As a single gal I have got into the habit of buying myself a Christmas present (or group of presents) each year. This year I did my shopping for myself on Small Business Saturday/Cyber Monday. I bought from two vendors, both makers in the fiber arts space: Erin Lane Bags and Stunning String Studio.
Erin Lane Bags
If you’ve followed my blog for even a few months you know I love Erin Lane Bags. I have many of her bags and organizers, including many Sheeple prints (sheep doing people things). She frequently has live sales on Facebook and I tuned in Small Business Saturday. I got one bag that night, and then ordered a few more during the Cyber Monday sale (when Sheeple prints were on sale).
Both of these are called sock bags – I like the size of these and the snap. The bag on the left is a new print featuring Larry the Foul Mouthed Sheep. So, appropriately, his new logo says FML and stands for Foul Mouthed Legion. The bag on the right is the Game of Thrones Sheeple in the quotes print. I actually didn’t have any in the quotes print and I’m such a Game of Thrones nerd, I needed to have this.
The notion pouch has zippered vinyl pockets for storing notions in a way they CAN’T. FALL. OUT. Print is Outlander Sheeple.
The pattern keepers feature a non-glare vinyl pocket so you can slide your pattern in. Then the pattern keeper folds into a triangle so it stands up on its own. Print is Wonder Woman Sheeple.
Stunning String Studio
Stunning String is a maker I came across at Stitches Midwest. My friend bought a kit from them this year and asked if I would knit the shawl for her. I fell in love with their yarns. A pre-made kit, a kit I put together, mystery yarns (I know – crazy for me) and some fun accessories.
I have been eyeing the Vacillate Shawl from Stunning String since Stitches Midwest and they offer it as a kit. However, I wanted to make it out of a different yarn base. So I essentially put together my own mini-kit. The gray is the colorway “Charcoal” and the red is the colorway “Lipstick Red”, both on the opulent base.
Cute little beading tools and stitch savers, both of which have a clip at the top. The cute rhinestone just gives it that extra touch. I also got a set of wine stitch markers.
This kit was a Cyber Week special and is called the Let it Snow Kit. This includes sparkle yarn (base Twinkle, colorway Deep Water), a bag, a shawl pin (beautiful), stitch markers and an online code for the pattern Singularity. Oh! And the beads! What I really love about their kits it that it truly includes everything except for the needles.
This is a super cute infinity cowl with sheep on it. You can get different background colors and it’s a good length (you can double wrap). I was surprised at how soft it is and how lightweight. I can’t wait to layer this on and plan to buy more in my next order to give as gifts.
For any of you that know me you know I don’t like surprises in my yarn. I’m VERY picky about color (no fluorescent, no pink, no brown) so the fact I bought mystery yarn surprised even me. So how this worked: for $11 you got one skein of yarn and a coupon code for a free Stunning String pattern. The patterns are usually $5-6 so you’re paying $5-6 for a skein of really nice yarn. I ordered three, thinking I’d probably not love at least one of them. But, I actually loved all three colors I received. All three colors are one of a kind and bases included Twinkle, Serenity (which has SILK), and Superwash. I’m really happy that the Twinkle I got is in a color similar to that in my Let It Snow kit. While a different color, it’s close enough that if I run out (or am running out) of the yarn in the kit, I could use the mystery yarn in the same base for the border of the shawl. I’m so happy with the mystery yarn, so much so I might try a mystery kit next year!
FloofyMoose's Blog 