Allison, of Dominant Hands has an adorable pictorial tutorial on her blog on how to knit and felt a small bag.  The instructions are clear and easy to follow.  Allison also has and ETSY Shop called Dominant Hands where you will find some lovely item.  Check out this tutorial and her shop and enjoy.

I love finding newest free felting patterns for you, my readers.  These are all adorable and I love the “Make Mine a Double” bag and do plan on making it, what fun!  Check out the freebies and knit, crochet and felt away your summer!

Classic Wool - Felted Hound’s-tooth Bag

http://www.patonsyarns.com/pattern.php?PID=2900&cps=21191

Classic Wool - Felted Door Knob Organizer

http://www.patonsyarns.com/pattern.php?PID=2788&cps=21191

Classic Wool - Felted Flannel Backpack (knit)

http://www.patonsyarns.com/pattern.php?PID=2899&cps=21191

Classic Wool - Felted Fringed Scarf (knit)

http://www.patonsyarns.com/pattern.php?PID=2121&cps=21191

“Make Mine a Double” Cocktail Purse - Knit version

http://crochetuncut.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=112&Itemid=&ed=3

Knitted cozy felted mukluks

http://www.canadianliving.com/crafts/knitting/knitted_cosy_mukluks.php

No matter what your fiber of choice, you will stockpile inspiration from Karen Bartolomei’s “Paperie for Inspired Living”.  First off this book is a beautiful hard covered addition for your library and brilliantly illustrated.  Each page holds divine designs from stunning invitations, awesome decorations, gift tags, place holders and so many ideas even for the budget conscious crafter.  If you have never created a card this book will force you to make one or several and you will never want to buy a card or invitation again.  Karen shows us how to customize and coordinate fabulous paper products for any occasion from the most elegant event to your most casual outdoor picnic.     Each chapter contains several projects, from the all important invitation to smaller touches like labels, tags, and keepsakes. How unforgettable your personal stationary be when Karen demonstrates step-by-step how to make a monogrammed, Thank-You cards, Mailing Labels, Business Cards, Letterhead, and Note Cards. The chapter on New Year’s Eve projects includes Invitations, Menus, Resolution Sign-in/Postcards and Drink Signs.

Karen also offers us vital advice for invitation wording and etiquette, and provides tips for throwing unforgettable parties, like choosing a color scheme and ideas for breaking the ice.  She has also thoughtfully included several useful templates and source ideas as to where we can purchase your materials for these paper fiber creations.  I am sure you all have some of the materials needed for many of her projects in your craft areas.  Have this book on hand as the summer fades and fall explodes into radiant colors signifying holiday parties are close at hand and the gifts and cards desired that will bring you back to this book over and over for ideas.  Maybe you saw something in the book and stored it in your mind for a special occasion and you know just where to find it and put your own spin on Karen’s idea.

Are you getting married in the near future and need invitation and planning ideas?  Well, you do not have to spend a fortune using ideas from Karen’s book.  “Paperie for Inspired Living” can be pre-ordered today at Amazon.com or nay of the favorite book stores.  The release date is July 7th 2009 so put your order in today. 

Karen Bartolomei’s 

Here is a lovely video by Karen Bartolomei of Grapevine grapevinepaperie.com, she designs elegant and expensive wedding invitations. This video will offer a little about Karen and above is also the link to her site.  Now you can reproduce some of her stunning ideas by using this book.

For this giveaway, in the comment area, tell what event you are planning and why this book would be a money saver for you.  This giveaway will begin July 1, 2009 through July 12, 2009.  Good luck!

I am pleased to announce that Aly won “Felt, Fabric, and Fiber Jewelry”!  Aly has a blog called Polkanuts and she features some very nice projects that she has done.  She has three daughters and I am sure this book will come in handy.  Congratulations Aly!

Here is a cute video tutorial on YouTube on how to felt baby booties.  Visit Lacey’s PrettyLittle’s ETSY shop and see all her wonderful felting. Lacey is 24, and lives in beautiful Portland, Oregon. She is a self taught crocheter and felter, inspired by all the adorable children she has cared for as a nanny and big sister.

She tries to be as nice to the world around her as possible: She does not drive, recycles religiously, eats natural foods, uses biodegradable products, energy efficient lighting, and powers her apartment with wind energy. So we can say that PrettyLittle is an eco-friendly business.

Gabi lives in monterrey, mexico where she created her stunning 100 dolls series which is her final thesis for her major in art.  I discovered Gabi on Flickr CarftGossip.com Crafty Reviews.  I instantly fell in love with all her fascinating dolls and all her art.  We became friends on Facebook and she is a charming young lady.  The expressions on her dolls faces are captivating.  Gabi creates her doll’s faces from polymer clay and all the clothing is created from recycled fabrics and odds and ends of vintage jewelry.  She not only makes her dolls but does amazing paintings and drawings, t-shirts, photography and creates fabulous purses out of old vinyl records.   She has a clothes brand, mostly t-shirts and handmade toys she  calls them Botargas and the brands name is Sintantosmodales.  Let’s all welcome Gab art to the US and go to Flickr and leave some comments or join her on Facebook.  She also has a MySpace blog if you would like to visit and see her art.

Did you ever look at a project and think “Oh no, I have to get out the sewing machine!” and you skip the project.  Well, Jeanette of Lit’l Brown Bird understands this dilemma.  “Not everyone owns a sewing machine or even though they do and are fairly familiar with using it but when it comes to sewing with felt, they still prefer to ‘hands-on’ like me.  Understand the types of stitches and their uses here for sewing pieces of felt fabrics together,” explains Jeanette.  I love her Chinese Takeout Box Tutorial it is so charming and she offers a complete tutorial so you can create this fun projects.  She has many other felting tutorials for you to try, so check out her blog. Thanks Jeanette!

Another fabulous giveaway! Josh, of eknittingneedles.com is offering a complete set of knitting needles or crochet hooks, “you pick and choose” and one skein of any color of the new yarn they are now carrying. I bought a few sets and I am so impressed with these needles and hooks and the great pricing and quality. I have been using their needles for over a month now and my experience with these needles is A++++! This is a chance of a lifetime to have every size needle or crochet hooks you need at your fingertips.

eknittingneedles.com not only sells knitting needles but also beautiful bamboo crochet hooks in a large variety of sizes.  Bamboo is my needle of choice, because the yarns do not slip and they become better and better with age when it builds up that wonderful patina that comes from use. Handling something as natural as bamboo just feels good in your fingers. Just think of all the gorgeous knitted felts you can make with these wonderful knitting needles.

They are now carrying yarns and the winner will be getting a skein to try. I thank Josh of eknittingneedles.com for his amazing generosity.  An added bonus is that you get free shipping on orders over $15 and what could be better than this!  They also accept PayPal and credit cards and they also take checks and money orders. 

For this giveaway, go over to eknittingneedles.com and check out the needles, crochet hooks and their new yarn, the folks at eknittingneedles.com are very interested in what types of yarns you would like to see them carry, so here is your chance to get in on the ground floor and have a shop that carries the type of yarns you love at great prices. Then come back here and in the comment area type what type of yarns you would like to see them carry, not brands, but types.  YOU must enter here not at eknittingneedles.com!  This giveaway will run from June 23, 2009 through July 7th 2009.   Good luck to everyone!

I discovered the amazing Dutch Fiber Artist Christien Meindertsma while doing what I do every day, looking for new and interesting ideas on felting and fiber.  I found her featured on “Craft Online”.  I am so impressed with this artist and her amazing designs. When Christien creates one of her stunning items she tags them (as shown in the above picture) with what sheep shearing she used.  There is a videos titled “Design for a Living World - Christien Meindertsma” where you can watch  Christien tell about the Lava sheep and some of her work.  Ten leading designers have been commissioned to develop new uses for sustainably grown and harvested materials in order to tell a unique story about the life-cycle of materials and the power of conservation and design in an exhibition at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. One of the featured designers is Christien Meindertsma.  Christien Meindertsma makes her own felted wool yarn and knits it together with custom-made oversize needles.

Eve lives in Schipluiden, Netherlands and has created this adorable T-shirt shrug.  This is a great way to recycle T-shirts that you are no longer fond of or ones that just don’t fit right. I found Eve on “Cut Out + Keep” where there are plenty of step-by-step tutorials on how to create marvelous wearable’s and accessories to keep you busy. Eve offers you a step-by-step pictorial tutorial on how to create this fashionable shrug.  I know I have a collection of T-shirts that can be revamped into classic or funky shrugs and I’m sure the rest of you do too. About Eve: My name is Yvonne (nickname Eve), I’m a 22 year old craft addict who revels in cable patterns and Jane Austen novels. I especially like to knit; this craft has been handed down to me by my grandmothers. I absolutely love finally finishing a project that was started long long ago but shoved in the back of the pile to sit idle for a year; it gives me such a thrill. Recently I started to learn how to sew but I’m still inexperienced and hate the chaos that goes with it and since I’m a beginner it’s what’s expected, I just can’t stand untidy threads.

I am happy to announce that Eleanor of Undeadgoat (Her Blog) was the last number picked.  I hope she enjoys this book and make some awesome things and shares them with us.  Thanks to everyone that enters the contests and hang in there, one day your number will be picked!  I just got the new that eknitting needles is sponsoring another contest and I will be posting this in the next day or two.

When I received this book and first thumbed through all the projects, the words “up-cycling and recycling” kept popping into my mind.  Sherri uses many items that we have stockpiled in our crafting areas that can be used to create some of her lovely jewelry. Pieces of fabric find new life in a beautiful pendent, broche or bracelets. I would almost say that Sherri is an ecologically friendly jewelry maker. She uses small pieces of wool roving and felt and creates stunning necklaces and bracelets that you will want to make and wear or give as a gift.  “Felt, Fabric, and Fiber Jewelry” not only covers felted jewelry but includes beautifully photographed and illustrated projects made from leftover fabrics, yarns and metal threads.  And a knotted necklace is precisely illustrated for you to follow and create your own version. If you like crochet you will find this book invaluable because she shows you step-by-step how to crochet chokers, flowers and beautiful bracelets. She uses treasured buttons and beads to embellish some of her creations. The felted necklace on the cover of this book is made from sheets of 100% wool felt and Sherrie shows us how to form the petals using water. The templates for the flowers are included in the book. There is the pattern for an embroidered ring that is delightful.  Each stitch she used this is clearly laid out for you to follow to achieve the look you are going for. The yo-yo necklace is one I will want to try because it reminds me of a quilt my grandmother made.  All in all Sherri has offered us 20 very doable projects that we will all want to try. There are several pages dedicated to the tools you will need to make these lovely projects.

About: Sherri Haab is a bestselling craft author with over 23 published books to her credit, with several selling over a million copies each. Haab is a certified metal clay instructor, leading numerous craft and jewelry making workshops internationally. Sherri has been a pioneer in the American Metal Clay revolution since 1996 when it was first introduced in the US. She is known for tracking trends in the craft industry and then educating consumers about how to use new products and techniques. Her own product, “ITS”, is one example of a new craft innovation. This product allows printed images to be applied to polymer, tile and metal clay. She now resides in Springville, Utah with her husband and three children. Click on this link to watch Sherrie’s Video on etching on metals.  Sherrie also has a website and blog for you to visit and find you more about her.  This book can be purchased at amazon.com.

To enter this giveaway just type “ENTER ME” in the comment section.  The Giveaway will run from June 16^th through June 29^th.

Leah is such a diverse fiber artist that I could write several articles covering this gifted lady.   Today I’d like to introduce you to Leah’s the stunning wet felt flower kits. Now you will be able to create the same amazing flowers that Leah does. She is carrying them in her ETSY shop called “Spider Felt” for you to purchase for yourself or for a gift for someone who likes to try a new craft.  With the instructions and materials included in this kit, you will make three flowers and stems using wet felting techniques. You are able to choose from one of eight color ways (clockwise from top left): violet, begonia, tulip, poppy, pansy, hydrangea, geranium, rose.
Materials provided: 1.5 oz of merino, 12″ square of tulle, 12″ square of bubble-wrap, instructions with photos, link to online photo tutorial. Following is a little about how Leah developed these amazing kits. 

After months and months in development, testing, trials, comments and revisions, I’ve finally finished a Wet Felt Flower Kit. Materials included in this kit are sufficient to create three large flowers with stems: 1.5 oz merino, 12? square of tulle and 12? square of bubble wrap, photo instructions and an online photo tutorial. Thank you to the kit testers who helped enormously in the refining stages of this kit. My hat tips as I do a deep curtsy to Lora Shinn for the gorgeous photos she took on a very grey day in March. This kit will is now for sale in my ETSY shop; for crafters who have materials on hand, the tutorial is available for purchase as a PDF.

These pictorial tutorials can be found on Flickr by Ola Smith who lives in Jelenia Góra, Poland and is a busy mother of two beautiful little girls. She loves crafts and the lists of crafts she wants to try grows longer and longer.   Ola also has a sweet blog where she has some tutorials other, but you will have to translate the blog if you do not read Polish.   Although, the link I am using may be the translated link.