Charitable Creations

The holidays are around the corner and that means the giving season is here! For many of us, the holidays are a time for giving back. We can donate our time to something like serving Thanksgiving meals at a local shelter or donate items like toys and clothes for the less fortunate. We can also give back when it comes to our knitting and crocheting skills!

There are many local organizations that may be looking for handmade donations such as hats, scarves and blankets. Give them a call to see what items they can use.
Check your local:
-women's shelters
-homeless shelters
-nursing homes
-hospitals
-animal shelters
-churches

Consider the yarn you use and where it is going. For example- is it nice and soft for newborns? Is it machine washable? This adult size knitted hat pattern "The Vermonter" is quick and easy-perfect for making a few for donations.

The Vermonter hat pattern. 

You can also contact national organizations that are dedicated to donating handmade items including Project Linus, Comfort for Critters, and Warm Up America.

Sometimes my dog keeps warm with my crocheted hand-me-downs. You can donate your (new) handmade items to shelter pets in need. 

If you are on Facebook, check out Knit and Crochet for a Cause- a virtual community focused on making items for a cause.  Ravelry also has a list of charitable groups you can join.

Remember, you can donate your time too. You can share your love of the fiber arts by teaching your skills to locals of all ages. Talk about the gift that keeps on giving!

Even if you don't have time to make items for charity, you can still be charitable just by stopping in Yarns By Design. We are a donation site from now through December 9th for Toys for Tots. Every toy you drop off earns you 5 raffle tickets to win this gift basket worth over $300 full of yarns and patterns!

Do you know of an organization that is looking for handmade items? Please share your comments below.


Warmly,

Sarah with Yarns By Design
sarah@yarnsbydesignpa.com

Is your yarn stash ready for fall?

Can you believe it? Fall will officially be here in a few days! When I think of fall I think of soups, pumpkins, apples, back-to-school, leaves, football and…yarn. Suddenly, I find myself looking up patterns for shawls, cowls, boot cuffs and re-examing my at-home stash. Our customers seem to be on the same page as we notice they are coming in for chunkier weights and darker hues for the change in season.

We have beautiful shades of autumn at the boutique. Rich golds, bright yellows and deep oranges are catching my eye and reminding me that it's time to work on my colder weather projects. Pictured are just a few that felt fall-like, back row left to right: Malabrigo Rasta in "Sunset", Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in "Fauna", Hedgehog Fibres Merino DK in "Monarch", Malabrigo Worsted in "Sunset", Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima Paints in "Autumn Leaves", Madelintosh Tosh DK in "Glazed Pecan". Front row: Madelintosh Tosh Vintage in "Amber Trinket", Brooklyn Tweed Loft in "Wool Socks", Malabrigo Mecha in "Piedras", Freia Ombre in "Ember".

Say "leaves". Our fall yarns pose for a photoshoot. 

Yarns By Design also has a refreshed stock of Berroco Comfort in black and yellow, ready for tailgates and game time. With the in-store purchase of this yarn, you can get a free pattern of the "Steeler Scarf". Don't forget to get enough yarn to make the matching hat, shown here using Stephen West's Botanic Hat pattern.

Black and yellow!

Stephen West's Botanic Hat pattern in black and yellow. 

Get your free scarf pattern with in-store purchase of Berroco Comfort yarn.

One of my favorite fall projects was this crocheted poncho and I look forward to taking it out of my closet year after year.  My love for the fall season made using these colors and worsted weight yarn a joy to work with. It is just perfect to wear when the chill in the air isn't quite cold enough for a coat.

What are you working on for fall? Share your patterns and projects with us and stop by the boutique or shop online for your fall yarn fix.


Warmly,

Sarah with Yarns By Design
Sarah@yarnsbydesignpa.com

Sheep and Fiber Fest

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the 14th Annual Sheep and Fiber Fest in Waynesburg, PA. It is a wonderful (and free) two day event that highlights the sheep and fiber industry. The long list of activities included several sheep shearing demonstrations, they looked like completely different sheep after their haircut! The breed pavilion gave visitors the chance to see, touch and learn about the sheep. Other activities were dog shepherding demos, lamb cooking demos and sampling, hand spun skein exhibits, makers space, live music, and fiber arts vendor and crafts sale.

A good looking pair of Kerry Hill sheep.

What's a Fiber Fest without alpacas? 

For those of you with a competitive spirit there were events like the fleece to shawl competition and the fiber arts competition. The fleece to shawl competition consists of teams of fibers artists who spin and weave with the raw fleece material and finish with a completed shawl…all timed of course! The fiber arts competition allows youth and adults to enter their handmade knitted, crocheted, woven and felted items that are judged for the chance at awards and prizes. All items had to be at least 50% natural animal fibers and made within the past one year. I tried my hand at this competition and entered my crocheted "radish brooch", which won honorable mention. Yay!

Soft and squishy fleece and roving from Roving Acres Farm. 

My radish brooch gets honorable mention. 

Checking out the fiber arts vendor and crafts sale was especially fun. Vendors had beautiful hand spun yarns, handcrafted tabletop looms, handmade jewelry, and hand painted ceramic pieces to name a few. Talk about talented artisans and crafters! My favorite pick was Sweitzer's Fiber Mill from Seven Valleys, PA who had lovely displays of their own yarn (including yarn made from milk protein, corn and soybean). I treated myself to some pretty yarns hand dyed in shades of pink and purple by the owner's 7 year old daughter, Lilly. It even came with an autograph from Lilly herself.

Lilly's Ranbow Yarns from Sweitzer's FIber Mill

This fun fest inspired me to learn  more about sheep breeds and the process of how their fleece turns into beautiful yarn for me to use. Now, I'm searching for more local fiber arts festivals!

Sheep shearing demonstration. 

Do you have any fiber arts festival recommendations for me? What about your fiber arts competition stories and tips? I'd love to hear from you, comment below.


Warmly,

Sarah with Yarns By Design
sarah@yarnsbydesignpa.com