Friday, September 28, 2012

NKBN: Halloween Edition: Little Pumpkin Pots Pattern and Yarn Giveaway!

A weekly feature on the blog, NOT Knit by Nat highlights great patterns by budding designers on Ravelry.




I'm not sure if it's the utilitarian in me or the multi-tasker, but I just love smart designs that DO something.   Like these Little Pumpkin and Acorn Pots.   Margaret, aka Factwoman (I love that nickname!  I want to be a Factwoman when I grow up ;) includes not only the pumpkin and the acorn pattern, but also great fall themed name tags to transform these into the world's most adorable place cards. 

Could you imagine tucking a little bonbon inside each and adorning your Thanksgiving place settings with these?!   Or for Halloween, a number of these little guys with embroidered jack o' lantern faces lined up along your kitchen counter stuffed with halloween coloured candies?  Or a great little gift for your kid's hard working teacher!?  The possibilities are endless!  Margaret is a smarty-pants, I tells ya!




Halloween is quickly upon us, and seeing the twinkle in my childrens' eyes sparks memories of my own childhood and breathes life back into the holiday in our home, complete with skeletons hanging by the garage and a nest of spiderwebs all along the porch.   It is wonderful!  

To celebrate all that is spooky and magical, October's Not Knit By Nat posts will feature great Halloween inspired designs.  And to kick it all off you can win a copy of this awesome crochet pattern along with 2 hanks of Needful Yarns Amazon yarn in pumpkin orange and some stash busting green yarn to complete lots of Little Pumpkin Pots just in time for Halloween!

Margaret has been so kind to pass on the pattern to me as well and I have had a lot fun whipping up these cuties!   1 ball of yarn gets you 3.5 pumpkins and they take approximately one episode of Breaking Bad to make!  I will post my pics this weekend.


Leave a comment below before Wednesday, October 3rd at midnight for a chance to win!  Anyone who comments that already is and/or becomes a follower on the blog gets entered twice!  (Be sure to leave your Rav ID or email addy).  Contest is closed.

Good luck everyone!!!










Wednesday, September 26, 2012

"What exactly am I focusing on?"


Anyone who knows me knows that I have a major crush on my husband.   You know the kind of crush you have when you're 13 and you're consumed with the thought of a boy and you get the giggles when you talk to him?   Yup, that's me around my hubby after all these years (Here's hoping it never changes!).   So as he sees me approaching him wearing a knit cape in 30 degree weather, camera in hand, already giggling and sheepishly asking him "Can you take some photos of me for the blog?" I half expect him to run in the other direction.    
But God love him, he doesn't.   He even pretends to care.

Now, the quality of photos is another thing all together....


Hmmm...What is this???

When he asks "What exactly am I focusing on?" and I answer dryly 
"The knit cape", 
I sense his patience may be waning...

Almost in Focus...



Here we go.  A winner.  1 out of 26 shots isn't bad!



This pattern is a quick, satisfying knit.   Although I'm not quite sure if I'm exactly a "cape" kind of girl, I'm glad I have this cozy knit for my fall wardrobe repertoire.  



Pattern:  Sweetgum
By: Stacy Simpson Duke


ps despite his lackluster photography skills, I still have a crush on that man.....

Friday, September 21, 2012

NKBN: Tiger's Eye

A weekly feature on the blog, NOT Knit by Nat highlights great patterns by budding designers on Ravelry.


I don't know what it is about geometric patterns in knitting.   There's something about the way the design comes together, the optical illusion of it all, that screams "knit me and impress your friends!  I think you should check out Amy's pattern and do just that! 



Amy describes her pattern as such:

Worn as a hooded wrap, shawl, poncho or cowl it is a versatile and transitional garment

Translation:   THIS DESIGN ROCKS!










Thursday, September 20, 2012

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Today's winner of the Mini Baby Dragon is lucky number 7!

My children are surrounding me, oohing and aahing over this little guy! 


Super-Nova on Ravelry


Congrats to Amanda and a big thank you to Ashley for donating the pattern!




Friday, September 14, 2012

NKBN: Mini Baby Dragon GIVEAWAY!

I am a big sucker for knitted toys.  I while back I posted my feelings about the whole thing here and it still rings true for me.   Ashley's  design is bang on perfect.  I can just see my little guy walking around with this attached to him  - literally.   He just spent the past weekend with a tiny stuffed dog tucked into his pocket for an entire 2 days.   Surely a tiny dragon would be way cuter!

Leave a comment and become a follower of my blog for a chance to win this pattern!   Contest closes WEDNESDAY September 19th, and the winner will be picked randomly and announced Thursday, Sept 20th.  Good luck!  (be sure to leave your rav ID or email address)
Contest is closed







Friday, September 7, 2012

GIVEAWAY WINNER!


Firstly, thank you again to Sam for generously offering up her pattern.  The generosity of knitters never ceases to impress me!

And without futher ado, according to the Random Number Generator, the winner of the Equinox pattern is:


I really hope I win this pattern to knit for the itty-bitty knits group's September charity. It would be perfect for one of the sailor gals!





Congrats Judi!  And what a lovely knit for a charity group!  Expect an email shortly with the pattern!

I have something special in the works for the end of September, visit the blog again soon!





NKBN: Flutter by Dreams

A weekly feature on the blog, NOT Knit by Nat highlights great designs by budding designers on Ravelry.


As I'm sitting at my desk I discover Amy's "Flutter by Dreams" design, 

Me:  "Ooooh!  A butterfly!!"

turning to daughter,

Me:  "Ella, come look at this hat.  Do you like it?"

Ella:   "Ooooh!  A butterfly!"

Me:  "I know!"

Proof that a crochet butterfly knows no age boundaries!    Amy!  You are great!!