I still get a thrill getting packages in the mail, and my most recent delivery was no exception. 50 Sunflowers to Knit, Crochet and Felt by one of my knitting heros, Kristin Nicholas. In my opinion Kristin was responsible for bringing knitting out of the dark ages when she was the creative director of Classic Elite Yarns. She introduced new fashion forward colors –her hot pink was sensational– her work was (and is) lively and ethic-textile-influenced. Her styling for advertisements was fantastic…she used supermodels like Gail Eliott and Indian inspired clothing…and she never has never stopped creating influential exciting work!
Kristin’s new book is just what we all need right now, whether you are living where it is full blown Spring and especially if you are in an area like mine, here in Maine, where spring is reluctant to arrive. 50 Sunflowers to Knit, Crochet and Felt will not disappoint! In fact I just had to sit right down and knit one. I chose a funny little one called Cherry Twizzler (#7). I followed the directions, but being me I didn’t follow the yarn suggestions, I used Quince & Co Chickadee in Glacier and Snap Pea. For needles I used a US3 (3.25mm). Is it not a darling Dr. Seuss Happy Whoville flower? Clear directions, easy to follow, the result – totally satisfying and joy producing. Really, instant pleasure does not come much more easily. It makes me smile just thinking about this little flower….and the book is not just sunflowers, there are bugs! Ladybugs and Bees (which I would probably knit in black for ants) and butterflies. Birds too!
You can order 50 Sunflowers to Knit, Crochet and Felt at Kristin’s website. You’ll want to read her blog while you’re there Getting Stitched on the Farm which details the life of an artist on a sheep farm…sigh….
But guess what? You were all so fantastic with your stories of apples and mom & daughter knitting and your thoughts on gingham and chickens during Gudrun’s Knit With Me soiree, that I’m going to do it again!!!! You’ve got a chance to win a copy of the book, right here right now!!!!
Leave a comment about spring or bugs or sheep or how Kristin has inspired you. Comments will be open until Sunday March 24, 2013 until midnight!
I’ll read each and every one of your entertaining comments and randomly choose the lucky winner!
Next week I’ll contact the winner and get your mailing address.
These are so cute! I’ve knit hats, socks, scarves, etc, etc, but never a flower, let alone a bug. They look like so much fun and I’ve got grandkids who would really enjoy a hand-knit bug.
Thanks for the give-away.
The book looks great!
I usually knit socks and mittens.
Thanks for the giveaway!
I am so glad it’s spring finally! Oregon winters are so gloomy and grey, I just get to craving the sun. I tried to grow sunflowers last summer, but my garden faces northeast and just doesn’t get enough sun. This year I’m going to look for shade-tolerant things to grow in my garden and content myself with knitted sunflowers, if I win the book, guess I might have to buy a copy otherwise :^)
Here in Quebec, spring is a miracle! After months and months of looking at life in black and white (a lot of white) it marks the return of colours!!! So, Kristen’s book would fit this mood perfectly!
I’m slowly going stir crazy waiting for the snow to melt, for the birds to return and for the leaves to grow back!
Help me!!! 😉
I am in the search mode for flowers to craft for my wedding next year and our new home. I have all kinds of craft art installation ideas made from mixed media such as crochet, knit, quilting and painting. Nature patterns like in this book would be so perfect for additions to my Spring themed yellow kitchen concept with birds above the cupboards, flower granny square curtains with little bugs here and there. I could go on and in with my ideas and how this book would be used! Thanks for the giveaway!
I love to knit and crochet all sorts of things. From clothing to toys, I’ve done a lot. A few years ago I learned how to crochet tiny butterflies and was always frustrated that I couldn’t find patterns for pretty flowers, large flowers. So this book would be perfect!
Thank you for the giveaway 🙂
Watching new lambs on Kristin’s blog and reading about real life farming during mud season makes the end of winter bearable! Thank you for the opportunity of winning the latest of Kristin’s books!
I eagerly read my favorite blogs every day looking for pics of new lambs…I was once upon a time an animal science major and had the joy of watching the birth of many lambs. These blogs remind me of those college days and what fun we had in the barns through the night. Now I have less contact with the sheep themselves, but I still love to make neat things with their wool 😉
I love sunflowers! My wedding shawl was inspired by sunflowers, as well as the wedding colors (I crocheted sunflower-yellow-colored shawls for my 4 bridesmaids too!). Sunflowers were my sister’s favorite flowers, and since she passed away 4 years ago, they are always a bright cheery reminder of her.
Dear Ktistin, I lover seeing you and reading what you have to say, thanks.
I have lots of projects in mind for all these sweet little designs! 🙂
Oh, I do long for spring! And on the 24th it’s my daughters birthday.
Last year I took a class at Kristin’s house and we knit prototypes for this book! And she served us an amazing lunch, we walked around her farm with dogs and sheep and kittens! What an amazing day!
There are long projects, there are small projects. I crochet a small flower one or two or three times a month, then I keep it in a special case for a special gift package. A ribbon, a small bag and a nice crochet flower.
i LOVE Kristin’s work! i pull out my collection of her books just to dive in and swim around in the lush bath of colour on dreary, neverending winter days.
You are so right about Kristin’s influence on knitting! She’s one of my heroes too! Looking at this post made me think about crafting the flowers for my daughter’s wedding (we’ve just begun to plan). Would love to win this deeeeelightful book.
I love that Kristin combines many types of stitchery (embroidery, crochet) with her primary method — knitting …. and the colors ……
I love flowers and I love knitting them, too. Fast and fun to knit and satisfying. I once knit a flower to add to a vest for my granddaughter, because the vest was looking too ‘blah,’ and that was just the touch it needed. Kristin’s book looks like a cornucopia of flowers and bugs! What child (or child in us) could resist that combination?
I love flowers and sheep, spring time brings both together. I am so inspired by Kristin’s knitting and sheep stories. A book on sunflowers would be wonderful, I hope you pick my name!
I’ve been a fan and knitting Kristin’s designs for as long as she had been designing! I love the ethnic motifs incorporated into her sweaters and then flowers embroidered on top…..wonderful! Her new book will be so much fun!
Been reading Kirstin’s blog for its beautiful photography and inspirational color – the sheep’s photos, the colorful house, the yarny goodness are all super. Had to read it to find out about a sculpture installation (sheep) in NYC!
Her sheep photos just cheer me up, even in the snow they are just so cute! I really love all of Kristin’s patterns and colorwork.
I live in North Idaho, a beautiful place but gray in the winter months. Spring brings rain and clouds but now the sun sneaks out. Yesterday in the space of an hour we had sun, hail, sun, snow and sun. Crazy weather! The flowers, bugs and birds in this book might just fill in the gray spaces until the sun pops out and stays for a while. Happy spring everyone.
Kristin has inspired me to be braver in my use of color. I’ve learned so much from her about seeing color in nature and translating it into my work with fabric and my surroundings. Thanks for the giveaway.
I’ve already a copy of Kristin’s book for myself, but if I win, I’d gift the copy to my sister. Thank you Mary Jane!
I love all of Kristin’s work and books and her blog especially. I don’t have a comment about bugs. I can wait for them, but I can’t wait for the bird banding season to begin. Every morning I hear more and more birds!
Two of my favorites together …. sunflowers and Kristin Nicholas. I love Kristen’s work and already have a couple of her books (plus a very nice stash of her yarn)!
I have made lots of patterns from Kristin and love wearing them. I have also made some felted flowers from her pattern and have pinned them to my winter coat……just to remind me of spring. We still have lots of snow here in Ontario…..but the birds are singing. Go Spring! Thank you for the giveaway.
Thank you for the give-away! Kristin’s felted knit flower patterns were a great inspiration to me this past holiday season when I was struggling to come up with an idea for handmade Christmas gifts, a tradition I started years ago and hate to give up. I was able to use scraps of yarn I already had on hand, and my family loved the results, especially since it was like getting a flower garden in the mail in the middle of a snowy northern Michigan winter.
I have knit and loved so many of Kristen’s patterns! I love her sheepy blog and can’t wait to see more of her flower patterns!
Kristin Knits was the first knitting book I bought. I never get tired of her amazing color combinations!
The birds are chirping in the camillia bush as the sun is rising. That’s Spring to me. So nice to wake up too.
As I drive to town I am beginning to see little lambs appear like white spots on the hill. So cheerful and full of hope.
Thanks for hosting the giveaway. It was an opportunity to discover your blog.
Love the colors spun in sunflowers, they are so lifelike. I’m a beginner crocheter and knitting my first sweater – would love to venture into making flowers for pillows! What awsome designs.
I love her blog, her farm stories are interesting and she keeps it real…… I have several of her patterns and they are all so will written and create great projects.
thanks for the give away
Kristin has inspired me, since she was at Classic Elite Yarns. Her booklets from the ’80’s with projects for gloves, mittens, hats and so on in all sorts of colors and patterns gave me the confidence to play with color. I continue to be inspired by her work.
Thanks for the giveaway and the kind words about Kristin’s new book!
Robin
I have one of Kristin’s first books which I have loved using. They are worth the price just to look at!!
Enjoy her blog so much. I love sheep and farm life and it’s so interesting to share the events of their daily life. Look forward each week to all she has to say and imagine how hard they work. Farm life is not easy and she does so much more than that.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Ruby
Kristin inspires me every day with her wonderful use of color. I absolutely love her home, which I’ve only seen in photos online. I hope some day I can meet her in person. She really is like an online mentor.
I just found Kristin’s work a few days ago and I LOVE it! We are trying to be springy here in Tennessee, but…. oh well, we are close, but not quite there.
Seeing bright colors is good for my soul.
blessings,
pam
I love Kristin’s flowers and cannot wait to see this book. Last year i made a garland of her zinnia pattern to hang in my garden.LOVED IT! margaret
I saw photos of the inside of her house once and I was blown away by the bravery of color and how she treated the walls as a canvas.
Kristin colour work has no rival; she is so bold and courageous in her choices. Her work on TV in Knit and Crochet Now and on her blog is inspiring. I’ve even used her patterns to accessorize finished work. Her new book looks very intriguing.
I’ve been reading Kristen’s blog for about a year now and what keeps me coming back are the farm posts. I work on a farm myself so I really enjoy reading about her sheep, her family, and all the hard work that is involved running a farm like hers. Thanks for hosting this!
Love the flowers in the book and all nature inspired crafts.
perfect little designs for decorating my new grand daughter’s knit clothing! (oh and hiding my mistakes on same)
Nothing says spring to me like daffodils. Mine are just starting to pop up, but right now, everything’s covered with snow. A vase of knitted sunflowers might cheer me up until the daffodils bloom. Aren’t Kristin’s designs great? Love her blog,too.
I’m very happy to look at pictures of other people’s sheep, and am very glad that other people are willing to keep them!
Kristin has such a wonderful color sense. Her designs are so inspiring. I love her website, especially all the sheep pictures.
Love Kristin’s use of color in everything she puts her hand to. I always want to knit everything she does. Of course that doesn’t happen but the inspiration is there. After following her blog and seeing the “farm” in mud season, it is no wonder her designs pop with color, fun and a sense of whimsy. Thank you for the chance to win a copy of her new book.
I LOVE Kristin’s blog – everything about it. I love reading about life on the farm (because I live in the very heart of the city?) and her sheep. I love her designs. I love her use of color. I need a copy of Kristin Knits.
The only sad about this is that it took me too long to find her and her blog and her color!
I read Kristin’s blog avidly – as a native Mainer I’m not at all put off by the mud or snow 🙂 What really inspires me, though, is her wonderful color sense. I wish I was brave enough to color my house like hers, but I’ll have to settle for lovely yarn colors! And, having just gotten another foot of snow in Maine, I’m ready to make some colorful flowers using her patterns!
I took a one day workshop with Kristin in August where she previewed some of the designs in this book…and I’ve been waiting for it to come out….if anyone gets a chance to take one of her workshops, so worth it!!!! The day was such a fun day! Her house is a feast for the senses…inspiring! I made a GIANT crochet sunflower and the start on a knit one…I would love to win the book!
Spring is not here so much snow…. However… Nothing inspires me more thane ones who say I am bold big over the top beautiful. I always need that push.
I follow Kristin’s blog and am always inspired by her color sense. I’m pretty conservative in my color sense, so to,step outside my box, I’m trying to use color more effectively and pair colors I never would before.
Plus, the lambies on her farm are so sweet!
I follow Kristin’s blog and love her photos of the sheep and snow. The book looks such fun!
lindame dot rumsey at gmail dot com
I love how Kristin uses colors. I also love the pictures she posts about the farm. They are beautiful.
I need something bright and cheerful…expecting anything from 2-8″ from tomorrow morning through Monday. Sigh.
I truly enjoy exploring Kristin’s many wonderful uses of color!! I follow her blog and have taken her books out from the library. How fun to have a book about flowers and bugs!
I am thinking about how lovely all those sweet little projects will look tucked into the plants I have throughout my home. I have a family daycare home & try to create a somewhat magical atmosphere for the children. I want to support their innate sense of wonder (and my own too, lol). And, OK, I confess, the thought of using up odds & ends from my stash did cross my mind (it’s not all about magic & wonder, lol).
I am inspired by Kristin’s knitting (deeply envious of her skill level) and her wonderful, colorful, inviting home. Want to knit that darling bird.
Kristin’s lively use of color always inspires me. The vision of sunny sunflowers is just what I need this week- the temps have been below zero in South Dakota.
Kristin’s designs are always so inspiring. I have an old sofa that needs some back cushions (muted floral fabric) repaired in a few isolated areas and I’m itching to try some of the flowers to patch these worn spots. Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy.
Thank you so much for having this contest. Kristin’s color work is fantastic as is her web site with the lambs. We are in winter again this weekend, so I am going to curl up and knit, and spin and read Kristin’s other book that my daughter gave me as a gift. This small flowers and animals are just the thing I need to get out of a rut.
~ Merci, for the colorful offer ~
I have several of Kristin’s books I use in my tween-ager knitting classes & for myself ! We’ve enjoyed her colorwork for years in hats, mittens,socks & more !! ….. the KristinGloves, wow.
~ I am most inspired by Kristin’s home design with painting of furniture and walls and the great patterns on her textiles, pillows & fabrics. I loVed what I saw in the Houzz Feature ! Peacocks and floral patterns ~ yum. perfect.
I have always liked sunflowers and plant a variety of all the beautiful colors and types. A year after my cancer surgeries I planted a rather large sunflower house in the garden of more than eight different kinds with a morning glory entryway growing all over lilac branches. It was a great SUN house ! My Cat Chubby, a tabby girl, loVes reading about the farm animals, the sheep, BIG dogs, Eeyore, hens and of course the farm kitties. Chubby, also known as Joufflu,(Chubby in French) would like to be pen-pals with Ziggy, Sebastian, or Delilah, if they have a moment to correspond. Chubby would like to have a knitted robin sitting on a branch in a clay pot by her rose food dish.
AS well, I am thrilled that Kristin has moveable wallpaper of her beautiful artwork. Isn’t that the most amazing technique ?
… can’t wait to purchase your Fair Isle book too. ~
Best,
Shell ~
Color! Love Kristin’s colors and how she inspires the use of color. Spring is reluctant to come, and her new book just helps it along and brightens the snowy day. Thanks for the chance to win a copy! 🙂
I have always loved Kristen Nicholas’ work, her color expertise has greatly inspired me. I have really enjoyed her other books as well. Thanks for the opportunity!
I love spring – dafs, tulips, crocuses, flowering trees. This is my first spring in the AZ desert. And to my surprise there are spring flowers here too! One has to look a little harder for them, and the display is not so grand, but I appreciate it all the more for it.
This Thursday morning about 7 my best friend and I went hiking as usual on the mountain with our four dogs. We commented on how cross country ski season was at an end, the roads were a mixture of ice and dirt, and signs of spring were everywhere. With optimism we planned our new hiking adventures for spring and summer. Within three hours we were in the midst of a blizzard and it has been snowing for three days. My friend texted me later that morning and said we were never allowed to forecast the weather again.
Hi everyone, Happy Spring it’s official despite that NE PA Rodent, a know consistent liar! So here is the thing regarding Kristin, I love that her bold vibrant use of color forces me out of my bland neutral palate yarn(knitter version of “builder beige” paint). I knit fingerless mitts per request of a charity, using some of Kristin’s color choices and patterns, yes legal! I am now ready for the vibrant colors of spring. Bye bye, boring winter, bring on the color!
jerseygirl!
There are green bee-like bugs that hibernate in the ground of my garden and then sleep on the flowers during the summer. I am mesmerized by them. I know it’s really spring when they emerge.
Kristin consistently inspires me with her infectious ‘joie de vivre’ of color!
I have always been so inspired by Kristin’s designs and use of lively colors, especially in ‘Color’ which I had the pleasure of getting her sign, in St. Paul about 6 years ago. Love the Julia yarn — after all, the name is so great ;>}. I’m making the tea cozy now . . . Thanks for the giveaway – hope I win the new book!
Being in San Diego, I am often stunned at the weather photos on Kristin’s blog.
It is a pleasure to have this window into her life.
I have been lusting over her book since she started talking about it!
Nancy
Sunflowers are such a joy to see in the summer time. Have to get to them before the birds. I would be very happy to win a copy of the book
I LOVE sunflowers! I plant them every year, even though the squirrels manage to beat me to the seeds every time… Maybe they’ll leave these ones alone! Or maybe these ones could be like decoys… hmmm… I think I NEED this book!
Lesa
Last week I knit my first sunflower from another set of Kristin’s patterns. It was fun and much easier than I thought. I’m waiting to make another one before I felt them. Judy
I knit but very little but would love to knit more and I love her website but when a book about sunflowers comes out….my favorite in the whole world, my desire exploded! How beautiful!!!! I would love to have this book. Thanks for the opportunity! Have a happy day! Pamie G.
I love the apple book and the sunflowers. Thank you for sharing.
RavId: stileslea
I love reading Kristin’s blog. We live on a small farm with 9 sheep and a llama. Our lambs are due the end of April. It is fun to read about Kristin’s family’s farm adventures. I can’t imagine that many lambs! This is the time of year when we all wish for some color in our lives and farms. I spin, weave and knit so color is important. This book would be great!
I love Kristin’s work and her use of color! This book looks like it has lots of fun ideas and perfect little projects to keep me knitting through the dog days of summer.
I cannot wait until spring is actually here! These flowers will help I am sure of that.
I just love sunflowers! I was not able to meet my husbands grandmother but I am the holder of her needle point sunflower pillow….I see a collection beginning! Thanks…..
I am planning a wide sunflower ” fence” along 1 side of my home… The boom looks great!
Spring it the time for new things and I’d love to try something new like the cute patterns in this book!
Spring hasn’t really begun her jet, but I am longing. It has bee a wonderful sunny wether but below freezing for the last month,but I believe that spring will come even this year.
Sunflowers are my favorite flower Love them.
Hi there, after reading this amazing post i am too delighted to
share my experience here with colleagues.
I seldom comment, however i did some searching and wound up here Kristin Nicholas • 50 Sunflowers •
Book Give Away!!! – MaryJaneMucklestone. And I actually do have a few questions for you if you
tend not to mind. Is it just me or does it seem like some of
these remarks look as if they are written by brain
dead individuals? 😛 And, if you are writing at other sites, I would like to keep up with everything new you have to post.
Could you list of every one of all your community sites like your Facebook page, twitter feed,
or linkedin profile?
hey there and thanks for your information ? I have definitely picked up anything new from right here. I did on the other hand expertise some technical issues the use of this website, since I experienced to reload the web site a lot of times prior to I may get it to load correctly. I were thinking about in case your web host is OK? Not that I am complaining, however sluggish loading circumstances instances will sometimes impact your placement in google and could harm your high quality rating if advertising and marketing with Adwords. Anyway I am including this RSS to my e-mail and can glance out for a lot extra of your respective intriguing content. Ensure that you update this once more very soon..
Hi! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would
be okay. I’m definitely enjoying your blog and
look forward to new posts.
I read a lot of interesting posts here. Probably you
spend a lot of time writing, i know how to save you a lot of time, there is an online tool that creates high
quality, google friendly articles in seconds,
just search in google – laranitas free content source