A little story to start off the Review, please grab a cup of coffee or a glass of sweet tea and enjoy the read.
THE STOCKING ELF
Once upon a time there lived a woman named Judy who had just moved into the new home she had designed. It was situated near the cellar hole of the house where her father was born, and on the land her grandparents had bought in the 1920’s. The new home was partly made of material from the barn that she played in as a child. It was a very special place.
It needed a special Christmas Stocking. The old “store bought” Christmas stocking just wouldn’t do. So she went in search of a pattern for the perfect Christmas stocking. Which she couldn’t find. Not that she knew what she was looking for; she didn’t. . . just that she would know it when she saw it.
So out came the pencils, graph paper, erasers, books, needles and yarn. After lots of testing and ripping and more ripping and more figuring, two stockings emerged. “For the time being.”
After Christmas, she kept working on the designs, knowing that “somewhere” some wonderful stockings were to be found. Around the middle of March, several stockings later, after much gnashing of teeth and many shouts of “Hallelujah!”, she said to her husband, “I think I may just have something here.”
And so, later that year, Judy’s Colors showed the 2007 Christmas Stocking Collection.
Little did she suspect that a little over two years later Vogue would show her designs in the Holiday issue of
Vogue Knitting, but it really did happen.
I wonder if she ever did create the perfect stocking for her new home. . . certainly she made many designs, had many more in the wings, and many more in her head . . . but has THE stocking for her home been knit?
Not “THE END”
rather,
“STAY TUNED”
Judy lives and works outside of Farmington, Maine. A jack of all trades, (or shall we say Renaissance woman?) she has worked as a calligrapher, graphic designer, kitchen designer, garden designer, seamstress, secretary, knitting and needlepoint retail salesperson, and indoor plant store manager. She has taught calligraphy, knitting and needlepoint. And has started far too many businesses!
I have had the greatest time emailing back and forth with Judy and learning all about her fantastic collection of stocking kits. She has a wide variety that will fit every ones Christmas decor. Each stocking is carefully thought out and designed for the most breath taking outcome. Take a look to see some for your self.
- Candy Cane, dark red
- Candy Cane, green
- Candy Cane, pink
- Candy Cane, red
- Cars & Trucks
- Christmas Argyle, black
- Christmas Argyle, green
- Christmas Argyle, red
- Christmas Argyle, dark green
- Christmas Argyle, white
- Damask Rose
- Fairy Princess, black
- Fairy Princess, cranberry
- Fairy Princess, pink
- Fairy Princess, red
- Fairy Princess, white
- Fairy Tree
- Fire & Ice, black
- Fire & Ice, blue/rose
- Fire & Ice, blue/yellow
- Fire & Ice, dk green/grey
- Fire & Ice, white
- Forest, dk teal
- Forest, lt blue
- Forest, white
- Gift Wrap, blue
- Gift Wrap, green
- Gold Brocade
- Jester
- Lauren, red
- Lauren, white
- Mark
- Midwinter, lt blue
- Midwinter, white
- Midwinter, black
- Moire
- Ms Claus
- Norse Woods, black
- Norse Woods, blue
- Norse Woods,white
- Plaid Star
- Poinsettia, black
- Poinsettia, blue
- Poinsettia, green
- Race Car
- Red Velvet
- Ribbons, gold
- Ribbons, green
- Ribbons, red
- Ruffled Argyle
- Santa’s Socks, black
- Santa’s Socks, white
- Santa’s Socks, green
- Secrets, pink
- Secrets, red
- Silent Snow, black
- Silent Snow, black/maroon
- Silent Snow, lt blue
- Silent Snow, white
- Skiing, charcoal/grey
- Skiing, pink
- Skiing, red/green
- Sky, dk blue
- Sky, lt blue
- Sky, rose
- Snow Storm, green
- Snow Storm, red
- Snow Storm, white
- St. Nick
- Steppin’ Out, black
- Steppin’ Out, magenta
- Steppin’ Out, white
- Thursday’s Stars, cranberry
- Thursday’s Stars, green
- Thursday’s Stars, soft yellow
I would like you all to think about this past Christmas. How many of you spent so much time knitting for everyone else, that you did not have any time to knit for your self. I know for my self as I watched everyone knitting beautiful stockings on Ravelry, I became aware of the fact that I was not going to have a masterpiece hanging on my mantle for Santa to fill on Christmas Eve.
However this year will be much different. Not only am I going to start much earlier, I have everything I need.
Judy has designed her stocking kits to have a designer outcome. How does she do that you might be asking, it is all in the kit! Each pattern is packaged with carefully selected yarns to complement the color work in each pattern, and just the right amount. I love the idea of having just enough yarn for a project. Really...how many times have we purchased several skeins of yarn for a color work project and ended up with a monster amount of left overs that just sit in the stash. All the more reason to purchase one of Judy's kits.
As I have started my own Stocking Kit from Judy, I am pulled into the color changes in the pattern and find myself wanting to finish just one more row to see how it will look! We all know the feeling. The yarns that she has selected for the kits are
Rauma Strikkegarn a high quality 100% DK weight wool yarn. You will find that this yarn flows through your hands with the greatest of ease. This is the kit that Judy has allowed me to knit up for the review; Christmas Argyle in the white color way.
I am more than pleased with this kit! I am recommending that every knitter who wants to try color work or is experienced with color work to pick up a kit today. I am so excited to share my masterpiece with my family and friends this Christmas as I will have a beautiful stocking to hang above my fireplace.
Just remember;
“Anything can happen when you put on a pair of Hot Pink Socks”
~Stephanie~
Thank you again to Judy for the donation of the Kit to the Blog!
This weeks give away is the biggest I have ever had the chance to give away. Valued at over $80.00, Judy has graciously provided the Christmas Argyle Stocking in the Dark Green color!
In order to enter the Give Away you must
As always:
1. Make sure you are a follower of my Blog
2. You must friend Judy's Colors on Face book, and tell me what stocking kit would look the best hanging from your fireplace this Christmas Good luck to you all!
The winners of the drawing will be announced on Monday March 5th
