This week I was honored to be able to participate in Extreme Makeover Home Edition‘s build of a local, Texas home. The efforts were to benefit a much deserving family of five who, while working as volunteer fire fighters to help relief efforts, lost their own home in the devastating fires that struck Bastrop in September.
The mother in the family is also an artist and crafter, who loves the D.I.Y aesthetic, so the producers called me (thanks to a hook-up by my former Knitty Gritty executives who now work on the show) to see if I’d be willing to help. I jumped at the chance.
Thanks to Caron, we were able to donate a bunch of Sheep(ish) for volunteers to make ornaments and these stockings for the family. They also asked if I would yarn bomb a few of the trees that although charred by the flames, will apparently triumph come Springtime. The day before the shoot, I whipped up a few pieces on my Ultimate Sweater Machine. Even though we had only minutes to put them on the trees so they look a wee bit janky, the site of the warm, bright colors–symbols of hope– on the wounded trunks is pretty beautiful.
Here are a few, iPhone shots from the experience.
Me wearing the official EMHE volunteer blue shirt, sewing a knitted piece to one of the trees.
Designer/co-host Tracy Hutson & volunteer crafter, chatting in front of the cameras.
A little lumpy, but extra cozy.
Stay tuned for this episode, so you can see the amazing home & studio the team built for this family. It’ll air next year for Christmas.
It's summertime, and we're ready for pops of color and poolside purling! This month we've put together a box of goodies for you that will give your summer stitching a fun, free-spirited vibe. Watch to see what's inside our July box!
Tap photos or go to the link in my @vickiehowell bio to get this 📦 box!
✨To celebrate Christmas in July, get 10% off if you pre-order this month.
Use code 12DAYS2022👏🏻
This year’s theme is 12 Days of YAY! We’re thrilled to offer two palette choices:
Aluminum Tree (neons/neutrals), and Ice Castle (blues, white, teals, greys).
Go to link in bio, tap on photo, or https://www.yarnyay.com/products/12-days-of-yay-advent-box to learn more about what’s inside and to secure your box!
It's almost July and that means it's time to debut YarnYAY!’s Fall/Winter Designer in Residence - the amazing, vibrant, and talented, Toni Lipsey aka @tlyarncrafts ! We're big fans of her work in both the crochet and Tunisian crochet realms and couldn't be more thrilled to have her on the design team for the season.
✨This means that, as of our July box (on sale now) YarnYAY! subscribers will receive one of her patterns, designed especially for us! 🧶
Welcome Toni, we’re thrilled to have you as part of the team! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Hey, knitters & crocheters! Be a maniac. You know you want to. 💃🧶
👉🏻 𝘄𝘄𝘄.𝗬𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗬𝗔𝗬.𝗰𝗼𝗺
Here’s the scoop:
• Subscribe to YarnYAY! monthly boxes of maker goodness, hand-picked by me. (Hey there, I’m @vickiehowell, you might know me from DIY’s 𝘒𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘺, PBS’ 𝘒𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯g 𝘋𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘺, YouTube’s @theknitshow , or — as is illustrated in this video by my finely honed thespian chops — the solid two semesters I spent as a @elcaminoedu community college theater major 🎭 But I digress.
•YarnYAY! Monthly Boxes are for BOTH knitters and crocheters.
• We send you meaty, appetizer-sized portions of gorgeous yarns to take for a spin with easily finish-able projects, then encourage you to buy more for larger projects from your favorite LYS.
• By subscribing to YarnYAY! subscription boxes you’re supporting 3-5 small businesses and designers every month!
𝗧𝗮𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 👆🏻
#yarnyay #flashdance #suportsmallbusiness #knitter #crocheter...
Love this! What an awesome thing to be a part of.
that is awesome
Vickie, they look like beautiful, bright yarn bandages for those healing trees – I will definitely look for the show next December!
What a great opportunity to help others. Your yarnbombed trees look great!
Really cool, Vickie! How is the sweater machine to work with, btw?
Very good looking trees. Decked the halls!
What a great opportunity! 🙂
That’s what I’m talking about. Thanks for busting your butt. I miss you.
I miss you too, Kel. xo