Tag Archives: Christmas

2018 Indie Untangled holiday newsletter giveaway

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In what has become an Indie Untangled holiday tradition, I am thanking the knitters who invite me into their inboxes each week with a special holiday giveaway.

For the 2018 Newsletters to Santa and Hanukah Harry giveaway, I’ve gathered together some amazing prizes from several artisans, some who were new to the Indie Untangled community this year and others who are favorites, and doing a string of giveaways (eight plus one) starting this Monday and running through Christmas Day.

Here are the rules: Sign up for the Indie Untangled newsletter by 9 p.m. EST and you will be eligible to win that day’s prize (anyone already on the mailing list is entered to win). After 9 p.m., I’ll pick a winner via random number generator and send out an email. The winner will arrange shipment with the dyer/artisan. The grand prize will be a very special package of yarn and knitting stocking stuffers that I will ship out to the winner.

PLEASE NOTE: Winners must respond within 48 hours of when the notification email is sent to claim the prize. If not, another winner will be selected.

Here’s the schedule:

December 17: A skein of the winner’s choice from McMullin Fiber Co.

Congrats to winner Donna!

December 18: A skein of the winner’s choice from Hazel Knits

Congrats to winner Kathy!

December 19: A sterling silver double sided “Yarn Life” and stockinette stitch motif necklace from Porterness Studio

Congrats to winner Janet!

December 20: A skein of the winner’s choice from Murky Depths Dyeworks

Congrats to winner Natalie!

December 21: A skein of the winner’s choice from October House Fiber Arts

Congrats to winner Cheryl!

December 22: Two skeins of yarn and a project bag from Lady Dye Yarns

Congrats to winner Rhianna!

December 23: The winner helps hellomello handspun create a custom color.

December 24: A Birds of a Feather kit from Junkyarn

Congrats to winner Shelagh!

December 25: A project bag from Woodsy and Wild, yarn from Magpie Fibers, pins from Shelli Can, project bag tags from Katrinkles and a Stash Rabbit pin from Indie Untangled.

One other winner will also receive a set of four OOAK skeins of DK-weight Selene from Spirit Trail Fiberworks and swag from this year’s Indie Untangled Rhinebeck Trunk Show.

Congrats to winners Jody and Patricia!

What to stash for your holiday knitting

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It’s official: holiday knitting season is now upon us! Bronwyn of Casapina has you covered with her gorgeous Winter Light collection. It includes six patterns — two cowls, two hats, a set of mitts and a pair of socks — that are for sale individually or together for a discount in an e-book. There’s also a freebie that’s perfect for your leftovers. And, in true Casapinka style, each pattern is paired with six winter cocktails or mocktails to warm you up during your knitting breaks (though she’s not responsible for any dropped stitches this may cause).

Tamy just released a set of new accessory patterns, Inseparable and Ravenhill (pictured here), designed with the gift-giving season in mind. Both use yarn from Lolodidit and she has lovely kits on her website. You can also get a discount on both the kits and the pattern this week.

You can’t resist some sparkle around the holidays! Big Foot Fibers’ Gingerbread Men is a mini skein set of five colors inspired by the best Christmas dessert. The first update sold out, so grab yours during round two, going on now.

Sign-ups for next year’s Indie Untangled yarn club are open through the end of the year or until the club sells out. Grab your spot now! There’s also an option to give the club as a gift to your favorite knitter. 

IU newcomer Humble Bumble Fibers Company has sock blanks.

Eden Cottage Yarns is having their next update on Wednesday featuring Pendle Chunky.

What to stash this week: a knitting journey

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I’m thrilled to open sign-ups today for the 2019 Where We Knit Yarn Club. This quarterly club, which will begin shipping in February, brings together four dyer/designer dream teams: Life In the Long Grass and Cassondra Rizzardi of Rizzaknits, Martin’s Lab and Justyna Lorkowska of Lete’s Knits, Asylum Fibers and Woolly Wormhead and Fuse Fiber Studio and Mina Philipp of Knitting Expat Designs.

Each pair will collaborate on an exclusive colorway and an accompanying accessory design inspired by their favorite spots to whip out their WIPs. Their inspiration photos are shown in the image above, clockwise from top left; both cozying up with a tasty beverage and travel knitting are represented. (I also got a little peek at the cocktail-inspired colorway that Caroline of LITLG has been working on for the first installment, and can honestly say you do not want to miss getting your hands on it!)

Speaking of awesome yarn clubs, here’s one not to be missed. Diane is collaborating with Louis of Brooklyn Boy Knits, Amanda of Brown Gyrls Knit, Thao of Nerd Bird Makery and Coffee by Kee — all amazing men and women of color who have been dedicated to promoting diversity in craft — for a Winter Solstice Yarn Club. You’ll receive a skein of worsted weight yarn dyed by Diane, an exclusive knitting pattern by Louis, stitch markers by Amanda, an enamel pin by Thao and a choice of coffee or tea, plus a surprise item. Sign-ups close this Wednesday, November 21.

A beloved fabric from Slipped Stitch Studios’ past is back, with a new spin. The Ghastlies have returned, and this time they have yarn! Bags and accessories in these two fabrics, along with yarns from Skeino, vintage embroidery scissors and stitch kits, are available starting today at 9 a.m. Pacific time.

Every day is Small Business Saturday at FiberCrafty! The fiber marketplace is having a full weeklong frenzy, with plenty of shops offering coupon codes, free shipping and other goodies.

Stephanie of Rock Solid Designs did an awesome collaboration with Jenna of Fiberrarium for Knitter’s Day Out in Harrisburg and there are a few of these Sloth sets still available. They include a medium project bag and a skein of Fiberrarium Conservatory Sock (a 90/10 Merino/nylon blend).

‘Tis the season for Julia of Pandia’s Jewels to create another seasonal sock kit based on C.C. Almon’s Peppermint Mocha Sock pattern. Each kit includes a skein of Julia’s Snug base in the Peppermint Mocha colorway, a Ravelry pattern download code and this cute hand-stamped progress keeper.

Victoria has released two new patterns for her lovely yarns. Above is the Laverton shawl, which brings together three Eden Cottage yarns to create a beautiful, wearable piece. There’s also the Gatekeeper cowl, a simple, quick-to-knit cowl designed to make the most of a single skein of Pendle Aran. 

No need to be afraid of these three ghostly colorways from Holly and Ivy, inspired by A Christmas Carol. Ghost of Christmas Past is a golden yellow that captures the warm glow of a candle, Ghost of Christmas Present is the rich pine green of the second spirit’s velvet robes and Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is a dark blood red.

Shanna of Lambstrings Yarn also has some holiday colorways, and they are far from traditional. Her two holiday sock sets are mystery packages inspired by either Krampus or Saint Nick. Each set will contain a full skein of Tralala Sock and two mini skeins in contrasting heel/toe/cuff colorways. Preorders close next Friday.

Purple Lamb Fiber Arts has created Twelve Days of Christmas mini skein sets.

What to stash this week, while it’s still fall

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You still have time to snag Mudpunch’s Tavern Fall, an autumnal palette featuring broad stripes of orange, gold, turquoise and burgundy. It’s available (until sold out) on 385 yards of 80/20 Superwash Merino/nylon 4-ply sock yarn. Also in Chantel’s shop is Black Razzleberry, featuring city blues and purple which gives a preview of the winter to come.

Debbie of Murky Depths Dyeworks is preparing for winter on the horizon with bold, saturated hues. Colorways like Turmeric, Sirocco and Lucia are inspired by her prized collection of silk saris and family photos.

Michelle of Crafty Flutterby Creations will be hosting her first ever Facebook Live sale tonight at 9 p.m. EST! This fun event will include shawl pin styling tips, stories from Michelle’s fall events and the chance to snag Rare Breed shawl pins that have only been available at her shows.

Brooke of Fully Spun has new seasonal colorways of her millspun that looks like handspun, along with new bulky and aran weight bases. Kits for Francoise Danoy’s Icescape and Phlegethon shawls are also back in the shop.

Laura is back from Stitches SoCal and has plenty of goodies for sale. The shop will be stocked with new, never-before-sold items today at 9 a.m. PST.

Attention dyers: Carrie is gearing up for another production run of SkeinMinders and SkeinTwisters and both are discounted through Sunday, November 11 with the coupon code SMDISC.

Robin of October House Fibers has opened preorders for her Christmas Sweets Sock Sets, and there are several color combinations available. Orders close on November 25 and will ship out the first week of December, giving you plenty of time for holiday knitting.

Shauna of Farm Girl Fibers just updated her shop with a variety of fall- and winter-inspired colors, including red, green, blue, brown and plum tonals. There are plenty of sweater quantities available on fingering Merino/nylon and worsted Merino.

In celebration of her two new pattern releases, A Foxy Frolic and Snowflake Man, Mona of bunnymuff is having an exclusive Indie Untangled promotion! Use the code SnowyFrolic in her Ravelry shop and receive an automatic $2 off each pattern through November 19.

What to stash this week: there’s a bag for that

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Sara of La Cave à Laine, based in Southern Alsace, France, makes her Origami project bags with 100% cotton canvas lined with light cotton. They are lightweight, but sturdy, and are big enough hold your current WIP plus three skeins of yarn. And they come in a variety of stunning solid colors and simple prints. 

There is still time to snag one of Big Foot Fibers’ advent calendars. Get 25 sparkly mini skeins to light up your Christmas knitting! Orders close Monday, November 5, and they will ship the week of November 19, in plenty of time to cast on for Ambah O’Brien’s ADVENTurer wrap on December 1. 

What’s better than a unicorn or llama? A rainbow knitting Llamacorn, of course! It’s been two years since Llamacorns were spotted in the Slipped Stitch Studios shop. They’ve made their return, along with a limited edition matching yarn from Pandia’s Jewels.

If you’re on the East Coast and looking for a fibry road trip this weekend, Katie and Kara of Nice and Knit will be at the Fiber Festival of New England (think Rhinebeck, but without the crazy crowds). They’ll be bringing their latest samples, all of their yarn weights and bases and ton of kits.

If you’re a cross stitcher, check out October House Fiber Arts’ newest release, The Knitter’s Alphabet.

What to stash this week: trail yarn

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For the latest installment of Knitting Our National Parks, Bijou Basin Ranch takes us to the Croy Creek Trail System in southern Idaho, originally constructed for motorcycle riders and mountain bikers. Here, you can take in a gorgeous winter sunrise like this one from Bullion Gulch, captured by Ace Hess from the Bureau of Land Management, which operates the trail system.

BBR called on Jonathan Berner of Seattle-based MJ Yarns to capture the subtlety and brilliance of the image with the colorway they’ve named Resplendence. It will be dyed on Tibetan Dream sock yarn, a luxurious blend of 85% yak and 15% nylon that is warmer than wool and softer than Cashmere, perfect for your next hike (or just a nice, cold winter).

The yarn will be available to preorder on Indie Untangled through Friday, October 26. If you’ll be at Rhinebeck, you can see and pet the yarn in person at the Bijou Basin Ranch in booths 13 and 14 in Building C. It will also be on display at the Indie Untangled Trunk Show on Friday.

Kate of McMullin Fiber Co. is celebrating the start of fall (finally!) with her new Sweater Weather Collection. The collection includes Merino/Cashmere/nylon DK weight yarns and 80/20 Merino/nylon sock mini skeins in a few new colorways, including Hunting Tartan, La Vie En Rose and Vintage.

Shauna of Farm Girl Fibers just started dyeing yarn from her husband’s family farm in Alpine, Tennessee. Many of her colorways are inspired by nature and her life on a farm.

Indie Untangled newcomer October House Fiber Arts decided to post in an appropriate month, during its fifth birthday. Dyer Robin also designs knitting-themed cross stitch.

Jean of Midmitten Designs has teamed up with Splash of Color Yarns on a holiday kit that includes a project bag, with a vinyl window for a peek at what’s inside, and five Merino/nylon mini skeins.

Softyard Designs’ Saxony Hat is perfect for a cable lover! This unisex design comes with instructions for working flat or in the round and knits up super fast in aran-weight yarn.

Indie Untangled newcomer 7th Floor Yarn is marking “tweed season” with this Aran Tweed Superwash 85% Merino/15% Nep.

Wild Hair Studio has a limited number of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendars.

What to stash this week: Fall pairings

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Kate and her crew at Dragonfly Fibers are gearing up for a busy fall, with New York Sheep and Wool, SAFF, STITCHES SoCal (they’ll be featured there on the Yarnover Truck there) and local trunk shows. They’ve also prepared some amazing kits for Andrea Mowry’s The Throwback and Catherine Clark’s Ixchel Pullover. And, they’re giving back: above is a new colorway, called Carolina, and 25% of their sales through December will go to the organization Global Giving, which is helping with Hurricane Florence relief, among many other projects.

Marian of Marianated Yarns has collaborated with Carolyn Bloom of of Bloom Handmade Studio on Marilyn’s Cowl and Hat, which are both knit holding multiple strands of different yarns: two strands of Marianated Yarns Ava Lace together with one strand of Aerie (mohair/silk lace) and one strand from an MCN gradient set. Marian has made kits available in several different colors and a KAL will be held in Carolyn’s Ravelry group starting October 8.

Marian has also collaborated with Katy Carroll of Katinka Designs in celebration of Knitmas. There are two Knitmas kits, one for a shawl and one for a poncho, available for preorder.

Designer Barbara Benson collaborated with The Fiber Seed on Every Witch Way, an innovative lace shawl that uses a single skein of yarn. A two-panel, top-down triangle version uses yarn with one of The Fiber Seed’s dye techniques, while the three-panel, 3/4 square version uses another.

Kate of McMullin Fiber Co. has opened signups for the Jane Eyre installment of the McMullin Fiber Co. Literature Society. Single dose packages will contain one skein of yarn and some extra goodies inspired by the novel, while double dose packages come with two skeins.

Woodsy and Wild’s new Sapling bag and Maple tote are perfect for winter accessory knitting and sweater knitting/fiber festival season! Both will be in Shannon’s shop this Sunday at 8 p.m. Eastern.

Michelle of Crafty Flutterby Creations has updated her shop with a collection of shawl pins perfect for keeping your latest hand knit in place on crisp fall evenings.

Winter is coming… so get your Sheep Squeezers. Nicole of One Sock Wonder Bags has limited quantities of Sheep Squeezers, which hold your yarn cakes in place, with a Game of Thrones-inspired design by Bulgarian artist Karamfila Siderova.

Heather Anderson’s Knitting in the City KAL kicks off October 1 and includes seven city-themed patterns: four shawls, two cowls and a pair of mittens. The latest pattern, Amsterdam Canals Cowl, is 25% off through Sunday.

My Mama Knits has a new set of Halloween colorways, including the newest addition to her Scottish Myths and Legends series, The Gorbals Vampire. Her Advent calendars have also started shipping out.

Canon Hand Dyes is now taking preorders for Outlander minis sets.

Samantha Guerin has released Eastern Glow, a crescent shawl that uses two skeins of fingering weight yarn.

Introducing Indie Untangled newcomer Humble Pie Design.

What to stash this week: Literary spark

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Attention bibliophiles: You need to join this yarn club. Kate of McMullin Fiber Co. is kicking of her year-long Literary Society next month with Pride and Prejudice and ending with Little Women (click the link to see the full reading list). This is a very flexible club with a mix of semisolids, variegated colorways and speckles inspired by the classics. You can choose one, three, six, nine or all 12 shipments, and you get a choice of light yarns or heavier weights. Pick your, or a friend’s, favorite book for the perfect gift!

Rebecca of Fuse Fiber Studio recently had her final shop update of 2017. While some of her popular colorways have already sold out, there are still a few you can snag, like Pearls, pictured above on her Merino Singles base. Also look out for her Golden Girls-inspired Lanai on Fuse Merino DK.

MJ of Cat Sandwich Fibers just had a shop update with a bunch of new OOAK colorways. She is also launching her 2018 Monthly Mystery Sock Club, a commitment-free club. There will be a mystery sock-along — with prizes! — to go along with it.

Save 15% on Himalayan Summit and 100% Yak Sport weight yarn from Bijou Basin Ranch this week only, no coupon code needed.

Along with her single skeins, Marian of Marianated Yarns offers a three-month yarn club subscription that is available in several bases and in either tonal or variegated “Marianades,” as she calls her colorways. Membership comes with some great perks: each shipment includes a goodie and a Marianette mini-skein in variegated if your subscription is tonal or vice versa. There’s also free shipping on the rest of your yarn orders during your subscription, plus 10% off the colors of the month. Club sign-ups are open until December 20, with the first shipment going out the first week of January. 

Here’s a view from above of the DK version of Sandra’s stunning Glaciers and Wildflowers colorway, inspired by the natural beauty of Glacier National Park in Montana. It’s available to preorder only through next Friday!

This is just one of the fabulous projects from this year’s Indie Untangled Where We Knit Yarn Club. Last February, the inimitable Anne Hanson teamed up with Kim of The Woolen Rabbit to create this stunning rose red colorway and a cowl/scarf design called Shared Rib. You can expect exciting collaborations like this if you sign up for the 2018 club.

Next year, four indie dyer/designer teams — Hue Loco & SweaterFreak Knits, Pandia’s Jewels & C.C. Almon, Little Fox Yarn & Caitlin Hunter and Dark Harbour Yarn & Amy van de Laar — will collaborate on an exclusive colorway and accessory pattern inspired by the places they knit. Sign-ups run through Dec. 31.

Wild Hair Studio has three new fiber and yarn clubs launching in 2018.

2017 Indie Untangled holiday newsletter giveaway

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As I have done for the past few years, I am giving back to the knitters who let me into their inboxes each week with a special holiday giveaway. For the 2017 Newsletters to Santa and Hanukah Harry giveaway, I’ve gathered together prizes from several artisans who were new to the Indie Untangled community this year and doing a string of giveaways (eight plus one) starting this Sunday and running through Christmas Day.

Here are the rules: Sign up for the Indie Untangled newsletter by 9 p.m. EST and you will be eligible to win that day’s prize (anyone already on the mailing list is entered to win). After 9 p.m., I’ll pick a winner via random number generator and send out an email. The winner will arrange shipment with the dyer/artisan. The grand prize will be a package of knitting stocking stuffers (with special Indie Untangled yarn) that I will ship out to the winner.

PLEASE NOTE: Winners must respond within 48 hours of when the notification email is sent to claim the prize. If not, another winner will be selected.

Here’s the schedule:

December 17: A skein of the winner’s choice from any in-stock color on either Nona, Sunna, Birte or Verdande from Spirit Trail Fiberworks

Congrats to winner Lynne!

December 18: A skein of the winner’s choice from any in stock yarns from Baad Mom Yarns

Congrats to winner Patricia!

December 19: One skein in the base and colorway of the winner’s choice from Old Rusted Chair

Congrats to winner Cassie!

December 20: A skein of 400-yard fingering weight, 80% Superwash Merino, 20% nylon in colorway Borealis and an enamel pin from Lavender Lune Yarn

Congrats to winner Christine!

December 21: “Last Christmas” on New Wave DK (75/25 Superwash Merino/Nylon) from I Would Dye 4U

Congrats to winner Wendy!

December 22: One skein in the base and colorway of the winner’s choice from BigFootFibers

Congrats to winner Lynn!

December 23: A skein of DK weight yarn in the colorway Copper Lake from Color Craze Yarn & Fiber

Congrats to winner Joan!

December 24: One skein of Element Number Five on Shokan Singles (100% Superwash Merino fingering) from Into the Whirled

Congrats to winner Amy!

December 25: A mystery package of yarn and knitting stocking stuffers.

Congrats to winner Pat!

What to stash this week: Wild yarns and glaciers

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When Sandra of Duck Duck Wool signed on to create a colorway for the Knitting Our National Parks series, I was thrilled. When I saw her inspiration photo, a shot of Glacier National Park in Montana, I got even more excited. Then, when she emailed me the photos of her colorway, Glaciers and Wildflowers, I may have done a little yarny happy dance. How stunning is this?! And Sandra is dyeing it on not one base, but two — her Silky Singleton, a blend of 70% Merino and 30% silk for shawls and summer tops, and DK Limited, a Superwash Merino that you can use for hats, cowls, mitts and, of course, sweaters you can wear now. The yarn will be available to preorder here through Friday, Dec. 22, and will ship the last week of January 2018. As always, 10% of sales will be donated to the National Park Foundation.

Another Knitting Our National Parks installment means we get a limited edition POP Thru The Parks souvenir from That Clever Clementine! Vicki has saved one of her most POPular products for the final one of her collection. These fabric yarn bowls (which don’t have to be used only for yarn) will be available to preorder today starting at 9 a.m. Eastern time until sold out (previous batches have sold out in less than two hours so… head on over!).

If you’ve been looking around for that special shawl pin, or one to add to your collection, or if you just like looking at shiny things, I suggest you head over to the Porterness Studio website. Jen makes her shawl pins and buttons using the 5,000-year-old lost wax casting process, with each piece either hand carved out of wax or 3D printed in wax, cast in sterling silver or bronze and hand finished by Jen in Los Angeles. Her regular jewelry is pretty lovely, too. Indie Untangled readers get 20% off with the code Indie20.

Fresh off her trunk show at Woolyn, where I drooled over her yarn and samples, Lauren of Old Rusted Chair has released four new colorways. From top to bottom are Starboard, Prankster, Glint and Heatwave, which are available on Lauren’s Squish base, a 4-ply Superwash Merino.

Also fresh off her appearance at Woolyn last weekend, Julia of Pandia’s Jewels has released some perfect heavy-weight bases. Just in time for winter, you can now find a variety of DK weight yarns in various blends of Merino, nylon, Cashmere and sparkle. She even has a few fade kits. 

Katie of Never Enough Thyme has updated her shop with Christmas colorways, including heel/toe sock sets in Sugar Plum Fairy, Mistletoe’s for Two and Christmas Cookies. There are also lots of Cozy Christmas mini sets, perfect for knitting ornaments for your tree (don’t worry, there is still time).

For Week 2 of their annual holiday sale, Bijou Basin Ranch is giving you 15% off Tibetan Dream sock yarn and Xanadu Mongolian cashmere yarn, with no coupon code needed, through midnight Mountain time today. And all U.S. orders also ship free through Dec. 24.

If you’re short on time and yardage, but need some holiday gifts, Robynn’s Nullkommanix cowl just might be what you’re looking for. It’s named for how long it takes to make — 0.0 seconds — and is free for Robynn’s newsletter subscribers.

Since I’m waiting until after the craziness of the holidays for Aimée to ship her yarn to me, I’ve decided to extend the preorders for Automne à Rhinebeck a couple of weeks. My husband just requested a hat in the DK, so the magic of these skeins is real!

Here’s a look at the first-ever colorway for the first-ever installment of the Indie Untangled Where We Knit Yarn Club — Ami of Lakes Yarn and Fiber’s Drops of Honey. You can expect breathtaking exclusives like this if you sign up for the 2018 club. Next year, four indie dyer/designer teams — Hue Loco & SweaterFreak Knits, Pandia’s Jewels & C.C. Almon, Little Fox Yarn & Caitlin Hunter and Dark Harbour Yarn & Amy van de Laar — will collaborate on an exclusive colorway and accessory pattern inspired by the places they knit. Sign-ups run through Dec. 31.

Dye is Cast yarn is having a shop update today featuring new colorways, and a chunky beanie hat pattern will be free to download throughout the weekend.

Wild Hair Studio has new Star Wars-inspired colorways on mini batts and rolags, which are 15% off before Dec. 15.