Supporting Independent Artists

The Winter 2007 Happily Handmade giveaway will begin accepting entries on February 12th. You can only enter the giveaway through the fabulous Independent Artist sponsors. This [tag]giveaway[/tag] is sponsored by a group of [tag]independent artists[/tag] who are promoting their shops with this giveaway.

2/12â€“3/31: Winter 2007 Giveaway entry period
4/2: Winter 2007 Winners announced!

History of the Giveaway

-Quoted from the website â€“â€œThe idea behind the [tag]Happily Handmade Giveaway[/tag] began in the Spring of 2004 from a brainstorming session among a handful of indie artists. Each time we organize this event, it grows larger and more successful. During an event, our participating Indie Shops will create a sign-up form on their respective websites where you may enter the our participating Indie Shops will create a sign-up form on their respective websites where you may enter the Happily Handmade Giveaway drawing to win one of these fabulous gift boxes.

You may enter the drawing by visiting one, two, or ALL of the Indie Shop Sponsors. Feel free to enter through all of the Indie Shop Sponsors for more chances to win! Items included in these wonderful gift boxes may vary from clothing and handbags to bath & beauty products and jewelry. While you are visiting our Indie Shop Sponsors, please take a peek at what each talented artist has to offer. You’ll be glad you didâ€.

The Rules are simple, visit the sites, you may enter the giveaway through each individual Indie Shop Sponsor page. Each sponsor will have their own requirements for entry. It is your duty to complete these requirements as instructed. Please read all the rules on the rules page for more information.

Please help support these wonderful independent artists and you just might win a nice gift!

Sometimes I feel like knitters get intimidated to try new things because they think they need to start with a big project. Your first time working in the round doesn’t need to be a sock, and your first colorwork doesn’t need to be a sweater, for example. You can find little projects that use the skills you want to learn to build your confidence before you move on to something that requires more time commitment.

This adorable knit bunny, for example.

The colorwork bunny from Knit Picks was designed by Amy Munson and is a kind of bowling pin shaped bunny complete with a knit hat, contrasting inner ears and a little stranded colorwork on its body. Note that the ears are attached the the hat not the bunny, but you could stitch them to the bunny if you’d rather.

It’s worked from the bottom up and also has a tiny pompom tail you can’t see in the picture but it’s a really cute touch. There are a variety of little fair isle patterns to choose from to make the best bunny for you.

The bunny comes out about 8 inches tall (or just over 20 cm) and use several colors to complete the colorwork, depending on the design you choose.

You can purchase the pattern by itself from Knit Picks, or make a kit that includes sport weight yarn in all the colors you need for your creation. There are gray and brown options for the main body of the bunny, but of course if you’re using your own yarn you can make it whatever color you like.

Once you’ve tried colorwork (maybe also working in the round and shaping if those are skills you haven’t used before) in a little project like this you’ll be ready to take on something bigger in no time.

Check out the pattern on Knit Picks.

[Photo: Knit Picks]

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