Giveaway results!

Well I had a great day yesterday!  I was able to give away nearly 4,200 copies of my ebooks!!  I was doing the math, and it works out to a little over $10,000 worth of books!  Ahahaha!!!  What a wonderful Blogeversary!!  (you can tell I'm happy by my over-use of exclamation points!)

Today I'm happy because I know that none of that would have been possible without all of your help!  Thank you to everyone who downloaded my books, and who took the time to write thoughtful reviews.  Those downloads and reviews are what make it possible for me to have huge free book days, so thank you, thank you, thank you.

For those of you who downloaded my latest book, Crochet Dynamite: Argyle Crochet, I've been thinking that I'd like to an Argyle Crochet Q and A hour on Twitter on Monday, April 8th. That way you'll all have a chance to read the book and experiment with it for a week so you can come up with some really great questions. I'm trying to think of a good time so that everyone can join us.  I'm thinking that 12 noon PST might be a time that would work. Or would an evening chat be better for everyone?  If you have an opinion, leave a comment below or tweet me @crochetdynamite (make sure to tag it #argylecrochet).

Okay, now for the good part!  I ran two different giveaways over the last two days, and I am so happy that I get to announce the winners!

For the Promote Free Book Day giveaway (to win a $20 Amazon gift card) the winner is:

Congratulations to Connie (Pigswife)!  

For the Download Argyle Crochet giveaway (to win one of three yarn prizes) the winners are:

 Congratulations to Faith!

Congratulations to Heather Jackson!

Congratulations to Linda Roebke! 

If you won, I'm sending you an email/Facebook message/blog comment to get your contact information.  If for some reason you don't get it, please send your mailing address to me at CrochetDynamite@gmail.com!  I'd love to get your prizes in the mail on Monday!

I hope you all have wonderful weekends, and that the Easter Bunny brings you lots of chocolate, and the GOOD kind of jelly beans (as opposed to the yicky kind!).  

xoxo

P.S.  It came to my attention that some of my International Dynamos may have had trouble downloading my free e-books yesterday.  I'm seriously heartsick about this.  Unfortunately, I'm not the distributor of my books.  I make a request for a free book day to Amazon, and they determine when it goes live (and where, sadly!).

I love you all, no matter what part of the world you call home!

FREE BOOK DAY IS HERE!!!

The day has finally arrived!  Crochet Dynamite: Argyle Crochet is live in the Kindle store on Amazon.com!!  And best of all, it's available for FREE today!!  So go download it, right now!!! Even if you don't have a Kindle, Amazon has free software so you can read the book on your computer, smartphone or tablet!

Whew.  That was a lot of exclamation points.  I couldn't help it.  I'm really excited.

From the description on Amazon.com: 

In this fun new book from the Crochet Dynamite line, Jaime will show you step-by-step how to make gorgeous argyle crochet projects using variegated yarn!  While this isn't a quick-and-easy technique, it's beginner friendly since there are only two stitches that are used to create the pattern: chain stitch and single crochet.  Even very experienced crochet artists will find this technique challenging and fun because it requires a meticulous eye for detail, and playing with so many colors without having to weave in ends is just plain fun!

In this book you will find:

Step by step instructions on how to Argyle Crochet with variegated yarn

10 fun and fabulous projects to make with your Argyle Crochet pieces, including:

- The Tassel Hat

- Argyle Beanie

- The Camo-gyle Scarf

- Mad For Plaid Tote

- Wee Bonnie Blanket

- This One's Mine Laptop Cover

And list of yarns that will, and won't work with this technique, and instructions on how to tell if your favorite variegated yarn will work.

This book is not for the faint of heart, but if you've got patience and determination you'll soon be impressing your friends and family with your fantastic Argyle Crochet!

Woo hoo!!!  I know I said it before, but I am SO excited.  Because it's not just FREE Crochet Dynamite: Argyle Crochet day...  It's my one year Blogeversary!!  Crochet Dynamite is officially one year old!!!  But that's not why I'm excited.  It's because I have a surprise for you.  In celebration of my Blogeversary I've decided to make it FREE CROCHET DYNAMITE BOOKS DAY!!!  All of my books are available for FREE today (and the crowd goes wild!!)!!

But wait, there's more!  While I was working on this book I bought a lot of variegated yarn.  Like more yarn than one person should own.  Like WAY too much yarn.  Which means that I have a whole lot of awesome variegated yarn that would be just perfect to use with all of the projects in my new book, Crochet Dynamite: Argyle Crochet, but it's taking up WAY too much space in my art studio (otherwise known as my dining room).  So, I'm going to bundle it up into 3 giveaway prizes!

If you'd like to enter to win one of the prizes, please download Crochet Dynamite: Argyle Crochet (and any of the other books if you don't already have them), and then come back and leave me a comment with your contact information!  It's that easy!  Much like the books, the giveaway contest ends at midnight PST tonight, so make sure you enter!!!  One comment per person, please!!
I'll use Random.org to pick a winner tomorrow morning.

Thank you all for your love and support!  I have loved nearly every minute of this last year, and I feel blessed that you are all on this journey with me.  And if you wanted to leave a review of Crochet Dynamite: Argyle Crochet sometime this week it sure wouldn't hurt my feelings... ;D

xoxo Jaime

Argyle Crochet FREE BOOK DAY 3/29/13

Hi Dynamos!

As you know, my new book Crochet Dynamite: Argyle Crochet is going to be FREE on Amazon tomorrow in the Kindle store (don't have a Kindle?  Amazon has FREE software you can download to read the book on your computer, smartphone, or tablet!).  I'm so excited not only because I think the book turned out amazing, but also because it's my ONE YEAR BLOGEVERSARY!!!   Yippee!!!

So far, the most books that I've been able to give away in a single day has been a little over 1,800.  That number seems really small to me.  I'd love to give away double that for this book.  Do you think you can help me get the word out about my awesome new book?  I will make it worth your while!

Today and tomorrow only, I'm having a giveaway contest for everyone who blogs, tweets, pins, phones a friend, posts on Facebook/Google+/a crochet community forum board about my FREE BOOK DAY.  The prize is a $20 Amazon gift card (so you can buy yarn, hooks, or other Crochet Dynamite books!!! LOL!!!)

You can earn up to five entries in this giveaway contest:

1. Send a Tweet to let your friends know that tomorrow, March 29th, Crochet Dynamite: Argyle Crochet is FREE on Amazon (#argylecrochet)

2. Post status update on Facebook or Google+ to let your friends know that tomorrow, March 29th, Crochet Dynamite: Argyle Crochet is FREE on Amazon

3. Write a blog post, or post in a crochet community forum to let your friends know that tomorrow, March 29th, Crochet Dynamite: Argyle Crochet is FREE on Amazon

4. Pin the picture in this post onto Pinterest to let your friends know that tomorrow, March 29th, Crochet Dynamite: Argyle Crochet is FREE on Amazon

5. Call at least one friend (or family member) that crochets to tell them that tomorrow, March 29th, Crochet Dynamite: Argyle Crochet is FREE on Amazon  (This one's on the honor system, Dynamos!  I'll know if you're fibbing! :D)

Sadly, I don't have a huge marketing team (yet) to track everyone's entries, so you're going to have to tell me yourself.  :D  Please leave me a comment on this post to let me know what you've done (one comment = one entry, so leave a separate entry for each thing you do).
The contest to win the $20 giftcard ends on Friday night when the FREE BOOK promotion ends.  I will pick a winner using Random.org on Saturday morning, so make sure you include an email address so I can contact you if you win.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for helping me get the word out.  I know we can set a new Crochet Dynamite FREE BOOK GIVEAWAY record!!

xoxo

Preview!!

I just got the cover of the book done (I know, I'm cutting it close) but it turned out so awesome I had to share:

I'm so happy with it!  So mark you calenders, my FREE BOOK DAY for the new Crochet Dynamite: Argyle Crochet book is THIS Friday, March 29th!

Yippee!!

xoxo

Still working, not dead! LOL!!!

Hey, Dynamos!

I've been a busy, busy gal this last week.  It seems like every free moment I have is spent crocheting away.  I've got multiple skeins strewn around the house and I just bounce from room to room and pick up a project and work away until it's time to change rooms.  And when I'm not at home it's even worse.  I've crocheted on a train, on a subway, in museums, in the lounge at my mechanic's while I waited for the car to be fixed up, on the lawn at Mims's school, and I would have crocheted at the movies but the popcorn makes my fingers too greasy.  LOL!!

I'm finally done with all of my projects for the argyle book, which looks like it's going to be ready in time to go out next week for my ONE YEAR BLOGEVERSARY! Woot!  I'm planning to offer it as a FREE download on Amazon on the 29th.  I'm so excited!

As you know, I'm a non-sponsored, completely independent crochet designer (although I'm not opposed to it, if you're interested in placing an ad on the blog or sending me boxes and boxes of free yarn... :D Um, back to what I was saying...) and I'm trying to figure out the best way to get the word out about the free download day for my new book...  Jake and I have been thinking of all sorts of ideas, but I thought I'd run them by you guys and see what you think.  This whole thing is one big, lovely experiment, so if you've got a better idea, leave a comment or send me an email.  I'm open to anything right now...

In the meantime, I was thinking of having a two big giveaways next week, plus some small giveaways... I thought I might enter everyone who helped me promote the new book into one drawing for a $20 gift card to Joann's or Michaels.  Then I thought I'd do another giveaway for a second $20 gift card for all of the lovely people who leave a review of the new book on Amazon (or if it's a lovely critique, send it to me directly so that I can improve the book for everyone).

Then I thought I'd do a bunch of small giveaways and enter anyone who tells me that they downloaded the book.  I ended up with a ton of leftover yarn from this book (some of it doesn't work for this technique, some of it I just didn't use) and I thought I'd clear out my artist space (otherwise known as the dining room) and share the yarn-y love.

Okay, so let me know what you think.  I've got to get back to work on the book (one week left!) but I'll check in regularly to see what you think.

And in the meantime, you can check out a tiny preview of what's coming!

This is Jake.  He's a good sport.  I love the way his hat turned out.  I think it looks so cool.   He's holding the (finally!) finished argyle baby blanket.  I have to say I was surprised at how crisp and awesomely different it turned out.  I am so excited about this book, Dynamos!

xoxo

Argyle gone wrong!

I've been working on my argyle crochet book.  It looks like it's going to be about a dozen (all new!) patterns.  Yay! 

As an author, I feel like I need all of my books to be as close to perfect as I can make them, but as a blogger, I feel like I need to share all of my experiments, even the ones that fail.  Lucky for me, I've got the opportunity to share all the failures here, and still can be a perfect "expert" in the books.  Best of both worlds!

I have been working on a baby blanket.  I wanted to do a big center piece of argyle, and then put a solid color border around the outside, and maybe run a fat satin ribbon through the edging.  Totes adorable, right?!  I was so excited when my practice swatch turned out so sweet.

But once I got going on the large piece, 3 times the size of my swatch, I quickly lost control of the stripes.  If you look, you'll see that they wobble and get wonky after one repeat of the pattern.  Ugh.  This is a small section of the piece (I cropped it down for the picture) that I spent 3 days working on...

It's pretty awful.  I had to hide it away for a few days so I wouldn't have to look at it while I tried to figure out what I was going to do with it.  I've finally decided to frog the whole thing, and do the blanket in patches, which will still look cute, and the argyle will stay precise (which is the whole point of it).

I think I've finally figured out how I went hideously wrong with this piece.  First off, it's a baby yarn, which means it's a narrower yarn and has shorter lengths for each color (as opposed to worsted weight yarn), which makes it harder to control period.  And I used a size g hook, instead of a size d hook (or other smaller sized hook), which added to the difficulty since it made the short color lengths even harder to control.

I will never say that I'm happy that this thing turned out so terrible, but I'm glad that I now know the outer limits of what's possible with this technique.  Ultimately, it's going to make a better book, and hopefully it will save all of you from spending 3 days of single crochet that you have to frog!  LOL!!!

Okay, so I've got to get ready for my sister's baby shower, so I'm going to go now.  I hope you all have a wonderful, magical weekend, filled with at least two unexpectedly delightful surprises!

xoxo

Guest Posting for Fillmore Jars!

Hey Dynamos!

Last month I got the amazing opportunity to work with the awesome people over at Fillmore Jars to  design a cozy for my very fave Mason Jar Mug!  They even let me do a guest post!  So, go check out the cool stuff they've got, grab my free pattern, and enter their giveaway to win one for yourself (all the cozy, none of the work!!)!

My guest post is HERE.

On a totally different subject, I've been working like mad to get the argyle crochet book going. I'm tentatively looking at March 29th as my publication date (free books for Dynamos, yo!) which is my first blogeversary! It's fun, but some of the larger pieces I'd planned are not going as well as I'd hoped.  I'll update you in a day or two, when I figure out what went wrong!  LOL!!!

...And seriously, if you haven't entered the giveaway, go do it now!

xoxo