Monday 10 August 2009

Firestarter giveaway

Well, a week has passed already - that was quick! - and the first giveaway prize has finished. And the winner of the tootiefruitie sock yarn kindly picked at random by John at the Textile Blog, is..... Tom! I know you said in your comment you are on a yarn diet:-) but I hope you can squeeze a little tootiefruitie sock yarn into your stash! Please send me an e-mail Tom with some contact details so I can send this off to you soon.

I really enjoyed reading all your comments about your knitting achievements and although there could only be one winner last week, this week I've got a slightly different giveaway for you. There are two prizes for two separate winners, so when you comment please state which one, or both, you would like to be entered for - if you don't specify I'll enter you for both:-)

So, what is up for grabs today? Well, firstly we have have a pair of Firestarter Socks for you (pattern by Yarnissima). This pattern has lovely cabling detail running up the side of the sock and makes a feature of the ribbing on the heel and the upper part of the sock. These are knitted in my own hand dyed 'Orange Mango' which give you lovely graded bands of colour.

Yarnissima's pattern knits up in only one size - womens medium - which is stated at US 7-8 and European 37-38. Now I'm a 38/UK 5 and these once knitted up are slightly looser on the foot length than I would normally knit for my size. And because of the natural elasticity of the rib knitting on the heel, I think these would stretch to accomodate a good few sizes larger. They are also very generous on the calves - I know this is an area where some socks pinch as we are all so differently shaped;-) but I think this will fit most calf sizes too.

But if you prefer to knit your own socks or know you won't fit the firestarter socks, or if you are a bloke:-), I have here for you our second prize, a skein of stripey emerald green sock yarn just waiting to be turned into socks, or scarves, or gloves...... It knits up in small stripey bands exactly like the orange firestarter socks and is looking for a new home. This sock yarn base I'm using is very generous on the yardage. I knitted extra cable repeats on firestarter and still didn't use all the 50gms for one sock. I think I had about 10gms extra left. Maybe not quite enough for knee highs though!

So to enter this weeks competition, please leave me a comment answering this question - Within your own discipline, knitting, quilting, sewing etc, what materials or tools couldn't you live without? Are your addi needles the one thing you would rush back into a burning building for? :-) (Okay, your family and everything else is already safe!) Or would you be trying to cram all your yarn stash into bags as you are dragged out trying to find your precious Koigu?!

Please remember to say which prize, or both, you would like to be entered for. Again, this giveaway closes this sunday evening (16th) and the winner will be drawn next monday, 17th August. Good luck everyone and I look forward to hearing your answers:-)

22 comments:

  1. I'm a quilter, and I couldn't live without.... so many things! lol

    But in the order I think of them, 70/90 sharps for my sewing machine, rotary cutter and many, many blade, cone holder, snips, a 24 x 6' ruler, a triangle ruler, a 5 inch square ruler, and of course, as much fabric as my greed arms can hold. :D

    Burning house? Oh, I guess I'd have to grab my spouse, kids, and cats (lol) and if I had time for anything quilting related - actually, I could replace it all, so I'd grab something else. :)

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  2. First - OH WOW! Thanks. I wanted to send e-mail with my address info, but couldn't find your e-mail address so I'll leave mine here.

    I know it sounds piggy to enter, but hey - lightning might strike twice!

    I'd prefer the green yarn. Although I would love a pair of hand-knit socks, orange is not me.

    What would I save? I'd grab my knitting bag and my laptop bag which are always together, and run.

    Thanks again for picking me!

    tomknit AT gmail DOT com

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  3. Please don't enter me, just wantd to congratulate Tom on winning two in one day!

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  4. Hi,

    Other Elaine trying again. I love the green yarn, even though I normally don't like green!

    Now what would I grab other than loved ones? Probably my Lantern Moon needles. They are so beautiful and so expensive. Well, maybe also any yarn I could gather up.

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  5. I do embroidery and knitting so it would be a tough choice as to which items to grab. I could not do without my knit picks harmony circular needles though...and I'd just have to slip a packet of pebble embroidery needles in my bag as well.

    I would love to be entered into both drawings...but gee wizz I'd love that green sock yarn. It looks gorgeous!

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  6. I love that green yarn!!! So I'd love to enter that giveaway!!

    I'm a weaver, so I'm very attached to my looms. All the yarn and tools can be replaced....but my looms have their own quirks and history and personalities. Of course, they're pretty big to rescue from a burning building. Thinking non-fiery thoughts.....

    Sue

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  7. What would I save? I keep my stash in the attic which is the wrong direction to head when there's a fire, so I guess I'd say my knitting bag which always has at least one WIP in it.

    My choice is also the green yarn. Really pretty!

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  8. Oh my. I guess I would try hauling my stash out the door. But what about all the great needles I have? Or my stitch markers? Oh my. Oh my. Tough choice. I better get a back packed with my most precious stuff and leave it next to the door so that if anything bad happens, I can just grab it on my way out. :-)

    Oh, and I'd pick the green yarn as a prize and immediately add it to my most precious.

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  9. The green yarn is really pretty. The orange socks are too, but so not me so I would choose the yarn if I won.

    I would grab my hand-dyed sock yarn to save. And maybe some Noro from my stash. I have a set of interchangeable needles somewhere and I better grab them too.

    Thanks for the fun and congrats.

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  10. Oh, those socks! I'd love to be entered to win those socks! They're gorgeous!

    I also love the green yarn (it makes my mouth water!) but I already have some of your yarn and I don't know how to make socks yet. Better give the real knitters a chance. :)

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  11. Oops, I forgot to tell you what I couldn't live without! Right now I'd have to say my Mendocino and Neptune fabrics. I went to a lot of trouble to find some of them.

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  12. I'm a knitter, and the only thing I'd rush back into a burning building to save are a few skeins of handspun and/or hand dyed yarn made for me by friends. I'd miss the rest of my yarn (and needles and accessories), but they can be replaced.

    I'd like to enter for the green yarn, please.

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  13. I can't say that I would honestly run back into a burning building for anyTHING - a person, if I thought I could really help. But, this is just a game so I guess I'd have to say I'd go back for the only hand dyeing I've done so far. It is beautifully purple and blue and I love it.

    I'm in for the green yarn!

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  14. I would take my knitting bag because I like the bag itself, it always contains at least a couple of WIPs, yarn, needles, stitch markers. What more could a knitter need?

    I'd like to enter for the green yarn. It looks really pretty even though it's not purple :-)

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  15. I am intensely attached to my Harmony circulars...I have a difficult time traveling without taking them all with me even though I only ever have room for a few projects that definitely don't require the whole needle cavalry. But even before those I think I'd grab my spindles, spinning wheel, and wool stash!

    I'd also prefer the green yarn, I doubt those orange socks would fit my feet particularly well...

    ^.^

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  16. I would love to win either prize! I'm a quilter, and can't live without my rotary cutter, and my sewing machine!
    Ann G

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  17. I LOVE the green yarn so please enter me for that. I can't believe I'm turning down the opportunity to win beautiful hand knit socks, but I know I don't have anything I could wear them with since orange is definitely not my color.

    Now what would I save. Hmmm. I think I would go for some of my hand painted yarns. I just love them and some of them are so beautiful.

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  18. I just read your blog entry about making a sock blanks - absolutely gorgeous and just my colors :-) I bet whatever is knit from it will come out gloriously.

    What would I grab from a burning building? I think my first thought would be my wooden needles and maybe my set of interchangeables. Well maybe also some hand dyed yarn. Hmmm a few stitch markers. My bag. Sounds like I should go pack a large suitcase with all my necessities "just in case"

    And I'd pick the green yarn if I won.

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  19. I wanted to comment on how lovely the sock blanks look, and how I can't wait to see them knitted up a bit, but for some reason, posting a comment on that entry is ... well weird. So I'll tell you here instead that I think it looks wonderful. I just love the colors.

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  20. Hi Elaine - I tried to change my comments to Disqus a few days ago which lets you have threads when you answer comments. I thought it hadn't worked but on today's post, there it is! I'll investigate and feedback a way to leave comments on it. Its no good if it's too complicated for us to use:-)
    Thank you for letting me know!

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  21. Too funny - I just realized the last comment was to me from you. I thought for a minute there were 3 Elaine's, and I have rarely been in a situation with even one other.

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  22. I was in a class of 3 Elaine's at school - it got very confusing! But I don't come across that many these days so its nice to meet a fellow elaine!

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Hello and thanks for stopping by. Do stay a while and visit. Please do leave a comment - I'd love to hear from you and be inspired by all your blogs out there too:-) elaine xx

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