Denver County Fair This Weekend! Live Crafting Competitions and Debut of New Fabrics!

The first ever Denver County Fair is this weekend!

Fancy Tiger Crafts is proud to be sponsoring the Crafts Pavilloin at the Denver County Fair! Come by the fair to visit our mini Fancy Tiger shop. We'll be hosting lots of fun activities, like live crafting challenges (the scoop on the challenges is at the end of this post)!

We are going to have a special treat for the folks who come out to shop our booth at the county fair! Four new fabric collections will be making their debut there. We are giddy about these fab new fabrics and we hope you are too! Check it out:

Joel Dewberry: Heirloom

Sarah Jane: Children at Play

Echino: Nico 2011

Paula Prass: Botanika

We'll also have on hand:

• the new Schacht Sidekick spinning wheel for you to test drive!
• luscious yarns including Spinni Isager, Knit Collage, Madelinetosh, and more!
• Fancy Tiger kits for felting and embroidery!
• handspinning fiber exploration kits!
• new bolts of classic shirtings!

And now, here is the scoop on the crafting challenge--come by the stage in the Crafts Pavillion on Sunday and flaunt your skills--you just might go home with a blue ribbon!

Speed Spinning: Drop Spindle

Sunday, July 31st, 11am

Each participant can use their own drop spindle or one will be provided. Fancy Tiger will provide each participant with wool for spinning. Whoever spins the longest yarn in 10 minutes wins the challenge.

Live Crocheting Challenge

Sunday, July 31st, 12pm

Each participant will be given hook and yarn (provided by Fancy Tiger) and whoever crochets the most rows in 10 minutes wins. There will be multiple heats and a final round between the finalists.

Live Sewing Challenge
Sunday, July 31st, 1pm

This secret challenge will be revealed at the competition. We will provide sewing machines, notions and fabric and challenge participants' sewing prowess with an on-the-spot creation. Participants will be given 15 minutes to complete the task.

Live Speed Knitting
 Sunday, July 31st, 2pm

Each participant will be given needles and yarn (provided by Fancy Tiger) and whoever knits the most rows in 10 minutes wins. There will be multiple heats and a final round between the finalists.

We'll see you this Thursday through Sunday for non-stop fair action!

Betsy and Jaime Made Sorbettos!

 Betsy's Sorbetto

I had been wanting to make a Colette pattern for my summer wardrobe but couldn't decide on the right one until I saw the Sorbetto Top pattern on Sarai Mitnick's blog. The vintage style with a simple pleat down the middle was just what I was looking for and with all the beautiful new voiles in the shop I had to make it right away. The best part about this pattern is that it is available as a free download! Thanks Colette!

This was my first time working with a pattern from Colette and now I am totally addicted. Her instructions are so clear and she kindly details any new techniques so there is never a question about how or what you are supposed to do next. I was able to finish this piece in just a few hours and wear it that night to a party. The fabric I used was my favorite print from Anna Maria Horner's Loulouthi voile, which feels so lovely on a hot day that I have already pick out some more voiles for my next Sorbetto.

 Jaime's Sorbetto

You know how we are around here--one person makes something and starts wearing it around and soon we all have to have one. That's how it went with the Sorbetto Top. As soon as Betsy came in wearing her flattering new tank, I knew it would be my next pattern to sew up. I have been eying this print from Anna Maria Horner's new Loulouthi fabric collection and wasn't sure what to do with it so the Sorbetto top seemed like the perfect solution.

I made this top in one sitting at Craft Night in between talking and drinking a glass of wine - its so quick and easy! Just a few seams and you're done. Colette does give instructions for making your own bias tape (which would look amazing!), but we happened to have the perfect orange bias tape and I couldn't resist the instant gratification of using it.

Hooray! New sleeveless tops just in time for the hottest days of summer.

Better Know A Crafter: Karen Sobel

Cute Aidez attack! Totally crafty Karen has been featured before on our blog for sewing and knitting, and we couldn't resist showing you what she's been up to recently. She just finished a beautiful Aidez cardigan knitted up in Cascade Eco+!

Tell us about what makes you crafty.

I knit and I'm learning to sew. Both give me a little burst of sanity.

Tell us about your lovely cabled cardigan.
It is the Aidez sweater, by Cirilia Rose. Amber knitted it and posted pictures a few months ago and I got inspired. It really was pretty easy, as long as I stayed patient. Plus, I'm a librarian...we love our cardigans!

How did you learn to knit?

My grandmother the basics of this and a lot of other things (canning, embroidery, baking...) as a kid. I put most of them down but am picking them up again in my 30s. Thanks, Grandma!

Is your favorite animal still a giraffe?
Yes!

Thanks Karen! Happy knitting!

New! Brooklyn Tweed Patterns by Jared Flood!

We are excited to offer Brooklyn Tweed knitting patterns by Jared Flood! Jared's beautiful designs, with their classic style and woolly texture, are a constant inspiration to us.

The stunning Rock Island Shawl in the background was knit by our instructor, Sunne. Look for a class on the fall schedule!

Come by to check out the full line of Brooklyn Tweed patterns--we've even reorganized our knitting patterns display so that you can easily find your favorite knitting designers and peruse all of their patterns!

Fancy Tiger 5 Year Anniversary this Saturday!

High five, we are five!!

We are super excited to be celebrating our five year anniversary this Saturday! Please join us for a day of festivities and free things, including:

• Free high fives
• Free fat quarter of super limited edition Fancy Tiger Crafts fabric with purchase
• Free stickers
• Treats
• Champagne toast at 5pm

Amber, Jaime and the whole Fancy Tiger Crafts crew will be at the store wearing adorable handmade outfits that we've stitched up in our anniversary fabric, so stop by to to see what we've made and pick up your very own fat quarter!

We have had a blast sharing five fantastic years with you and look forward to serving your crafty needs for years to come. We couldn't have done it without your continued support and enthusiasm for crafting, so a big thanks to you, lovely friend!

...and here is a message from our friend, Gnomey.

Ysolda's Little Red In The City is here!

We have never been so excited for a new book to arrive! Ysolda Teague's highly anticipated third book, Little Red In The City, is finally here!

Little Red in the City is a departure from Ysolda's previous books as it focuses entirely on sweater patterns, with seven sweet patterns from which to choose. Everything from vests to cardigans to pullovers is covered in Little Red, in yarn weights from fingering to aran. Patterns comes in a range of bust sizes from 28" to 60" and are sure to fit and flatter everyone! This is quite a hefty book--Ysolda treats us to an in-depth look at shaping techniques and body styles so you can customize each pattern for the perfect fit! We love that each of the garments is photographed on models of two different sizes, so you can get an idea of  how the garment will look on real people.

Ysolda is sweet as pie and several weeks ago sent test copies of several patterns so we could knit up samples. Angelique, our super prolific speed knitter has already finished two of the sweaters from the book. The Laika sweater is darling knit up in this saturated mustard Heritage sock yarn. We chose fourteen bright red tagua nut buttons for the sweater closure.

Angelique also knit up the Cria cardigan in Lorna's Laces Honor in--guess what color--Ysolda's Red! This yarn is a gorgeous mix of alpaca and silk. The color is a subtle mix of warm and cool reds.

We love the classic and simple use of garter stitch at the top of this sweater. The Cria can be done with long sleeves that feature a buttoned cuff or in a puffy short sleeve version. We're sure you'll want to knit them both!

Come by the shop to check out Little Red in the City and our little Laika and Cria samples!

New Nani Iro Fabrics are Here!

Naomi Ito, we've got a craft crush on you! Naomi's newest Nani Iro fabrics are pretty pretty pretty! The prints in this line evoke soft watercolor and bold oil brushstrokes.

These dreamy fabrics just got here and I couldn't help myself--I've already whipped up a Ginger skirt from this classy olive stripe. I love the hand-sketched lines and the crisp cotton/linen fabric.

Come by the shop to see them in person!

Jaime's Bastille Day Parfait Dress

You might know that I love French culture. Bastille Day is coming up on July 14th so I was inspired to make an über-French dress to wear. I used the Parfait dress pattern by Colette Patterns and a lovely French General print for the dress.

Le résultat est absolument magnifique! J'aime ma nouvelle robe! Boutons en cuir ajouter un flair millésimée.

The print is amazing and features all sorts of interesting items identified in French, so I can work on my French vocabulary and learn new words every time I wear it.

C'est parfait!

The Schacht Sidekick is Here!

Is it possible to fall in love with a spinning wheel? It sure feels like it when gazing upon the new Sidekick...

We just giddily unpacked the newest wheel from Schacht Spindle Company, our very favorite local spinning wheel crafters! This little spinning wheel is light and compact enough to sling over your shoulder and take on a stroll down to the park--which is just what I did to try it out for myself.

The Sidekick goes from a tidy little package to a super functional spinning wheel in seconds, with the use of quick releases just like you might find on your bicycle wheel.

Check out how sweet this is...

You just (1) unscrew and flip down the treadles, sliding and locking them into place with a quick release knob. Then (2) you attach the footmen to the treadles. (3) Open and raise the front and rear maidens by using the quick releases and (4) place the flyer (with bobbin and whorl) into the maidens. Close down your quick releases and you are ready for spinning!

Spinning on it is dreamy!

Some additional reasons we love the new Sidekick:

• All the parts are thoughtfully stored on it so there are no important pieces on the loose. (The two whorls are screwed onto the side of the wheel for safe keeping and the flyer attaches to the bottom of a treadle when it is folded away.) 
• The drive wheel runs parallel to the treadle for super compact-ness. 
• Spinning on it is so smooth and quiet. 
• It's just so danged tiny and cute! 

A whorl in it's place  | One of the Sidekick's quick releases

Can you tell I've fallen hard for this little guy?