small things

AndeeKF Fiber Arts and Photography {giveaway}


Today’s giveaway is from Andee, whom you might know from her blog, Match the Pictures.  She’s been a regular part of our Yarn Along here at Small Things for as long as I can remember.  I am very pleased to be sharing this space with her today!


“My name is Andee and I am a wife and a mother of two sons. I have a huge passion for the Fiber Arts. I have been knitting and making my own patterns for the past 15 years. I grew up on a farm with horses and I loved the lifestyle of living on a farm. About five years ago my parents no longer had any horses or ponies and they decided to fill their pastures up with alpacas. I was so excited when the first alpacas came to the farm. I couldn’t wait for the day when I would be able to start using their fiber to knit with.


Each Spring we shear the alpacas and send their fiber to a small fiber mill to have it processed. Some of the fiber is spun into yarn, some is processed into roving (which we spin ourselves) and the rest is turned into rug yarn. We have the fiber processed per alpaca or alpacas. Sometimes we blend similar alpacas’ fibers together so we can get more yarn in a certain color. All of the yarn is tagged with the alpaca’s names and sold in our farm store.


I have learned over the years that each time we get the fiber back from the fiber mill it varies in thickness. I wanted to design some patterns that would work well with the yarn from the small fiber mills as well as for handspun yarn. People who come to the farm are so excited to purchase yarn from our alpacas and always ask what they can make with it. This inspired me to create some knitting patterns that would work with varying weights of yarn.


I was also inspired to make knitting patterns after falling in love with some hand-painted yarns. I have found different Indie yarn dyers that make amazing skeins of yarn. I have found myself falling in love with the color of the yarn and couldn’t resist purchasing it. I enjoy designing patterns for these types of yarn.


I started publishing my patterns about a year ago and I have been overwhelmed with the support I have gotten from knitters, yarn companies and yarn store owners. I plan to keep designing patterns that work well for Indie yarn dyers, hand-spun yarns and fiber mill produced yarns. I do also enjoy working with commercial yarns, but my passion is for the specialty yarns.


Because I love yarn and knitting so much and I want to immerse myself in the fiber arts as much as possible I also work part time at Chelsea Yarns in Colts Neck, New Jersey. I help customers select yarn, I help them with their knitting projects and I offer lots of encouragement. It is the type of LYS where people come together to knit, appreciate yarn and a place where many customers make lifelong friendships. It is a wonderful environment and I’m very happy to be on the Chelsea Yarns team. I must admit one of my favorite parts of working there is getting to wear my hand knits!

3-AndeeAll of my patterns can be purchased online in my Ravelry Store. They can also be purchased in person at Arrow Acres Farm or Chelsea Yarns.

 

3-Andee1If you are in the Monmouth County, New Jersey area and want to meet me and the alpacas I will be at Arrow Acres Farm this weekend (Directions HERE). We are having an Open House for National Alpaca Farm Days September 27th & 28th. It is an educational weekend for the public to come and meet our alpacas and learn all about alpacas and the fiber arts. I will have samples of all my patterns on display as well as the patterns available for sale.”

For the giveaway I am offering a copy of my Outlander & Standing Stones E-Book which contains both my Standing Stones pattern and Outlander pattern.  To the same winner I am offering three skeins of Shibui Baby Alpaca yarn in the colorway Mineral, which will knit up wonderfully as an Outlander Cowl or a Standing Stones Cowl.  In addition, I am giving 10% off my knitting patterns on Ravelry until October 5th at midnight EST using the code “SMALLTHINGS”.

For your chance to win, leave a comment on this post. 

***Comments are closed and the winner is Amber who commented, “Ahhh!! I love alpaca fiber! Pick me! Pick me! ;)”

Thanks, Andee!

 

knitting patterns

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Oh my goodness, what beautiful yarn and patterns! I have never knit with alpaca, and would love to give it a shot!

  6. Their yarn looks so soft and wonderful. Fingers are crossed I win, I would love to knit up a new cowl!

  9. Your patterns are beautiful and I wish I can feel the softness of your yarns! Wish I live close enough to be able to visit your farm! All the best with your open house.

  12. Wow! What an incredible giveaway. I have recently learned to knit and would love to win. Thanks for the chance!

  16. I dream of having alpacas some day. Thank you for a lovely post! I’m so encouraged to start knitting again now that the weather is getting cooler.

  18. As a relatively new knitter, I have been admiring your patterns. I was a little timid about attempting something more complicated than a dishcloth, but joined a knitting group filled with accomplished knitters. I would have lots of help completing one of these beautiful projects!

  19. What a beautiful post. I just love the patterns and have found them already on Ravelry. Just gorgeous!! And the yarn looks incredible. And Andee, you just shine in those photos!! xoxo Silke

  22. I just started following Match the Pictures a month ago! It would be uber exciting to win this giveaway, you create such beautiful designs.

  23. My son and I have a dream to own an alpaca farm. He would tend the farm (he LOVES alpacas!) And I would spin/dye the yarn. Sounds like you’re living our dream! 🙂 I could never design beautiful patterns like you have though. Thank you for the opportunity, the yarn and patterns are gorgeous!!!! 🙂

  25. Ooooo, it would feel like Christmas if I won! This is such a wonderful giveaway. I love the colour of the yarn… it makes me want to bury my hands and face in it!

  26. Those are lovely, lovely patterns. I am very impressed. Would love a chance to win the pattern and try my hand at knitting with alpaca. Thanks.

  34. Thank you Ginny for another swatch of knitting beauty. Adding Andee to my knitting Feedly right now. Currently knitting a shawl in Rowan Alpaca and would love to win a little more alpaca yarn for my stash. Fingers crossed!

  36. Gorgeous pattern and yarn! Thanks for the giveaway. Hope it’s international but even if it’s not I’m happy to discover Andee and her blog!

  44. I have just picked up my needles again and need some new patterns and wool so this would be perfect to win!

  47. So excited to see you in this space, Andee! I was just visiting the new cria on your blog a bit earlier ~ you’re everywhere these days 🙂

    I’m so glad your patterns are doing so well & I would love to win that Shibui yarn even though I’m lucky enough to already have your patterns!

    Well done, miss!
    Melissa

  50. I have been waiting for Outlander patterns to start appearing . Yours are beautiful and I’d love to win!