Vickie Howell's Blog: Vickie Howell's Website, page 5
May 3, 2023
YarnYAY! 5th Anniversary Box
YarnYAY! 5th Anniversary BoxIt’s time for the 5th Anniversary Box Reveal! In addition to all of the gorgeous goodies below to celebrate, turning 5 this month all subscribers will also be entered to win one of five prizes valued up to $200. Enjoy!
16 Fingering Minis Bundle | Urth Yarns
For our 5th anniversary box, we thought it would be fun to include five different shades of yarn. We reached out to our buddies over at Urth Yarns who graciously agreed to create a special little bundle of their luscious fingering-weight merino, 16 just for us. Who’s ready to color play?!
Urth Yarns is a family-owned business based in Turkey and Florida
Drawstring Bag Patterns | Designs by Vickie Howell & Afifa Sayeed
Log cabin knitting and crochet is an easy and fun modular way of working with endless possibilities. We’re giving you a little technique taste by applying it to handy, drawstring bags. The knit pouch, Logged In by Afifa, is worked in bands of Garter Stitch, stacked by picking up stitches along the way. Logged Out, the crochet bag, by Vickie, starts with a center block, then is built upon by individual logs of color. Log cabin fever never felt so good!
Follow Designer-in-Residence Afifa Sayeed on Instagram @fifknits
Needle Minder | Yarnyay!
Needle Minders are a staple tool in embroidery, but they’re also great for yarn crafts. We’ve made our version slightly larger than usual, to accommodate a large-eyed tapestry needle often used for weaving in ends on our knit and crocheted projects!
Bargello Earring/Zipper Pull Kit | Hello Bargello
Our good friend over at Hello Bargello has done it again! Owner Brett Bara created another custom kit for us, this one designed specially to coordinate with our 5th Anniversary Box. Stitch your own Bargello earrings or a more gender-inclusive zipper tag, either way, say hello to your new favorite craft!
Psst…Stay tuned for this month’s YarnYAY! Monthly subscriber, Hello Bargello Tips Workshop!
Premium Leather Cord | Leather Cord USA
Adding embellishments to a project of a different material can elevate a piece. This premium leather cording will do just that for your drawstring bag!
Leather Cord USA is based in Woodstock, Georgia.
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May 1, 2023
3rd Annual YarnYAY! Maker’s Business Grant
Makers Business GrantThis May is the 5th Anniversary of my business YarnYay!, and I’m so excited (and grateful) to be able to celebrate by giving back again this year!
Applications for our third annual YarnYAY! Makers Business Grant is open NOW through June 1st, 2023. This grant is an opportunity to get your product in front of hundreds or thousands of eyes, win a little cash, and or/benefit from some small-business mentorship. Apply yourself, or share with a friend. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more below.
Best of luck!
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April 29, 2023
Local Yarn Shop Day 2023
Local Yarn Store Day (LYS Day) is designed to drive traffic to local yarn stores. LYS Day has brought thousands of ‘yarnies’ from across the US and Canada to go to their local shops to see the exclusive, unique products created specifically for LYS Day. Think of it as an international Yarn Crawl! Team YarnYAY! wants you to go out and support your local yarn community, so we’ve made a list of our favorite LYS near and dear to us.
Team Yay’s Favorite Local Yarn Stores:
Me:“I’ve traveled to yarn stores all around the nation, and my favorite is still my hometown shop in Austin, Hill Country Weavers. I also, though, love Nina Chicago, Knitty City in NYC, The Little Knittery in Los Angeles, and Jimmy Beans Wool in Reno!”
Julia (Design Manager/Tech Editor):“I really can’t pick just one, it’s like picking a favorite child! Check out Yarns Untangled, The Knit Cafe , and I even used to work at Romni Wools.“
Becky (Maker of Things):“While I don’t travel to the north side of Austin as much as I should, I will always pop into Gauge when I do! Their displays are inspiring and modern, and I end up leaving with so many goodies.” 
Chris (Ops Manager/Design):“I love finding an unexpected gem of a LYS. Now you can be surprised by Tempe Yarn & Fiber in AZ, and Heritage Spinning & Weaving in MI!”
Afifa (Designer in Residence): “These are my local faves! The Royal Bee Yarn Company in Pacifica and The Black Squirrel in Berkeley”
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April 18, 2023
YarnYAY! Studio Open House
You’re invited to our very first Open House at the YarnYAY! Studio!WHAT: Come celebrate YarnYAY!’s 5th anniversary and enjoy…Free gifts for the first 20 people A look at our cute spaceBubbly beverages & light snacks Pop-up shop of yarn, kits & moreHangout and knit/crochet time in our comfy sitting areaYarnYAY! Trunk ShowMake your own stitch marker stationVisit with team YarnYAY! and the owner, Vickie Howell and more! WHEN: Sunday May 21st, from 12pm-5pm WHERE: 503 S. Loop 4, Unit B, Buda, TexasOur studio inhabits half of a vintage house, located within walking distance of Historic Downtown Buda, and is only a short drive away from Austin. Make a day out of it!
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April 3, 2023
YarnYAY! April Box #60
It’s time to reveal what’s in the YarnYAY! April Box #60 (knitting subscription and crochet subscription box). We have goo-goo eyes over this month’s palette: hot pink and orange. Fun, fresh, and positively cheerful, everything we’ve selected for knitters and crocheters this month is meant to put a smile on their faces!
YarnYAY! April Box #60
Little Sister | Fuzz Family for Kraeo
While on an Illinois retreat with her knitting group of 20 years, Vickie and friends visited a local yarn shop, Nina Chicago. There she discovered KraeO yarns; it was love at first sight. Little Sister is a lovely fingering-weight merino. Included in this month’s box are three minis in one of our favorite color combos: Paloma & Terra Cotta.
Kerchief Patterns | Designs by Vickie Howell & Afifa Sayeed
It’s top-down-car-ride, garden-pruning, patio-drinks-with-friends season, for which you might as well accessorize.
Thelma Knit Kerchief by Afifa Sayeed for YarnYAY!
The knit kerchief, by Afifa, is worked from the top center-out in a lovely lace.
Follow Designer-in-Residence Afifa Sayeed on Instagram
Louise Kerchief by Vickie Howell for YarnYAY!
The crochet kerchief, by Vickie, is also made from the top center-out in dcs with filet panels. Wear these on your head, draped around your neck, or tie them to a bag handle for a pop of color
Travel Notions Bag | Yarnyay!+Austin Promotional Products
We love a Spring Break road trip, obviously with plenty of passenger seat stitching time. Pack all of your notions, tools, and crafty extras in our zippered travel bag. Bonus: it’s hot pink, so easy to find in your project tote!
Project Picker Pin | Twig & Horn
Wondering what to make next? The Project Picker Pin has you covered! Give it a spin and see what maker adventure awaits you.
Twig & Horn is a woman-owned business based in Maine.
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March 28, 2023
Gumdrops Crochet Shawl
Gumdrops Crochet Shawl
Say hello to our sweetest crochet kit and pattern, the Gumdrops Shawl! This darling striped triangle shawl is based on the crochet pattern featured in last year’s 12 Days of YAY! Advent Box, but we’ve re-sized and refreshed it for the spring season.
The Gumdrops Shawl is crocheted from the top-center out (making it a piece of cake to make smaller or larger) and uses Long Double Crochet Stitches to give the textile’s stripes spikes of additional color!
Available in two fresh color palettes, the Gumdrop Shawl Kit comes with two full skeins of Montoya Merino Light, a handy YarnYay! measuring tape, pattern pdf, and a perfect cotton bag to keep everything nice and neat.
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March 19, 2023
Overprint Bag Kits
I’m so excited that my friend and YarnYAY! Design Manager, Julia Madill‘s Overprint Bag design was published in the Spring ’23 issue of Pom Pom Quarterly! We love the graphic look, and environmentally conscious purpose of this crochet tote so much, that we’ve put together two colorful kits to celebrate!
We’ve greatly discounted the Montoya Merino Light included in the kit to encourage you to spend those dollars supporting independently published Pom Pom. The pattern for this kit is just one of nine stunning, knit and crochet patterns included in the issue!
But wait, there’s more! We’ve teamed up with PPQ to offer YarnYAYers 20% off the digital issue (now available) with code: POMYAY23
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March 15, 2023
Meet Lapis Blue & Crystal Quartz: New Shades of Montoya Merino Light
I‘m thrilled to welcome our latest Montoya Merino Light color, Blue Lapis! Inspired by Lapis Lazuli stones, this vibrant shade is rich, bold, and has a hint of violet. We know you’re going to love it as much as we do!
SHOP BLUE LAPISStep into spring by making our Motoya Merino Light patterns and kits in this latest hue:
SHOP BLUE LAPIS
SHOP BLUE LAPISAlso new, Lapis Blue’s sister hue, Crystal Quartz! This hand-dyed speckled yarn is great to add a subtle pop of color and looks like a dream striped with Lapis.
SHOP CRYSTAL QUARTZ
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March 3, 2023
YarnYAY! March Box #59
Spring is about to, well, spring, and we’re ready for it! The YarnYAY! March box #59 is filled with bright, happy, floral, and shell-inspired goodies knitters and crocheters, intended to bring a little brightness to your life.
This month’s box supports 5 (well, 7 if you count the printer and yarn manufacturer) small businesses, including my own. Thank you so much for supporting YarnYAY! so we can support others!
Montoya Merino Light | Vickie Howell
This month we’re so happy to bring you our very first variegated shade of Vickie’s yarn, Montoya Merino Light! Desert Jasper is a self-pooling combination of 3 of the line’s solid shades (Malachite, UtopiaFest & Boulder), mixed to create a bold, Springtime palette.
Learn more about Vickie Howell Montoya Merino Light here.
Shawlette Patterns | Designs by Vickie Howell & Afifa Sayeed
We love accessories that can crossover from one season to another. As Spring emerges, so can our lighter-weight scarves & shawlettes. This month we’re featuring playful versions.
Scallop Shawl/Shawlette (knit), designed and modeled by Afifa Sayeed
The knit scarf, by Afifa, lets the yarn do the work with a simple garter stitch body, but embellished with a knit-as-you-go cable scallop edging.
Floret Shawl/Shawlette (crochet) by Vickie Howell | Model: Kat Roberts
The crochet shawlette, by Vickie, is made boomerang style with mini-floret edging, and optional full-floret embellishments.
Row Counter | Knitter’s Pride
Even with an arsenal of tech gadgets, there’s still nothing quite as useful for keeping track of our stitching progress, as a good ol’ fashioned row counter. This one is also pretty, so, bonus!
Knitter’s Pride employs more than 400 women in India.
I Got This Sticky Notes | Knock Knock
Take note, knitters, and crocheters, you’ve got this! Use these sticky pages to help keep track of where you are in a pattern, or for anything you need a reminder for in life.
Knock Knock is a woman-founded company.
Embrace Kindness | Big Moods
Good motto, sweet sticker.
Big Moods is twin-brother-owned and based in Detroit.
YarnYAY! Subscription Box for Knitters and Crocheters. Join today, pause or cancel anytime!
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February 3, 2023
YarnYAY! February Box is HERE!
It’s February box reveal time! This month we’re featuring FIVE small businesses, including one from across the pond. Watch my unboxing below, and keep scrolling for a closer look. If you’ve been looking for a knitting subscription box or a crochet subscription box, we’ve got you. Welcome!
Double Knit | Jamison’s of Shetland
This month we’re featuring yarn from across the pond, dk-weight, heathered, 100% wool from Shetland sheep. Shade Sunset gives a nod to Pantone’s 2023 Color of the Year, and Twilight reminds us of the conversation candy hearts of the season.
Jamison’s is a family-owned business, based in the Shetland Isles in Scotland.
Boot Topper Patterns | Designs by Vickie Howell & Afifa Sayeed
Add some frills (not to mention a layer of warmth) to your favorite pair of boots with this month’s flared boot cuffs! The knit toppers, by Afifa, combine Stockinette Stitch with a widening rib.
Support & follow our Spring/Summer Designer-in-Residence, Afifa Sayeed on Instagram @fifknits
The crochet cuffs, by Vickie, are worked in a bell shape using half-double crochet and front and back post ribbing. Both are as cozy as they are cute!
Sweater Care Bag | Cocoknits
This eco-friendly nylon mesh cylinder bag keeps your knitted and crocheted pieces, or any delicate washables, from stretching or snagging in the wash.
Cocoknits is a California-based, woman-owned business.
Heart Flowers Card | Illustrating Amy
We
flowers. We you. This beautifully illustrated greeting card says it all!
Amy Curefield-Clark is the artist behind Illustrating Amy.
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