15th Annual Rose City Yarn Crawl 2024

Rose City Yarn Crawl Theme for 2024

The 15th Annual Rose City Yarn Crawl was held March 7th-10th this year in 2024. The Rose City Yarn Crawl is "an annual Portland experience, the Rose City Yarn Crawl is a four-day event for fiber enthusiasts" - knitters, crocheters, spinners, weavers, and felters. This year the crawl featured eight shops that participated. Within each of these lovely shops they have gorgeous yarn, knitting and crochet notions, needles, handmade wares, books, bags, patterns, and other enchanting things. Once open, visitors use a passport that gets stamped at each of the yarn crawl destinations you visit for a chance to win prizes. With each purchase you make in the shops you will get access to a Ravelry download code for that shop's free pattern. In addition each kit purchased for the patterns gives 10% of the sale to the shop's selected charity.

Image designed by local Portland Tattoo Artist Alice Kendall from Wonderland Tattoo

If you cannot participate in person, you may instead participate in the Rose City Yarn Crawl online and crawl virtually. This is how I participated this year because of time and travel constraints. You can instead download and print the passport and look for the code words on each shop's website then record them on your passport. After you are done shopping and crawling, then you go back to the Rose City Yarn Crawl website and enter them into the virtual passport entry form. After you do this you will be entered to win a prize exclusive to virtual crawlers.

Rose City Yarn Crawl Participating Shops

I bought some things from three of the 8 shops during the crawl: Weird Sisters, Starlight Knitting Society, and Knotty Lamb. I really wanted to buy from more shops, but I unfortunately had a budget that I was following. I received my package from Weird Sisters first on March 15th. I purchased the Wild Witchcraft book by Rebecca Beyer because of all the lovely folk herbalism, gardening, and foraging information in it. It also has recipes for tinctures, teas, salves, etc. Some very pretty full color pages of herbs and plants as well. I love the wood burned stitch markers, too. They have a mushroom 🍄, books 📚, and butterfly 🦋, as well as the St. Johns Bridge 🌉 and their logo. They threw in a pin, sticker of a cool spider in her web knitting, and a bookmark. On March 16th I received both packages from Starlight Knitting Society and Knotty Lamb. From Starlight Knitting Society I purchased the Starlit Owl cross stitch kit by Junebug and Darlin and a lovely enamel pin with bleeding hearts, knitting needles and yarn on it made by Kitty with a Cupcake. The package from Knotty Lamb contained three different sized Crystal Palace Yarns bamboo circular needles and some very cute llama washi tape. They threw in a lovely butterfly button too. All stores I purchased from gave me two awesome downloadable patterns each for free as well (one knitting and one crochet each).

Rose City Yarn Crawl Purchases.

Follow the Rose City Yarn Crawl on Facebook and Instagram and mark your calendar for next year's yarn crawl on March 6-9, 2025. I will be participating in the Rose City Yarn Crawl next year, hopefully in person this time. Maybe I will see you there. Give me a shout if you are also going or just leave a comment on this post telling me what fiber arts you enjoy doing and what projects, if any, you have been working on.

Darn Good Yarn Sale for February!

Darn Good Yarn provided me with this promotional information and offer to share with my readers. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Darn Good Yarn is having some awesome sales store wide. If you know of anyone that loves yarn, knitting, crocheting, felting, or any kind of fiber arts this is the sale for you! They have some wonderful gifts that would be great for gifting during the holidays too. This would be a super Valentine's gift for fiber arts fans.

Here are the sales that are going on now:

• $10 Mystery Knitting or Crochet Kit from Darn Good Yarn
• Buy 2 Get 3 Free Sari Wrap Skirts
• 50% Off Yarn Storage Bag Bundle - Everything you need to create and store your WIP's
• Save 25% off Fat Quarter Storage Bag Bundle
• Up to 75% Savings when you add an item to cart. Unlock their top-secret mystery box
• 35% Off - 3 Pack of Hand Beaded Yarn and Yarn bowl for $99
• Save 70% on Wooden Yarn Bowls, no code necessary

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Darn Good Yarn for providing me this promotion information. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Harry Potter Crochet: 14 Magical Projects From The Wizarding World Kit Review

Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Thunder Bay Press publishes a wide range of titles and categories. They have fun, interactive activity titles and kits on subjects such as origami, cooking, crafts, games, and art to reference books suitable for gift-giving in categories like art, fitness, pets, travel, history, culture, sports, and nature. They have something for everyone.

Harry Potter Crochet by Lucy Collin is the first of many Harry Potter movie tie-in titles for Thunder Bay Press as part of a new partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products. This project kit comes with a 76-page instruction book to create 12 amigurumi dolls, including Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dobby, Hagrid, Dumbledore, Snape, Hedwig, Voldemort, McGonagall, Ginny, the Sorting Hat, Norbert the Dragon and other fun fan favorites. Included are everything to make Harry Potter and Dobby (with his sock!): 9 colors of yarn, stuffing, yarn needle, embroidery thread, plastic safety eye beads, and a special crochet hook shaped like Harry’s wand.

Harry Potter Crochet Kit inside.

What We Thought:

The Harry Potter Crochet: 14 Magical Projects From The Wizarding World Kit is a super fun kit that comes with all the yarn and supplies to make Harry Potter and Dobby with his sock. There is a full color instruction book that guides you to be able to make Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dobby with a Sock, Hagrid, Dumbledore, Snape, Hedwig, Voldemort, McGonagall, Ginny with a Broomstick, the Sorting Hat, Norbert the Dragon and student robes and scarves.

Harry Potter Crochet Kit contents.

The Harry Potter Crochet kit is a great start to make some cute amigurumi figures from Hogwarts.  When I opened the box I noticed the wand shaped crochet hook is made of flexible plastic and has some rough edges that might catch on the yarn when being used. It looked like something I probably wouldn't actually use because of this, but it is still a great addition to the kit because it looks neat. I think though it would be better if it were not made of plastic. I hope that the yarn and other materials that it came with will completely make the two projects it says it will. It does look like it might. The binding of the instruction book is stiff and I wish it would lay flat so that I could see the pages while I crochet. I do love that the pictures in the book are in full color and show me step-by-step what I need to do. In the front of the book there is an introduction, about this kit, abbreviation chart to help you know what those mean, some notes on tools and materials, crotchet stitches and techniques, embroidery stitches, and a word on wands. Each project in the book has a description of each character, materials list, the size of the project, and instructions with a few pictures.

Harry Potter Project Instructions.

Since I am a huge fan of Harry Potter I cannot wait to start crocheting with this kit! It looks wonderful. I will enjoy making these amigurumi dolls and their clothing. My favorite has to be Hedwig! The kit looks like it would be a great gift for someone that is a Harry Potter, Wizarding World fan.

BUY IT
You can purchase the Harry Potter Crochet: 14 Magical Projects From The Wizarding World Kit on Amazon.



DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this complimentary product to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Darn Good Yarn Sales and How To Crochet

Darn Good Yarn provided me with this promotional information and offer to share with my readers. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Buy 1 Pair of Socks Get 1 FREE! | Must Add 2 Pairs to Your Cart

Summer Clearance Sale - RECYCLED INDIAN SARI SILK WRAP SKIRT - Now only $24.99 | was $69.00. You Save 63% ($44.01)

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Darn Good Yarn for providing me this promotion information. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Wordless Wednesday Teela's Finger Knitted Beaded Headband

Teela made this finger knit headband with beads.

Wordless Wednesday Teela's Fingerknit and Loomknit Creations

This fingerknit necklace took Teela 5 colors of yarn to make.

Teela made this cute flower on the small loom and put it on a fingerknit headband.

Darn Good Yarn Sale!

Darn Good Yarn provided me with this promotional information and offer to share with my readers. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Darn Good Yarn is having a 30% off site wide sale! If you know of anyone that loves yarn, knitting, crocheting, felting, or any kind of fiber arts this is the sale for you! They have some wonderful gifts that would be great for gifting during the holidays too.

Right Now Save 30% Off Site wide!!
Use Coupon Code FROSTY30 at Checkout

• *Please note only 1 coupon code per order can be applied
• Expires December 31, 2017
• Subscriptions are Not Eligible for Discount, but you can Subscribe to the Yarn of the Month or Bead of the Month & Save 50% for $10.00 only!

Along with the 30% off sale there are other sales too going on now. You can purchase $15 Sari Silk Wrap Skirts! Also warm your feet this winter with the Buy 1 Get 1 Free Fleece Lined Wool Socks. The pretty Scarf Pack - Bundle of 4 is now only $99.99 from the original price of $138.99. All Wooden Yarn Bowls  are 50% off until the end of December with code YB50! Also Clearance Sale products have very limited quantities available. Once they are gone, they are gone!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Darn Good Yarn for providing me this promotion information. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Darn Good Yarn Sale!

Darn Good Yarn provided me with this promotional information and offer to share with my readers. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Darn Good Yarn is having a bunch of awesome sales! If you know of anyone that loves yarn, knitting, crocheting, felting, or any kind of fiber arts this is the sale for you! They have some wonderful gifts that would be great for gifting during the holidays too.

Right now you can get all Ceramic Yarn Bowls for $15 and Sari Silk Wrap Skirts for $15 with code YB50! All Wooden Yarn Bowls  are 50% off until the end of December also with code YB50! Darn Good Yarn also is having a Clearance Sale...grab all sorts of gifts for giving there. You can also Subscribe to the Yarn of the Month & Save 50%: $10.00 only! New Subscribers get 15% OFF Also Flash Sale products have very limited quantities available. Once they are gone, they are gone!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Darn Good Yarn for providing me this promotion information. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Wordless Wednesday Teela Loom Knits

Teela, my 9 year old daughter, just started to learn to loom knit.

Here is a hat she made all on her own with out a pattern.

The Broken Circle: Yarns of The Knitting Witches (Potluck Yarn Trilogy, Book One) and Pattern Book Review

I at the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival in Canby, Oregon

We received these books free to facilitate this review. There is also affiliate links in this post. Thank you for supporting my blog.

Sometimes I come across (or rather it finds me) a great book that combines a few things I love together. In this instance it is my love of yarn, knitting and fantasy that has been intertwined. I have recently been learning to knit because I love to make beautiful things and fiber art of all kinds fascinates me. I also love the fantasy world and find myself there a lot with a good book, movie, or fair/festival.

 KNITTING IS MAGIC...

The Broken Circle: Yarns of the Knitting Witches Book One of the Potluck Yarn Trilogy hit the stores June 3rd. This novel weaves together knitting and fiber arts with fantasy. It is about these knitting witches that are trying to save their world from evils. They are trying to bring their circle of 12 witches together again after 20 years of living their own lives scattered from the flock. Summoned by the Potluck Queen, Aubergine, their journey is a long, difficult one fraught with danger. The yarns they brew are fused with enchanted colored crystals and made into things that have different magical powers, but magic has been outlawed in their land. They need to stay on guard being aware of the possibility of being caught using their magics and thrown into Burnt Holes, the place where it is said there is no return from. They also have other things to contend with while trying to get their circle back together: a traitor (once one of their own) that has broken away and has her own plans for the other 11, a lost crystal, and a war between the men of the Northlands and Southlands. Some of the original 12 won't make it back to the fold, but there will also be newcomers that play their own parts in the plot as well.

This is a fantastical story with wonderful twists and turns. It is very well written and not at all boring. I love how the story unfolds and flows like the colored freshnet rivers, lakes, and streams of the Northland Glacier. On the cover and throughout the book are wonderful illustrations by artist Frank Riccio. At the end of each chapter a knitted item is briefly mentioned with a website to purchase the individual patterns for each. The author, Cheryl Potter, creates a complete new world of extraordinary characters and creatures that come to life through the grand pictures she paints with the words within the pages of the book. The main characters are women who each have their own complex backgrounds. They all have their own flaws and strengths. Some I could relate to better than others, but they all play a necessary part in the saga that develops. The ending I had foreseen before it happened, but because of a cliff hanger it leaves you wanting more.

In my opinion, this book is worthy of being compared to classics like Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia or to more recent tiles like Harry Potter. I am excited to read the second book of the series now that I have read the first, cover to cover. I would also love it if this series gets a large following and becomes epic movie trilogy as well. It is a very good read that both knitters and fantasy readers will love. You do not have to be a knitter to enjoy this book.

The Broken Circle: Knitting Patterns inspired by Book One of the Potluck Yarn Trilogy, is a companion book of featured patterns to knit that are mentioned in the chapter book. These patterns are similar to ones that the characters wear in the story, There are patterns for a: cowl, cloak, hat, socks, scarf, mitts, etc. I might have to learn how to read patterns better just so that I can make some of the gorgeous things in this booklet. This booklet has very lovely full color photographs and charts to help with the making of the garments. It also has a wonderful map of The Middlelands in the front with the Introduction. For each pattern a paragraph or so from the chapter book and detailed description with skill level, size, finished measurements, materials, and gauge accompanies the pattern.

I just was a little disappointed that it says there are 21 total patterns when there are really only 20. It mentions the last pattern on the back of the cover, but says you need to sign up for the Potluck Yarn newsletter and participate in a Knit Along (KAL) in order to receive the last pattern and I am fairly certain once you do the pattern still costs extra. When I went digging on the Potluck Yarn website I found this description they give of the missing pattern, "The Fire and Ice Shawl is the transition piece between Companion Pattern Book One and Companion Pattern Book Two."

Freebie!
Download a free Book 1 Student Workbook to go along with the book. This is especially awesome for teachers and homeschoolers!

Be Social:
Fan Potluck Yarn on Facebook
Follow Knitting Witches on Twitter
Add to Ravelry

BUY IT
Purchase The Broken Circle: Yarns of The Knitting Witches (Potluck Yarn Trilogy, Book One) on Amazon for $15.99 and the Pattern Book for $16.99 (cheaper for Amazon Prime users).

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. There is also affiliate links in this post. Thank you for supporting my blog.

Snuggly Toes Review

Snuggly Toes are feet warmers made from all natural alpaca fibers that are first spun into yarn, knit into a "blanket," then felted into fabric. Each "blanket" is felted 3 times to make Snuggly Toes very durable. Just slide them into a boot, shoe or slipper and the alpaca fibers make a soft cushion under your feet, wick away moisture and keep the bottom of your feet nice and toasty warm. Alpaca fibers are naturally warmer than wool. Snuggly Toes are made in the USA at Springtime Farms right here in Oregon. They are also machine washable on cold and should be air dried. They are also free of dyes, pesticides and bleach.

My husband was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) last year. What that basically means is that his autonomic nervous system doesn't function properly and because of this he has problems standing for long periods of time and has to sit/lay down or he: has an abnormally large increase in heart rate (called tachycardia) and a decrease in cerebral blood flow which causes dizziness and trouble thinking. It is very hard for him to maintain homeostasis when changing position. He also gets extremely cold extremities because of the POTS so I decided my husband could benefit more from these than I, so I got a pair of size men's 12 for him to try out. His boots that he inserted them into are a size 13 wide and they fit wonderfully.

He told me that the Snuggly Toes kept the bottoms of his feet snug and toasty warm. He loved how perfect they fit in his boots and that they were comfortable to walk on. He said it was like walking on a thermal cloud. We did notice that some of the alpaca fiber got stuck to the bottom of his socks when ever he pulled his feet out of his boots but that was to be expected. We are very happy with Snuggly Toes and how well they worked.

Snuggly Toes are wonderful for people that generally have cold feet or need some extra thermal protection from brisk autumn air to cold winters. They are perfect to use in your boots or shoes out in the freezing snow or rain. They are also fabulous for use with a pair of slippers inside the home. Great for snow boots, hiking boots, wellies, tennis shoes, slippers, Crocs, etc. No more Jack Frost nipping at your toes :)

BUY IT
For $39.95 you can purchase a pair for women or men. For $14.95 you can get them in kids sizes. You can also find other products for purchase on the Snuggly Toes website like alpaca: pet beds, yarn, roving, fawn fiber, bedding, hats, magnets, and wreath and bird nest materials.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

I Love Yarn Day

I just learned that it is I Love Yarn Day today :) I wanted to share because of my love of yarn. I think it is one of the best craft mediums out there. There is so much you can make with yarn. You can use it to: crochet, knit, loom knit, tie quilts, make fiber art, and many other crafts. It is so versatile. I am teaching myself to loom knit and loving it! It is so much fun and so much easier in my opinion than needle knitting.

On the 24th of September I attended the the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival in Canby, Oregon. It was so much fun to see all the awesome trade show vendors, artists, demonstrations, and animals! They had all sorts of neat things to see and purchase including: yarn, wool, fiber, flannel, cashmere, fleece, mohair, angora, roving, hand beaded yarns, spinning wheels, spindles, knitting looms, crochet and knitting needles and tools, handmade knitted items, handmade crochet items, handmade needlepoint items, fiber arts, homespun works of art, hand felted items and needle felting supplies, woven items and weaving supplies, fiber dyes, mutton and lamb meat, goats/sheep milk soap, cheese, and other items; bolga baskets, woven lavender wands, related patterns, books and magazines; honey, hand and skin moisturizers, lambs, sheep, goats, alpacas, llamas, bunnies, etc.

My friend, Erin, from Connected2Christ blog went to the Flock and Fiber Fest the day after me, took some great pictures and shared on her blog. We wanted to meet at the festival but certain circumstances got in the way...maybe next year. Read her post here.

If you want to celebrate with me and show your love of yarn you can post banners or buttons on your blog or webpage from the Craft Yarn Council. My friend, Bethany Dailey, over at Gettin' It Pegged - Loom Knitter's Clique blog is also celebrating! I just received her awesome new book, Loom Knitting for Little People, in the mail on Tuesday and can't wait to make something from it!! Yay!

Toile Tales Review and Giveaway

Toile Tales is a wonderful shop on Etsy that I just adore. Toile means cloth in French. Toile Tales makes these absolutely fabulous crotched hats, headbands and flower clips. I fell in love with an assortment of their handmade creations. I was so very tempted to get myself a hat to review, but instead I got one for my daughter, Teela.

Teela loves hats of all sorts and I couldn't pass up this one because I knew it would look adorable on her. I picked out a Toile Tales Crocheted Darling beret brim beanie in cranberry with layered flower clip embellishment in size 2t for free to test and review. The colors are just so vibrant and the stitches are professionally done. Teela wanted to pose in her new hat right when she first saw it and she didn't want to take it off.

I love that the flower clip can be worn separately in the hair, on a headband, on another hat or even clipped to clothing. You can get these layered flower embellishments separately, 4 for $20 or one for $6 and they have all kinds of colors of yarn to pick from. You can also instead ask for a brooch pin instead of the alligator clip.

WIN IT:
Lori and Amy from Toile Tales has generously offered a $30 gift to their store for one of my readers to win.

Mandatory:
1. Go to the Toile Tales website and tell me by commenting on this post what you two items you really love at their shop.

Additional entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog by feedburner or by email and let me know which way. (2 extra entries each)

2. Fan/Like me on facebook and write something on my wall. (1 extra entry)

3. Blog about this giveaway on your blog and provide me with the link. Make sure you have the link to this post and Toile Tales in your blog entry or it won't count. (2 extra entries)

4. Grab My Button (see sidebar to the left) AND/OR Put My Blog URL in Your Blogroll - Leave Your Link. (1 extra entry)

5. Technorati my blog and let me know your link. (1 extra entry)

6. Fave me on Momfaves. (2 extra entries)

7. List this giveaway on any giveaway listing website or blog giveaway linky and tell me where you listed it. (2 extra entries)

8. Post this on your Facebook wall, Kirtsy, and/or StumbleUpon. (2 extra entries for each)

9. Comment on one of my regular (not giveaway) posts. (1 extra entry per post you comment on)

10. Follow me on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

11. Tweet this: @finamoon: @ToileTales WIN $30 for Toile Tales Etsy shop #giveaway http://bit.ly/bkBFXa (Daily Extras are Available)

12. Fan/Like Toile Tales on Facebook. (1 extra entry)

13. Follow Toile Tales on Twitter. (1 extra entry)

14. Heart Toile Tales shop on Etsy - must have an Etsy account (1 extra entry)

Make sure you leave me your email in all posts so that I can contact you. If you subscribed, blogged about this, listed it, commented on another post, or faved me on Momfaves leave 2 entries saying you did. This contest ends on Friday November 26, 2010 at midnight (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada). This Giveaway is open to all 18 years and over in the U.S. Only!!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Toile Tales for sending me a Crocheted Darling beret brim beanie in cranberry with layered flower clip embellishment in size 2t for free to test and review and for providing the giveaway. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.