize from, go here: The Giveaway I've been making new products, and I found my camera's chord! :) SO : WARNING PICTURE BOMB! First off, I've been making some cute Amigurumi keychain critters. Pictured here are the bunny and the mouse.

Check out these massive gloves! These are for a sale I made earlier for a tall(he's taller then 6'7") friend. My hand is in the photo for size reference, I'm 5'6".

The last photo is of the second laptop bag I made. Would you believe this one was made using that amazing universal wool yarn I reviewed last month and acrylic yarn? I felted the center,and did a chain stitch for a cute finished out look. The buttoned flap(when you open it)hides a hand sewn zipper. When I can afford a nice sewing machine(I'm thinking one that's 100$ or less,fancy gears are nice but not necessary), I'd love to sew the zipper in firmly.

I've also got purses made! If you don't want to wait to see them in the blog or you want to snatch them up before someone else gets it, go here:Shop

Spring Weather Means Bags are On the Docket

I've been knitting some interesting bags and I hope to have some up and available very soon. I've knit some laptop bags, crocheted laptop bags...


Alot of fun. I may have to stop using tophatter though, as I can't get an auction in regardless of how many times I attempt to. I will keep trying though, as there is no success if I quit!

I will post images up when I can figure out what's wrong with my camera...

Enjoy the unseasonably hot spring(which is summer as far as I can tell)

Snow is gone,but it never stayed to begin with

Oh my gosh what is up with this hot as crap weather? Either way, I'm thinking of lace knits that can be worn in this heat without causing the wearer to pass out.

I'm working on a laptop bag(two actually) so that I can give one away. I decided to put one into Tophatter.com. Check it out and take a minute to mark a timer so you can buy this bag from Sweet Yarn. I have another laptop bag for you guys to enjoy quite soon. So for now:

This bag has a nice crochet design, and I have an awesome vintage button attached to it. The bag is stretchy, so feel free to cram a laptop chord in it or clip on a flash drive. Go wild! :)

I've been making quite a few laptop bags, and I will start listing them ASAP, as people need bags, but don't want to have a generic carrier.

Let me know what you think! :)

No review today, as I haven't been able to get a new yarn yet. I'll try to get some sumptuous yarn later on before April.

Happy March, don't be too crazy out there with this beautiful weather everyone!

Woah Happy March

**If you'd like to purchase a pattern(I have a couple now thanks to tinkering with yarn) from me please let me know. I have one right now up for purchase on Ravelry. I will get a photograph up of the stitch when it's worked up...but for now, if you purchase the pattern, you will get a PDF.**

(picture bomb warning!!)
How've you been? February changed rather rapidly to March. I did a giveaway recently. If you had NO idea, please be sure to keep an eye on my shop's facebook page: check it out!. Also be sure to check out the shop itself here!

I'm adding a spiffy beret that's in heather grey. It looks amazing and would be great in all weather. I haven't been up to too much this month(aside from knitting and crocheting my spring products).

I've been selling a few products on tophatter.com under the username of SweetYarn! Be sure to keep an eye out- you're sure to get a wonderful deal if you do!



I managed to get some great deals. One from Tuesday Morning(omg 1.99 for 3 circular needles!?) one from Michaels(2.99 for three crochet hooks L,P&Q)...I plan on hitting up Tuesday Morning again very soon, as they just got three more skeins of the lemon yellow yarn that grabbed my attention...and it is the subject of today's review!


Pictured here are P & Q!

This is the circular needle set, 10.0,12.75 and one that's ginormous(perhaps closer to 15?)

As you can see I've pretty much gotten enough tools to make just about anything your heart desires! I'm psyched for what this spring will bring~

As promised, the yarn I spoke of a number of months ago:
(Review time! Universal Yarn: Deluxe Chunky 100% Wool; Lemon(discontinued)

This yarn outpaces any synthetic yarn that I used before. The Universal yarn; was soft, easily fused when washed in warm water and made turning into a cowl much easier(I did a slight felting, to prevent the wool fibers from flopping out). I got 100grams, 120 yards of the sumptuous stuff. This one is a buggaboo to unknit once you slightly felt it, so be SURE it is in the shape you want...because you'll never get it back! One thing I enjoyed about it was the ease of shaping once I was done designing the cowl. I dunked it into warm water and a bit of dish soap...and it shaped up quite nicely. I don't really know what else to say about this yarn, except it makes me think of the very end of springtime, turning into summertime fun with a lemonade in one hand and a fan in the other.

Does the stitch look familiar? It's the lady lace stitch that I provided before! I placed an accent button on the Mobius cowl, and I'm looking forward to listing it tonight. If you want it, be sure to snatch it up quick...before someone else does!
Delicious~

Hope to see you again soon!

Yarning and Some Great News!

(Some "personal" stuff)I've been quite busy, so please forgive the lateness of this post. I'm still looking for a legitimate job, but I haven't given up. I know that my skills are useful! In the meantime I have been trying to make some inroads to get my adult life started(woohoo!)


Boy oh boy when I said I was busy I wasn't kidding. I've found this rather nifty website where I can raffle off some of my scarves, if you're curious check it out here: tophatter.com! My name there is the same one here: Elizabeth Hamilton!

As time goes on I will be deciding if I will continue to use this avenue to sell my items! Here's a taste of what I've been up to since you last saw me(warning picture bomb!).

A close up look at the cowl I made as a gift for someone that donated yarn to me.

Some knitting markers I made. You can get them here: zibbet.com/croknitterparadise

A scarf with a fun button on it. It sits comfortably on you and is an easy way to wear a scarf without having to deal with long billowy scarves!

A 100% wool neck warmer. It can easily become a hood if necessary. This piece is very elastic, despite how tight it appears. I made one for myself, and I have to say that I would love to make a ton more of these. It's a convenient way to keep yourself warm, and cover your head during those unexpected snow or rainshowers.




On with today's review!

(Review time! Lion brand: Homespun Yarn Wildfire)
Ever enjoy watching a candle flicker gently while chilling out in the bathtub? Cuddling up to the fireplace after a long and fun day of playing in the snow? Some of the best things happen when you're next to fire. I felt very strongly about the oranges, blues and the strong yellow streak that went through the middle. As I knit up my project(using the pattern from last month) I found myself thinking about my happy memories with my family, with my dad grabbing a log from out back and chucking it into the fire.

This yarn was sumptuous. When I unknit it, to test for tinking(frogging)I found that it had a little trouble and started kinking and "breaking" in some spaces. I lost a bit of the yellow string but otherwise I enjoyed the way the product works up. I tried crocheting it, but to me it would work better as a knit piece.
Lion brand Homespun Yarn:
Softness:5/5(a little rough,but plush when crocheted up)
Price:4/5(the price is pretty good)
Color:5/5
Ease of use: 3/5(no auto-knitting on this one or you'll drop a few!)


Stay tuned for more "recent" brands of yarn. I might even do a "retro brand" review...because who doesn't love the long gone colors of yesteryear? :)

Question:
What have you been looking forward to making this year? Why?

Seeking yarn brands to review

I'm open for reviews this year. I will have twenty two slots open this year. If you have a product you would like to be reviewed please send me an e-mail and we can go from there!


I am looking to review:
Yarnbowls
crochet hooks
products to make knitting and crochet easier
Yarn
yarn ballers(electric and hand crank)
knitting instructional materials
crocheting instructional materials


I want to review your best. So if you're interested please send me an email :)

Happy Birthday, and some Fun updates!

(some real life stuff, because I'm a human not a robot)Today I rode the local bus system to figure out how to get up to Alexandria. My dad let me know there's an easier way, and I might just do that instead tomorrow. Why you might ask? Well I have an interview, and I am hopeful that this will either lead to a career start or just an informative lesson on what I need to improve.

(back to your regularly scheduled Sweet Yarn)
Remember that scarf I was telling you about? It's done! And I submitted the project to Lion Brand's contest. Here's a picture of it below:

I've also been working on some things while I was away. Say hello to the "tea mug" complete with handle and tea inside!(another project I submitted to their contest.)

I'm also working on a blanket, and it has two more skeins of yarn left to complete it. I'll show you once it's done, but so far I've got: seed stitch, bamboo stitch, grape seed stitch(modified), and the herringbone stitch. I have to say, the herringbone stitch is one of the more challenging stitches I've done so far.

I'm going to show you a stitch I made up today(late last night really) using a 100% wool yarn! I will call it the Lady Lace stitch(instructions after the review)

(Review time! Bernat brand: Handicrafter Cotton Yarn Calla Lily)
Boy oh boy was this yarn a soft one. As I was crocheting my scarf I found that it was easy to use, and it didn't leave my hands feeling sore, as with a lower quality yarn. What I loved most about this one is the color variations. It seamlessly went from green to white to dark green. It was a fun and funky addition to my project. One thing: I wish the yarn didn't need to be washed seperately...it would be more cost effective for me if the finished product could be tossed in with some jeans or my regular laundry. Ah well, beauty has it's costs, and for Bernat's Handicrafter...it's totally worth it! Since I got this huge pound of yarn(608 yards,WOW) I was able to make a very sassy scarf, and it could double as a shawl on those fun nights out with friends(or a date).

The pattern on the label was for a handbag AND a towel.

Bernat Handicrafter Yarn:
Softness:3/5(a little rough,but plush when crocheted up)
Price:5/5(the price is better then getting two separate skeins;wait for a sale)
Color:4/5(colorfastness is uncertain,hasn't been washed)
Ease of use:5/5(crochets up smoothly and isn't a stress on my hands when balled)

Now for that pattern:
Lady Lace Stitch
This stitch is done in sets of 2. So whatever you end on make it even.
Keep the project in your left hand as you work. You should be seeing the front on row 1 in the left, and the back of row 2 in the left. Of course if you're a lefty knitter then do the opposite but same thing.
Row 1 Yarn over(YO); knit 2 together(repeat these two steps to the end)
Row 2 Purl; slip the YO to the working needle

repeat this pattern. You should be seeing something like this:

Front:

Back:

As for the yarn I used? Stay tuned. I'm going to review it very soon ;)

Project list update!

At the beginning of the month I started the scarf you saw. It's done now(it was completely redone). Once I submit it to the contest I will post an image here. I also was able to go to Michael's again the Sunday before this one, and pick up two more balls of yarn. I've been completely busy, and here's the breakdown:

A skull cap. This one was done using the honeycomb stitch and basic ribbing stitch. Believe it or not this one can be worn easily by a man without having to be rolled up or corrected...but the ears are exposed.

A teddy bear using scrap yarn, amigurumi style. He was alot of fun to create. I made one of my friends a mew(a pokemon) using this style of crocheting.(front/side)

The mini skull cap(I've gotten quite a few compliments on this one haha)

The top of the cap.

If you'd like to know how the cap was made let me know...it's actually a really simple and fun pattern.

(Review time! Loops & Threads)
During these two weeks I got better acquainted with Impeccable from Loops&Threads. The caps I made were incredibly soft, and the price point is great, about 2 dollars for 268 yards(245meters). The thing I loved the most about this yarn was the richness of the colors and the texture. It wasn't super silky like Vanna's yarn, but it still could hold its own as something you want close to your skin. I found the oddest thing with this yarn is how quickly I knit up both projects. Tinking didn't leave any permanent marks in the yarn, and it took to being balled quite well.

Softness:3/5
Price:4/5(pretty inexpensive)
Color:5/5(diverse colors; deep colors)
Ease of use:5/5(knits up much quicker, easy to crochet as well)

A new year, a new set of projects

Back in November 2010 I learned how to make my first knit anything. Ironically it was a checkerboard "dust duvet". It's on top of my wicker book case, and it was made from sage green super saver yarn. Considering I was just learning I used a Boye size 8 needles at almost 12 inches long(I thought at the time that long needles meant less slippage) with youtube as my guide.

I spent hours just trying to learn, from sight, how to create the first row of stitches(after casting on of course). Some people would whip the yarn around so quickly that I got lost, or worse...frustrated! After about a dozen videos, and looking into webpages "how to" I stumbled onto a man in a nice chair.
It took a bit of doing but here he is!

There was no fancy music, no text. Just the man, his needles, and his yarn. His instructions were so clear and easy to understand that I got it first try. He spoke softly, but his patience with the viewer was marvelous. Check it out if you have no clue what the heck is going on in 90% of the videos and you're just starting out!
For this year I set the goal of entering as 8 contests with my knitting. Considering I just opened up Sweet Yarn(that's my shop) last year, I need to get some "lookers". Today I started a scarf. I plan on using a bunch of basic stitches as well as one or two that I created.

Since I just started this bunch of project I'll give a photo of what I've got so far:

(My Review of: Lion Brand Vanna's Choice Yarn)
I've got to say this lion brand yarn knits up so nice. The yarn almost has a silky texture to it...but I also realize that there is probably a price issue that prices most knitters out from using it. If you can afford to spend the extra .50$ I would strongly suggest it.

One thing I like about the Lion Brand Vanna's Choice yarn is its refusal to retain the "lock" of its previous form if you unwind it from a project or you need to do some emergency tinking(knitting in reverse haha)!

(For the rating system it will be 1-5, 1 being last resort and 5 being get it now.)
Lion Vanna's Choice Yarn:
Softness:3/5
Price:2/5(a bit pricy for so little)
Color:5/5(incredibly rich)
Ease of use:4/5(knits up nice and doesn't cause chafing on the hands)

News flash(es): if you can get to a Michael's store please do so in this week. Their whole stock of yarns are all on sale! Talk about a yarn crafter's dream! I saw a yarn that's regularly 3.49 at 2.49! One Pound Caron yarn is also amazingly cheap. At checkout I was given a 20% off coupon for next weekend. I fully plan on using it to stock up on the last bit of yarn I need for this year.

Yarn Cloud had a sale today(but I missed it) so now I'm wondering when the next sale will occur. Yarn cloud I will excitedly await the next sale(hopefully it will be longer then 3 hours next time...)

A question for you: What is your favorite brand of yarn? Why? I might go and test it out next(and give my results) here!