Reversible Knitting Blog Tour, Contest, and Alternate Covers!

Lynne Barr's blog tour has begun! Follow her via the schedule below, and discover compelling reviews, gorgeous pictures from the book, new insights about Lynne and her work, and more! And, if you leave a comment about which of the scrapped cover choices below is your favorite (or how you think the chosen cover above stands up to these), you may just win a copy of Reversible Knitting to cozy up to during long, cold January!

Limit one (1) entry per person; be sure to enter your email address on the comment form. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and Washington, DC, who are 18 or older as of date of entry. Contest ends at 11:59pm on Dec. 21st. Note that if you leave a comment we will add you to our e-mailing list (unless you tell us within your comment, that you do not want to be added.)

Dec. 08  http://goknitinyourhat.blogspot.com - Review

Dec. 09  http://www.grumperina.com - Q&A

Dec. 09  http://www.purlbee.com – Interview/book feature

Dec. 10  http://www.knitandtonic.net - Review

Dec. 11  http://chronicknittingsyndrome.blogspot.com – Q&A

Dec. 11  http://www.sheepinthecity.prettyposies.com - Review

Dec. 14  http://aliciakachmar.com - Review

Dec. 15  http://boogaj.typepad.com - Project discussion

Dec. 16  http://knittingtoday.com/knews - Q&A

Dec. 17  http://www.ilgaleja.com/blog - "One designer to another" 

Dec. 17  http://retroknit.net/blog - Review / Q&A

Dec. 18  http://hookandi.blogspot.com - Review

Dec. 21  / - Special post

Dec. 22  http://needled.wordpress.com - "Stitch and size"

Jan.  tbd   http://houseonhillroad.typepad.com - Review

Jan.  tbd   http://the-panopticon.blogspot.com - Review

 

2nd Annual STC Craft Handmade Holidays Giveaway

Last year's Handmade Holidays Giveaway was so much fun for us that we've been talking about hosting another one this year ever since. Here's the deal: Answer our questions below in the Comments section and automatically you will be entered to win the book of your choice; you will also be added to our e-mailing list (unless you tell us not to add you).

*What types of handmade gifts are you making this year?

*Are you trying any new crafts?

*What is the title of one STC Craft book that you'd like to receive as a gift this year?

On Wednesday, December 9, at about noon (EST), we'll pick five names in a random drawing from all eligible entries received and send them email notification. We will then send them the books they requested. To see all of our books, click here (and be sure to flip through all 6 pages). Thanks!

Limit one (1) entry per person; be sure to enter your email address on the comment form. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and Washington, DC, who are 18 or older as of date of entry. Sweepstakes ends at 11:59:59am on 12/9/09. Visit http://www.abramsbooks.com/weekend_knitting_rules.html for full official rules. Void where prohibited.

(Sparkly Kiss Cap by Leslie Scanlon from Handknit Holidays; photo by Susan Pittard.)

Winner of the Kata Golda Hand-Stitched Felt Contest and Felt Photo Pocket Demo!

Congrats to Naomi, our lucky winner of a free copy of Kata Golda's Hand-Stitched Felt! Thanks to everyone who entered our contest. Stay tuned for Naomi's answer to the question: "What sort of adventures will your felty mice have?"

In the meantime, as a special consolation prize, here is the felt photo pocket demo that Kata did at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn, NY.

This is a re-broadcast, in 2 parts, of the live webcast demo. There were some problems with sound, but hopefully these 2 videos will help fill in the gaps. Enjoy! I hope you'll be inspired to buy the book for friends and family (I plan on making nothing but felt gifts this year!)!

VIDEO LINKS:
• Felt Photo Pockets with Kata Golda (Part 1)
• Felt Photo Pockets with Kata Golda (Part 2)

Sewing Green ”Show Us How You Sew Green” Special Offer

Sewing Green author Betz White and custom-fabric printer Spoonflower are teaming up for sustainability. Betz has designed a new Sewing Green print (shown above) and Spoonflower is printing it on 4-oz pure organic cotton. The fabric is available for purchase through Spoonflower's Etsy shop.

To celebrate this beautiful eco-smart collaboration, for $6, while supplies last, Spoonflower will send you a swatch the exact size you need to sew the Organic Washies from Betz’s book. And to sweeten the deal, we invite you to take part in our “Show Us How You ‘Sew Green’” Contest for the chance to win the book of your choice from STC Craft.

We’ve created a Flickr group called “Show Us How You ‘Sew Green’”. To enter, before noon EST on September 14th, post a photo to this group showing one of the following:

-a project you’ve made from Sewing Green (to see a gallery of images from the book, including the washies, click here)

-a project you’ve made with Betz’s new “Sewing Green” fabric

-a green or eco-friendly craft project you’d like to share

For more details and to share this offer with your friends, click here.

All eligible entrants who upload a project photo will be entered into a random drawing for a chance to win the STC Craft book of his or her choice. On or about September 14th, 2009, we will pick three (3) winners in a random drawing. (To see our online catalog, click here and here. To see galleries of images from many of our books, including Sewing Green, click on the titles you're interested in at right.)

Limit one (1) entry per person, per Flickr account. We’ll be contacting the winner via Flickr mail, so please be sure your account is linked to a valid email address!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and Washington D.C. who are 18 or older as of date of entry. Sweepstakes ends at 11:59:59 AM ET on 9/14/09. Visit www.abramsbooks.com for full official rules. Void where prohibited.

A Free Pattern & Gift Idea from Weekend Sewing Author Heather Ross and STC Craft

Together with Weekend Sewing author Heather Ross, we've put together an easy gift idea. First, we're giving you the pattern for the Gardening Gloves from Weekend Sewing (shown above) as a free download. And then we're suggesting some creative ideas about how to present them to a friend. For the pattern and the rest of the details (which include some of Heather's adorable illustrations), click here.

To sweeten the deal, we also have three STC Craft books to give away. To enter to win, join us on Twitter (@stc_craft), answer this question--What are you currently crafting or looking forward to starting?--and tag your tweet #STCcraft. On Friday, July 31, 2009, at noon EST, we will choose three winners at random and contact them via Twitter.

Weekend Knitting Getaway Giveaway

UPDATE: WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING THE WINNER. THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR PARTICIPATING. WE LOVE READING YOUR COMMENTS!


Very exciting news! The amazing Clara Parkes of Knitter's Review and STC Craft are teaming up for a very special giveaway to celebrate the release of Weekend Knitting in paperback and the beauty of taking time off to knit and learn new knitting skills with friends.

Clara has been hosting an annual knitter's retreat every fall for the last eight years. And this year's gathering, which will take place November 20, 2009-November 22, 2009, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, is sure to be wonderful with Clara and a great group of teachers--Karthryn Alexander, Anne Hanson, and Melissa Morgan-Oakes--leading the way. To learn more about the retreat, click here.

Now, here's the exciting part. STC Craft has one retreat package to give away. That means that one lucky winner will have his or her retreat expenses covered: to be specific, the cost of all classes and activities, two nights' lodging in a private room, all meals from Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast, snacks and beverages throughout the weekend, plus all taxes and gratuities, will be covered. In addition, the winner will receive a copy of the new Weekend Knitting paperback in a gift basket in his or her room. The cost of transportation to/from the event is NOT covered.

To enter, in the Comments section below, tell us which STC Craft book you would like to cuddle up with (or craft from) this weekend. To see all of our books, click on the online catalog at right. On or about July 22 at 9:30AM (EST), we will choose one winner in a random drawing from all eligible entries received and send him or her email notification. The winner will have 24 hours to respond; if that doesn't happen, we will choose a new winner, who also must respond within 24 hours of notification. Note that the official registration for Knitter's Review Retreat 09 opens on Friday, July 24 at noon (EST) and fills within minutes, so if you don't win and are interested in going, you'll need to act fast.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and Washington, DC who are 18 years or older as of date of entry. Sweepstakes ends at 9:29:59AM ET on 7/22/09. Visit www.abramsbooks.com/Weekend_Knitting_Getaway_Giveaway.html for full official rules. Void where prohibited.

Win a T-Shirt and a Book

The HBO Shop in New York City recently commissioned Natalie Chanin, author of Alabama Stitch Book, to design a special collection of “Alabama Chanin for HBO” limited-edition, embellished T-shirts. Each design is one-of-a-kind, handmade, and recycled from previous HBO® collections featuring logos and key themes from hit programs like Entourage®, True BloodSM, Flight of the ConchordsSM, Sex & the City® and The Sopranos®.

Available starting April 8 at the HBO Shop in New York City (1100 6th Ave. at 42nd St.; 212-512-SHOP), the collection includes men’s and women’s T-shirts with Natalie’s signature hand-stitching, embroidery and appliqué details. As a Special Offer for our readers, STC Craft is excited to have the T-shirt shown above to give away along with one STC Craft book. To enter, before noon on April 7 EST, leave a message in the Comments section with the following information:

--Tell us about a craft project you are planning to make, are currently working on, or have recently completed.

--Tell us the title of the STC Craft book that you would like us to send you along with the T-shirt above if your name is selected? (To see our online catalog, click here. To see galleries of images from many of our books, including Alabama Stitch Book, click on the titles you're interested in at right.)

--Optional: Tell us the name of your favorite HBO show.

On April 8, we'll pick one person at random from the list of responses and send that person the T-shirt shown above (a woman's size medium) and the book requested.

We look forward to hearing from you!

A Handmade Holidays Question and a Book Giveaway

We keep hearing that a lot of gifts are going to be handmade this year. What are your plans? Please take a moment to answer our Handmade Holidays "Questionnaire" below (leave your responses in the Comments section).

*Are you making more handmade gifts this year than you have in previous years?

*Please tell us something about the gifts you're making.

*What is the title of one STC Craft book that you'd like to receive as a gift this year?

On Friday, December 12 at 3PM, we'll pick 5 people at random from the list of responses and send each one the book s/he requested. To see all of our books, click here (and be sure to flip through all 6 pages). Thanks!

(Photo above by Susan Pittard from Handknit Holidays)