Archive for the ‘Competitions and Giveaways’ Category

Very soon, we will be installing a Gallery page on our American Yarns website to showcase the wonderful talents of my customers.  If you have bought some yarn from me – either instore or online – you will be invited to share pics of your work.  Every month, new projects will be posted and members invited to vote for their favourite.  The winner will receive a 10% discount coupon for redemption at American Yarns.

So to get the ball rolling, I thought you might like to see what some of you have been up to!

The beginnings of a crochet shawl in Noro Silk Garden Lite - colour 211 - pattern featured in Wrapped in Crochet by Kristin Omdahl

This is the start of a shawl in noro Silk Garden Lite colour 2011.  It never ceases to amaze me how well Noro crochets!  The long, slow colour changes are just beautiful.

Crochet Shawl in Noro Silk Garden - pattern from Wrapped in Crochet - Kristin Omdahl

Here’s another crocheted shawl completed by the sister of the lady doing the shawl above – again in Noro Silk Garden Lite – just beautiful!

Stay tuned for the launch of our gallery page – coming soon!

Hi All,

Heard on the radio this afternoon, that National Alpaca Week starts on Sunday the 1st of May.  I was going up the Sunshine Coast to pick up my kids from Grandma’s so we decided to stop in to see a farm on our way home.  We went to Sunline Alpacas at Palmwoods, near Nambour on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.  They breed Huacaya alpacas.  The hosts – Jill and Jeff had a nice display of Alpaca products and a Mum and baby (cria) in a pen for us to get close to.  Jeff also brought in some alpacas from a nearby paddock.  Sunline predominantly breeds white but also gets colours from time to time, ranging from fawn through to chocolate and black.  The alpacas all have different personalities and there was one baby there who was quite the talker!  So cute!  It was really interesting to learn more about them and of course while there, I couldn’t resist buying some fleece – a lovely caramel colour – $30 for a kilo. A nice big bag for me to clean, card and spin!

Did You Know….?

• Alpacas are part of the camelid family (think camels and llamas)
• Alpacas go to the toilet in one spot (very considerate!)
• There are two kinds – Huacaya (pronounced wa-cay-a) and Suri
• Alpacas are herd animals and can be kept as pets but must have another alpaca to hang out with

To commemorate National Alpaca Week, we are offering 10% off all alpaca yarns or alpaca blends in-store.  The following yarns are discounted:

Plymouth Yarn – Baby Alpaca DK

Plymouth Yarn – Baby Alpaca Lace

Plymouth Yarn – Alpaca/merino/silk

You will need the discount code – alpaca10 – to use during checkout

Alpaca yarn is very warm and light – perfect for sweaters, hats, scarves and gloves.

PLUS!  we are also offering a fab competition!

I am really into spinning at the moment and just happen to have some lovely alpaca fleece, carded and ready to spin.  I will spin some into an 8 or 10 ply yarn, 100g skein – ready for you to knit or crochet into something warm and toasty – a hat or scarf perhaps?

To be in the draw to win, simply purchase one of our discounted yarns during alpaca week to receive one entry in the draw.  The winner will be drawn on the 9th May, 2010 and notified by e-mail.

Good luck and have fun – don’t forget to check out the website for the alpaca association (see above) – and go and visit an alpaca farm if you have the chance.

FREE to the first person who places an order on my website over $30, receives my first handspun merino – a gorgeous rich red-pink.  Has been washed, dried and skeined – measures 120 metres.

Hot Pink Handspun - merino wool - hand-dyed - 120m

It is a single ply, spun on my Schacht Matchless wheel.  About an 8-10 ply thickness – perfect for a hat, gloves/mittens or scarf.  Enjoy! 

Gabrielle

Congrats Rachel, from Brisbane – my copy of Crochet World is on its way to you.

Happy Hooking!

Good morning readers!

I have one copy of “Crochet World” to give away to the first reader who e-mails me with the answer to this question:

Which of my yarn brands has the colour called ‘Painted Desert’?

Please write to:  info@americanyarns.com.au with your answer and postal address to win.

Happy Stitching!

Gabrielle

Congrats to Stacey from Victoria who has won a year’s subscription to Interweave Knits or Interweave Crochet.  Stacey will receive 6 issues, valued at AUD$70.

Our December Giveaway was a big success!  Look out for other giveaways and prizes happening throughout 2010.

Me – American Yarns  – is sponsoring the January giveaway run by Salihan Crafts.

Answer a couple of questions by clicking on the link at the top right of her blog  to be in the running to win a $20 gift voucher from www.americanyarns.com.au

Good Luck!