Friday, January 25, 2008

Free To Good Home

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COMMENTS ACCEPTED UNTIL 4.00 PM PST MONDAY 28th.
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Here we are, at Half Soled Boots' 198th post. Coincidentally, my G00gle revenue has just reached $100, which means I get paid next month, which is GREAT NEWS for a stay-at-home mum suffering from a lack of jingle in her jeans.

To celebrate, I think I'll give away some yarn. In fact, I have decided that, in the interests of my stash reduction and to share the love a bit, I'll do a giveaway every time G00gle pays me. It just puts me in such a good mood when that happens. Also, that way, if I end up giving away something I'd really prefer to keep, I can afford to replace it. I can also afford to tuck a few extra things into the recipient's box.

I don't often get paid, actually - only about every five or six months...the clicks do take a while to add up. But whenever I reach the magic number, I'll post a request for comments. Anyone showing interest will be entered into a draw of some sort.

Today's prize will be your choice of one of these four Valentine-tinted skeins of sock yarn, all of which retail for about $22 (although at least two of them are no longer for sale).



From bottom left to top right:

1) Fleece Artist (unnamed colourway) washable, hand-dyed 100% merino. 325 meters - 115g. Ball band gives tension at 26/4" on a 3mm needle. This yarn comes from Nova Scotia - I bought it at Victoria's Beehive Wool Shop. The colour is lively and intense - cheerful, tooth-achingly pink. It is tightly spun, and has a beautiful, almost silky sheen. This is a candy store yarn if I ever saw one...it makes me think of the cool spicy crunch of Island Farms' Peppermint Candy ice cream - with swirls of melted pink sugar and rocky chunks of crushed magenta sweetness.



2) Seacoast Handpainted washable 100% merino, in colourway "Raspberries". 560 yards (no weight). Ball band gives tension at 7-8/inch (no needle size given). This one makes my mouth water...the colours are delicious, ranging from a cool silvery grey to an intense purpley magenta. There are bands of rose, orchid, lavender. This yarn reminds me of nothing so much as heavy, softly whipped cream streaked with the chilled juice of fresh, dusky berries swirled in....or the purple-stained fingers you get when you've been picking them right off the canes. (Are you getting the idea that I love this particular skein?) I bought this from Pick Up Sticks.



3) Blue Moon Fiber Arts' "Socks that Rock" in colourway Rose Quartz. 100% superwash merino, mediumweight. 380 yards - 5.5 oz. Tension is given as 8 stitches per inch on size 2-3 needles. I bought this yarn in Washington, USA, where I had trouble picking from all the beautiful shades. This colour was so appealing - pink overall, but with many subtle variations throughout the skein. The colour ranges from flecks of a bronzey-peach, to sections of pale mauve. The pinks are subdued - very subtle. (The close-up photo, below, does not reflect the colour as accurately as the group picture above.) The yarn is tightly spun, with a matte finish. Readers of the Yarn Harlot might recognize this yarn from the "Big Pink Thing" she knit for her friend with kidney cancer. When I read that post I was happy I had already bought this yarn - figuring it would be hard to find that colour from now on.



4) Sweet Georgia Yarns' Handpainted Sock in colourway "Merlot". 100% merino, NOT SUPERWASH. 420yds/384m - 112 grams. Tension is given as 28-32 over 4" on a 2.25mm - 3.25mm needle. This yarn also came from Pick Up Sticks. The colour is not as deep as I thought it would be - I guess that's why it's called "Merlot", not "Cabernet Sauvignon". The reds range from a pale, orange-tinted rose to deep ruby. The yarn has a matte finish, with a medium spin. I knit my Common Welsh Green socks out of a green version of the same yarn, and I can vouch for its longevity. It wears well, due to the untreated wool which felts slightly with wear. You should also know that, having finished an entire pair of toe-up socks with one skein, I have a great deal of yarn left over - definitely enough to knit some booties, possibly enough to have added another whole repeat to each sock. The yardage is excellent.





What you must do, elegant and clever readers, is simply comment that you'd like to be included in the draw, and which skein you would prefer to have. (Or, you could say you haven't decided -- we can talk about it later.) I will announce the winner on Monday, January 28, and will mail the prize by Friday next.

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Oh, I should also say, pet-free-smoke-free-well-loved-not-stored-in-sunlight.

25 comments:

Annalea said...

It's a good thing I bought a copy of a good sock knitting book yesterday; otherwise I'd be in tears. ;o)

Do include me in the drawing, if you feel so inclined . . . and I have no idea how I'd choose.

That reminds me. I have some goodies to give away, too, to some people who had good ideas for my cocoa tins. Gotta get on that, don't I?

Hmmmm . . . maybe I'll go see what Google has on your homepage today. ;o)

Anonymous said...

Me Me Me Me too!!!!! Sorry, was that too loud?!

Raspberries is calling my name.

I honestly can't believe you're willing to part with them - you have more fortitude than I. (And you're like really generous.)

knititch said...

i so agree on your last post. but who i am really upset with is either ms starmore or the publisher. why don't they republish the thing so i could get a copy to read too. i don't get it.
oh please include me in the draw. love contests. i think i like the seaport (was it what it was called???).
and good luck on buying new yarn or what you want to buy.

Shan said...

knititch, you're right. There is no way a ten-year-old book should cost $400-$500, second-hand. Reprint, reprint!!

Anonymous said...

What a lovely thing to do, chica. I'd love to be included and the Seacoast or the Merlot call my name.. thanks!

Ames said...

If one happens to be your favourite sister-in-law, would one get more than one chance.

Put my name in the Seacoast Handpainted hat.

Kris said...

Funny - I thought, I really like that 3rd from the left. Only to realize I have the same colorway in the Heavyweight in my stash... But the Sweet Georgia??? I've never petted that!

Heather said...

ooh! ooh! i wants to try to win free yarn! my yarn money this month went to the plumber! :-)

pick me pick me!

:-)

Anonymous said...

Um, shouldn't we mention somewhere that everyone ought to remember to click on the Google ads so that Shan can afford to buy herself more yarn to replace that which she is so bounteously giving away? Not to mention the postage.

I don't think I can in good conscience take your beautiful yarn (especially not that gorgeous Seacoast), but if you happen to have a leggy blonde in that magic bag, could you forward him express?

Anonymous said...

No lizbon, we don't say things like that. Big Brother wouldn't like it. Shan would be punished. Shan would hate it if anyone thought she was setting up some kind of incentive program. Because that would be wrong. That would be taking away our free will.

I am free of guile.

Also I love being a Beta.

I'm glad I'm not an Alpha - Alphas don't get to mix their allusions.

Cynthia said...

So sad about the Aran Knitting. I remember passing that book by in the bookstore for years. It wasn't until I read the library copy that I realized I wanted my own, but by then it was too late.

I assume her books are not being reprinted because the yarns aren't available any more. But still ....

You could put my name in your hat. All the yarns are lovely. I think I'd like the Raspberries best but my Charlotte would definitely vote for the screaming pink Fleece Artist!

Anonymous said...

I too believe it is such a crime to do that to a library book.
I live on this island too and regularly get knitting reference books and get very frustrated seeing the way the books get treated.
If you could put me in for the draw too please...I especially like the Sweet Georgia!!

Jenny said...

Free yarn...pick me! I have a knitting for dummies book that I so want to try!!

Stace' said...

I wanna' play!

I love the fleece artist, but they are all fantastic.

You're quite a gal!

Jo said...

Why Shan, I would love to be included :)

ikkinlala said...

I'd love to be included in your draw - so generous!

If I'm lucky enough to win, I think I'd have to choose the Raspberries (although the Rose Quartz is a close contender).

KB said...

Oh you lucky lucky, lucky girl!! I am only hoping that your amazing luck...

( I mean for heaven's sake you win at almost everything that you have ever entered - and that's a lot of things and... well... I haven't known you that long but you have won more than anybody I know!!! You are quite amazing !!)

... shall in some small way, some day, pass my way !!
Oh my, and now you are giving away really beautiful yarn !! So you really are passing on your good luck!Please put my name in the hat...I would love to have any one of those beautiful skiens - it would be lovely!

SagePixie said...

Me too! Me too!
Any would be great I've only knitted on small pair of socks. I think the pink is my favorite though ;-)

Love and Laughter,
Amy

Olga said...

MEMEMEMEMEM!!!!PICK ME!!!!!
YES YES God almighty YES! I want in!I don't care which one! JUST PICK ME!


did I mention that I would like to be in your little giveaway?

Bev said...

Include me! Pick me! I miss Grey's Anatomy. I am not picky, but I like pink. bev

Katherine said...

No! Pick me! I can't choose. But I'm nuts for pinks and purples.

I've clicked on your ad links.

YTT said...

I came by to thank you for your comment on my blog, but of course I will leave a comment on yours, especially if it means a chance to win free yarn. Though I didn't even offer free yarn on my blog, so it hardly seems fair. But I will put in my name for the Seacoast Handpainted, and happily click on all your Google ads - now and the next time I come up for air.

Alison said...

You've suckered me in. At least this isn't the first time I've commented on your blog! I'd have to go for the raspberries, I'm afraid. ;)

Anonymous said...

fancy dancy red banner there missy :)

Anonymous said...

Beautiful selections - I especially like the Seacoast Handpainted! Pick me!!