Derby Day Contest

Did you read the previous post about the Derby Day Socks? Well as the orders started coming in with color requests for great names like "Daddy Nose Best" and "I'll Have Another" I started to get excited about all of us watching the race "together" tomorrow. Part of the fun of watching or going to the races is the chance to win big by betting on the right horse. When I go to the races I normally bet $2, which means that sometimes I'll win $3 and other times I'll lose my money but its worth the $2 to make the race more exciting.

To raise the stakes on tomorrow's race, we will be giving away prizes! To enter, purchase your Derby Day Sock kit before 5pm ET, Saturday May 05.  When you order we'll make a note of which horse you've picked. If your horse comes in first you'll win a prize. We may even give away prizes for second and third place.

Make sure to watch the race at 6:24pm for the "the most exciting 2 minutes in sports"!

Derby Day Socks

Tomorrow is Derby Day- the day that the famous Kentucky Derby horse race is run and the start of the Triple Crown series of races. Designer Laurel Coombs has created a striking new sock pattern to celebrate the event and we have colorways inspired by the jockeys' uniforms. 50% of sales of pattern and kits are donated to The Excellor Fund which cares for and re-homes old race horses.

May Featured Designer: Janine le Cras

This May we'd like to bring your attention to the beautiful work of designer Janine le Cras. We will be giving away a free copy of one of Janine's patterns with every* order placed in May!

Janine has been designing for The Unique Sheep for several years. In fact she was one of our first designers and we are honored to be one of the first companies to publish her patterns. Now-a-days you can find her patterns in countless magazines and books in addition to on The Unique Sheep website. Unique Sheep customers may know Janine best for her Mystery Shawl KAL designs. Since our first Mystery Shawl KAL, The Secret Garden, Janine has designed several new, unique and fun to knit shawl patterns for our KAL series each year. Sign Ups are currently open for the next Mystery Shawl KAL: The Spirit of Guernsey. If you missed her last KAL- The Little Prince- don't worry, the pattern is now available on our website! 

Though you may already be well acquainted with Janine's work, you may not know much about her as a person. We asked Janine to answer a few questions to help us all to get to know her a bit better.

When did you learn now to knit/who taught you?

I learned to knit when I was about 8 years old. It was a joint effort of my mum and my grandmother (paternal)

When and how did you get into knitwear designing?

I first started to design knitwear about 30 years ago, mainly children's jumpers. I then took a break for a good few years while I brought up the children and ran my cross stitch business before going back to knitting design about 8 years ago. At first I designed a few things for myself before designing for Magknits, Knotions and other online magazines. then I joined Ravelry as one of their early beta testers and that is where I met Laura and Kelly.

What is your favorite fiber/weight yarn to work with?

I like lighter weight yarns , Laceweight, Fingering and occasionally sport.

What are you designing now?

Currently I am working on a new shawl design based on my beautiful Island home - I'm calling it Spirit of Guernsey. After that I have more ideas for the next shawl in the Children's book shawl KAL series.

Part 2:

1. What is your favorite word? - Believe

2. What is your least favorite word? - No

3. What turns you on? - Creativity

4. What turns you off? negativity - especially negative people who try to bring others down

5. What sound do you love? the sea crashing on the shore

6. What sound do you hate? This is a weird one - someone sucking on a flannel ( washcloth) my kids used to do it in the bath - its like chalk on a blackboard to me.

7. What is your favorite curse word? Bugger! ( it's a Guernsey thing)

8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? Well I work in IT for a day job , but I would love to design full time. Other than that would like to run a beach hut down at my favorite beach selling home made cakes, teas and decent coffee.

9. What profession would you not like to do? Accountancy - not a fan of numbers - except in knitting patterns

10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

Hi, welcome, all your friends and family are inside waiting for you along with all your pets - oh and the knitting store is on the left , just help yourself to what you need ;-)

*offer only valid on non-club/KAL orders over $30. Gift certificates are not included. Please let us surprise you by selecting the pattern for you. The designer receives her normal fee per pattern for all patterns included in this give-away.