THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENTRIES. RESULTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN A BLOG POST SHORTLY.
Who’d like to win some beautiful hand-dyed yarn, regardless of where in the world you’re knitting/hooking? And for those not quite lucky enough to win, who’d like a stonking great discount off said yarn?
Do I perchance hear a ‘yes’ at the back, there?
OK, well first let me tell you a little about the yarn in question, because I realize that you’re too discerning to grab at any ol’ shifty string.
Deep in the Leicestershire countryside, a woman named Fran McCarthy works at her independent yarn dyeing business. Maybe you’ve come across her before, or maybe you’ve yet to encounter the loveliness of her Etsy shop, Burrow And Soar. She produces a number of different things, but her speciality is sock yarn in 100g skeins: plenty of merino with a twist of nylon because, as I pointed out for non-knitters in my last post, feet are bastards.
Look!
And the yarn? She generally sources British breeds worked in British mills, focusing on the Southdown sheep where possible.
Fran originally contacted me weeks ago to talk about her work, and I’m very glad that she did. (Do you know the feeling when you just have a really good instinct about someone?) Of course there are loads of indie dyers out there doing great work, but some people just have an exceptionally visionary eye for colour combinations, and Fran is lucky enough to be one of those people.
I posted the other day about the yarn that Fran sent me after we’d corresponded a’while. No, I didn’t pay for it (DISCLAIMER!!) but no, my fickle head hasn’t been turned by a mere freebie to the extent that I’ll call gorgeous on something that isn’t properly wonderful. Look at this yarn:-
To be honest, I was nearly sold as soon as I saw the name of the colourway on the left: ‘English Landscape With Yarn’. Yes it’s sock yarn, but I’m knitting a shawl (Cladonia) to show off its beauty. Look, here’s a (badly, badly, badly-lit) photo I took whilst calculating WPI (wraps per inch): isn’t there something very English and Constablesque about these colours together?
And this isn’t surprising, because Fran uses the colours of her (outdoor) surroundings to inspire most of her work. She focuses especially on the colours of her garden, which presumably explains all those luscious blues and purples and pinks in the screen-shot above.
Fran’s attention to detail extends to the naming of her work. Most of the names of her colourways are inspired by history or by plays on words. (I couldn’t help smiling at the jumble of purples she’s called Gratuitous Violets.)
And just in case you’re not in the market for yarn, she also sells lovely knitted things (her fairisle is divine), as well as hand-dyed tote bags like this one below. Meet my new project bag:-
But enough of that: there’s a giveaway and a discount to be discussed.
Fran is offering one super-lucky reader the chance to win their choice of skein of her yarn. This competition is open worldwide. If you’re extra-terrestrial (on the space-station, say) then she regrets that postage costs make your participation prohibitive. Apologies. But if your primary residence is somewhere on planet Earth, then you’re in. To enter, simply comment below, leaving some way of contacting you (email, Ravelry username, Twitter handle, or link to your own blog, etc). And for an additional entry, leave a comment under this post on the ‘Yarn’s Facebook page. Liking and sharing is much appreciated, thank you kindly, because we want lots of people to see this pretty yarn. This contest will close at midday GMT on Thursday 20th August. The winner will be drawn at random. I will pass the winner’s contact details to Fran so that they can choose their skein, and I will also announce the winner here.
But wait! There’s more!
You, and any yarn-lovers you happen to know, can also gain a massive 15% off throughout the Burrow And Soar store simply by entering BURROW15 at the checkout. Not bad, huh?
Trust me, you want this yarn. Go have a browse, my friends.
Violet Vosper says
I love supporting independent yarn dyers! And “yarn names inspired by history” makes this yarn irresistible.
sarucrochet30 says
Ooh I would love love love to win some of this!! Please! 🙂 x
Ravelry ID: chronicleofellen
Lindsey says
Please enter me. Lovely color combinations – just yummy.
patbradleywhite says
Wow! Love these colour combos
wendelika says
A chance to win luscious, hand-dyed yarn? Please count me in!
knitsbywhit says
Such amazing colors! Ravelry name- lilwhit or blog: http://www.knitsbywhit.wordpress.com
Sharon - creativityandfamily says
What a great offer! The yarn looks amazing. I am just busy reading up about knitting socks before embarking on my first pair!! I would love to enter. https;//creativityandfamily.wordpress.com Thanks xx
craftyone says
Absolutely like the colorway. I would like to attempt my first pair of knitted socks.
epicyarns says
Ooh yes please!
caroljchristie says
I love those greens. I am actually salivating at the thought of them…
https://caroljchristie.wordpress.com/
gladeridercrafts says
Oh my days, how lovely! I would totally love to win!
Knitters and Hookers says
Just lovely – please enter me!
narf77 says
I think “I” might be that person up the back with my hand up Ms Twisted. As someone about as far away from said sock wool skein as humanly possible to get (aside from Ms Pauline that is but we can wrestle for that later…) and just short of the space station, I would like to put both hands up to have a go at winning the delicious sock yarn. I have several reasons for thinking that I might have a chance at winning the yarn.
1. My name is “Fran” too. Obviously that gives me some kind of advantage (surely it does…?)
2. I am just about to embark on the strange pathway to enlightenment known as “sock making”. I will be crocheting said socks (because I am NOT mad and am unable to contemplate using metal toothpicks with spaghetti in the middle of them to make them) and a skein of this scrumptious and most lust-worthy yarn would be the icing on the cake. (Not “frosting”, ICING 🙂 )
3. I want it. I licked the screen. I want it.
4. Please
Susan Flynn says
Ooh, so lovely!! I’d love to win a skein!!!
Clotilde cuzziol Taveiros says
Maravilhosas, gostaria de ganhar!
Marilyn B. says
Wow, the yarn colours are absolutely gorgeous! 🙂 My Ravelry name is organicjavalover.
Maggienesium says
It’s all gorgeous! Thank you for sending me over to check it out!
I have to have that English Landscape Yarn, it’s amazing and I’d love to make my second pair of socks (ever) out of it, then a sweater and ALL the things, it’s that awesome!
I’m Maggienesium (https://projectaccomplished.wordpress.com/) on WordPress, and Chemtacular on Ravelry. I’ll head over on Facebook too just in case because: I need this yarn.
Tracy says
Ooh – what beautiful yarn! Would love to win some.
TracyVA (Ravelry name)
tracyva says
Oh, I would love to win some of this beautiful yarn.
TracyVA (Ravelry name).
asteride says
Love the Radiant color ways and the gradient one!
asteride on Ravelry
patmom says
Absolutely beautiful colors! I would knit a shawl ASAP
patmom on Ravelry
Ivon van der Schuit says
Oh, I am from this world but the combination of colors you show is heavenly. I love it immensely and hope to win.
Kimberly Rampersad says
I love the yarn, beautiful vibrant colors. Thanks for the giveaway.
arlingwoman says
This is beautiful stuff. Just lovely.
jadeybirdcrochet says
Oooooooo pretty. Love the English landscape yarn, very different to anything I’ve come across. Yes please and fingers crossed. Thanks 🙂
Jae says
These colors are gorgeous, would love to win! Can be found on WordPress of Twitter (jaeboyd7).
Serenova says
There are so many wonderful colors to look at! I know we have a lot of nice dyers over here in the states but you English have plenty of lovelies yourself!
Connie says
What beautiful yarn!
ConnieGyer on Ravelry
FogKnits says
Stunning colors!
http://www.FogKnits.com
Kimberly Nichols says
Yarn! Yes, please and thank you!
Christina Gibbs says
Love the softer colors she uses, and she photographs them so nicely! Ravelry ID: Xina
kirkykoo79 says
Ooh that’s lovely! My Ravelry user name is Kirkykoo79 (same as here on WordPress). I particularly love the colours in your last picture.
Maggie says
These are beautiful!
nanacathy2 says
The pink yarn looks irresistible
Woollen Wildnerness says
This yarn looks fantastic, the colours are soooo pretty!
Sue Plant says
Who wouldn’t want a chance to win something as beautiful as these yarns. Count me in I have a project in mind already.
Stephen Wallis says
I can not buy this yarn where we live but will certainly look up your yarn on the web site store now. Thanks for making this known. xx
mountaingmom says
Beautiful yarn and a great give away. http://cabincrafted.fangorn.space
Boxfordellie says
Now see what you’ve done! Couldn’t resist and just bought ‘A Parliament of Crows’ mm mm mm!!!
But would love to win another skein – or is that being greedy???
littleblackdogsa says
Awesome. I think I am falling in love all over again. 🙂 Would love to set my hands on some. Hehe, I live far, but not on the Space Station.
Sue Beard says
So many beautiful colours, i want to touch those gorgeous skeins.
neuroticbunnylady says
What beautiful yarn, all the colours are so yummy. Ravelry ID: Neuroticbunnylady
Magdalena says
Pretty, pretty 🙂 I only started knitting socks about a year ago, I have just finished pair number 5 (but, due to, ekhm, sizing difficulties, I have knit it twice – does it count as number 6?
Anyway, the stash needs feeding, good to find another source of pretties
Sara Crafts says
Every single colorway is GORGEOUS!!!
Sara Crafts says
Oh, and SaraMCrafts on Rav
yarnya says
Oh wow they are some beautiful colours! I’m in love!
leelah saachi says
I’d love to enter the contest! love the atmosphere around the production and dying – delicious! Thank you.
Emily says
Oh, wow, those are lovely. I kinda feel bad I’d not heard of her before now! (Rav ID: MiscellanyAndMore)
Jules says
Much as I would love to win a skein of Fran’s delicious yarns, I must confess to already owning ten – 10! – fabulous skeins. Like Phil, I don’t call anything fabulous unless it really, truly, deeply, is deserving of it. Every skein is an absolute joy.
Louisa says
Gorgeous yarn! And fantastic names. Ravelry username – HydrophobicFish