Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Complements Collection

Bijou Basin Ranch yarn has kicked off it's new 'Bijou Spun' publishing division with the Complements Collection by Kristin Omdahl.  The collection is 7 knit and 6 crochet projects in a 28 page booklet that is available in both hardcopy and digital formats.

Chevrons and shells both knit and crochet are well represented in this collection.  The count includes 2 shawls (one knit, one crochet), 1 unisex hat & mitts set (knit), 1 hat and scarf set (crochet), crochet wristlets, 2 short ascot scarves (1 knit, 1 crochet), 1 knit shawlette, 1 knit cowl, 1 crochet cowl, 1 knit capelet. Did I get it all? It's a bunch!  And considering accessories are among the quickest and most universally wearable projects, you will definitely find something to love in the collection.

Teaming up with Bijou Basin Ranch Yarn must have been a real jackpot! Kristin was given free reign to create with some of the most luscious fibers on the planet. These extravagant fibers may seem out of reach and yet, Kristin designed with 3 balls or fewer of each of the company's exotic blend fibers. The smaller projects and using sock yarns with generous yardage makes the yarns much more accessible.

My favorite crochet project in the bunch is the Protea textured hat and keyhole scarf set. It's just lovely, looks so warm and elegant. It looks like it would have good stretch for comfortable wearing. Though most of the projects in the book have either knit charts or crochet stitch diagrams to accompany them, this particular pattern does not. At less than one page for both the hat and scarf together, perhaps the pattern is easy enough without the extra support of a diagram.

Oh!  I see in the little bio of Kristin on the back cover it lists one of her books as "The Finer Edge"  HMMM? I didn't know about that book!  Is it new, (running over to Amazon real quick to look....) Oh yes!  This is her newest book scheduled to come out in January 2013. Crochet edgings and trims.  Here's the Amazon link to all of her lovely books.

I'm Intrigued by the knit Gladiolus XOXO Hugs & Kisses knit hat and wristlets set.  On the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird, Kristin said that even people new to "in the round" knit might enjoy this pattern because the beginning part of the hat is worked on straight needles before transitioning to circulars!  That in itself made me take another look at this unisex pattern. Get the book or listen to Marly's podcast to hear the funny story of the subliminal? message Kristin stitched right into that hat! 

To see all 13 knit and crochet projects, find them on Ravelry, here's the link.  

To enter for the random drawing for a digital copy of Complements Collection, leave a comment including your first name, last initial, and city on THIS post by Sunday May 6, 2012 11:59 pm EST.  Because this is a digital prize, the giveaway is open to everyone, not just US residents.  You may enter only once and a winner will be chosen at random.  The winner will be announced on Monday, here on the blog. The winner will need to write me with your email address at Ellen @ GoCrochet dot com  (take out the spaces, trade the word "dot" for and actual dot. If the prize is not claimed by emailing me by Tuesday night, 11:59 pm May 8, 2012, another winner will be chosen.

If you are following Kristin's blog tour, tomorrow's stop is...Shannon Okey at www.Knitgrrl.com

Here's a photo of me with the fine folks at Bijou Basin Ranch at TNNA 2? years ago?  Starting left front, Designer, Simona Merchant-Dest, Carl, owner of BBR, Marly's Momma is behind Carl, in the white in the back and moving forward is Eileen, owner of BBR, Kristin Omdahl, me, and Marly Bird, Creative Director for BBR.