Grand Prize Winner

The Grand Prize winner receives one hundred and twenty-five (125) skeins of Martha Stewart Crafts Yarn and one (1) Martha Stewart Crafts Knit & Weave Loom Kit.

Chrysanthemum Baby Set Submitted by Olya M., Clear Lake, SD This baby set was inspired by a crochet "chrysanthemum" flower motive and a "Chrysanthemum" children's book by Kevin Hankies. I crocheted the open lacy fabric in cobweb for the body of the blanket and used bakery bow white for a border with scalloped edge in gerbera daisy. Then I made 13 flowers using bakery bow white, petal pink and gerbera daisy and attached them to the blanket. I made an extra-large flower for the back of the bonnet and crochet the rest of the bonnet in gerbera daisy, adding a strap with buttonhole closure. I finished with a scalloped edge in bakery box white. Then I made 2 small flowers for the ballerina-style baby booties and crochet the rest of the bootie in gerbera daisy. I added a strap with buttonhole closure at the back for each of the bootie. This baby set is "absolutely perfect" in Martha Stewart CraftsTM/MC Extra Soft Wool Blend yarn. Click to view Click to view Click to view Click to view

First Prize Winners

The First Prize winners receive a Martha Stewart Crafts^TM Knit & Weave Loom Kit.

Diamond and Cross Mosaic Tablet cover Submitted by Donna H., Greenville, SC Using the technique of slipping stitches on one row and picking them up two rows later, this tablet cover is thick with a double-layer of yarn to protect your device, with a crocheted draw-string in place for easy carrying. The bright colors and mosaic design make it a stylish fashion statement. And only two balls of contrasting yarn are needed to complete the project! The project is knitted in the round on five double-pointed needles, and then woven together on the bottom with the Kitchener stitch. Click to view Click to view Click to view Click to view Felted Birdhouse Submitted by Beth L., Titusville, NJ This is a felted birdhouse, I started with a base layer of 100% Merino wool roving then added layers (total of one full skein) of Martha Stewart CraftsTM/MC Roving Wool in Rhubarb, wet the wool with hot soapy water, wrapped on plastic wrap and hand felted for 20 -30 min. Rinsed with hot water with a final rinse of water and craft glue. Let dry completely. Embellished by needle felting strands of Martha Stewart CraftsTM/MC Roving Wool in Snowdrift and Jordan Almond. Click to view Click to view EJ's Skull Hat Submitted by Librada J., Staten Island, NY Hat for my nephew EJ. My inspiration: Pete’s Skull Snow board Hat from www.ravelry.com Again, I want to thank you guys for coming up with this contest, it pushed my knitting ability passed my limits. I have never knitting anything like this before. PS: the model is not EJ but my nephew Ronnie, EJ, who's 13 and a brat, didn't want to have his picture taken. Ronnie didn't complain. Click to view Click to view Bedtime Elephant Submitted by Arlene M., Brookline, MA My granddaughter told me her mother reads her stories about elephants at bedtime. I wanted to make her a cuddly elephant with which to go to sleep. It had to be extra soft and washable and very lovable Click to view Click to view Casablanca Corset Submitted by Lacy, Tampa, FL Cap sleeve pullover with lace pattern on front Click to view Click to view Click to view Click to view Oh So Cloche Divine! Submitted by Tina K., Saint Louis, MO A gorgeous cloche knit in Martha Stewart CraftsTM/MCExtra Soft Wool Blend in Igloo. The pattern is "Cloche Divine" from designer Meghan Jones. This stylish cloche features a split, sassy swooping brim of seed stitch and the crown of the cloche rises with a short row shaped knit in bow before the shaping closes the top. A knit in tab of seed stitch finishes off the bow. Love this cloche, and LOVE the yarn. The color is a near perfect blue, the softness exceptional with great stitch definition and body for the project. Click to view Katie's Mini-Chic Submitted by Carrie H., OR I have been knitting for a little over a year now, and my favorite things to make are things for my four children. The minute I saw this lovely little cardigan, I knew I wanted to make it for my youngest daughter. However, the pattern calls for DK weight, and I had just picked up two balls of the Lion Brand Martha Stewart Crafts Extra Soft Wool Blend because of its super soft feel, and incredible pearly sheen. I did a gauge swatch and altered the pattern (Mini Chic by Katie White) to fit the heavier gauge of this yarn for an 18 month size. The top portion of the cardigan is a lovely lace design, which works well with the stitch definition offered by the Extra Soft Wool Blend, and the finished cardigan has a lovely drape and feel. Click to view Click to view Click to view Click to view Aidez by Cirilia Rose Submitted by Jennifer W. Framingham, MA Aidez is a fitted cardigan. It has many different types of cables and twisted stitches which made for a very fun knit. I found that Martha's alpaca blend was the perfect yarn for this project. The sweater came out soft and has wonderful stitch definition.The color is perfect for showing off the cables. I loved the yarn and I am looking forward to using it again! Click to view Click to view Click to view Click to view Beadboard Beach Socks Submitted by Janelle S., Vancouver, WA These are knee-high socks knitted top down on 4dpn's. They are my own design, created just for this contest. I live in Washington State and, on our coast, it is often too cold and misty to go outside when visiting the beach. These socks are meant for lounging in a cozy oceanside house and reading books, knitting or whale watching. All from indoors. They do fit into some shoes and could be worn outside as well if one were feeling daring on a drizzly day (and owned a pair of Danskos). The grey is, to me, a cozy reflection of the coastal atmosphere here in the Northwest--both literally and figuratively. There is a knit-purl, and twisted knit stitch rib on the leg, alternating with a 6-stitch cable, which is twisted to the right on one leg, and to the left on the other. The ribbing is interrupted by a band at the top, which is edged with purl stitches. The motif on the band was adapted from an all over shell motif, found in Barbara Walker's Treasury, Book II. The heel flap is worked maintaining the ribbing pattern on the back of the leg, including a cable, which is centered there. The gusset and toe are reduced in typical ssk/k2tog fashion, and the toe is closed using kitchener stitch. This could probably be classified as an intermediate pattern for a sock knitter. It worked up quickly for me and I am not known for my "speed" knitting. I was able to design and knit 2 pairs in about 2.5 weeks, as March 24th was the day I discovered the contest on a Ravelry forum. For any interested parties, I kept notes of the pattern if it is wished for, since room in this entry form might be limited. Thank you so much for your consideration. What a great opportunity! Click to view Click to view Click to view Click to view Go Team Texting Mittens Submitted by Elaine, Delta OH. I designed these mittens for my daughter to wear at Delta Football games. I charted out the design complete with panther paws to represent the Delta Panthers. I made openings my daughter to have the ability to text and not have to remove her mittens during chilly football games. I chose Martha Stewart Alpaca Blend for extra warmth. I used size 4 dpn for a more tightly knit and warmer fabric. The combination of stranded knitting, a bulky alpaca blend yarn and a smaller needle size made a wonderfully soft and extra warm pair of mittens. The openings for fingers and thumbs make it easy to zip up coats, eat, and send out the always important texts to friends without having to remove her mittens. Click to view Click to view Click to view

Second Prize Winners

The Second Prize winners receive a one-year subscription to Martha Stewart Living Magazine.

Rainbow Entrelac Spring Purse Submitted by Susan S., Vallejo, CA I began designing this small ( 8"x11" ) purse by purchasing several of Martha's spring colored yarns. Initially I was planning of a free form knitted project, however once I received the yarn, I found the texture led me in a different direction. I knitting the body of my Spring purse using the Entrelac Knitting Stitch. Then I used the Diva Custom Cord Maker (TM) along with a combination of Martha Stewart's yarn, the wool blend, cotton hemp, extra soft wool blend and eyelash to make the strap cords. My finishing touches are beaded embellished cording along the sides of the purse and beaded tassels in various locations. This is my original design. It is fully lined and has a magnetic snap closure for security purposes. Click to view Click to view Click to view Click to view Koi Fish in Lily Pond Submitted by Alisa B., Colona, IL As a visual crafter, I am inspired first by color. My projects are built from colors I fall in love with, and the Martha Stewart yarns I found at Jo-Anne Fabrics were so vivid. It was easy to visualize my Koi Fish in a pond when I spotted the wool yarn in rhubarb. Immediately, the variegated color scheme of the rhubarb, in red and white, brought my focus to a Koi fish. Koi fish all have different patterns and not one is the same as another. When I think of Koi fish, I think of a peaceful pond surrounded by lily pads. If you are lucky enough to spend some time sitting by the pond, you will see the Koi peek their bodies out of the water between the lily pads to eat and sway. In this project, my lone Koi is surrounded by three lily pads. The Koi fish was crocheted in single crochet amigurumi style. The bright green lily pads were crocheted in single crochet as well. The seedling green, chunky wool, was the perfect color to enhance and contrast my little Koi with it's bright red scales. Finally, my circular pond was crocheted in rounds, in single crochet, to show movement in the water. The variegated wool yarn in blue agave brought the water to life with it's white and blue shadows. These are all individual pieces, so they can be arranged in many different patterns. Nature is constantly moving and changing, and I wanted my pond to be just as fluid. I'm truly a fan of these yarns, and I feel that I could create anything just by the inspiring colors they come in. Thank you for putting such a great quality yarn on the market. Crafters need something they can rely on, especially since I never know what I want to make until something inspires me to. Click to view Click to view Pink & Green Mittens Submitted by Harriet W., St. Paul, MN I used the Midlothian Mittens pattern by Laura Chau. Click to view Click to view Knitted Baby Hats: Strawberry and Lemonheads Submitted by D.R., Silver Spring, MD I've created knitting patterns for a number of baby hats with fruit themes, two of which are pictured here. I've used Lion Brand's, Martha Stewart CraftsTM/MC Extra Soft Wool Blend yarn in lemon chiffon and green eucalyptus to create my "lemonhead" and added gerbera daisy to create the "strawberryhead". In recent years my knitting group has knitted hundreds of hats, blankets and other knitted apparel for our local Linus group, hospital NIC units and oncology departments as well as third world orphanages in need. This would be a fabulous surprise for the four Yarnspinners if I were to bring home $1000 of free yarn for their future projects!! Thanks an awful lot for the opportunity. Click to view Click to view Click to view Easter Chicks Submitted by Ruta F., Conklin, NY I made this cute Easter chicken family as a decoration for my house. Also my 2 year old son loves playing with them. It is a knit project with crochet details and some needle work (egg decor). Martha Stewart pastel color yarn was perfect for this project and a bright red glitter yarn for chicken combs made it more festive. Click to view Click to view Click to view Click to view Herringbone Mittens Submitted by Harriet W, St. Paul, MN Stranded colorwork mittens in a herringbone pattern. Click to view Click to view Click to view Little Shrug Submitted by Cathy B., Oakland, CA Pam Allen's Little Silk Shrug made for a 12 year old girl. Click to view Click to view Click to view Baby Sheep Blanket Submitted by Scherie Stover, Winfield, WV. This was a gift to my best friend's grand daughter. Crocheted in Martha Stewart yarn in very soft, pink and white yarn, with black and white sheep, and made a great baby shower gift! Click to view Click to view Fox Newborn Set Submitted by Samantha B, Thousand Oaks, CA I've crocheted a fox hat with a matching diaper cover and booties using Martha Stewart CraftsTM/MC Cotton Hemp in Clementine, White and Black. The diaper cover has a 2-button closure and the booties use a drawstring/tie. Click to view Wee Little Bunny with Stripey Sweater Submitted by Carrie H., OR This darling little bunny, his matching sweater, and the little elephant are knit all in one piece (no seaming at the end) because stitches are "picked up" with double pointed needles for each body section, and the animal bodies are constructed just like a top-down raglan sweater (placing arms on waste yarn until you are ready for them). The legs are simply done almost like an "afterthought heel" on a pair of socks. using Susan B. Anderson's pattern and instructions in her "Wee Ones: Seamless Knit Toys" class at Craftsy.com. Very clever! I plan on gifting the bunny "Wee One" as a baby shower present, along with the book "Somebunny Loves You", and I though the soft little elephant would be perfect along with a copy of "Babar The Elephant". This yarn has a wonderful sheen and feel to it that will make it the perfect gift for baby! Click to view Click to view Click to view Click to view Countryside Sweater Vest Submitted by Michelle C., Madison CT The Countryside Sweater Vest is knit on a #7 (US) needle. I designed the vest and can provide the pattern. The lower portion of the vest is knit on a circular needle to allow for a smooth fitting piece without side seams. The tri-color knit rolls at the bottom of the vest add color and dimension! The stockinette stich, rib stitch and seed stitch were all used. Techniques that were used are the three needle bind off, picking up stitches, increasing, decreasing,changing colors and a how to work a yarn over/knit two together buttonhole. The seed stitch collar, pocket and buttonband add wonderful texture. Leather buttons complete the look! The horse's bridle was knit in seed stitch and assembled with gold buckles for fitting to match the rider! The model is my neice Kate along with her horse Lily. Click to view Click to view Click to view Click to view Rosettes on a Vine, Baby Blanket Submitted by Celia G., Lomita, CA Baby Blanket, Crocheted mainly using HDC and SC Click to view Click to view Click to view Click to view Tea and Roses Set Submitted by Olya M, Clear Lake, SD For all those who love tea, roses and anything feminine this is a perfect gift set. I hand knitted this tea cozy with beautiful intarsia flower motive on both sides of the cozy. Two moss stich openings are conveniently accommodate the handle and the spout of the pot. The potholder also features the rose motive and moss stich border. I used a piece of heavy weight canvas fabric for the back of the potholder. Click to view Click to view Click to view Click to view Two Chemo Hats - Shells & Trellis Pattern with Button Flower Submitted by Jan B., Hayward, CA My project submission is two chemo hats which each use two colors from the Martha Stewart CraftsTM/MC Extra Soft Wool Blend line. I have been making hats for chemo patients now for over two years. Key to making a hat for a chemo patient is that the yarn be soft. Additionally, the hats should be in pleasant colors and should cover the patient's head sufficiently. And of course, a little style or flair doesn't hurt. Through this contest, I have been introduced to a new yarn, Martha Stewart's "Extra Soft Wool Blend", which I was pleased to find was soft to the touch. While some chemo patients are sensitive to wool and wool blends, especially during treatment, many patients are fine with it. All I have to do is label hats that contain wool before donating them to charity. The two hats in my project use a hat pattern called "Shells & Trellis Cap" from the Halos of Hope organization, which collects chemo caps for distribution to local clinics which do not receive sufficient donations of handmade hats from their community. This organization is one of two places where I donate the chemo hats I make. The other is a local chemo clinic where my dad has been having his chemo treatments. Both caps feature a flower pattern with a button center, which is my design. Both caps use two colors in the flower, with the flower's center matching the hat's main color. I know those who receive the chemo hats are very appreciative of them, of the personal touch and of the love that goes into them. For me, it's a small way to help someone who is going through treatment for a terrible disease. I am pleased to have a new yarn to add to my stash for making these hats. For more information about The Halos of Hope website can be found at www.halosofhope.org. Click to view Click to view Click to view Click to view Baby Love Sweater Submitted by Amanda F., Chicago, IL This is a top-down knit baby sweater using Martha Stewart Crafts TM/MC Extra Soft Wool Blend in Igloo. It has an XO and Twist cables down the front. Knit entirely in one piece there are no seams to bother baby, and the boat neck stretches to go over baby's head easily. This is a classic sweater that can be handed down through generations. (Can also be knit in pink!) Click to view Click to view Reversible Sofa Pillow Submitted by Julie Y., Stormville, NY I designed and crocheted a two-sided 18-inch-square sofa pillow using three shades of Martha Stewart Crafts Alpaca Blend. One side features a large centered floral motif and the other a modern take on a granny square. Click to view Click to view Loom Knit Double Roll Brim Hat Submitted by Shawn B., Brandon, MS Project was knitted on a round loom Step 1 *5 row of e-wrap - cut yarn, but leave on loom (color 1) Step 2 *8 rows e-wrap stitch (color 1) *10 rows of alternating knit and honeycomb stitch (color 2) *Knit in row on loom from step 1 *16 rows of e-wrap (color 1 on even # pegs and color 2 on odd # pegs) *1 row of ewrap (color 1) *Gathered bind-off method *Knot final strand and hide loose ends Click to view Click to view Click to view Pastel Blocks Scarf Submitted by Diane G., Spanish Fork, UT This beautiful soft crochet scarf is made with a combination of chain stitch and double crochet. Three chain and three double crochet alternating to create blocks. Each row is a different color. A soft block pattern with the look of being woven. Super Easy! Click to view Click to view Click to view Click to view The Raleigh Slouch Submitted by Mary E., Kernersville, NC The ever popular "slouchy" named after my hometown, Raleigh, NC. Raleigh has such an urban and fun vibe, yet it's casual. This hat embodies that. It's so soft, and it can be worn all year long. This is my own pattern. I used a "H" hook for the entire hat. The top is done in HDC, and the brim is comprised of SC in the Back Loops and Slip Stitches. Click to view Click to view Click to view Green Eucalyptus Textured Stripe Baby Blanket Submitted by Lisa S., Tucson, AZ Square baby blanket with alternating seed stitch and garter stitch stripes, and a garter stitch trim. Click to view Click to view Click to view Click to view