DE-STASHING CONTEST – Craft Gossip

I’ve found another batch of books from my stash that I want to GIVE AWAY. Hot Diggity! Another contest is born.

annies-pattern-club-number-43 This is Annie’s Pattern Club #43. In this batch, there are 5 other Annie’s Pattern Club books and a digest sized Red Heart ‘Super Simple Fashions to Knit and Crochet’. These are all in great condition and in need of a good home. Could that home be yours??

To win this stash batch, you gotta jump through a hoop or two. Here’s the contest:

Planning ahead to Christmas. We have to start now if we want to crochet some great Christmas gifts. What I want you to do is find a special Christmas themed doily that’s a free pattern somewhere on the internet. Post a LINK and the NAME of the doily (if it has a name) in the comment section of this blog article. In addition, send an email to me ([email protected]) containing your name, snail mail address, and the link to the doily pattern.

ONE ENTRY PER PERSON please! Any skill level, size, or shape doily is fine so long as it’s Christmas themed. That would include things like angels and snowmen in addition to Christmas trees, stars, Santa, reindeer, elves, etc. So, while the category is flexible, it needs to be clearly linked in some manner to Christmas.

Further, I’d LOVE for you to find a doily that is special to YOU and some tradition or heritage shared in your home. Please include that information – say, you’re of Swedish heritage and you find a doily that contains a traditional Swedish Christmas theme. Briefly explain the reason the design is special to you so that we’ll all understand. No need to write a book, here. Just a brief explanation should suffice.

REMEMBER THAT THE WINNING ENTRY WILL BE DETERMINED BY ME ALONE. I have my prejudices. That’s just the way it is. DO NOT SEND THE LINK OR PHOTO IN AN ATTACHMENT. BE SURE TO PUT ‘CROCHET CONTEST’ IN THE SUBJECT LINE, PLEASE!

Hope I’m not making this too complicated. It should be FUN rather than work. I’m looking forward to seeing what you send me. BTW – a link to an original design of your own is fine. Does not have to have been previously published on the web.

PLEASE BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR SNAIL MAIL ADDRESS IN YOUR EMAIL TO ME!

PLEASE honor design copyright guidelines (laws) and do not link a pattern from a page depicting a published work appearing in a book or magazine – the kind that one can find easily on Russian sites (and others too). These will be deleted, rendering your entry ineligible. Entries linked from other free pattern sites are fine as are entries from blogs, other websites, and other online sources offering free crochet patterns.

The contest will run from today through Saturday, August 15, 2009. Winner will be announced shortly thereafter.

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If you’re into cozy, slow stitching projects that give off major woodland cabin vibes, then the Deer Needlepoint Cushion Kit from The Fox Collection is definitely worth checking out. I picked this up on a whim because I wanted something calming to work on in the evenings, and honestly—it was the perfect choice.

First off, the design is just beautiful. It features a deer in a rustic setting, with warm earthy tones that make it feel like you’re stitching a little piece of forest calm into your home. It’s not overly complicated or fussy, which I really appreciated. The color palette feels very classic and would fit into almost any cozy home setting—whether you’re a full-blown cabin-core fan or just want to bring a bit of nature indoors.

The kit itself includes everything you need to get started: printed canvas (which makes life so much easier—no counting!), a needle, tapestry wool, and clear instructions. It’s all very beginner-friendly, so even if you haven’t done needlepoint before, you’ll be able to dive right in. The wool comes pre-sorted too, which I love because honestly, the less prep the better.

What I really liked was how meditative the process felt. It uses a simple tent stitch throughout, so once you get into the rhythm, it’s just you, the needle, and a few peaceful hours of creating something with your hands. It’s the kind of project that’s perfect for winding down after a busy day—pop on a podcast or your favorite show and just stitch away.

When it’s finished, the cushion looks amazing. It has that handmade feel but still looks polished and high quality. Just a heads-up: the kit doesn’t come with a backing or insert, so you’ll need to source those separately. I used a deep brown velvet backing and it really made the design pop.

In the end, I’d definitely recommend this kit to anyone who’s craving a creative, relaxing project. It’s great for beginners, perfect for slow crafting days, and makes a beautiful finished piece you’ll actually want to use or gift.

Let me know if you end up stitching it—I’d love to see your version!

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