Holiday Kits and Contest

Been waiting for news of the holiday kits?  Wait no more!  For the first time, I have two options for you- I just couldn't decide between the two, so hey, why not both?

The traditional red/green kit is named Santa's Little Helper- it features a dynamic red-flecked-with-green colorway from Melanie at Black Trillium Fiber Studio with a contrasting deep green mini skein for toes and heels.

The reversible sock project bag from Silver Moon Studios boasts holiday-themed sock monkeys on one side, and a tiny candy cane motif on the other.  The kit also includes a 4 ounce Soak wash in the Citrus scent and an adorable knitting needle keychain.  Photo with permission of Sassafras Studios

This is the same keychain I've been using since Sock Summit 2009 when Sassafras Creations had a booth near mine and Anne and I spent the bulk of the weekend wearing their jewelry around to, uh, display.  Yeah, that's it.... it was a purely selfless way to help Nancy.  Uh huh.  Nancy was kind enough to make enough for these kits, which is no small feat because the keychains are made from formerly-loved needles and it takes awhile to amass several hundred at a time for me.  If you go to any fiber/knitting conventions or Stitches events, you're likely to see Nancy and her husband selling their wares in the marketplace.

The next kit is named Christmas Cheer and features a lightly dotted color from Claudia Handpainted Yarns and a coordinating bag by Vickie at Bird Leg Bags.  The bag features festive owls and birds on the outside (oh, how I love the owls) and a coordinating diamond pattern on the inside.  Claudia scrutinized the fabric to bring flecks of all the colors into the dappled skein and I love the effect. 

This kit comes with the Aquae scent of Soak wash- think light, clean notes.  Like the first kit, you'll also find a keychain from Sassafras Creations and your color will be a surprise.

It was quite fun putting together these for you (and me!) and I hope you enjoy them!  They got great feedback in the store for Saturday's Holiday Open House and while I think I have plenty to go around, it's quite typical for kits to sell within a day.  So if you are on the fence, I recommend deciding quickly.

And if you made it to the end of this post, how about a contest?  At the Holiday Open House on Saturday, we made yarn ornaments by swirling sock yarn inside clear glass ornaments- it's a great way to adorn your tree with those leftover bits of yarn from past projects.  You can use a few yards of a half-dozen colors and create a lively ornament, or, like Mary, you can braid three colors together to create a cool effect.  Or wind tiny skeins and stuff them inside.  It was a fun project and there were knitters and non-knitters of all ages making ornaments of their trees.

So, my question is this: What stash yarn would you use to make your yarn ornament?  Would you use green and red leftover from some Simply Sock Yarn socks you made?  Or would you use some spare Dream in Color Starry so that the silver catches the light from the tree?  What about that beaded silk blend from the 4 Seasons of Sock Yarn club in 2010?  Tell me in the comments below which leftover yarn you'd use in your ornament, and I'll randomly choose two of you to win a yarny surprise!  I have some special skeins and accessories set aside, and I'll count you in if you comment before Friday, Dec. 2 at midnight EST.  I'll try and remember to announce the winners next week, but if you win you'll definitely get an e-mail.

Comments

[Carla]

I would choose all shades of blue- as that is what I love best ALL year round!

[Allise]

I would stay traditional and go with reds, green, and white!

[Vickie]

I would use the leftovers from my String Theory Colorworks Continuum skeins. Wowza! What a tree that would be!

[Joni]

I'd use traditional red, green and white, or blue and white. I'd love some thing with sparkle. I should rectify that deficiency in my stash...

[Sam]

I've got a bunch of red left overs but I think I'd have to make a couple in different colors!

[Evie]

I think I would go with blue and some shade of silver/gray.

[Donna]

I would probably make a few - one would be the traditional colors with plenty of sparkle, another with many colors from fun stripey yarn.

[Ruth Anne]

I would definitely go with something with sparkle - leftover DIC Starry would be perfect!

[kristieinbc]

I have some leftover Dream in Color Starry and it would be perfect!

[dana]

i'd use all my little leftover bits

[Janice]

I'd go with red, green and a little bit of a yarn with some gold metallic for a little sparkle. Maybe a little glitter to enhance the glow.

[Julie]

I would probably make a mini butterfly skein of the Artful yarns beeded silk that I have been admiring in my stash for way too long! This way I could hang it on the tree and then hang it in my kitchen sink window after the holidays. It may help me to remember to knit it up....life's too short!

[Jo]

I have some leftover Koigu Kersti in Christmas-y colors -- primarily red and green, with touches of yellow and blue here and there.

[Chris]

I think I would add lots of sparkle!! And maybe a few with red and green!

[Angela]

I have some Dream in Color Starry that has the best sparkles in it. It would look great in an ornament!

[Denise]

I would use all of my Wollmeise left overs. It's such a beautiful yarn, the colours just sing.

[Joanne G]

I would use snip-its of yarn from my 2011 knitting projects - as a time capsule of sorts to remember and document my year of knitting

[AMY]

I would use Dream in Color Starry. Fab choice!

[Lisa Viviano]

I just finished a pair of socks (for my neice) with Shepherd sock Tickled Pink. This color would be perfect.

[Kathie Abel]

Oh what fun! I would use a light dust of silver glitter inside the ornament and then shades of blue for Advent to catch the light of my tree - what a fun idea!

[Megan]

I would definitely go with traditional red and green, though I think I am going to make mini scarves for ornaments with sock leftovers. Thanks for the opportunity to win!

[Janelle]

I like the idea of using the sparkly yarn, and since I have some in my pile of sock yarn leftovers, I'd use that!

Allison, congratulations on these kits - they are my favorite of all the ones you've put together over the years. And I, too, have been using a Sassafras keychain since SS09 when I fell under her spell...

I had no idea there was HOLIDAY sock monkey fabric out there!

[Emily]

I would use the Dream in Color Starry in a rich purple to catch the lights from the tree!

[Jean Folkerth]

I would use sparkly while and blue. I have a tree with predominantly snowmen so I think that would coordinate best. I think I would do a combination of small balled white for snowballs and some blue and white for effect.

[Anne]

I have 2 trees, so I would use green and red bits on my santa tree, and then I would use my Starry leftovers on my big tree with the glass ornaments! Love your newsletter and your blog.

[Joan]

I would use my leftover yarn all in blue.
Thanks for the giveaway!

[Cyndy C]

I would use leftover String Theory from last years Christmas kit.

[Cathy Kostka]

I would use traditional reds and greens left from Christmas stockings, but why not add a touch of angora and some eyelash to texture?

[Kathy]

I have a wonderful green varigated yarn that would look really nice with some white alpaca that I have left over!

[Anne Marie]

LOVE the holiday kits! My kids have been asking what I want for Christmas .. HMMM ..! I would fill an ornament with the 25 yds of Malibrigo sock yarn in the Aquus colorway that has been sitting on my desk waiting for a home ... leftover after a shawl and pair of mitts. Some red confetti stars added to it would be quite festive I think. Fun idea. Rav amchart

[Peggyann]

Oh My! I would use white and gold sparkly yarns that glisten next to the lights on the Christmas tree.

[Patricia League]

I would step outside my box and use glittery, shiny colors.

[Debby G.]

I would use all my leftover stash of red, green, and white.

[Karen]

I would surely use the red Starry for sparkle and then hang it on my car mirror!

[Cara]

I would use a little bit of every left over sock yarn that I have made into socks. That way, I would have a nice little reminder of the "ones that got away."

[Peg Crawshaw]

I have been looking for a good excuse to buy the Starry Spring Tickle and Giant Peach to make into a fabulous pair of peach and green socks with matching fingerless gloves then take some of the leftovers for a colorful Christmas Ornament.

[Teresa]

I would layer Traditional red and green with silver or gold sparkle between the layers.

Look just like a childhood Christmas tree!

[Colleen]

I'm with Joanne G waaaay up there in the thread - I would also use leftover bits from socks knitted in the past year as a way to remember what I'd done. (And as an antidote to the feeling of never finishing anything.)

[Sara]

The dream in color with a twinkle would be my choice. I love that yarn anyway, and these ornaments are really fun to make!

[Lisa]

I think I would use Starry in pinks, greens and burgundy for a Victorian sparkle look.

[Cyndy Landers AKA the Yarnwitch]

I'd make up a ball with left over yarn from each pair of socks I've made this year! since everyone knows they get socks from me I'll have them guess which ball matches the socks they will get!!

[Celeste]

Definitely beaded silk yarn...the glow of silk and the sparkle of beads are the perfect combination!

[Twila]

I would for sure use Dream in Color Starry. I might even take the time to string some shiny beads on the yarn to add some extra sparkle.

[Evelyne Liebmann]

I would use my leftover Lorna's Laces sock yarn and mix it with my leftover metallic yarn in silver, making the decoratios most festive

[Debbie H]

Oh, the beaded silk would be wonderful, if I had any leftovers! I would porbably use white and blue from my stash. Debbie H

[Cynthia in NC]

I would use DIC Starry in red and white for one and use "leftovers" of past projects for another. Have a Blessed Holiday season!

[Kristi]

I would go all Tim Burton on it and use leftovers from Maleficent's Spindle. Can you tell Halloween beats out all other holidays as my favorite? ;)

[Denise Gore]

I would use left over bits and pieces from all the socks I've made this year and I would add some Dream in Color Starry for some sparkle along with some beads I have left...just for a little extra glitz.
Denise

[Karla]

I would use DIC Starry and any other yarns that have sparkle or sequins in them.

[JoEllenLa]

Something sparkly for sure, and beads, and I love purple, so I'd use some of those leftover bits--but red and white would look lovely too! How big did you say these ornaments are?

[Jill]

I would use the red Lorna's Laces yarn I bought from Simply Sock Yarn earlier this year. I have some leftover after making a pair of socks for one of my sisters-in-law.

[Courtney]

Definitely sparkle! Left over DIC Starry and sequin Tilli Thomas yarn to start!

[Julie]

Definitely some of EVERYTHING! Like a Christmas tree, ornaments should be of all colors!! I LOVE RAINBOWS, so I'd make an ornament with scraps of all the socks I've made, so when I'd look upon the ornament, I could see the socks, I so lovingly made!!

[Jenn]

I'd have to make 4, one for each of my girls in the leftover bits of sock yarn from the socks I made for them this year, in their favorite colors. Shades of pink, then shades of purple, blue and white, and finally shades of green. Pardon me while I go gather my scraps!

[Becky Luoma]

I would use the little leftover yarn from all the projects I have made all year for all the grandkids. That way when I looked at it, it would bring back all those cool memories.

[Becky]

It's not Christmasy at all, but I would use my leftovers of the Midsummer Morning Casbah from one of the special kits. I used this yarn to make my baby's going home hat, which he got quite a lot of wear out of as a newborn last winter, and since this is his first Christmas, it would be a fun way to maintain that memory.

[Lulynn]

I would use DIC Starry in the raspberry color!

[Carol Hayes]

I will go random with this year's left overs and have fun adding some sparkle beads and enjoy the process of placing the colors in an eye pleasing way

[Judy W]

I would make two - one with the lovely DIC Starry in red that called to me in vain last Saturday. The second would be in pale turquoise with a silver metallic in memory of my daughter who loved my knits and always had something she "needed".

[Andy]

I would mix it all up with colorful scraps. I like wild riots of color.

[Jennifer cameron]

Easy! Something sparkly of course! I love sparkly stuff.

[Pam]

I would go traditional with some beaded red and green yarns.

[Susan Dietrich]

I'd go with pink and aqua. My mother's kitchen was aqua and pink and she always had an aqua and pink tree on her breakfast bar - complete with aqua and pink lights - it was beautiful and festive with the Christmas season.

[Anne Ormsby]

I have a jar almost full of project ends wound into balls. What a fun way to mix and match for a Christmas decoration!

[Anne Sadlemire]

I would love one in blues and silver.

[penelope10]

I would make from stash of Simply sock!

[Andi]

I love a sparkly Christmas, so I would indeed use some of my leftover Starry. I love colorful Christmas ornaments and decorations!

[Marylu]

I would use my leftover SG Bugga!!!

[tami]

I have some left over dic starry that I would love to use

[mellenknits]

I think I would use some stash yarn with sentimental value - leftovers from the baby hat and sweater I made for my newborn daughter (my best Christmas gift this year!)

[Nancy H]

I'd definitely go for the sparkle. DIC Starry is a good one. I'd go for a slightly modified Christmas color scheme. Light colors would look best on the tree!

[CL]

I would use colors of winter white, blue,green and a touch of red

[Allison L]

I'd use my super bright leftovers to make cheerful rainbow ornaments.

[Chaddy233]

What a GREAT idea!
I'm a sock knitter, and I think I may do this. I'm gonna do some mini skeins from the leftovers of all the socks I did this year and label it with the year. Next year I'll do another one with next years batch. I love cool Christmas tree ornaments.

[Tara]

Most of our leftover yarn gets used up making baby hats for a local charity, but I do have some grey with glitz that I got from a local handdyer that would go GREAT with just about any deep color. Hmm, I wonder if I still have that leftover Cherry Tree Hills yarn?

[mary]

It would be hard for me to give up small skeins of sock yarn aor Christmas ornaments. I love to make patchwork socks with them..each section from a different skein, But if I had to choose, it would be white with golds.

[Heather Misiukiewicz]

i have some leftover pink and black koigu- i would use that and give it to my mom for christmas :)

[Jeanette McKinney]

Love, love, love the cute bags that go with the yarn--just what a knitter would love to have for the Holidays!!!

[Paulette]

I love purple, so I'd use some leftover purple yarn for sure--maybe some others to go with it! Cute ornaments!

[Kylene]

I'd go with a rainbow theme--red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, & violet. (And I'm sure I have enough sock leftovers to do it!)

[Yvonne Miles]

I'd use up some left over sock yarns - to remind me of all the fun I've had knitting with these yarns! An ornament filled with memories!

[Bonnye Bulla]

I love the idea of using the yarn that I used throughout the year. In addition, I would put some sparkle in it. Label it and make one each year. Sounds like fun. Something the grandchildren and neighborhood children could do. Thanks for the idea.
Bonnye

[Jackie T]

I'd use Dream in Color - Starry Aqua Jet and Raspberry Razzle.

[Erica]

I would mix a bit of all of the yarns I have used this year. Some bits would be sockey goodness, others in the brights of cotton discloths made for gifts, yarn from the superbowl scarves, wool from the slippers, etc. What fun this would be, I may just have to run home a make a couple of these.

[Joyce]

I'd choose a bright white with silvery sparkly bits.

[Denise Royal]

I would use a blue and white with maybe a silver theme as those are the light colors on our tree.

[Sally]

I'd combine my stash of quilt scraps and left-over yarn and braid them all together, throw in some hanging around beads and buttons (small enough to fit of course) and ta-da!

[Jan Walsworth]

I've saved leftovers from all the socks I've knit for my grandbabies the last year or so. I've also been needlepointing ornaments again this fall and have bits of gold, silver, & other metallics. I'm going shopping for a clear ornament to capture the collection - and thank you heartily for the wonderful idea!

[Anamaria seda]

I would so use the starry cause my tree is all decked out in silver and gold with the lights hitting it it will surely shine

[Beth Fulton]

Sparkly all the way!!!

[Debra]

I would use silver and gold.

[Robin]

I would use the leftover pink yarns I have. We need more pink on our tree for our just adopted daughter.

[NancyN]

No question! I would use my leftover Dream in Color Smooshy Apple Smash for the Simply Socks August Dream Club.

[Janine]

I would use some of my leftover Opal and maybe some Dream in Color Starry.

[Kim Carlile]

I would use some of the new Christmas cheer layered with complimenting solids, for a beautiful visual effect.

[Bev]

I've been making socks for a while now and have lots of bits left over. I'd pick out the most colorful of the bunch, my pinks and yellows and reds with a dash of blues and greens thrown in.

[Sandi Booth]

I would use red, green, and white with silver thread that I have in my stash.

[julie]

purple and silver - Or blue and white. Or sparkly red....
I guess I didn't name a yarn that I would use but maybe I would go for some of those color combinations!

[www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawk82H-8YlN46WKvJ46i0lo6BX1bZTVSa0g]

I would use red and a goldish yarn (maybe gold with silver flecks?) since that's my color theme for my house at Christmas :)

[Jan]

I think , like many others that the Starry would be lovely on the tree with the sparkles catching the lights. But I would like to take snippets of the yarns I used to make socks during this year and stuff it full. Label it with the year on the outside. It would make a great yearly ornament to remember the projects of the year.