The Whole Knit & Caboodle

Pattern Release and SALE

by wholeknitandcaboodle

My Facebook giveaway was a success- some really great prizes were given away and we got the word out about some awesome pages. My birthday was on the 12th and I had planned to do a pattern sale in celebration of it but because there was already so much going on I decided to hold off for a little while- until things calmed down a little bit.

In waiting a little while to run the sale, I also had time to finish up a couple of patterns I’d been working on, the ones inspired by Toopy & Binoo (Fabulous Mouse and Quiet Cat, I call them). You’ve seen them before, I posted them in my “Making” Friends post, but now the patterns are finally available.

The patterns are available individually as well as in value packs (The Best Buddies Duo Pack with just Fabulous Mouse and Quiet Cat and The Fabulous Friends Combo Pack with Fabulous Mouse, Quiet Cat and Patches). There are a few dollars to be saved if they’re all purchased together but for the next few days I have all the patterns in my Ravelry and Craftsy shops on sale for 30% off during my Very Merry UN-Birthday Sale!

The Fabulous Friends Combo Pack

Crochet Crochet Patterns

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The Whole Knit & Caboodle 2500 Fan Giveaway!

by wholeknitandcaboodle

It’s still Sunday here in beautiful BC Canada but it’s Monday morning Eastern time which means my giveaway is now open!

Please stop by and browse through the album on my Facebook page to browse through over 60 amazing vendors who have made this giveaway possible. I’ll be adding a couple prizes of my own shortly!

I’m so proud to have some of my favourite vendors on board as well as a few that I’ve only just discovered that have some awesome things to offer.

I hope you’ll enter to win some great stuff as well as drop by some of these pages to say hello!

Have fun!

The Whole Knit & Caboodle 2500 Fan Giveaway!

Giveaways

Happy June!

by wholeknitandcaboodle

I can’t believe it’s June already!

It’s going to be a busy month at The Whole Knit & Caboodle- I have so much planned for YOU, my fabulous fans!

I had been waiting for my facebook page to reach 2500 fans before starting my first multi vendor giveaway but I’m nearly there and I’ve had vendors lined up for a while- they’re excited for it to start! Watch for Monday’s post outlining all the details!

I’ll be releasing my Toopy and Binoo (Fabulous Mouse and Quiet Cat) ami patterns very soon- testing is wrapping up and I’m waiting on photos from my photographer to include with the patterns. The patterns will be available individually as well as in combo packs to save you a few dollars. 🙂

In celebration of my 30th (eek!) birthday, I’ll be putting all of the patterns in my Ravelry and Craftsy stores on sale for a week sometime after the giveaway closes and things slow down a little bit. I’ll call it my “Very Merry Unbirthday Sale” because with so much going on around my birthday I think it might be a little much to have a sale as well (don’t want to get too “spammy” on the ol’ Facebook page).

I’m also hoping to have my Etsy shop up and running by the end of the month. Not only will you be able to buy patterns there, I’ll be listing lots of handmade items as well!

Throw in a baby shower, a couple of birthday parties and I’ve got a full calendar! It’s good to stay busy though- idle hands and all that.. haha.

Giveaways

Free Cupcake Pin Cushion Pattern

by wholeknitandcaboodle

What are your bad crafting habits? Do you leave yarn tails all over? Do you start a project only to abandon it when you find something new and exciting to work on? I’m not going to confess all my crafting sins but one of my biggest (and most hated by my husband) is that I stick pins in the arm of the couch.

Yesterday I decided to change this. Here’s my solution:

Cupcake Pin Cushion Bracelet

While I don’t see the cupcake bracelet catching on as a fashion accessory anytime soon, it’s perfect for keeping pins close ~~at hand~~ at wrist when you’re sewing or assembling a knitting/crochet project.

This is a great project to use up leftover yarn and it works up very quickly.

Here’s what you’ll need:

A size F5/3.75mm hook

Approx. 8 yds of worsted weight yarn in your choice of colour for the “”frosting”.

Approx. 4 yds of worsted weight yarn in your choice of colour for the cupcake bottom.

Approx. 6 yds of worsted weight yarn in your choice of colour for the bracelet.

A 3/4″ button

Yarn needle for weaving in ends

A small amount of polyester stuffing.

Gauge isn’t terribly important. Using a F5/3.75mm hook I ended up with a cupcake that is about 2 1/4″ wide and 1 1/2″ high.

Cupcake:

Rnd 1: Using frosting colour, make a magic circle. Ch 1. Work 6 sc in circle, pull tail to close circle tightly. (6)

Rnd 2: Work 2 sc in each st around. (12)

Rnd 3: *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next* repeat ** around. (18)

Rnd 4: *Sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next* repeat ** around. (24)

Rnds 5 & 6: Sc in each st around. (24)

Rnd 6: Ss in each st around. (24)

Rnd 7: (For each st of this rnd you will be inserting your hook up under both loops of the slip stitches from the previous rnd, NOT the single crochets into which you worked your slip stitches.) *2 sc in next st, ss in next* repeat ** around. Finish off, weave in end. (24 sc, 12 ss)

Rnd 8: Join cupcake bottom colour in any of the sc stitches from rnd 6. Ch 1 (counts as a sc). Sc in each st around. (24)

Rnd 9: Sc in each st around. (24)

Rnd 10: *Sc in next 2 sts, sc 2 tog* repeat ** around. (18)

Rnd 11: (Working in back loops only) *Sc in next st, sc 2 tog* repeat ** around. (12)

Stuff cupcake firmly.

Rnd 12: (Working in both loops). {Sc 2 tog} x 7. Finish off, weave in end. (5)

Bracelet:

With bracelet colour, ch until you reach desired length. I chained 34 and got a bracelet of about 7″.

Tr in 5th ch from hook and in each ch across. Finish off and weave in ends.

Sew bracelet to underside of cupcake.

Before attaching the button, stitch together two of the triple crochets at one end. This just reinforces the material beneath the button.

What I like about the bracelet is that it is adjustable- you just put the button through the spaces between the triple crochets and make it as tight or as loose as you’d like.

If you use pins with the coloured plastic ends, they look like sprinkles! 😉

I made a few cupcakes for my daughter (minus the bracelet and the pins), she loves them! They’re great “desserts” for tea parties!

**You are welcome to make and sell items from this pattern as much as you’d like, but please don’t sell this pattern or claim it as your own.**

*Pattern updated March 4/14 to correct error in round 10*

Crochet Free Patterns

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Versatile Blogger Award

by wholeknitandcaboodle

She’s done it again! My lovely friend over at Stitchscience has nominated me for another award! I’m so very humbled and honored! I promised her it would not take me as long to post about this one as it did to post about the last one but I think it’s taken me longer to post this time than it did last time! I really hope she’ll forgive me!

Like the Liebster, when you’re nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award you must follow a few rules:

If you have been nominated, nominate fellow bloggers that you love and who are relatively new to blogging. Let them know that you have nominated them. Share 7 random facts about yourself. Thank the blogger who has nominated you. Then add the Versatile Blogger Award picture to your post.

My seven random facts:

1. I recently taught myself to crochet left handed so I could teach lessons to south-paw students.

2. I love peacocks.

3. One year when I was a kid I received a tape recorder for Christmas and spent the better part of the day recording myself saying random swearwords and playing them back. This is funny because I’m actually not much of a swearer these days.

4. My favourite drink is root beer.

5. I have 7 pairs of glasses and am always looking at more.

6. I love yoga.

7. I used to want to be a teacher.

The blogs I nominate are:

1. Heritage Heartcraft

2. Violet’s Buds

3. Silverdragon Crafts & Critters

4. Baby’s Inspiration

5. Smalltown Dreamz

6. Crocheted by Sarah

7. Made by Christina with Love

You may notice that these are the blogs of a FEW of the ladies in the Mad Mad Makers network. Not only are they extremely talented, they’re amazing ladies I am so proud to call my friends. I hope you’ll drop by and visit them!

Awards

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Pattern Sale/Fundraiser

by wholeknitandcaboodle

A lady on my street had her vehicle broken into last night. The thief made off with a backpack that was in the van and left her with the expense of replacing her window and the University library books that were in the backpack (which are not cheap to replace).

It’s sad that this happened to such a sweet lady. She’s got two young boys and her husband is currently between jobs. Like me she has a small business- she knits and sells her items from home but because she works outside of the home as well, she doesn’t have as much time as she’d like to be knitting items to sell.

You might think we would see each other as competition but it’s not the case. She’s bought items from me and has also sent customers my way. I actually bought something from her today.

To help her out I’m having a BOGO sale on all the patterns in my Ravelry store, the proceeds going toward replacing the broken window in her van. No coupon codes needed, discounts will show up at checkout. The sale will run until the end of the day on Saturday (Pacific time).

Please head on over to my Ravelry store if you’re interested in picking up some super cute patterns for a really good cause. If you’re not in the market for new patterns or if you’re not a crocheter and would still like to help, please share and help get the word out. It doesn’t cost anything and you could help a very sweet person who is having a hard go.

Thanks ❤

Crochet

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Hooked on Clay!

by wholeknitandcaboodle

The last few evenings when my hands are sore from crocheting stuffies I’ve been playing around some more with polymer clay. It’s been a nice break for my hands and it’s a lot of fun.

For the longest time I told myself that I couldn’t use a crochet hook with a handle because I bought a foam one on a whim one time and it was awful! It covered the thumb rest and part of the throat of the hook, it made holding the hook feel awkward. It was change. And I didn’t like it.

I’ve been drooling over some of the amazing hooks put out by a couple of the pages I follow on Facebook and decided that my poor Red Heart hooks needed a facelift. I decided not to sculpt anything for them- I wanted a slim, streamline handle that I would be comfortable holding for a long period of time.

After some smooshing and mashing, wrapping and rolling, here’s what I came up with:

I think I may be “hooked” on polymer clay!

I should get close-ups of some of my favourites- I really love them and they’re actually really comfortable. The designs on some of them are really pretty and I know I’ll never be able to duplicate them, they sort of fluked into existence. Maybe with a little practice I’ll be making clay canes like a master and I’ll be able to create some really remarkable ones 🙂

On another note, I released my Shy Pig (Piglet) pattern last week and the response was astounding! In my short time as a designer who sells her patterns I’ve had the pleasure of being on Craftsy’s top 20 leaderboard a couple of times. Usually around #14 or #15 but it’s always a thrill to be up there with established designers such as Bonita Patterns and Frayed Knot.

When I released Shy Pig, he was #1 for about a day and a half! #1! It was amazing. I even took a screen shot (photos or it didn’t happen, right?)

The #1 Pig! For a day and a half!

Sure, he was on intro special while he was #1 but I’m still so proud of the achievement. When hubby came home from work that evening he insisted we order sushi in celebration (though I think he just wanted sushi 😉 ).

Crochet Polymer Clay

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This Little Piggy..

by wholeknitandcaboodle

Amis are your friends! At least they’re my friends. I’ve been making a LOT of amigurumi lately. My most recent guy is modeled after a certain storybook pig you might recognize. It all started when I was asked by a local photographer to make a Piglet hat and diaper cover that she could use in her newborn sessions. I poked around a little and looked at some really cute sets but (and being an indie designer myself I hate to admit this) I didn’t want to buy a pattern if I could come up with my own. I was so happy with the hat that I was inspired to create a Piglet “lovie” (a mini blanket with a head and arms). “How adorable would those cheeks be if done right?” I asked myself. SUPER ADORABLE. After I finished the lovie, I went on to write up a pattern for the rest of his body.

Pork 2 ways?

The pattern was sent off to my group of testers today and with any luck the pattern (which includes instructions to make both the lovie and the stuffie) will be up in my Ravelry and Craftsy shops around this time next week. As with any of the new patterns I release, there’ll be a chance to win a copy and I’ll have an introductory special running for a few days.

Another little friend I finished recently was Patchy Patch, the favourite stuffie of Binoo, the cat from the show Toopy & Binoo. I kinda love him too, even though we don’t often watch the show at our place.

He’s a happy little guy 🙂

If I’m not careful, I’m going to become one of those old ladies who drives around with a million stuffies in their car’s back window. You know the ones I’m talking about. 😉

Patchy Patch is now available on Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/stores/the-whole-knit–caboodle

as well as in my Craftsy store: http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/crocheting/toy/patchy-patch/45169

I’m also running a BOGO sale over in my Ravelry store, entere the coupon code MADBOGO to take advantage of it! Sale ends Sunday night!

Crochet

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Liebster Award!

by wholeknitandcaboodle

Phew! Sorry I’ve been MIA for a little while! Things have been a little crazy around here the last little bit. Everyone in the house was sick, I’ve been backed up with orders- it’s just been hectic. I haven’t forgotten about my lovely little blog though and I have a bunch of tutorials and other goodies lined up for the next little while.

A little while back I was nominated for a Liebster award! I’m kind of a born-again blogger (I used to blog quite a bit, it was actually how I met my husband) so I had never heard of this Liebster thing.. but it sounds like “Lobster” so it must be a good thing, right?

From doing a little research it’s a way of helping newer blogs or blogs with smaller followings (less than 300) get some attention. A little background about the Liebster- it originated Germany (after I read this it made sense, liebe is German for love). Liebster is “dearest” in German.

When you get a liebster from another blogger, there are a few things you have to do:

-Answer 11 questions asked by the person who nominated you

-Post 11 facts about yourself

-Nominate 11 blogs

-Ask your nominees 11 questions

Here are the questions I was asked by my nominator, http://stitchscience.wordpress.com/:

1. Why did you decide to start a blog?

I started this blog to sort of go along with my Facebook business page. On my page I mainly post photos of the knitted and crocheted items I make but I also wanted a place where I could post the other crafts I’m working on as well as let people get to know the “hooker” behind the hats 😉

2. Tea or Coffee?

Tea. Though I’m living in western Canada now, I was born and raised on the east coast. I like my tea strong (strong enough you can stand a spoon up in it is a phrase I’ve heard more times than I can count) and though I drink mainly orange pekoe, I also like green and oolong teas and have been known to sip an herbal infusion from time to time.

3. What are you proudest of?

I’m proud of a lot actually. I’m proud to be the mother of the most amazing little girl- she’s smart, polite and funny.. and just the right amount of crazy. I’m proud of the little business I’ve started and the patterns and crocheted items I make/sell, I’m proud of the person I am- mother, wife, friend.

4. What is your favourite thing in the room you are in right now?

Though not technically a “thing”- I have to give this one to my husband. We drive each other a little crazy sometimes but he’s loving and supportive and the best father I could imagine, he is tolerant of my crafting addiction and he makes me laugh a lot.

5. If you could have a super-power what would it be?

I don’t know if it counts as a super power but I’d like to have an answer to all the random questions that pop into my head at 2 am when I’m lying awake and humming Lips Inc’s Funkytown to myself. Questions like “How long would my hair be if I’d never had a hair cut?”. Not important questions, just ones I’ll never have the answer to because they’re silly.

6. What is your ideal way to spend a weekend?

Hanging out with my husband and daughter- shopping, lunch- just wandering around as a family and enjoying each other’s company.

7. What is your favourite book?

I have SO many favourites I couldn’t possibly choose just one. The Time Traveler’s Wife, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, A Moveable Feast, Roots, White Oleander.. the list goes on and on and on.

8. If you could go back in time, when would you go back to?

The late 50’s/early 60’s to hang out with Audrey Hepburn.

9. What’s your favourite season?

Fall. Hands down. I LOVE it. The coolness in the air, the smell of the leaves- I just want to fill my lungs with it. It reminds me of the nervous anticipation I had as a child starting a new school year, Halloween ❤

10. Who do you admire the most?

My mother. She is one of the strongest people I know but she also has one of the softest hearts. I get my creativity from her and my love of books. When I was living at home she told me every day that she loved me and though I live across the country she still tells me every time we talk.

11. What are your aspirations for the coming year?

This WILL be the year I finally get my driver’s license. Almost 30 with no license seems a little sad, even though I’ve never really NEEDED it. I can almost feel the freedom that awaits me and can see so many opportunities to do fun things with my daughter that I can’t do right now.

I also have plans to release a bunch of awesome new patterns I’ve been working on and build my little business. Though small, it allows me to stay home with my daughter and express myself through my projects which is both fun and liberating.

Here are 11 facts about me:

1. Chocolate + Caramel + Salt= My MOST favourite flavor combination. Ever.

2. My first name is Sarah. My middle name is Lee. I get a lot of cake jokes.

3. My favourite french words are Pamplemousse (meaning “grapefruit”) and Pantouffle (meaning “slipper”).

4. I have a beauty mark on the palm of my right hand.

5. While not completely ambidextrous, I can write pretty legibly with my non-dominant (left) hand.

6. I love owls.. and mustaches.

7. I was born on June 12 but was due on the 18th. My sister was born on September 18th but due on the 12th.

8. I am 10 years younger than my husband.

9. I can remember the lyrics to more songs than I can count but I can’t remember what I had for breakfast this morning.

10. I’d like to write a book someday.

11. I hoard craft supplies. If you ever hear about a woman who was buried under an avalanche of buttons and scrapbook paper, it’ll almost certainly be me.

My Nominees:

I’m not sure if I was supposed to stick with just wordpress blogs but I have friends who have blogs at blogspot and they’re really great people with really great blogs.

Anyway, without further adieu, here’s my list:

Nicole’s DIY Projects (lots of cool stuff here, some great video tutorials!) http://nicolesfunblog.wordpress.com/

The Stitch Sharer (More tutorials, can you tell I love tuts?) http://thestitchsharer.com/

Hodgepodge Crochet (Near and dear to my heart, a good friend of mine) http://hodgepodgecrochet.wordpress.com/

A New Adventure Blog (A wonderfully talented lady, make sure you check out her business page at http://www.eatprayyarn.com) http://www.anewadventureblog.com/

Wide Awake but Dreaming http://wideawakebutdreaming.wordpress.com/

Joyful Mama Designs (This talented lady REALLY makes me want to dig out my sewing machine) http://joyfulmamadesigns.wordpress.com/

Photography by Tracy Cook (One of my favourite people ever, she’s such a talented photographer) www.photographybytracycook.com

Drawings for Humans (The talent behind my gravitar, a very talented artist friend of mine) www.drawingsforhumans.blogspot.com

Jamie D Designs (More crochet yumminess!) http://jaimeddesigns.blogspot.com/

Briar Rose Photography and Boutique (Brand spankin’ new! Keep your eyes open for some great stuff here!) http://briarrosephotographyandboutique.blogspot.ca/

Tiny Styles for Tiny Smiles (She crochets AND knits and is a super lady) http://tinystylesfortinysmiles.wordpress.com

Here are my questions to my nominees:

1. What is your favourite book?

2. If you could take a vacation anywhere in the world and if money were no object, where would you go?

3. If you could meet anyone living or dead, who would it be?

4. What are your goals for this year?

5. If you could stay a certain age forever, what would it be?

6. What are you most proud of?

7. Got a guilty pleasure? What is it?

8. What is your favourite movie?

9. What would the movie of your life be called? Who would play you?

10. At what age did you become an adult?

11. Is a picture worth a thousand words? Elaborate.
Thanks again to StitchScience for the nomination, please accept my apologies for taking so long to post!

Awards

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Clayin’ Around

by wholeknitandcaboodle

Heaven help us, I’ve found another crafting obsession. So many people I know are into making polymer clay handles for crochet hooks. I’ve never used one (I like my hooks naked) but I’m taking part in a gift exchange and have decided to make a set of covered hooks for my “giftee”. I watched some tutorials, harassed some people I know who are into clay and picked their brains. I went to Michaels armed with a 50% off coupon and bought a big sample pack of Primo Sculpey. I was a little scared to open it- it sat on my kitchen table for days and I’d pick it up now and then, poke at the colours through the little windows in the box and set it back down.

While I was digging through my craft stash I found a couple packages of Sculpey III I bought a few years ago for another project. They had been opened and the clay was hard and crumbly but after kneading it for a while I got it to a state where I could actually do something with it. I figured it was good enough to practice with and when I’m confident I’ll open the pretty new stuff.

The lady I’m making the set of hooks for likes things that are sort of creepy-cute so I’m going with a skeleton/skull theme. When I was in elementary school my music teacher played “Danse Macabre” for our class. This little skeleton guy makes me think of that.

Still needs to curing and a coat or two of sealant but not too bad for a first attempt!

I definitely need a little more practice but I’m happy with my trial run. I’ll use this one for a little while and if I can get used to using a covered hook the next set I make will be a peacock set for myself 😉

I also found an empty Penaten Cream can that I may cover and pretty up. Ahhh!! SO many ideas for this clay. We’re in trouble.

Crochet Polymer Clay

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