This Yarn Post Sponsored by: Knit Picks & Cooperative Press

"Hey, Jess, did you know there's a package on the front step?"

Oh baby! Check *this* out!

A package from Knit Picks address to yours truly. 

Knit Picks is the company that is graciously providing the yarn for that project of mine (read about it here, then do a happy dance for me). Thanks, Knit Picks! It's an honor!

Here... it... is! I've never opened a box of yarn before. It's such an exciting experience: worthy of documentation, some happy-dance breaks and much "Yahoo!"-ing as I kissed my sweet one-year-old's cheeks in celebration. He loved it too.

Yarn Love.

Here they are in their snug little basket.

I love this part of the skein the best. The swirly parts. Surely there's a name for it, but you probably have to work in the yarn manufacturing industry to be privy to something so obscure.

Here are my colors, side to side...

...and now vertical.

Dramatic Closing Photograph

And ending the photo essay with another epic shot. 

I'm not at liberty to discuss The Pattern with you all. Tough cookies: you'll just have to buy the book. ;) But I can tell you all about the yarn and have decided to document my creative process by showing how much yarn I have left. 

Here's some quick info on what exactly I have in my basket (for those who fell in love, as I have)

~10 Skeins of Knit Picks' "Dishie" 

8 in Azure... If you check out their website you'll discover that... "Azure is a heraldic blue color that will remind you of a cloudless sky. Its blue color and light purple undertones shine when combined with other neutrals and other luscious blues."  Cloudless sky, much like the gorgeous sky right now. And if you ask *me*, you'll discover that Azure is one of my favorite colors. 

and 2 in Tranquil... "Tranquil is a calming blue green color. If you find the calming turquoise colors of the ocean soothing and enjoyable, then you will love having a sweater knitted out of Tranquil. It’s a beautiful color on its own or for color work."  Gorgeous, gorgeous color! I am in love with turquoise lately (just take a peek at my kitchen... or living room... or most of my shirts and a few of my dresses. Oh, and my glasses too... and very nearly my front door, but I resisted the urge because, really, I have to draw the line somewhere). 

"Dishie" is made of 100% cotton (= eco-friendly!) and is 190 yards/100 grams per skein. Machine Washable and Tumble Low Dry-able. 

So what did I miss. I'll recap...

It's gorgeous

It's affordable

It's eco-friendly

It's durable 

...and I can't wait to get to work!

Suddenly He's 3....

I just had a baby! Oh, um, 3 years ago (I've even had one since). How do they grow so quickly? Why do the grow so quickly?



So I made him a treasury with all of the *him* things... the brown sling I carried him in, the non-rainboots in his toddler year (now worn by little bro), the yellow kittens he loves, the tire swing you can't get him out of, the king crown he insists on wearing, the apple picking we do for his birthdays, the plastic cups he played with as a baby, A BUS-- he loved buses for a few months, his pooh-bear, his brown and white cozy blanket, the pumpkin onesie I always put him in as a baby, the crochet hat he wore his first winter, a reminder of his first room, and his little black converse (now also worn by little bro). It's A Boy. He's my boy. =)

Here he is, proud to be The King "(Long Live the King!" is a familiar chant in this house)

And here is his new blanket! When he unwrapped it Daddy asked him "Oooh, what is that" and he wisely replied, "Yarn." But when we unfolded it and held it up his face shone, he smiled wide and, jumping up and down with flailing arms exclaimed, "IT'S A STAR!!"

So, you could say he likes it. ;)

Cozied on the couch watching Kipper.

Notes about the blanket: He picked the colors himself ("My green" was what he wanted). He chose Red Heart's Eco-Ways acrylic (made from recycled plastic, my green loving boy is so green) and the colors were Asparagus, Lichen and..... the white was.... uhm. Uhm. Uuuuuuhm. (looks it up on the internet) Oyster!! Oh, let me add their link now I have it pulled up... done.

The *pattern* is gorgeous, isn't it? It's from The Hook Hound on that fabulous website known as Etsy. Here's the pattern link itself (well, where you can purchase it. Copyright's important): Granny Star. My thoughts on the pattern were this: It was fun! It was easy! It wasn't boring! And it ended up BeAuTiFuL! I was starting to mentally crochet it in a variety of colors (pale yellow star bursting out through the color spectrum to end in a dark red?? Anyone?! Yes! I'm so into this idea!) but then I remembered that I have a project on-the-hook (several, actually, but we're talking blankets for me). Sooo, maybe next autumn. Or, ya know, when I finish that Bed of Roses I'm working on. :)

Hope everyone has a lovely, autumn day, and I hope you have your own crochet blankie to snuggle up with.
*

A Celebratory Happy Dance!

Remember yesterday's post, where I mentioned Cooperative Press having a new book coming out? I presented it as news but didn't go into further detail.

Well.

Nearly a month ago, Cooperative Press had a call for submissions. They were looking for pattern concepts for their book. On a whim, I submitted a couple things I had in my head that hadn't actually made it down on paper and especially not on Etsy. The deadline (September 1) for submissions came and went and I forgot all about it (well, more shrugged it off). 

So, you can imagine my surprise when I went to check my email last Sunday night and discovered that they were "thrilled to have (my) design included in the Fresh Designs Crochet Home Book"! What?? I mean, WOW! 

There followed such a happy dance that I accidently woke up my one year old (and I was much too fluttery to put him back to sleep, so my charming husband did it for me). Even now, nearly a week later, when I think about it I get all heart fluttery (though that could be the coffee I just drank). 

The contract has been thoroughly read by myself and Charming Husband, signed and is going to be driven to the post office for mailing because it's much too important to put in the box outside. It could, ya know, fall out or something. The wind could catch it. 

So they're waiting on my contract and I'm waiting to hear on... yarn support! Yarn support! Just typing it makes me geek out!

Wow, I rambled in this post more than is entirely necessary. But, really, this blog is all about celebrating crochet and I just wanted to share the joy and let you all join in the celebration. 'Cause really, in my humble opinion, the only thing better than crochet is... books. =D

So, have a scroll and let's celebrate!!

Image courtesy of artycho

Image courtesy of ballhanknskein

Image courtesy of BobbieandLola

Image courtesy of CrochetingforCash

Image courtesy of HauteCinq

Image courtesy of JacquelynVaccaro

Image courtesy of knotworkshop

Image courtesy of littleteawagon

Image courtesy of lotsofloops

Image courtesy of reraeshop

Image courtesy of sharpenyourteeth

Image courtesy of stripeyblue

Image courtesy of violasboutique

Want more celebration? Click this link for some good Happy Dancin' music::::

The Dog Days are Over - Florence + The Machine

Have a great weekend, everybody!!