Review: 2014 December KnitCrate

Consider my monthly KnitCrate's eye candy my Christmas treat to you :) This is only my second package, but I was so excited to see what we were getting this month that I tore it open with the fervor of a starving cat. Luckily, I wasn't disappointed (LOOK AT THE YARN!)

This month's pattern is Lapidary by Brittany Wilson, sent as a redeemable code for digital download on the site. It's totally drool-worthy (especially in the colors I received), and I've had to hide it at the bottom of all my Christmas projects so I don't get distracted. But believe you me: this thing is happening during my nearly-two-weeks off from work for the holidays. I'm not one to rush through Christmas, but I'm chomping at the bit to knit on this project.

From the KnitCrate website: 

"Honeycomb-like patterns are hot this season and we couldn’t leave you out of that fun! Lapidary is worked on the bias and the colorwork is created with stripes and slipped stitches." Who doesn't love working on the bias? To me, bias designs seem to work up faster than others.

The yummy yarn was selected to coordinate with the pattern, which requires two colors. I was more than happy to get two skeins of Sunrise Fiber's Co's Frolic Sport in Electric Indigo and Jelly Bean; not only will they work up nicely in this pattern, but there's a little bit of pink in the Jelly Bean colorway. Two of my favorite colors combined in holy matrimony. Could I be any happier?

The Fun Extra is, indeed, a bit of fun. We received a Luxury Fur Pom-Pom, which is something you may have seen floating around in your LYS or online. These are fantastic for those times you don't feel like making your own (which is always for me... I absolutely hate the process of making pom-poms). It comes ready-to-attach to old or new projects that need a smidgen more pizzazz and is made of 80% acrylic and 20% polyester so it lasts a long time. You can check out what's available for purchase on the KnitCrate website.

December's Sweet Extra barely made it to the photo; I think you know why. It was Peppermint Hot Chocolate on a Stick from Ticket Chocolate and it was yummier than you could imagine. A perfect little treat to sip on while finishing up (or, in many cases, just starting) my Christmas gift knitting. Here's how it works:

Swirl our blocks of finest couverture into steaming milk or water and you’ll have a cup of hot chocolate worth lingering over. We can’t help but feel that the stirring adds to the experience, soothing you over while building up anticipation for that first sip. The hot chocolate that results is the same caliber you will find in the world’s finest cafes and bakeries. Trust us, we know our hot chocolate.

And finally, it's not splurging if I don't indulge in a minis add-on. This month, we received five more wonderful yarn from Sunrise Fiber Company in Classic Sock, a high-twist 100% Superwash Merino Wool 2-ply sock yarn. I love the mix of colors and can't wait to add it to my as-yet-to-be-started Beekeeper's Quilt.

So... happy, happy, happy things! Are you a KnitCrate subscriber? What'd you get this month?

Review: ArtBin Yarn Drum

If you’re like me, the ability to carry around your plethora of yarn isn’t optional; it’s a necessity. And sometimes, that necessity is evil.

Mobile crafting (for entrepreneurs who need constant access to their stash, anyway) is often undiscussed in the yarn industry; it seems like an unattainable oasis. The idea of needing to lug huge bags of yarn - however cute those bags may be, or however light those skeins may seem individually - is daunting.

But I recently added the ArtBin Yarn Drum to my supplies, and life has gotten so much easier.

Review: 2014 November KnitCrate

I think it's safe to say that I'm a KnitCrate convert. Not that I needed much converting, but I'd been straddling the fence for a couple months now, waiting to see what my fellow bloggers/yarn fiends had to say about it.

Last month, I took the leap and subscribed to a monthly delivery of the Indie option. The Indie kit is comprised of hand-dyed and hand-painted yarns in various bases from the best dyers in the industry. Now that's a bold claim, right? I decided to check it out for myself and see if the kit lived up to the hype.

And maybe it's because I've been obsessed with indie dyers the past couple months, or maybe it's because I've entered the land of "All madelinetosh, all the time", but the November KnitCrate was exactly what I needed to become a new life-long subscriber. This month's featured yarn is Tosh Merino Light in the Cotton Candy colorway, exclusively created for KnitCrate subscribers. It's a beautiful minty blue and red, which are incredibly on-trend colors for the holiday season; I've been seeing this combo everywhere from various TV commercials to Clementine's ensemble in the latest Hallmark Channel Christmas movie "Northpole" (if you haven't seen it, you must!)

November's "Fun Extra" is something called "Needle Keeper - The Magic Wand". I wasn't sure how it worked when I first opened it, but I'm pretty sure this will be traveling everywhere with me moving forward. You stick your needles through the black rubber tip to make sure your needles don't go anywhere, thus destroying your hard work. It also ensures the connection between your needles and the cable doesn't get damaged. Seriously, how annoying is it when those things break and all that lovely knitting is lost? Now I just wish I had more to keep up with all my WIPs.

Oh, and then there was some delicious candy, too. In each package, KnitCrate includes a "Sweet Extra", and this month it was SuperFruit Chews from Lovely Candy Co. They're made with real fruit and are gluten- and GMO-free. Basically, healthy(er) Starbursts. Needless to say, those things did not survive until my photo shoot this past weekend. I'm only a little ashamed of my gluttony.

That said, just the monthly kit was not enough for me. To repeat myself, I am a glutton, and my click-happy response to all the goodies now available to me in the KnitCrate store is only proof of that fact. You also get a chance to add on some products with your order, so I picked up the Madelinetosh (I told you I've entered a downward spiral) Twist Light in the Care colorway, dyed specifically to raise funds for Doctors Without Borders. From the KnitCrate website: 

This is the first wide-release color in the new Twist Light line, with a full array of colors coming in early 2015. This limited edition rainbow colorway has been created for Doctors Without Borders available solely in Mad Tosh Twist Light base only. Madelinetosh has agreed to give 100% of their profits of the sale of this colorway directly to Doctors Without Borders until they reach their goal of $10,000.

Buy yarn and support a good cause? Just call me a philanthropist.

I also invested in a mini skein add-on so I could try some new yarn samples and knit puffs for my upcoming Beekeeper's Quilt. This month's Mini-Skein Assortment was also some HAND DYED Madelinetosh Tosh Sock yarn and included five small skeins in a variety of beautiful colors - the perfect amount for testing different fibers. I'm addicted.

In conclusion, I'm in love with my new investment. It's not exactly cheap, but it is fun, and I think it's going to give me a lot of opportunities for self- and gift-knitting throughout the next year. There are many different kits available, so prices do vary and give you an opportunity to customize your package with the type of yarn and projects that you'll enjoy knitting. Make sure to look at/drool over all the options:

Blog Hop + Giveaway: Christmas Crochet for Hearth, Home & Tree

Storey Publishing recently sent me this wonderful crochet pattern book by Edie Eckman to test and review for a Christmas Blog Hop. Because it combines everything I love into one festive event (Christmas, blogging and yarn), I was more than happy to participate and contribute.

My first thought upon opening the book is that there's a huge variety of patterns to choose from, despite the package it arrived in being relatively small. I was impressed, even more-so after flipping through its pages and realizing that hey: I'd actually make most (if not all) of the book's featured projects. I can't tell you how often I purchase a pattern book for only one project, which is truly a waste of money in the end; this book is not a disappointment when it comes to the number of patterns included vs the number of items I want to make. Kudos!

Of course, I didn't want to review the whole book without giving you feedback on the patterns' written quality. My biggest problem? I couldn't choose which one to start first. I know, I know - what a tough life. Eventually, I remembered I had some sparkling gold and ivory "I Love This Yarn" in my stash, and I thought it would work perfectly with the Creamy Textured Stocking on page 50. I haven't finished it yet because I think I'll need to buy more yarn (the horror!), but I'm getting close and it looks awesome:

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The stocking itself is sturdy thanks to the type of stitching used, and I imagine it would look amazing with a multi-colored yarn, too! But if simple is more your style, then don't worry - the picot edging at the top certainly jazzes it up to make it more than basic. It's a fantastic project if you're a newly-intermediate crocheter looking to create holiday decor.

In addition to clearly written patterns, many include stitch diagrams, as well. Because these patterns often rely on smart construction and textures to create each shape, stitch diagrams can often be important for visual learners. Basically, there are a number of ways to accomplish the final result, making this book super versatile.

Next on my list? I really want to crochet the Advent Garland:

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Everyone knows that when it comes to Christmas, I have two obsessions: nativity scenes and advent calendars. So consider the garland added to my list. I already know where it'll hang, so now I just need to pile up my scrap holiday yarn and get to making!

So now that you've (hopefully) read my review, it's time to...

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Don't forget to visit all the other talented crafters who've made and reviewed something from the book:

• 3-Nov Don't Eat the Paste
• 4-Nov Moogly
• 5-Nov Liberty's Yarn
• 7-Nov Rambling Designs
• 10-Nov Plus 3 Crochet
• 11-Nov Crochet Dynamite
• 12-Nov Jenn Likes Yarn
• 13-Nov Crochet Nirvana
• 14-Nov Yarning4aSmile

Not only will you probably discover more amazing blogs (and increase your chances of winning a copy), but you'll also get an in-depth sneak peek at what this deceptively huge little book has to offer. And don't forget to...