So here’s how you can win…

“Like” our facebook page here.

“Share” a post that you like (you can post something and then share it if you like) or the page itself.

And that’s it!  Two clicks and you could get some lusciousness like this or this!

If you already like our page…just share something this week and you’ll be entered!

It seems that I kind of like making little girlie dresses.  I never really got this about myself, but this evidence here and here and now this month’s knit pattern of the month suggests that it just might be the case.

Rainbow Ruche is a colorful, fun dress to knit for your wee girlie.  It’s sized from 1 year up to 10 years, so hopefully I’ve covered all the bases this time!  All you need is 1 skein of our new hand-dyed yarn Sockish (or Pagoda will work well too) and 3 coordinating colors of Debbie Bliss Rialto 4-ply…which is delightful to knit with on all counts.   It’s seamless too and a picot cast on means that finishing work is minimal!  This pattern will  be free through the month of February with purchase of suggested yarn.

Annnd, in honor of Cast-on Mania, I’ve also got a crochet pattern of the month for you this month!  I imagined that the people doing cast on mania might need a few project bags as the month progresses! So here’s a bag you could cast on one day, and carry a project in the next!

Bag of Hexes is a quick little hexagon tote that makes a great project bag! It can be made with any gauge yarn and its appropriate hook size. A worsted weight yarn and G hook gives you a bag that is about 9” diameter and 7” tall.  Since this pattern can be made with almost anything, it will be free through February with the purchase of 3 different colors of any yarn.  Sound fair?    It’s a quick one…both of these bags came to life in one day!

I bet you all knew there would be a story behind this, didn’t you? I’m so predictable.

So last year, our good friend Felicia participated in something call Cast-on Mania February with another group. The purpose was to combat the general doldrums of February by doing something we knitters all love to do every day….cast on something new.

Sure, it was crazy. And we generally all poked a lot of fun at the level of crazy that this plan was. But then a strange thing started happening around mid-February….ENVY! “I wanna cast-on something new,” was heard throughout the store making the crazy contagious. Since then, I’ve thought it might be fun to just jump in this February and do it ourselves….complete with a big ole prize!

So here are the rules:

1. Post a list here of what you plan to cast on everyday. Lists do not have to be complete and can be amended.
2. Post pictures if you can….especially when you finish something in the midst of all the starting!
3. Parts of projects count (this may be specific for a big cheater like me….but I don’t want you exclusive sweater knitters to lose your minds). A sleeve can be one day, and the left front another day.

How do you win the prize? You get points….and each point is like a raffle entry. I’ll tally them up at the end of February and little (not little) Aja will pull the winner.

You can get points just for making your list -
Post your partial list – 1 point
Post your complete list – 3 points
Post your complete list with links to patterns (always good to reward your designers with a little linky!) – 5 points

You’ll get another point for every picture you take and post here. And 2 bonus points for every FO you manage to churn out in the mania…you’ll need to share it with the group so we know and can keep track.

Like knitting, you might notice its about the process and you’ll still have all your points even if you miss a day or two (of course, you’ll have more if you don’t).

And for those who manage to cast-on every day – 10 more points at the end of February.

Yeah…it might be too complicated, the main point is do your best! And have fun forgetting that February exists!

And the prize? I’m putting together a big gift basket with hand-dyed yarns, reclaimed cashmere, and pattern books for the winner (minimum value of $200)! Those of you who have seen the baskets in the past know I like to make it worth it!

It’s a great way to clear out your queue…try all those things you have been meaning to try for ages. And if you don’t finish a couple…who cares? You could still end up with 20+ FO’s and/or an awesome prize!

Ready, set…start your planning!

I’m pretty dedicated to not making New Year’s Resolutions.  Having never kept a single one, I know now that resolution is a direct translation for “there’s no way you are going to do this for more than 5 days.”  But somehow, with all the gluttony and mayhem that comes with the holidays, I still have secret, non-resolution desires…to be more organized….more healthy…you know they main ones.

This pattern of the month has been percolating for a long time, but then I thought January may be the BEST month for it.  Instead of spending another month eating my weight in pizza because I have forgotten lunch, I’m trying to pack lunches and there is no more fun of a way than with Bentos!  If you aren’t familiar, Bentos are little Japanese lunch boxes, usually multi-layered and/or with compartments.  Packing them is really fun and there’s almost no way that they don’t end up being healthier than the slab of pizza.

So this month brings you?  A felted tote perfect to carry your bento (or any lunch ) in!

Yuh know what that says on the front?  It says lunch in Japanese!  Heehee!  Many thanks to my 2 sources who helped me figure that out because I was having no luck without them!  There are two sizes available in the pattern…the lighter one is more the size of your typical brown bag and the other gives you a bit more space for a water bottle…or a second bento if you work really long hours.

Also, because I haven’t found a local place to get the bentos I like, I ordered a few to have in the store.  They are super cute and will be $13.95 if you are interested in going all out!

This pattern requires just one ball of Noro Kureyon (now see how thematic that is!) and 1 ball of Cascade 220 and you will get the pattern for free through January with purchase of those!

If you want to check out some fun bento sites, here are a few:

http://happylittlebento.blogspot.com/

http://justbento.com/

and a flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/groups/396900@N24/pool/

Also for you club watchers…I’ll be away in NY, but some wonderful friends are covering for me the 28th thru the 31st.  I didn’t want to make them deal with too much extra stuff so the deadline for the Hand-dyed Cowl Club and the Emiline Club is extended to Monday January 2nd by closing time at 8:30.  So please do me a favor and either sign up by the end of the day on the 26th or wait til January 2nd.  I don’t want my buddies tearing their hair out with special instructions! 

We all love cowls, don’t we? They are quick and fun to knit, immensely useful, and can be absolutely gorgeous and pleasurable to wear.

With Cowl Club membership, each month, from January to May, you will receive a kit with a brand new cowl pattern and the Island Yarn hand-dyed yarn to make it with. They’ll range from lacey and delicate to warm and squishy.

You can also buy a club membership for anyone as a gift – just let us know in the purchase email that it’s a gift and we will send a certificate to that person letting them know that they have lots of luscious knitting coming over the next 5 months!

Please include 3 or so color preferences in your order…just as a guideline. The colors will be a surprise, but we want to know we’re sending the yarns to the happiest, loving homes.

Deadline to join the club is Saturday, December 30th. Kits will be mailed, every month, starting in January between the 8th and the 11th.

PLEASE NOTE that the cowls in the picture are all previous patterns and available on Ravelry. They are meant to be an example of cowl love only…the cowl patterns you will get will be brand new!