By Lisa Gutierrez on 11/25/2014 
The good folks over at Blue Sky Alpacas are hosting a really lovely Bulky Hat knit-a-long, right now, in their Ravelry Group. Through December 15, you can get a coupon for $5 off their Bulky Knit Hats for Kids & Adults book by Sarah Smuland. For every completed hat you post, you are entered to win a cool prize that includes a knitting kit AND needles from Knitter’s Pride. Pretty sweet, hmm?
I was sent enough yarn to knit the amazing “Trapper Hat” from the book. I LOVED the ear flaps and was intrigued by the fluffy bits under them and on the brim. I chose the colorway Atlantis because my kids both love blue and it’s totally grown on me. I’ll take a blue of every yarn ever, thankyouverymuch.
It took me about 3 hours to knit this baby up. You start with the ear flaps and brim, then they get joined and you work the rest of it. It was a super simple pattern to follow and I was almost ready to call it a day right there. BUT THEN…I remembered the fluff. I really wanted to see how much cuter this hat could get.
The answer was “pretty damn cute.” It took me about as much time to attach 300+ pieces of fringe as it did to knit. I thought it would be a tedious process that would bore me to tears, but I was SO wrong! I found my groove while working and with each piece that was attached, I got more and more excited.
I let out an actual squeal when it was done. I sewed up the front brim and plopped it on my head. SO DAMN CUTE. My son walked in a few seconds later, I suppose to see what the ruckus was, and I pretty much threw it on his head and squealed again. What could make this cute hat cuter? This dude’s cheeks.
I knit the largest size, so it is definitely too big for his head. It even fits me a bit over-sized, but I think it works well with this style of hat. I let him ride his scooter with it and giggled pretty much the entire time.
We hate our sidewalks. Look at that face! Sigh.
Check out the KAL and maybe join us? These quick knits would be great Christmas presents!! This is the project that put me on an extreme bulky knits kick. Did I mention I’ve knit like five cowls in the past 2-3 weeks? I knit TWO more, today. It’s just SO nice to start a project and finish it the same day. Bulky yarn for the win!
Disclaimer: I was sent yarn and needles to complete this project. All opinions in this post are most definitely my own.
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By Lisa Gutierrez on 09/26/2014 
Scents available: grapefruit, eucalyptus, natural, lavender.
When I bring out my wool hats and cowls for the fall and winter seasons, I usually just shake off any dust (and, God forbid, any bugs) and move along. When asked if I wanted to review Eucalan, a no rinse wash perfect for delicate items, I got pretty excited. Read my thoughts below and find out how to win some Eucalan for yourself!
I understand woollies don’t need to be washed after every wear, or even every season for that matter. I usually store my pieces in a plastic box in the closet, but sometimes one gets lost behind the couch or stuck under a bed for a few months. I was fairly intrigued by this product because my normal method of washing includes a wash AND rinse cycle. Agitating the fibers too much can lead to felting and that’s a big no no!
Washing with Eucalan was a total breeze! You put some water in a basin or large bowl, squeeze in the Eucalan, mix it up a bit with your hand, then soak the item. I put a few hats in this bowl, making sure they were all of the same color family, since it was the first time some got washed and I wasn’t sure of their colorfastness. Once the item is in the water, you squeeze it a bit to make sure the Eucalan soap gets into the fibers.
According to Eucalan, the best scents for our wool are eucalyptus and lavender. They are natural moth and flea inhibitors, so washing after the cold season is over, before you put the garments away, is probably a better idea. I decided to do it before because, like I said, hats end up under beds and in the couch more often than not around this house. I’m thinking I will purchase a bottle to re-wash everything at the end of winter.
After the items have soaked for at least 15 minutes, you simply pull them out, squeezing out excess water, and set them on a towel. I like to lay them flat, roll ’em up, and squeeze even more water out. Then, I lay them all on a fresh towel to completely dry under a ceiling fan.
I must say, the scents are wonderful! They aren’t overpowering like a perfume, but are more…crisp and clean! I was so, so happy. I am not a fan of cleaning products scented with lavender, so I didn’t have high hopes, but it definitely smells more herb-y (I love lavender flowers!) and like an essential oil rather than a fragrance.
Eucalan also features lanolin in its formula, so the wool fibers soften and plump up oh so gloriously. I anticipate no itchy necks or ears this fall! You can also use Eucalan on other delicates like lingerie. Read more about their products on Eucalan.com.
Visit Eucalan on Facebook and read the Eucalan Blog for tips on washing your most treasured items!
Enter the Eucalan Giveaway
Eucalan is graciously providing a Gift Pack to one lucky reader! Leave a comment below telling me how (if) you wash your woollies or just say hello. Submit your entries via the Rafflecopter widget below. You have 5 chances to win! You may need to view the giveaway in a browser. Winner will be displayed next Friday.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only. Sorry to my other international readers!
Disclosure: I was sent a sample pack of Eucalan’s products to review on the blog. All opinions and photos are my own.
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By Lisa Gutierrez on 07/18/2014 
Hello, friends! Long time no see, hm? I’m sorry about my summer absence. My boys take up a lot of my day time and I just have not been able to plan any posts. I’m here today with something good, though–my very first yarn review!
I was sent a skein of Llama Sparkle from Red Barn Yarn. It is a hand-painted worsted weight yarn that is 95% baby llama and 5% stellina, so it is soft as butter with a little sparkle. To be honest, I don’t usually purchase yarns with shiny stuff spun into them, so this was a treat. What really made my day, though, was the color. It was a little tough to capture the perfect shade, but you can see some of the variation below:
Beautiful, huh? The sparkle is very subtle, but it gives the perfect amount of shine. You can see the other yarn bases and colors available from Red Barn Yarn on their website. You can also find a list of their stockists. If you can’t find a retailer close by, you can contact them to purchase yarn directly by emailing info@redbarnyarn.com.
With just one skein, I made this gorgeous cowl! I browsed my stitch dictionary and found this one called “Mrs. Hunter’s Pattern” and it reminded me of crochet. I knew that I wouldn’t have enough yarn for a crochet project, so I really wanted to use this stitch. I love the color variation in the yarn SO MUCH! It looks pretty amazing in this pattern, too. I feel like my photos don’t do it justice, but of course I took a ton anyway.
(omg)
Like I said previously, this yarn is like butter. The baby llama is incredibly soft and bloomed beautifully after a wash. There was a little bit of color in the water after I soaked the cowl, but I didn’t notice any fading in the actual yarn.
When I got to the end of my cowl, I realized I did not like the curling at the bottom (I went straight into the pattern after casting on), so I finished it off with a knit 3, purl 1 rib and a crochet cast-off and border. The result was a scalloped edge that lays relatively flat. I then picked up stitches along my cast-on edge and did the same thing there!
Let me know if there is any interest in a full pattern write up! I can whip something up to share with you guys. I was looking at my pattern page and realized I have waaaaay more crochet patterns than knit ones! I need to remedy that.
If you are interested in learning more about Red Barn Yarn, check out their website and if you have any further questions, join the Ravelry group: Red Barn Yarn Afficianados!
What are you doing this summer? Getting any knitting or crochet done in this heat?! I was straight up sweating during these photos. IN MY AIR CONDITIONED HOME! I can’t wait until it’s cold outside and I can wear this on my walks to my kids’ school. I’m gonna be so toasty!
Disclosure: I was given a skein of free skein of yarn for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
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By Lisa Gutierrez on 12/05/2011 
Hello, friends! I am completely happy to formally introduce you to my sponsors for the month of December. It’s a very lovely bunch of women with amazing blogs and/or shops. I implore you to click around and visit! You will not be disappointed. PLUS! There’s a few coupons in here. :)
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BLOG – SHOP – TWITTER
Meet Sandy of The Nerdy Nook! “Hi All! My name is Sandy from The Nerdy Nook, happy to make your acquaintance! My humble little blog features crochet creations, international fashion goodies, life posts, and cooking adventures. I keep my shop stocked with crochet pieces of every shape that integrate the cutesy with vintage stylings. Stop by and say hello to this crafty school nerd!
SHOP – BLOG – TWITTER
Meet Julie of Restless Hearts! “This shop is a collaboration of my two loves: treasure hunting and sewing. My grandmother taught me about thrifting. We used to go thrifting all the time when I was little. She also taught me to use what I had, not to be wasteful. I love finding things that other can love and giving them a second chance.
My grandmother also taught me to sew. I went to school for 8 years for fine art, but in the end, crafting was my one true love. I really love embroidery and applique. I also like to use mainly recycled or repurposed fabrics in my work. Giving life to something new and making into a precious piece of art is such a liberating experience.”
Use coupon code FALL20 for 20% off @ the Restless Hearts store!
SHOP – FACEBOOK – PINTEREST – RAVELRY
Meet Mari of Brown Betty Style! “Hey! I’m Mari and my first crafting love is knitting! So when I learned to sew, the first thing I made was a knitting project bag to tote my portable projects on the go. I love having everything at my fingertips, rather than rattling around in my mammoth purse.
Brownbetty Style, my Etsy shop, features my original knitting project bags in cool prints and unique color combinations, as well as log cabin and patchwork pillow covers, cute aprons, knit hats & gloves, and more – check back soon for new stuff! I make things that I’d love to have in my own home, so my pillow covers all feature eye catching patterns that are retro in spirit but modern in design. I love rich colors, prints you’d never find in a store, and the unique inconsistencies that can only come from handmade.”
Goodknits readers get 10% off in December with code “GOODKNITS”
BLOG – SHOP
Meet Maryam of Pamplemousse 1983! “My name is Maryam and I’m a former elementary art teacher turned stay at home mom to baby Margaux. I blog about Margaux, crafty DIYs, Easy Art tutorials and some of my favorite things at Pamplemousse1983. I also have an Etsy shop featuring my photography so stop by and take a look!”
BLOG
Meet Alli of One Pearl Button! “Hello, Goodknits readers, I’m Alli! I’m an archaeologist and graduate student who documents my creative life at www.onepearlbutton.com. I blog about crafts, fashion, and photography, and some of my favorite things include scooters, Polaroids, and thrift stores. Stop by and see me sometime; I’d love to get to know you!”
BLOG – FACEBOOK – TWITTER – SHOP
Meet Sarah of Sarahndipities “I’m a stay-at-home mom of five wonderful children, and the wife a wonderful 5th-grade-school-teacher husband. I love to make things that people will actually use and wear…and I love doing custom orders!!! Christmastime is such a magical time of the year…I love making handmade items for gifts! There’s just something special about something you make yourself! In my shop I sell beautiful finished items as well as several patterns so you can make your own creations! Happy Holidays!!”
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Please take a moment to browse these links and show them some love! I hope you find them as inspiring as I do.
By Lisa Gutierrez on 12/01/2011 
It’s December! Already! I’m sure you’ve heard that a lot and I’m sure it’s crossed your mind at least once. It’s true! The last month of 2011 is here. CHRISTMAS will be here in 24 days! 2012 is staring at us.
If you are reading this post in a reader, come check out the new blog layout! I brought the header back. It’s taking some getting used to and, to be totally honest, I am still not 100% sold on it. I may change things up again in January. We’ll see! this is my first day with it, afterall.
Along with the new blog design, there are a few more things in store for December: DIYs, printables, recipes, guest posts, a pattern or two, and more! It’s going to be fun.
Check out the December sponsors! I will formally introduce you to these wonderful ladies soon! Click on their individual buttons below or in the sidebar. They all have wonderful blogs and/or shops!
     
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Disclosure You may find affiliate links and banners throughout my blog. I earn a small commission from purchases made through these links. It helps pay for keeping this blog running! All reviews and products are items I have personally used and loved. |
