Skip to main content

Holiday Gift Guide & Giveaway

Giftmas is almost here! This year, my gift guide does double duty, as many of the products can reasonably be gifted to someone outside of the fiber arts world - but don't worry, there are still some great ideas specifically for the knitter or spinner in your life...or maybe you!Make sure your wish list has plenty of options for last-minute shopping with my top picks...and be sure to check out my awesome giveaway for you chance to win some fun goodies as my gift to YOU this holiday season!

Allure Sampler Pack
Every fiber artist needs a good wool wash, but so do regular folks! A no-rinse wool wash such as Allure saves time, water, and also money, because it allows you to wash tons of items that you would otherwise pay to dry clean. Allure is specially formulated to leave absolutely no residue behind, so those fancy fibers such as silk, cashmere, yak, qiviut, and alpaca benefit especially. The sampler pack allows you to try all 3 scents for less than $15, which is a pretty sweet deal!
Image by me!

Gleener Ultimate Fuzz Remover
Everyone has a sweater (most likely, several!) which need to be de-pilled. Whether they are store bought or hand made, the easy-to-use Gleener will make them look like new! They've recently introduced several fun new colors, plus a compact travel-friendly version for folks who travel frequently.
Image via Gleener.com

Lotion Bars
Speaking of travel-friendly products, lotion bars are perfect for air travel because they are a TSA friendly way to keep your skin moisturized. Fiber artists who work primarily with wool will need a stash of lotion bars to keep their hard-working hands moisturized year-round, as wool can really suck the moisture out of your hands! Non-knitters will still love the natural, fast-absorbing moisture in great scents. I'm still loving the Love + Leche Citrus Rose lotion bar from earlier this fall (click here for full review) - they also have mini lotion bar gift sets and a new monthly subscription option that are both perfect for gift-giving!!
Image via LoveandLeche.com.

Knitter's Pride Knit Blockers
These are hands-down one of my favorite time-saving tools for blocking my projects. I can't even remember back to when I didn't have a set of Knit Blockers...or rather, I don't want to! This clever set makes blocking straight edges a breeze, and I've timed myself for some pretty big projects have yet to break the ten-minute barrier - try THAT with just some T-pins!
Image via Yarn.com
Gleener Tote Bags
It's safe to say that these bags are the. cutest. thing. ever. I have yet to find someone who doesn't exclaim in glee when they spot my Cool Cat tote - and Gleener also has two more adorable designs, Dapper Dog and Rockin' Owl. Everyone can find a use for a well-made tote bag, and these are as sturdy as they come with plenty of room for a sweater project, books, or groceries. They would even be a great stocking stuffer!
Image via Gleener.com.

Jar of Inspiration
I spotted this intriguing product on the pages of Spin-Off magazine right after I'd gotten my Louet Blending board, and it was the perfect solution to the problem I now found myself facing: I hardly had any fiber in my stash which could be used for blending purposes - it was all large quantities and/or earmarked for specific projects. Each Jar of Inspiration is stuffed to the gills with a variety of fibers in a family of colors - for example, I bought the blue colorway in the Mielke's Fiber Arts booth at the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival earlier this year. Adventurous handspinners will love a chance to try so many different kinds of fiber!
Image via Mielkesfiberarts.com.

Everything-You-Need Project Kits
There are some really cool project kits out there - probably too many for me to list in this post. Recently, I reviewed a project kit from Skeino (click here to read more about their Aloha Entrelac Kit); they have a ton of really cool project kits such as the Gala Scarf, which uses super bulky alpaca yarn with a hint of sparkle to create a quick-knitting scarf. Each kit includes yarn and a pattern, and I believe that some also come in a nifty project bag!
Image via Skeino.com.
I'm also enamored with the beginner-friendly embroidery kits from Red Gate Stitchery, which I spotted at TNNA over the summer and have been coveting ever since (I got a bamboo necklace kit for my birthday which I'm excited to try!). Their cross-stitch ornaments are definitely on my own wish list!
Image via Red Gate Stitchery Etsy shop.
For anyone who might be interested in sewing (and they should probably also have a well-established fondness for cats), this Cat Head Garland Kit from Chick Chack DIY is so easy, even I could complete it. Seriously, I am the worst at sewing, but I was able to stitch this project in a week's time and it is now hanging proudly in my living room.
Image by me!


Giveaway Time!

I am super psyched to offer FOUR awesome prizes just for my blog readers this month!

Click here to enter by signing up for my newsletter and unlock additional entries for your chance to win one of these excellent prize packs:

Prize Pack #1: Gleener Dapper Dog Tote, Knitter's Pride Nova Platina fixed circular needles, and Love + Leche lemongrass mini lotion bar.


Prize Pack #2: Gleener Rockin' Owl Tote, Knitter's Pride Nova Platina fixed circular needles, and Love + Leche cedarwood mini lotion bar.

Prize Pack #3: Gleener Ultimate Fuzz Remover in Punch Buggy Pink and Unscented Allure Fiber Wash.

Prize Pack #4: Gleener On the Go Travel Fuzz Remover and Woodland Mist Allure Fiber Wash.

Many thanks to Gleener, Love + Leche, Allure Fiber Wash, and Knitter's Pride for donating prizes! Be sure to visit their websites and follow them on your social media channel of choice to thank them for their generosity.



Winners will be announced next Monday, December 14. Good luck! 


Comments

  1. wonderful giveaway! thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Those are awesome giveaways! I love the ornaments. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. So many lovely giveaway items! The knitblockers have been on my wish list since the first time I saw them, and the lotion bars sound as yummy as the fiber! Thanks :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love!! If I don't win, will need to purchase several of these items...Merry Christmas to me! Thank you for the giveaway.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I NEED THAT BAG! These are all SO great! What an amazing list of giveaways! Thanks Stefanie and all the great sponsors!

    ReplyDelete
  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ooooh, I'm interested in those Gleener prize packs... I could use one!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you for offering these items as a give-away! Sure am hoping I'm the lucky recipient.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I just found your blog via the Knitter's Pride group on Ravelry. So, I signed up for your newsletter in hopes that I win one of those awesome bags!! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Those bags are just the cutest ever. Thank you for the awesome giveaway.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks for the opportunity to win your lovely gifts. Happy holidays!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks for the opportunity to win your lovely gifts. Happy holidays!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Overdyeing A Finished Knit

Even after just a few years of knitting or crocheting, you're bound to have some finished projects lying around that never get worn or used. After 10+ years of crafting, I have more than just "some" or "a few"....and with my ongoing quest to declutter my house this year, I've become obsessed with going through these forlorn projects and making some Big Decisions. Sometimes, they are perfectly fine and just need a new and loving home. Other projects may have not turned out quite right: there might have been some mistakes in the knitting that I thought I could live with, or the yarn was gorgeous but not well-matched to the pattern, or my  taste has drastically changed since I finished making the project...in any case, why on earth did I keep knitting?! Who knows, but I don't feel good about gifting anything that falls into this category to someone else. These projects have been relegated to the "frog pile" (or should I say, frog pond?), to b...

Easy DIY: Beaded Vintage Snowflake Ornament Kits from Solid Oak Inc.

I was really excited to step outside of my comfort zone and try something new as part of my "Christmas in July" theme this month. The kind folks at Solid Oak Inc offered me a chance to review one of their Nostalgic Christmas beaded crystal ornament kits I couldn't resist. My tree is already full of ornaments I've inherited or been gifted from other family members and friends,  so these pretty crystal beaded ornaments will fit right in I think! I was super impressed with  this compact little kit , which includes everything needed to create three gorgeous vintage-style ornaments - just add a pair of round nose pliers (I found mine on Amazon for less than ten bucks).  The instructions had some fabulous tips for newbies like me; for example, it recommended sorting the beads and laying them out in order on a towel or beading mat to prevent them from rolling away. That may seem obvious, but I was totally ready to start beading on my kitchen table without a...

What If I Didn't Add Heels?

Last weekend, I finished the first sock with my Waterlilies yarn , and just for yuks, I tried it on even though it was basically just a tube sock. Much to my surprise, it fit really well, even without a heel. Who knew? So, that got me thinking: what if I just didn't add the heels?  I never thought a tube sock would actually fit nicely, but I genuinely like the fit, so...why spend time to add the heels? As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.... Let's say I decide not to add heels once the second sock is done - there will still be placeholder yarn for the afterthought heels, as you can see above, so should I leave it in and just weave in the ends? Or should I remove it, put the live stitches back on needles and at least graft them together using more of the Waterlilies yarn? I plan on mulling all of this over as I knit the second sock, and I'd love to hear your opinions of what you think would look best (or if you think this whole "n...