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New Sponsor! Brown Sheep!

Olof

Hello everybody. Sorry for the delay. I know I promised this Tuesday but life happened and here we are. To make up for this I am going to keep this giveaway open til Monday the 4th of October.
Brown Sheep were great enough to donate the yarn I needed to make the Princess and the Pea from the book Itty-Bitty Toys by Susan B Anderson. There are a lot of colors in this toy and I got to knit with a lot of Brown Sheep’s Worsted weight Lambs Pride . It is a 85% wool and 15% Mohair blend. I really enjoyed working with this yarn. It was perfect for this toy, making it very classic looking with a woolly feel.  I would not use this yarn as a close to skin choice, but with its nice shine, I would love to make a jacket out of this yarn or a purse or a blanket. It keeps it’s shape pretty well and I’m sure it is very sturdy, so great as an outer fabric for both toys and clothes. They have so many colors to pick from that it was hard to pick only 8 colors to make this toy. I would love to try some of there other yarns like their cotton wool blends.
For this toy I used:
M-171 Fresh Moss
M-183 Rosado Rose
M-57 Brite Blue
M-22 Autom Harvest (orange)
M-140 Aran (Natural color)
M-11 White Frost
M-175 Bronze Patine
M-07 Sable (Darker brown)
If you have been following my blog you may remember me talking about it taking me a while to get the mattresses finished. I love making toys because of their shaping and how it keeps me on my toes. Well the mattresses were not quite like that. There was no shaping. Just knitting back and forth. The doll on the other hand I finished in one day with her dress and everything. She is lovely. But the mattresses were something that I had to force myself to finish. I didn’t make all 11. My boys just use them as tossing objects and I really didn’t need any more stuff around that they can toss. I made 8 and I may make the extra 3 later once I’ve gotten over the 8 that I have already made. I did make an extra pea because the mattresses couldn’t really balance on top of the pea pod.

Brown sheep were nice enough to answer some of my questions about their business and product.

What is Brown Sheep and how did the business get started? Brown Sheep Co. was started by Harlan Brown in 1980. Harlan and his wife, Janet purchased their first spinning equipment from a mill in South Carolina. With a spinning frame, set of pin drafters, other miscellaneous equipment, and a bunch of determination they set out to make quality, USA made yarn. The business is still completely family owned and managed in Western Nebraska.

Who is in charge of the fiber combinations and the color choices and where dose that person or persons get their inspiration? Once the mill was up and running, Harlan set out to create different lines of yarns with different blends. Today the mill produces a variety of fiber blends with the most famous being Lamb’s Pride which is a blend of wool (85%) and mohair (15%). Brown Sheep Co. also produces several cotton/wool blends, sock yarn, and of course 100% wool lines, to name a few. Color choices are made on a yearly basis. Some colors remain the same every year and others come and go based on demand. Peggy Jo Wells, part-owner of the company is the mastermind behind the color choices.

Who are some of your favorite designers? Our designers include but are not limited to creative minds such as Lorna Misner, Vicki Square, Melissa Leapman, Joanna Benson and Ann Young.

Anything that you can clue us in on what to expect to see from you in the near future? Any new and amazing fiber combinations, colors or designs that you are busting at the seams to share with us? We’re bursting at the seams with new and exciting developments but as with all good secrets, we cannot disclose them yet! Be sure to return to our website (www.brownsheep.com), Facebook and Twitter often for updates! We will be launching our new website very soon and we are very excited about it! 

They also just started their blog where you can follow them for more info.

 Brown Sheep were nice enough to offer 4 skeins of what ever yarn you like. You read that right. 4 SKEINS! Just go to their site and looke for your favorite yarn or yarns and color or colors and post it here and you could be the lucky one that gets their choice of yarn.

Here are the rules:
1. Go to the website and find 4 skeins of yarn you would like and what color. Come back and leave a comment with contact info.
2. Become a follower or sign up for my feed via e-mail at the bottom of the page then come back and leave a comment with contact info
3. Tweet about this giveaway with a link to this site and then come back and leave your twitter id.
4. Put up a blog post about this giveaway and come back with the link to it and contact info.

Yes there are 4 chances to win if you follow the rules. Remember that you have to come back and comment for each entry but if you forgot to put contact info then your entry is invalid. If you forgot to add something please delete your first entry before you enter your correction. 
I’m sorry, but you have to live in North America or know someone in North America that is willing to receive this and send it to you, to be eligible to win this prize.
Giveaway will be open til Sunday the 3rd of October 2010 at midnight.  Winner will be announced on the following Monday.

Published by Olof

132 thoughts on “New Sponsor! Brown Sheep!”

  1. I love the Handpainted originals. I love the colorways of the New England Fall and the Stormy Skies.
    I also love the Lamb's Pride but there are so many colors to pick from such as the Dreamy Skies or the Sun Yellow.
    msgb245 at gmail dot com

    Reply

  6. Wow! I want to knit socks for my teenagers, so my wish is for the Wildfoote Luxury Sock Yarn. 2 skeins each of the colours “Jungle” and “Sonatina”. Crossing my fingers 🙂

    mia-at-vickevira-dot-se

    Reply

  8. I would love to enter this contest, and I DO live in North America! (yay!) Could I enter to win four of Aran? My yarn stash has shrunk dangerously low and my husband insists on paying the insurance bill first, so I need this… Thanks!
    [email protected]

    Reply

  11. Thank you & Brown Sheep for your generosity! I like the Handpaint Originals in the New England colorway (must be the time of year 😉 ). I hope you will mail to Canada? My email is e dot gallo dot hendrikx at utoronto dot ca.

    Reply

  17. Looking at the Lamb's Pride Superwash, I'm drawn to Rootbeer, Electro Green, Midnight Pine & Antique Silver. The solids are great colors too, but I always love the chance for variegated yarn! 🙂

    raelynne01 on Rav

    Reply

  20. I am grateful to you and Lamb's Pride for the chance to win a few skeins to keep knitting my Christmas gifts. I love Nature Spun in worsted weight in Peruvian Pink. I am now a follower of your blog..

    [email protected]

    Reply

  24. I'm sorry–I neglected to include contact info and can't delete my previous comments. 🙁

    just reentering my first comment: I'd love to win some Nature Spun fingering weight in Stone! thanks for this giveaway!

    Reply

  25. I'm already a subscriber, and I tweeted @huronmom.

    Love the Wildfoote Luxury Sock Yarn in Mums and Rocky Gorge, and the Handpaint Originals in Strawberry Patch and Rose Slate

    Reply

  26. Oh, I love Brown Sheep! My favorite is their superwash worsted weight. If I win I would love:

    Lamb's Pride Superwash Worsted Weight
    Midnight Pine (1)
    Alabaster (1)
    Sable (1)
    Northern Lights (1)

    And I'm a follower. Thank you!

    Reply

  28. I would love to have two each of the Nature Spun in fingering weight- colors Latte and Natural. What an awesome contest!!! This is one of the best giveaways I have seen in a while, so my fingers are crossed really hard 🙂
    I'm PurlVerde on Ravelry, or you can e-mail me (hopefully!) at [email protected]

    Reply

  29. Ooh, I've drooled over this stuff for years. Never had a chance to try it, though.

    Wildfoote Luxury Socke in:

    SY30 Vinca
    SY200 Rhapsody
    SY600 Symphony
    SY250 Rocky Gorge

    I'm Seward on Rav!

    Reply

  30. Hi! Very nice of Brown Sheep. 🙂 I'd like the lanaloft worsted, 2 skeins of turquoise magic and 2 skeins of autumn run. Hope I win! I need to build a stash. My email is amselby81 at comcast dot net.

    Reply

  31. What patience you have to knit so many mattresses, albeit small ones, still….. What a lucky child to have this to play with, of course after having “The Princess & the Pea” read to them.

    If I win, these would be my yarn & color choices. However, I would be happy with any of the “Brown Sheep Yarns” and any of their color choices:
    Lamb's Pride Bulky, 1. M10 – Creme, 2. M79 – Blue Boy, 3. M165 – Christmas Green, 4. M197 – Red Hot Passion

    I'm 'bschlot' on ravelry.

    Reply

  32. I followed your blog (valeskadavis at gmail) and tweeted about your give awat @justleska

    Very exciting! thanks!

    I love so many brown sheep yarns but I would love to have four skeins of their Lana Loft in Catamaran Seas (LL87) to do a larger project with. I love the feel and look of that yarn and I love that color- I never see it in my LYS.

    Reply

  33. This was hard! I made an Icelandic Sweater for my sister last year for Christmas….she dearly loves it and it had brought her luck at BINGO! Not sure if we were suppose to give 4 different colors or 1 color of 4 skeins. If it's 4 different colors – Mulberry M162, Sun Yellow M13, Oatmeal M115, Seafoam M16. If just 1 color – 4 skeins of Seafoam M16

    Contact – dmitchem on Ravelry

    Reply

  35. Oooo! lovely!

    If I could chose, I would take Cotton Fleece in Wisteria and Majestic Orchid and Nature Spun in Peruvian Pink and Cresting Wave.

    Reply

  40. That is so cool that Brown Sheep is a sponsor! I've tried some of their cotton/wool blends and been rather pleased with the results.
    If I got to pick 4 yarns, I would choose….Nature Spun Fingering in natural (I've just entered the world of dyeing and am in love) and Legacy Lace in Golden Sunrise to make something for my mum for Christmas (maybe a shawl/wrap?). I think two of each would work very well.
    Oh, and a BIG Thanks to Brown Sheep for doing this!!! 😀

    Reply

  41. I haven't had the opportunity to knit with Brown Sheep yarn yet, but my MIL made DH and I a blanket with it as a wedding gift and we love it!

    If I could choose, I would pick four skeins of the Cotton Fleece in the Berry colorway, to make a Rusted Root sweater 🙂

    Reply

  50. I love the Burly Spun, colorways Oregano and Grassy Knoll. Also, the Handpainted Originals, colorway New England Fall. And, Shepherd's Shades, tons of the colors.

    Thank you for the opportunity to win this great giveaway.

    [email protected]
    yerkeb on ravelry

    Reply

  52. Oh, yes, and I'm already signed up on your email list. 🙂

    Finally had a good look at your Princess and the Pea set. That's really cute. I have a particular fondness for that fairy tale–I should probably do a rewrite of it someday. (Rewriting fairy tales is fun!) How did you make the peas and pod? Is there a pattern somewhere, or did you make it up yourself?

    Reply

  56. Thanks for the fun contest! I've never tried Nature Spun, but I have a project in my queue that would be perfect for the Natural (730), Cherry Delight (108), and Elf Green (112). And I'd whip up a hat with Lanaloft in Rain Drop (LL93).

    Reply

  61. What a difficult task – choosing one favorite out of all those beautiful yarns and colors!! Finally settled on Cotton Fleece #CW625 Terracotta Canyon

    judi7597(at)bellsouth(dot)net

    Zowmom on ravelry

    Reply

  62. Just signed up for your email feed so add a second chance for me. Choice of yarn is Cotton Fleece #CW625 Terracotta Canyon

    judi7597(at)bellsouth(dot)net

    Zowmom on ravelry

    Reply

  64. Ooo what a nice giveaway!

    I think I would go for Top of the Lamb (sport) in two separate colors for a specific charity project.
    (2) Terra Cotta
    (2) Oak

    If I couldn't split it up, then just Terra Cotta.

    Reply

  66. I've loved Brown Sheep yarns for a while now. I'd choose Lana Loft Worsted in Twilight, Autumn Run, Coral Reef and Manor Grey. I've seen two of these (Manor and Autumn)and they are wonderful. I'm sure the others will be just as beautiful.

    Reply

  72. I love their wildfoote yarn. Makes some really nice socks! I would love white and blue yarns in wildfoote if I win this!

    Contact me at dreamweavers3621(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply

  77. The colors of these yarns are just fantastic….I particularly like the Legacy Lace #40 in blue aura. Socks are just the most wonderful thing to knit and of course to wear. I would pick The wildfoote luxury sock in SY36, Sy04 and SY08 to make some beautiful colorful socks for friends! That geranium color is just…well…wow!!!

    Reply

  79. So many colors and so hard to choose! My first impression is that Nature Spun worsted in limestone would make something lovely.

    winterwrens at gmail dot com

    Reply

  83. I liked the Lamb's Pride superwash in pecan toffee and cinnamon twist. The Shepherd's Shades yarn looked nice, too (especially the celery and raspberry colours).

    Winnifred17 on Ravelry.

    Reply

  85. So hard to choose!
    If I could break it up, maybe two skiens of the sock yarn in bluegrass and two skins of Cotton Fleece in maybe Truffle, or Gold.

    But four skiens of Nature Spun would be cool too, maybe natural? 🙂

    aehogue AT hotmail DOT com

    Reply

  88. nice giveaway and it was interesting to read about the business.

    contact info: [email protected]

    fave yarns:cotton fleece in drift orange (lovely colour and i think wool+cotton is an underrated combination)
    cotton fleece in New Age Teal for the same reasons, and i love teal.
    legacy lace in Pinot Noir because i just can see a shawl made of it.
    Wildfoote Luxury Sock Yarn in Bark Cloth as there is never enough of good socks.

    Reply

  99. I love the idea of the Cotton Fleece. Would love to get some of that to try out. I've yet to see any of their yarns around here for sale.
    p.s. Cute dolly!!

    Jill

    Reply

  105. I love Brown Sheep…I used their yarn for one of my first kniitted shawls, which I gave to my sister…

    If I were to win, I would love the Hand Painted Mountain Majesty (HP100). It looks so lovely!

    Thank you,
    Amy Trejo
    [email protected]

    Reply

  115. I am a big fan of Brown Sheep and have used their Lamb's Pride and Nature Spun quite often. If I were to pick 4 skeins of anything right now, I think it would be 4 skeins of the Lamb's Pride Superwash Worsted in Emerald City. Thanks for the contest!

    –aprilshowers on Ravelry

    Reply

  118. Lamb's pride is wonderful yarn that I've used often, but I'd take this opportunity to sample other yarns from Brown Sheep. I'd choose Wildfoote Luxury Sock in Ragtime SY300, Handpaint Originals in Sunbaked Earth HP30 and Rose Slate HP150, and finally Lana Loft in Wine Fire LL100.

    Reply

  120. I have to say it is so hard to pick! I looked at the Lambs Pride colors and they have such a big selection. I love the colors Pine Shadows, Mulberry and Prairie Fire. They are listed in a column together, so they just look gorgeous together to me! They would make a great sweater or pillow! Also loved their handpainted colors!

    Reply

  122. Hi There,
    I really liked reading your blog!

    I like working with brown sheep to make a quick knit.

    I would like to try out the following yarns –

    4 skeins of Wildfoote Luxury sock
    in color shade Sonatina.

    Happy blogging!

    I am sona aka ssri17@ravelry

    Reply

  129. Wow! Another great giveaway. I'd love to win two skeins of Wildfoote Desert Grass and two skeins of Lamb's Pride superwash in antique silver. Here's hoping
    buffythesage on ravelry.

    Reply

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