Book Review and Giveaway! Crocheted Softies!

** Thanks for all the entries! Out of 123 comments, the winner was #51, CuCuCreates, who wants to crochet a crocodile! I bet it will be awesome! Thanks for playing!

I’m sure I’m like most people that crochet. When I started, it was all about gifts. I gave away pretty much everything I made, either to my kids or other people’s kids. I loved finding cute patterns for stuffed toys that  made great gifts. Gifts for kids, particularly stuffed animals, are so fun to make and usually take a lot less yarn and time than bigger projects (like afghans or sweaters!).

Win this! Keep Reading!

In Stacey Trock’s new book, Crocheted Softies, you will find patterns for 18 adorable animals from around the world! These aren’t just the typical teddy bears and bunnies, but awesome patterns with texture and detail that kids will love on for years. She starts off the book with a thorough introduction to crochet. You’ll learn all the basics, plus special stitches Stacey uses for adding character to her crochet designs. I especially love the details she gave regarding making the toys child-safe (like crocheted eyes), and her diagrams for assembly are some of the best I’ve seen (and I’ve read LOTS of crochet books!).

She starts off with a basic animal shape, then elaborates with different animal patterns (her elephant is especially adorable) and goes all the way around the globe (continent by continent!) and then into outer space! Check out her hilarious alien! What little boy wouldn’t think that was totally cool?

Zork the Alien! from Crocheted Softies

Another thing about the book that is really cool is just the way Stacey crochets. See how her creations have little ridges all around? That’s because she crochets into the back loop of all of her stitches. Her book says that it helps hide stuffing. By doing it this way she can crochet with a larger hook, and I’m guessing it makes her toys larger in the end too. Interesting! I like the texture it gives to her toys!

My absolute favorite pattern in the book is Salty the Crocodile! It reminds me so much of a vintage handmade crocodile toy a friend had. All those nubby crocheted bobbles in rows on his back and those cartoonish eyes just bring this little guy to life. Love him!

Salty the Crocodile from Crocheted Softies

Stacey has done a great job using natural fibers throughout this book. You’ll be inspired to try out new textures and materials when you’re crocheting, I’ll bet. 

So now that you are all clamoring to get this book, who wants to win an autographed copy? I’m going to give away one copy of the book, which Stacey has signed, to one lucky winner. This would make a fantastic gift to anyone, since the projects are a great introduction to crocheting! 

All you have to do to enter is to comment with an animal you’d love to crochet! Make sure you also leave your email address so I can contact you if you win. I’ll pick a random entry this THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15th, around 5 pm central time, and ship the book asap so you can wrap it up or keep it for yourself! (But you better get some yarn because you’ll want to make one of these cuties for the holidays!)

EDIT: Here’s a list of animals inside!
elephant
giraffe
orangutan
panda
crocodile
kiwi
owl
snail
penguin
walrus
moose
crab
alpaca
snake
fish
jellyfish
alien
macrobe
microbe

2,000 Facebook Fans Contest!

Over the weekend my Facebook page got its 2,000th fan! To celebrate, I’ve come up with a contest to reward a couple of lucky people.

The main reason I started CraftyisCool was to make stuff for my kids. Then every time there was a birthday or holiday, I made something for someone. If you make stuff, you know the absolute feeling of joy that comes from using your hands to make something and giving it to someone you care about. The look on his or her face, the comments, the appreciation: they are the payoff for your hours of hard work.

I’ve been on the other end of this too. I have a big family and now that there are lots of grandkids, we adults draw names at Christmas to buy one gift for one person. Last year my twin sister knit me a pair of slippers. I cried! The sentiment was so touching. I know the hard work that goes into something like that and it just made me feel so special to know someone had spent the time to make something just for me.

So here’s the contest!

FIRST: Like CraftyisCool on Facebook (if you haven’t already)

SECOND:
Post a comment below telling everyone either:
1) the best handmade gift you ever gave to someone and their reaction;
OR
2) the best handmade gift you ever received and how it made you feel.
Also include your email address and your choice of prize (listed below).

On Friday, October 28, at 5:00 cst I will randomly select TWO winners from all of the comments and post them here and on my Facebook page. Each winner will receive a special CraftyisCool amigurumi kit! The kit will include a hard copy of a pattern, the yarn needed (a full skein in the colors I recommend), and any notions (eyes, thread, etc). If you crochet, you’ll get a full project to make for the holidays! If you don’t crochet, this will be the perfect jumpstart! Or you can gift your package to someone you love.

You will get your choice of these kits:

Alice

Oompa Loompa

Assistant Regional Manager

Pee-wee Herman

Conan O’Brien

PLEASE remember to LIKE CraftyisCool and PLEASE include your email address in your comment. I will not be able to directly contact you if you won unless your email address is included in your reply!

Thank you so much for liking what I do! Be sure to let your friends know too.

>Feeling Sheep(ish) GIVEAWAY!

>A couple of years ago I was asked to do a demonstration of creating amigurumi at the Alamo Drafthouse screening of Handmade Nation. I loaded up a ton of free patterns and yarn, some toys I had already made, and set up shop. It was so fun. The first person to sit down for help was a man that was left-handed. Challenging, but we muddled through! Sometime during the day, here came Vickie Howell with her little boy. I didn’t even notice, but started to hand her a free pattern and looked up. “Oh, you know how to crochet!” I said, a little starstruck. (I’d seen her forever on Knitty Gritty!) So she got a little mushroom pattern and kit for her son and was super sweet. 

So when Vickie was looking for designers for her new yarn, Sheep(ish), imagine how happy I was when she asked me to design an amigurumi pattern for the launch! I obliged, and got to work. I can’t show you the finished toy yet, but here’s a sneak peek…

The yarn is soft and shiny, so unlike a lot of the yarn I started out crocheting with. I think sometimes people are drawn mainly to color (and ignore the feel of the yarn) when they’re making amigurumi because so many of the wool or wool blend yarns come in mostly muted colors. This is why I think Sheep(ish) works so great for amigurumi. Its a 30/70 wool and acrylic blend that is worsted weight and washable. The worsted weight is what we want as amigurumi-ists because the crocheted fabric shows fewer holes and it holds its shape better. Sheep(ish) has all the bright colors and they all coordinate beautifully. I made a lot of Baby Monsters for Renegade Craft Fair and by far the softest and shiniest ones were the Sheep(ish). Usually a soft yarn has a gauge that I just can’t work with. I either have to use a tiny hook to get a really tight gauge or I have even had to use two strands together. With Sheep(ish) I have the softness and gauge I need.

I’m sure you’ll love Sheep(ish) as much as me! I’m so sure, in fact, that I’m going to give one of you a skein of this awesome yarn along with a kit to make your own Baby Monster! Not only will you get the tools and materials to make your own, but you’ll also get a Baby Monster keychain I made out of Sheep(ish) in one of my favorite colors, Red(ish). All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below, telling me your favorite Sheep(ish) color. Check them all out here! Monday morning I’ll pick a random number and that lucky person will get everything pictured below!

Can’t wait for a giveaway? Sheep(ish) is available to order now on  Buy.Caron.com and Joann’s superstores all over. If you’re not sure if Joann’s near you carries it, Vickie has provided a Sheep(ish) Finder App on her website.

Make sure you follow the rest of the Sheep(ish) blog tour. I’ve put the whole list below so you can read everyone’s take on this. Interesting how knitters and crocheters and amigurumi-makers all find things they like in this yarn, albeit very different qualities.

May 25th:  BlogHer.com (Kathy Cano-Murillo)

May 26th: LindaMade.com (Linda Permann)

May 27th: Kitschy Digitals (Danielle Thompson)

May 28th: DOUBLE POST DAY:  CraftyChica.com  (Kathy Cano-Murillo) + JustCastingOn.net (Deb Steenhagen)

May 29th: Susan B. Anderson

May 30th: CrochetbyFaye.com (Robyn Chachula)

May 31st: CathieFilian.com (Yarn Wreath Project by Cathie)

June 1st: Craftzine.com (Review by Sister Diane)

June 2nd: Knitgrrl.com (1 Skein Project by Shannon Okey)

June 3rd: CraftyisCool.com (Allison Hoffman)

June 4th: Coquette Blog (Natalie Zee-Drieu)

June 5th About.com (Sarah White)

June 6th: Manhattan Craft Room (Brett Bara)

June 7th: BetzWhite.com

June 8th: TheCrochetDude.com (Drew Emborsky)

June 9th: Naughtysecretaryclub.com & Ilovetocreate.com (Dual post on the same day.
Yarn-wrapped mobil by Jennifer Perkins)

June 10th: Craftzine.com (Ladybug Outfit Pattern by Vickie)

June 11th: StephanieJapel.com