I’d Like to Introduce Myself

Hello everyone,

I’m Heather Holbrook and I’m really excited to be the new stamping editor here at CraftGossip! I’ll be bringing you info on all the latest and greatest in absolutely everything to do with stamping.

Here’s a little info about myself: I’ve been stamping for over 12 years, I went to my first stamping class with my mom and some friends just for fun not really knowing what to expect and I instantly fell in love. I’d always enjoyed doing different crafts but when I found stamping I thought “this is it, this is for me!” and I’ve been stamping ever since. I loved it so much that a couple of years after that first class I opened my own stamp store, Stamps Galore, in Lexington KY and ran it for three years. My love of stamping expanded into a love of all art that uses paper so I also enjoy scrapbooking , collage, altered art and making soldered jewelry with paper as well. I’ve taught all different types of stamping and paper arts classes over the last 10 years and really love staying on top of the latest products, techniques and trends so if you’ve got a question about stamping please don’t hesitate to ask.

I’m looking forward to sharing my passion of stamping with you!

Heather

Even more than normal this year I’ve been trying to use yarn that I already have. I’m doing lots of odd ball projects, scrappy things and small projects, but it’s also nice sometimes to be able to use a whole skein, and just a single skein, on a project for yourself or for a gift.

The Sunburst Shawl by Jem Arrowsmith is a great option if you have a single skein of sock yarn (100 grams or 400-425 meters, which is around 437 to 465 yards) that you don’t want to make socks out of.

The design includes a section of stockinette with blocks of simple lace mesh offset to make a zig-zag design across the shawl that looks sort of like the rays on a drawing of the sun.

The lace is just yarn over, knit 2 together repeating, so this would be a great first lace knitting project if you haven’t tried that before. The designer also has a video tutorial on their website if you need more help with the technique.

You can use any sock yarn you have on hand, but this one is especially fun with the brightly colored, variegated, speckly and sparkly yarns that you might not otherwise know what to do with. The solid section lets the colors play uninterrupted, while the lace part adds a bit of texture and gives a different look to the yarn.

This asymmetrical triangle shawl measures about 73 inches or 185 cm in wingspan and is 18 inches/45.5 cm deep.

There are several completed projects on Ravelry already so you can see who the design looks in different colors and types of yarn, from self stripping to more solid and tonal options.

The pattern is available for free on Ravelry (note: on the designer’s website it says the pattern is free through Aug. 31, 2026, so I’m not sure if it will be free after that on Ravelry), and if you don’t happen to have the perfect skein of yarn to make this project, the designer also offers kits on their website that include the yarn, pattern and a stitch marker.

[Photo: Jem Arrowsmith]

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