Foster Care to Success' Red Scarf Project

November Newsletter: A FREE Pattern & KAL

Red Scarf Project

Foster Care to Success (FC2S) is the oldest and largest nonprofit organization working solely with college bound foster youth.  For over 30 years through scholarships and support they have helped these students navigate the tricky waters of academia, achieve fiscal responsibility, determine career goals & create friendships.  Little things make a big difference in the life of a college student, and sometimes they make ALL the difference.  This holiday season please join me in supporting these college students by knitting a Red Scarf for FC2S's Red Scarf Project.
 

On Valentine's Day FC2S sends these handknit Scarves in care packages, the scarves become treasured keepsakes that students wear for years. The Red Scarf Project offers a unique opportunity to use your creativity to give a truly personal gift to one student as they move forward to graduation.
 

Your Red Scarf can be knit in any pattern and in any weight yarn so to support this charitable cause I have written a Free Scarf Pattern: the "Teach a Friend to Knit Scarf" and am offering 40% off all my red yarn! 

Cascade Eco+ - Valentine
Cascade Lana D'Oro Paints - Red Mix
Karabella Boise - Mauve #64
Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock - Robot Overlord
Lorna's Laces Honor - Ysolda Red or Robot Overlord
Lorna's Laces Bullfrogs & Butterflies - Poppy
Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light - Wilted Rose
Malabrigo Merino Worsted - American Beauty, Amoroso, Ravelry Red and Vermillion
Sandrasingh 1 Ply Merino Worsted - Love Potion #5, Burgundy, Love Potion #2, Wedding Dress, Love Potion #6.9, Firebird, La Boheme and Lip Rouge
Serendipitous Ewe Fate Fingering - Autumn Glow
 

RED SCARF PROJECT GUIDELINES

Size: approximately 60” long x 5” to 8” wide. Scarves should be long enough to be wrapped around the neck, with tails long enough to be tied in the front.
Style: Think unisex collegiate, fringes are optional. Your scarf should drape, tie easily and be soft.
Color: Red! However, this could mean burgundy, cherry, russet, red stripes with other colors, or multicolor hues including red.
Finished & tagged: Yarn ends should be securely sewn in. For a personal touch, attach a tag saying “Handmade for You” with your first name, city, and group affiliation Sandrasingh.com. Donors have also included washing instructions, messages of encouragement, gift cards, and more.

Mail to: Foster Care to Success, Red Scarf Project
21351 Gentry Drive Suite 130 
Sterling, VA 20166

NOTE: Scarves are accepted up to December 15th.
 

I've started a Red Scarf Project KAL in my Ravelry group, Sandrasingh.com and would love for you to join us.

It's Officially "Sweater Weather!" 2 New Designs by Laura Aylor

2 Great Designs for Fall

Clean lines, classic looks these are the hallmarks of a Laura Aylor design and her two new pullover designs are true to form.  Both are enjoyable to knit and comfortable and stylish to wear.  

 

Halifax

Constructed from the top down with set-in sleeves knit simultaneously with the body.

Avenue

A fitted, seamless, ¾ sleeved pullover also knit from the top down with set-in sleeves.

Both patterns are available for immediate download after purchase.  Visit Laura Ayor to see all of her designs.

Win an Ambah O'Brien Pattern or Kit!

We have our 3 Winners!  Drum roll please...

1st Place - Roxanne Steven aka Roxy64 on Rav, please email me at Sandrasingh@sandrasingh.com with your address and what color Flat Feet you want!

2nd Place - Pagecsa please email me at Sandrasingh@sandrasingh.com and I'll send you the Mirri Collection.

3rd Place - Debbie of the Arctic Knits blog please email me at Sandrasingh@sandrasingh.com and let me know which Ambah O'Brien pattern you want.

Congratulations to all three of you!  And thank you to everyone who entered.

In July I had the honor of introducing you to the talented, international knitwear designer Ambah O’Brien and I was very excited to be able to share with you her fresh takes on classic designs. O’Brien weaves simplicity with beauty to create original patterns that show off your handiwork and the depth of color of the fine yarns you knit them in. 

Today I’m even more pleased to show off O'Brien's latest design and to offer you this Giveaway! We have teamed up to bring 3 lucky winners these gorgeous prizes! 

1st Place - Magine and 1 skein Conjoined Creations Flat Feet (winner selects colorway) 
2nd Pace – the Mirri Collection: Hat, Cowl & Fingerless Mitts set eBook
3rd Place – Pattern of the Winner's Choice, other than the Mirri Collection 

Magine

One skein of Conjoined Creations' Flat Feet is all you need to knit beautiful Magine and the winner gets to select which colorway they want.   Magine is a triangle shaped shawl featuring a lacy eyelet edging with the main body in garter stitch. The lace edging can be blocked into large diamond points as shown or as scallops. The simple, elegant structure of this shawl is perfect for showing off a lovely hand dyed yarn such as Flat Feet.  Choose between the large or small version.  

Flat Feet Singing the Blues

Conjoined Creations' Flat Feet sock yarn is a new concept in knitting!  There are no skeins, no balls, no tangles and its portable!  You simply unravel as you knit.  Its not recommended to wind Flat Feet into a ball, knit it as its presented into your garment.  Its creative, fun and easy. 

Because each flat is hand painted no other pair will match the flats, and your finished garment will be one-of-a-kind.  The unique color pattern develops as the flat is knit.  It is literally a color transformation at the needle tip.  Depending on the pattern you use, the colors may yield diagonal, slight striping or even a bold color.  Uniquely, the colors in the flat will not disclose the final result; it only indicates the colors that will be found within your project.

Flat Feet is crafted of 80% Superwash Merino & 20% Nylon and can be machine washed.

Flat Feet Lively Pinks

Mirri

The latest of O'Brien's designs and just in time for the holiday gift knitting season the simple yet striking Mirri - a hat, cowl and fingerless mitts set perfect for an adventurous beginner or the more experienced knitter looking for a fast fun knit.  The 2nd place winner gets the eBook with all three designs.  

Meet Ambah O’Brien: I have been privileged to be exposed to Craft and Fashion most of my life.  As a young girl, I crafted alongside my Textile Designer Mother, which grew into a lifelong passion for Modern and Vintage Fashion. Amongst many Artistic influences, I have been lucky enough to spend time working with Australian Aboriginal Artists.

I have spent the fifteen years working as a Body Artist, where Fashion, Craft, Performance and Make Up combine into an exciting art form.

In knitting I have found a craft that resonates deeply within me. My knitting designs come from a practical need - wanting to create particular items for myself and others and are influenced by everything around me; fashion, nature, a beautiful yarn, favorite artworks.  Knitting satisfies my artistic and creative needs on many levels. I love the exciting process of creating things with purpose that can be knit from yarn with many subtle and rich variations.

I live in a regional town in Australia, with a vibrant artistic community, with my architect partner and our beautiful son.

Please take a moment and enjoy all of Ambah O’Briens Designs.

Elinya

Elinya is a large, cozy, striped shawl knit in two contrasting colorways of Madetosh Tosh Merino Light. Squishy garter stitch makes this a snugly winter accessory, and the decorative picot border along the curved edge gives it a delicate flair.

Maroo

Keep your hands cozy yet stylish with these cute hand warmers. Featuring a simple scalloped design, these are perfect for a first stranded colorwork project and knit in a fingering weight yarn. These mitts knit up in no time, making them ideal for a quick gift. Knit in the round - minimal purling (for the rib section) and no seaming required.  Choose between Lady’s S/M and M/L, wrist size and 2 forearm lengths. 

Petarli

Petarli is a lovely knit necklace featuring a leafy design within an intricate lace pattern and with one skein of Madetosh Tosh Merino Light you can knit several of them.

Enter this Giveaway: The more ways you enter, the more chances you have to win. Make sure to leave a comment(s) under this blog post telling what you did to enter. And please make sure to leave your name and check this blog, Facebook, Twitter and my Ravelry group on Nov. 8th to see if you have won.

The 3 Winners will be announced Friday November 8th.  

1. Take a look at Ambah O’Brien’s pattern collection and tell us which is your favorite and why. 

2. Blog about this giveaway on your blog & link it, leave a comment under this blogpost with a link back to your blogpost.
3. Join my Ravelry group, Sandrasingh.com and introduce yourself in the "Welcome tell us about yourself..." thread.
4. Announce this giveaway in your Ravelry group, or in a Ravelry group that allows you to announce blog giveaways.
5. Friend me a Facebook: Sandra Singh and write a comment on my Wall about this giveaway.
6. Announce & link this giveaway on your Facebook Wall.
7. "Like" my Facebook Page, Sandrasingh.com
8. Follow me on Twitter: Sandrasinghcom
9. Announce this giveaway with a link on your Twitter page.
10. Follow this blog.
11. Sign up for my Newsletter on my Home Page.
12. Pin and link your favorite Ambah O'Brien pattern on your Pinerest page.

the Mirri Collection by Ambah O'Brien

Mirri is an Australian Aboriginal word meaning stars. Scores of eyelets dot the fabric like twinkling stars in the night sky on Ambah O'Brien's simple yet striking designs the Mirri hat, cowl and fingerless mitts.  All 3 are knit in a Fingering Weight Yarn, check out my Sales!  Individually or together, they are perfect for an adventurous beginner or the more experienced knitter looking for a fast fun knit. A great choice for quick gifts or to complement your own wardrobe.
Love O'Brien's designs, see them all: Ambah O'Brien!

I love the way O'Brien has knit each piece in a different, yet complimentary colorway.  Have fun and play with color! 

Put some Suspense & Mystery into your Knitting with Hitch!

Alfred Hitchcock is the world’s recognized master in the art of cinematic suspense. His films, particularly those from the 1940s–60s, offered a signature blend of mystery, glamor, and wry humor that movie-makers have been mimicking ever since. If Hitchcock can inspire the film industry, then why not knitters as well?

 

In this dramatic collection, Hitch, knitwear designers hailing from seven different countries have taken inspiration from Hitchcock’s films to create 29 beautiful, one-of-a-kind garments for you to knit. Whether you are planning a train ride to Mount Rushmore, a shopping excursion to a Bodega Bay bird shop, or simply a night peering out your rear window, this collection will keep you in the proper, stunning wardrobe for your Hitchcock adventures.

Not sure about your neck of the woods but here in NY it is officially "sweater weather!" And Laura Aylor's new playfully striped Halifax is perfect, the perfect knit and very flattering to wear. 

Halifx is constructed from the top down with set-in sleeves knit simultaneously with the body. Pattern includes step-by-step instructions including diagrams to help with the tricky bits. Short rows are used for the shoulder slopes but not for the sleeve caps. Modeled sweater is worn with 2” of positive ease.

 

But it now and get started tonight, Halifax is an instant PDF download.

Love Laura Aylor's classic, clean lined designs?  Visit he Collections to see all of them!

Sivia Harding's Traveler

This beautiful cowl & fingerless mittens set will set you apart this Winter. 

Doubled heavy lace weight yarn means not only extra softness, drape, and warmth, but the opportunity to gradiate yarn colors in a very subtle manner. Harding's new cowl and fingerless mitts set Traveler combines lace, beads, and gradient colorwork within a long, fitted cowl that can also serve as a wimple. Cowl is in three sizes & matching cuffs are in two sizes.

Adore Harding's design aesthetic?  Visit all her Collections.