>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

>Countdown to Renegade!

>In one week I’ll be wrapping up my first Renegade Craft Fair, and Austin’s second. I’m really excited to be a part of it, although its been dominating my life for the past three months since I found out I was accepted into it! I’m going to have some of the most popular designs in my shop, lots of patterns, and some new stuff, like keychains and little owl kits that I made just for RCF! The owl kits will have a special discount code inside for my shop, as well as everything you need to make a little amigurumi owl. Here’s the “flyer” for the show!



You want to see the tiny owls you can make with the Austin Owl Kit?

Each kit includes yarn, fabric, felt, buttons, stuffing, and even a yarn needle and a crochet hook! The pattern is super quick and simple, especially for beginners that want to learn.

Please come by and say HI! I’ll be in booth 29. When I got that assignment, by the way, I was floored. The number 29 seems to be recurring in my life. My children have birthdays on the 2nd, the 9th, and the 29th. My husband even has a tattoo with the number 29 in it. It was fate, I tell ya! I would have picked that number if they gave me the option!