Friday, May 10, 2013

May Giveaway!

In just a few days it will be 4 months since my first blog post, and I'm having a lot of fun so far!  I enjoy reading every comment, in fact I'm tickled to bits when you find my posts and pictures interesting enough (or silly enough) to comment about!  Thank you so very much. 


Since January, readers have visited from places that stir my imagination: from Brazil and Romania, from Australia and Pakistan, from Portugal, South Africa, Ireland, Russia, from all over the UK...the list goes on and on.

Places I have visited in years past, and places I would love to visit.

Places I've learned at least a little bit more about, thanks to readers' comments, and their blogs.  It makes the world seem smaller.  And friendlier.

This morning I noticed that there have been 6,897 separate "pageviews" here, which simply staggers me.  Thank you for sharing my tiny bit of this smaller, friendlier world!
~~~

So, what do you think? Time for a celebratory giveaway???

I'm thinking yarn...

First idea: a skein of the yarn so many people commented on back in January.  The yarn that turned into these socks, which you've probably forgotten:

I know, anything so bland and dull is easy to forget, right?

Off I go!  To market, to market...

Oh dear.  This jolly yarn, it turns out, is no longer available!  This particular Opal is discontinued.  Out of print, so to speak.

Sorry!

I'll have to think of something else for the giveaway.
~~~
How about we give away those 'adorable' baby goats?   I am SO sick of everyone making a fuss over those little paddock-rats.

Oh, erm...did I say that out loud?  No, wait - I'm a dog!
Whew. That was close!
~~~
Oh, no, Piper, I can hear your thoughts on the baby goats loud and clear, every day.  And those adorable little goats are staying right where they are.  Here, have another chewy beef treat.
And maybe one more.
Good dog.
~~~

But in other news, whilst going through one of my big plastic storage boxes of yarn...look what I discovered!


Gosh, i
t actually DOES look bland and dull in that picture, doesn't it?  Let's take it outside in the natural light.


THAT'S more like it!

Now, as you can see, the ballband has been removed and a few yards of the yarn were unwound and then rewound loosely around the skein before being stored in this ziplock bag.  The unwound yarn suggested that some of the yarn had been used, and my initial excitement at finding the Actual Yarn of my Giveaway Dreams turned to disappointment.

But...

I couldn't remember ever knitting with any yarn from this skein.  I think after making the first pair of socks, I may have unravelled a bit of this second skein to try to figure out if it would be possible to duplicate this kind of self-patterning yarn as one of my dyeing projects.  (The answer, as you may have guessed from a closer look at this yarn, is NOT VERY LIKELY!)

So, could it be a complete skein, suitable for giveawaying?  Could it?  Just to be on the safe side, I weighed the yarn.  It came it at just a whisper over 100 grams, so it seems safe to call this a complete skein.

YAY!


One skein.

Enough for a pair of these:

These adult woman-sized socks are knitted quite high - easily midcalf.  And even with the few yards sacrificed in order to start the second sock at the same point in the yarn pattern as the first (to make them so matchy-matchy), there was plenty of yarn in one skein: 465 yards per 100-gram skein.  That's what I call a generous skein of sock yarn!  Thank you, Zwerger Garn!!


Opal Zirkus/Circus
by Zwerger Garn
Fingering / 4 ply
75% Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon
465 yards / 100 grams
Colorway #2005
~~~
If you would like to win this skein and knit a nifty pair of socks that will enchant your friends - oh, go on, you know you want to! - just leave a comment on this post.

Easiest socks ever. The yarn is doing all the work!

Or...you could make multiple pairs of darling little child-sized socks!  Or some other project entirely - a hat?  a cowl?  the pockets and trim on a grey sweater?  Oh, I can't wait to see what the winner will decide to do with this yarn!

Nuts and bolts: 

  • Leave a comment, right here, do!
  • Make sure I will know how to reach you if you win.
  • Enter by midnight (EST), Tuesday 21 May.
  • Drawing will be done after morning chores (aw, those adorable goats!) on Wednesday the 22nd.
  • I will post the winner's name here, so please check back, just in case an email or Ravelry PM or whatever is delayed through the mysterious workings of the internet!
  • If for some reason I don't hear back within 48 hours of posting the winner's name here, I will draw another name.

Three bits of good news:

  1. This giveaway is open to everyone, everywhere!  
  2. You are very welcome to share the giveaway or link to this post or whatever you like, but you don't have to follow this blog or tweet the giveaway or pin it on Pinterest or like it on FB or anything.  (I like simple, don't you?)
  3. I will happily mail the yarn to the winner at any address on the planet.

Good luck!
~~~~~

58 comments:

  1. Cool socks, I love the colors in it. I would to try an make a pair out if it as well, I wonder if they will come out the same?

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  2. such bright happy colors. they would make me smile every time i saw them.

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  3. Love the socks! Fun yarn!
    Rav: aewsimmons

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  4. oh beautiful socks! Not boring at all.

    Irkalla on Rav

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  5. That is lovely yarn!

    bookwormdjibouti on Rav

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  6. The yarn ROCKS - the socks ROCK - you DEFINITELY ROCK...44 blog posts in 4 months, and 6900 page views - that's pretty impressive, Quinn! And, I love the little goats...I have been following those of you with goats and lambs the last month, and have gotten nothing done, once I would see the new batch of babies each day! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY - Tanya

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  7. Those are happy socks! I could use some of those about January when the tax season starts!

    lotsofhermies on Rav

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  8. OMG those socks are so awesome. I would love to show those off at my next ball room prance!!

    Thank you for an awesome giveaway.

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  9. Your "Postcard from the Paddock" was my very favorite blog post ever. I emailed the link to all my kids. Giveaway or no, I'm always happy when you have a new post. (LindaVK on Ravelry)

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  10. Congratulations on such a successful first four months of blogging. That's awesome and very exciting! Great socks!

    Have a wonderful weekend!

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  11. Those socks are so cool. I'm completely fascinated by that self-patterning yarn ;)

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  12. ooh my kids would love socks out of this yarn. Rav amchart

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  13. I've heard of self-patterning yarn but this is the 1st time I've seen something made with it. I just love those socks! Thanks for the chance to win a skein!

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  14. Well, I don't knit. It is amazing to me that such a pattern can emerge. The socks are fantastic! Have a great day. Tammy

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  15. How exciting! I have a friend who is a very skilled sock maker, so if I win, I would ask her to knit me some socks! I loved the photos of Piper, more please! I never get tired of seeing her x

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  16. Those are so fun! Thanks for the chance :-)

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  17. Ohhh! Please count me in! The yarn is yummy and makes very happy socks! Thanks for the chance to win! You are now on my Bloglovin!

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  18. Love that yarn! Such a cheerful color, and I love the Opal for socks. Thanks for having this giveaway! (Rav id rantecki)

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  19. the socks are very cheeky! congrats on the 6 month milestone.

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  20. This yarn would be perfect for my first pair of socks!

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  21. I'd love to knit socks out of that yarn. Thanks for the chance to win it.

    lmecoll on Ravelry

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  22. Beautiful socks. I love bright colors. Thanks for the chance to win a skein of this yarn.

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  23. So cheerful! Love that your blog is connecting you with folks all over the world. Really amazing.

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  24. Those are great socks! I think just looking at my feet would make me happy if I made and wore those! Hope I win!

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  25. Just found your blog and am really enjoying it. BTW that is some mighty pretty yarn :-)
    Find me as farmwife99 on ravelry.

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  26. Love the look of the self-patterning yarn. I'd make a pair of socks for the kids at Are You Warm Enough on Ravelry. My Rav name is Kae1crafts.

    Love your blog and pictures. I need to explore more of it.

    Hugs, Kae

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  27. Ooh, that yarn is definitely not boring! I'd love to try it!

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  28. That yarn would make such a cute baby sweater.

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  29. Love the colors, and your socks are gorgeous!

    yarnbandit on ravelry

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  30. Ooohhh Lovely colors! I LOVE sock yarns...I really do need to learn how to knit socks with it! LOL Perhaps If I win, this would be the perfect incentive..actual sock yarn with which to learn how to make socks! IF hubby doesn't claim it for another pair of fingerless gloves :0

    Known as Vixen on Ravelry

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  31. Gorgeous! I would love to make myself a pair of pretty socks with it. Thanks!

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  32. Oh my, what lovely yarn. It's a great giveaway, Quinn. I'm commenting, but because I wouldn't get anything knitted for a looooong time, I say leave my name out of the hat.

    I wanted to tell you, too, that when you're ready to try some milk kefir, let me know. If I have extra grains, I'd be happy to send you some if you'll pay for the postage.

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  33. I would probably make a pair of socks with this yarn or something for my daughter.
    I like your socks!

    StaceyKnitsIt ravelry

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  34. Thanks for the opportunity...I had a pet goat growing up! She was not that much work but a lot of fun!

    griffgirls on Ravelry

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  35. Great sock yarn...would love it...

    Nhsarab on ravelry
    Nhsarab at yahoo dot com

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  36. Love this yarn color. I've never made a pair of socks before. Actually, the first thought that came to mind when seeing the colors was a sock monkey :) I'd love to make a sock monkey with this yarn! CraftyMommaKnits on Ravelry.

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  37. Such beautiful sock yarn! Congrats on your blogiversary.

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  38. What a beautiful pair of socks.
    Cheerful and bright.

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  39. Cool colors!! Love your blog, congrats on your 4 month anniv. Rav name: getahobby

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  40. Love the yarn and your blog! Keep up the great work!

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  41. I would love to win! I am not a sock knitter, so I would make some awesome, colourful hexipuffs out of it :)
    My email address is nicole at knitnicoleknit dot com
    -Nicole
    Knit, Nicole, Knit!

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  42. Gorgeous yummy colourway!!! I'm rosyretro on Ravelry :-)

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  43. I'm a sock knitter and know this type of yarn well. It's nice to see the patterns emerge.

    Now I knit for my coworkers and give them in the Christmas season because our feet get cold here in Alberta during our six month long winter?!

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  44. Oh, pretty sockyarn! Will read through you blog later today :-)

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  45. I would love to win this yarn~

    schwipknits@gmail.com
    schwip on rav

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  46. Found your blog through Mason-Dixon Knitting, and I've really enjoyed your posts and photos. I would definitely enjoy knitting a pair (or more) of socks with that happy yarn!

    Nancy G
    vvrmm AT comcast DOT net
    vvrmm on ravelry

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  47. Pick me! Pick me!

    Carrie Miranda
    miranda.carrie@gmail.com
    mirandacarrie on ravelry

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  48. this yarn knitted up so nicely in that sock pattern. what a gamble that paid off in spades! thanks for the giveaway!
    ravelry name: cnewpower

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  49. What a treat to find in your stash. Here's hoping it makes it into mine!

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  50. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE these socks. Thanks for the giveaway of the yarn. Glad I found your blog too. Pretty Cool!

    Crossin' my fingers.....errrrr...toes!

    Penny
    KnitbyBitDesigns-Ravelry

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  51. You know, looking at that yarn I'd probably pass it by. But made up in socks? It's beautiful! Thanks for the giveaway (cnuland on Rav)

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  52. Those socks are such a ray of sunshine (which we could sorely use today)

    purple on Ravelry

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  53. I love patterned socks!

    knitterlydesigns on Ravelry

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  54. Great looking socks.
    I'd love to make a similar pair.
    Congrats on your blogaversary.

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  55. Love those socks! Colors so pretty!Would love to knit! LynnIL ravelry

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  56. I just saw found your blog through Ravelry - I hope I'm not too late - please enter my name in the sock yarn give-away. It's beautiful and I love to make socks!

    amyknit40 on ravelry
    alounsberry@cox.net

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