handmade by stefanie

I'm coming down the home stretch for handmade gifts, but my dedication to the cause means there really isn't much I can share here on my blog these days. Luckily, I finished a fun project which I can't wait til Friday to share: a Tiny Elf !  I whipped this little guy up really quickly in Spud & Chloe Sweater yarn - the pattern is available for free here on Ravelry . There is also a fun photo contest happening here on Ravelry where you can share photos of your Tiny Elf making mischief for a chance to win a grand prize! So far, my Tiny Elf has.... ...ridden an elephant.... ...attempted to nab my morning tea... ...and then he tagged along to knit night and nabbed a tater tot as a snack!

After a chilly week here in Chicago, today's FO project seems more than appropriate: a polar bear! I was hoping to be able to photograph him in some actual snow, but it seems like other parts of the country are getting ALL OF THE SNOW while Chicago is merely being teased with flurries. Therefore, I took matters into my own hands and used some natural-colored spinning fiber (Louet's Jacob sliver, to be exact) to manufacture a wintry scene of my own! I used the Hot Chocolate Run Polar Bear pattern from WEBS; all proceeds from the sale of this pattern benefit Safe Passage , and last month they hosted a KAL  which shares some handy tips for knitting and assembling your bear. The pattern calls for bulky weight yarn, but I opted to make a smaller version with Valley Yarns Stockbridge yarn as the MC and some leftover stash yarn for the contrasting colors. Isn't he adorable? In other news: it's last call for 25% off   my eligible patterns  for  this ...

This year, the folks at Save the Children are challenging folks to Make the World a Better Place with a Sweater  on December 12, which is also known as National Sweater Day! Non-knitters are encouraged to wear their most festive holiday sweater and donate $5 to Save the Children on Dec. 12, but knitterly folks have a special challenge for this year: to knit a sweater for someone special between November 12 & December 12, which Save the Children has dubbed the Pins and Needles Challenge . Don't worry - it doesn't have to be a full-sized sweater!  Save the Children  and Vogue Knitting have provided two free knitting patterns for miniature sweaters for those of you who are pressed for time: Sweater Garland - click here for a free PDF. Cell Phone Sweater - click here for a free PDF. I myself plan to knit a few mini-sweaters using the free Sweater Garland pattern above - I think they'll make great ornaments to give as gifts this year! I'll be c...