Knit some leaves for a community project

Hey - check this out! I've taken this whole post from the OutdoorKnit blog - but it's such an awesome idea that we should all get behind it!

Knitsch, OutdoorKnit, Craft2.0 and the New Dowse are excited to reveal:

It's a tree!

This is a collaborative community project, which means we need you.


The idea is this:

there are a few very tall lamp posts outside the New Dowse in Lower Hutt, and OutdoorKnit decided it would be a pretty fun idea to turn them into something different...trees!

What OutdoorKnit needs is lots of knitted, crochet or even sewn flowers, leaves and native birds to cover these 'trees'. The best medium for this is acrylic - it wears better when the weather gets a bit grotty.

Get knitting people!!!!

Spinning A Yarn Winner!

Wow, I had so many entries blogged, emailed and tweeted to me for the amazing Tussah Silk fibre from Spinning A Yarn. You know you all wanted it... but there is only one winner and it is:

clare :: greenvalleycrafts

Well done to you!!

And the rest of you can sulk for a minute, but then head straight to Spinning A Yarn's felt store and buy some for yourself.

Sale on etsy!

Boxes are now on sale at www.blendy.etsy.com!

Sale Time!

Boxes are now on sale at www.blendy.felt.co.nz! Happy shopping, and please check out the great suppliers at www.blendy.co.nz/suppliers.html

RW Scissors Samples!

We have knits! A last minute surprise package of the highly sought after RW Scissors Knits badges have arrived in time to add to the mountain of samples for the boxes. These are the perfect accessory for your knitted garments, such as hats or scarves, or even to wear with pride on your bag on days when you aren't wearing anything you've made yourself. The secret signal to other knitters that you are a knitter in disguise...

Check out more from RW Scissors, and visit them in real life at various craft markets around Auckland, especially Kraftbomb.

Ballot Winners!

I just drew a ballot for some lucky crafters who have a confirmed NZ Yarn Sampler Box with their name on it. Check your email & Ravelry messages to see if it's you! If not, no worries, the rest of the boxes go on sale on Saturday at 6pm at www.blendy.felt.co.nz

Wool Things Samples!

Jacqui from Wool Things has sent in a huge case of wonderful merino sliver! Each sample is a hugely generous bag of single-coloured 19 micron merino fibre. There is quite an assortment of colours (the picture shows just a few), so if you are a spinner and manage to buy a sampler box, you can message me with your favourite colour and I'll do my best to make sure you get something you like!

Wool things has 71 colours available, so if you are into spinning or felting, then you should really check them out. Request a current price list for the latest exciting fibre temptations! Check out their website at www.woolthings.co.nz

Wool Things factory is situated in the small country town of Eketahuna in the lower North Island of New Zealand. On your next road trip, why not make a stop.

Plus, there is a very cool photo tutorial on their website for making an amazing felt hat - check it out! http://www.woolthings.co.nz/content.php?content.6

Vintage Purls Pattern!

Vintage Purls have very kindly sent a big package of patterns to go in the NZ Yarn Sampler Box. Most boxes should receive this Blue Sky Baby bobby sock pattern! How fun! It uses under 75g yarn, so why not give it a go with some of your sample yarns.

Blue Sky Baby is a toe-up pattern. Work as an ankle sock for a interpretation of the 1950s bobby sock or make the leg longer for a warmer option. The lace stitch for this pattern comes from a 1937 jumper pattern. The lace repeat is just four rows long and quick to knit. For a twist on conventional sock construction the gusset is on the bottom of the foot, it lines up nicely with the bottom increase for the toe. A traditional french toe gives three radiating lines for an interesting and eye catching look. The picot hem is a pretty finish to any lace pattern and is nice and stretchy for ease of wear.

You can purchase this and other Vintage Purls sock patterns for only $7 here: http://www.vintagepurls.co.nz/11-patterns

Register for the sale date!

Hi new blog visitors! Read about what's in the NZ Yarn Sampler Box here, and to be kept in touch with updates and competitions and the all-important sale date and time, register at www.blendy.co.nz or email me at blendy@blendy.co.nz

Time is counting down for the box drop......

Spinning A Yarn Giveaway!

Wow, would you look at this beautiful Tussah Silk Sliver from Spinning A Yarn. WANT WANT! This could be yours (if you can pry it from my hands!). Jessicah has very generously sent in this beautiful fibre she's created - and it will be given away to a random winner on Monday 12th April at 8pm. All you need to do is Tweet/Blog/Facebook/whatever the following:

I want to win the Spinning A Yarn Tussah Silk! Thanks to http://spinayarn.felt.co.nz & www.blendy.co.nz. @blendy

Make sure you include @blendy if you're using Twitter so that I can see your entry, and everyone else can either reply in the comments of this blog with your entry link, or email me if you prefer so I get your entry. (Don't send me the statement above - I want to see the link to where you have told the world about the competition! eg paste it into your Facebook or Twitter status).

Good luck! AND.... don't forget the NZ Yarn Sampler Boxes go on sale this weekend!!!

Fab Fibres Samples

Once again, we are very lucky to have the very generous Fab Fibres samples in the NZ Yarn Sampler Box. There are so many different colour mixes, it's just wonderful! These sampler bags are an ideal taster for crafters who use yarn for embellishing, scrapbooking or creating a wide variety of crafts. You get a skein of mixed yarns, plus a 10m hank of metallic yarn - they are all so beautiful and I'm sure I could think of a way to use every one of these myself!!

These are great items we all need in our stash for making something look extra fancy. And if you have an interesting craft in mind that needs something that little bit more special, then check out Fab Fibres and be amazed.

Fab Fibres is the place to visit when you need fabulous yarn crafting supplies! Check out their website now! www.fabfibres.co.nz

Products:
Mixed Textural Threads
Metallics
Woolpaper
Dolls Hair
Nepalese Yarns
Treasure Packs
Freeform Knitting & Crochet Yarn Packs

www.fabfibres.co.nz
Sue Croke

Jackie Z Pattern

Jackie Z (or kiwigirl71 as you may know her on Ravelry) has sent in this really cute pattern to make a Little Trinket Bag using various samples from your box. What a great idea! All boxes will receive her pattern card, or if you miss out on a box you can download it free from her ravelry page, using the code 'Blendy'.

You can also check out her other patterns for small things to make using sampler box yarns (including some super-cute socks) , and also some very impressive hand made soaps at www.jackiezcrafts.etsy.com.

Felt....like fudge!

The NZ Yarn Sampler Box is sold primarily at felt.co.nz, and many of the suppliers you will find in the box also sell their products in their own Felt store. If you are a crafter, you will know how great this website is! If you are someone who likes to buy amazing and unique hand crafted creations, then you need to check it out right now.

Felt is your online outlet dedicated to all things handmade. Whether you're shopping for quality handcrafted goods or looking to sell your creations, this is the place for you. Register now – it's fast, easy and free!

Lucy at Felt has sent in a whole box load of yummy fudge, because as we all know, sugary treats + craft = AWESOME!! Thanks Lucy!

Blendy's Crocheted Snood Pattern

I recently went to a 1930's themed wedding, so I decided to crochet a snood. I had no idea what that word meant until I did a bit of research, but it is the term for those crocheted hair nets the women used to wear. I found a few patterns, all suggesting you make many in various colours and sizes for all occasions. I ended up making up my own pattern, based loosely on a few that I came across, and I wanted to share it! All boxes will contain my pattern card.

It is a bit hard to see in the picture, but it is a crocheted netting with flowers on some rows. I've also added in some beads as a feature on some of the flower centres. I had intended on having my hair styled in 1930's curls, and the bag would hold the hair - my hairdresser had other ideas however, and pinned it on like a little beret, but it still looks fun!

And best of all, you should be able to make this using one of the sock samples in your box.

Needlefood Samples!

Michelle at Needle Food has again supplied some absolutely fantastic samples for the next NZ Yarn Sampler Box. This time there are two new colours - Boysenberry and Dining in Denim. Both are gorgeous shades, and would look fantastic knitted up in a fancy sock pattern. Both of these are now available at www.needlefood.co.nz for $26 each (for a 100g skein). Plus, there's a chocolate for each of you too.... (unless I eat them first!)

If you are a Needle Food addict like myself, then you will already know how great this sock yarn is to work with, and you'll just be buying it immediately without waiting for your sample. If you are yet to be converted, then browse their extensive catalogue (it includes sock, worsted and lace weight and you can even have things custom ordered) - and by that stage you probably won't be able to wait for the sampler box either!

Take my word for it that Needle Food sock yarn really IS for delicious knits - please, try some too! www.needlefood.co.nz

Mohair Craft Samples!

Mohair Craft - Kid Mohair Yarn


As you drive north and south from Auckland, you have probably seen (and hopefully stopped in at) the Mohair Craft shops at the Motorway Service Centres at Bombay and Dairy Flat. They have a great selection of yarns available, both for knitting and spinning, and also plenty of other crafty gift ideas.

Mohair Craft have very kindly sent an enormous parcel of beautiful Kid Mohair Yarn for the next NZ Yarn Sampler Box. Each sample is a huge 50g ball, so this is a very generous submission! There's a wide selection of colours - the photo shows only some of the available samples. You'll love receiving this sample in your box!

Mohair craft use only the finest Kid Mohair available to make their premium Kid Mohair products. Kid Mohair comes from the younger and better bred goats and is noticeably thinner and softer than the adult mohair and young goat mohair used by most Mohair product suppliers. You will be amazed how soft and luxurious their kid mohair products feel compared to products made with young goat and adult mohair.

Check out Mohair Craft's website at www.mohair.co.nz

Serenknitty Yarn Samples!

These are the absolutely gorgeous samples that Jane from Serenknitty has sent in for the next NZ Yarn Sampler Box - aren't the colours just beautiful? The shade is Metallic Plum - I just love it! I really must try my hand at spinning so I can see what happens with the fibre.

There are two different samples - one is a 10g sample of New Zealand Merino fibre, and the other is a 10g sample of Supersock Select 100% Superwash Merino sock yarn. Love!!

Everything is individually made with love and care. Jane explains that her colour inspiration comes from her garden in the Canterbury countryside and the surrounding landscapes. Her hand dyed yarns and fiber are all unique. Custom orders are always welcome. There are a lot of great yarns to check out in Jane's etsy store at http://www.etsy.com/shop/serenknitty, so check them out now.

Special offers for March - hurry ends soon!:
All orders for yarn, fibre or project bags received during March will receive 3 free stitch markers (of my choice).
Any order over $75 will ship anywhere for free, postage is capped at $10 for orders under this amount. This will be refunded through Paypal after your order has been processed.

Boxy Bags
Not only can you buy amazing yarns from Serenknitty, but you can buy hand made accessories as well such as stitch markers and also, my favourite thing at the moment - boxy and pyramid project bags! Check them out - I had to buy one as soon as I saw them in Jane's store. I have both a pyramid and a boxy bag - perfect for throwing your sock knitting in when you go out, or I have even been using them as a purse.

Southern Alpacas Samples!

Southern Alpacas Stud are supplying their range of natural alpaca yarns for the next NZ Yarn Sampler Box. Working with Just Alpaca, they supply their alpaca for 4 ply and 8 ply yarns in natural shades – white, light fawn, medium fawn, brown, grey, and black.

The samples are generous 50 gram balls! Wow! The 8 ply is 95 metres on 4 mm needles, and the 4 ply 240 metres on 3.25 mm needles. These yarns are 80% alpaca, dye-free, with 20% wool. Enjoy working with these natural fibres.

Alpaca can be used wherever you would use wool and the finished article will be lighter, softer and warmer. Once washed, it is suitable for most allergy sufferers.

Check out the Alpaca Gallery which showcases alpaca and their fibre, as raw or carded fibre in natural shades, beautiful colourful blends, and fleece converted to yarns, knit kits, felted apparel, and knitwear, plus crafting hints for working in alpaca http://www.alpacasnz.co.nz/fibre.htm, and of course you can buy alpaca fibre, yarns and products here http://www.alpacasnz.co.nz/alpacaproducts.htm.

Knitsch samples have arrived!

Sock yarn is totally my thing, so you can imagine my excitement when a huge parcel from Knitsch yarns arrived today. You'll have to wipe my drool off your samples, sorry! There are so many fabulous colour ways, and I'm sure they will look extra good when knitted up as they are two threads spun together which gives a slightly shiny effect (4ply sock weight).

Knitsch are keen for you all to try out their wool, so they've generously sent enough for all the boxes to have a sample. AND.... one sample has a Golden Ticket attached which earns the winner TWO 50g skeins of Knitsch wool! Wow!!

Knitsch sells 100% New Zealand merino hand-dyed sock yarn to really scratch your knitting itch. Check them out at www.knitschyarns.co.nz - their 50g skeins are only $12, so go wild - you deserve a treat today.

Songbird Designs Samples!

Amazing - check out these beautiful gift tags from the very talented Sarah from Songbird Designs. By now you have probably used your tags from the last Sampler Box on your finished items, so keep your fingers crossed you get a cute pack of these extra cool gift tags in the next box. Each packet contains 3 beautifully crafted tags.

If you are in Auckland this weekend, stop by Crafternoon Tea and say hi to Sarah and buy something awesome from her collection of fantastic creations. Crafternoon Tea market is on Saturday 20th of March 2010, from 10am-3pm at the Trinity Methodist Church - which is on the corner of Sandringham and New North Roads in Crafty Kingsland.

http://www.songbird.felt.co.nz

http://www.songbirddesigns.blogspot.com/