Sweeters Hand-Knit Pals Review and Giveaway! {CLOSED}

I am very excited to introduce you to Sweeters, a Grandma-owned company that makes hand-knit sweaters and fun sweater pals! Years ago company owner Sue Katz started to hand knit 100% cotton sweaters as gifts for family and friends. The sweaters were a hit and their feedback is what gave her the idea to turn her knitting into a full time career. That is how Sweeters was born! Each sweater is handmade by knitters here in the USA and all of their hand knit sweater are designed by Sue in Florida. Sweeters’ sweaters are hand knit one at a time; they do not mass produce their sweaters. A Sweeter sweater is hand knit when you place your order.

The Sweeters Pals are individually hand knit just like the sweaters. The Sweeters Pals collection is also made in the USA and the Sweeters Pals can be personalized because they are handmade when you place your order. All the yarn and stuffing is sourced in the USA so you can be assured that Sweeters meets the highest quality standards.


I have worked with Sweeters for several years, and my customers have always been more than pleased with the quality of the products. I can also personally recommend Sweeters’ products; my daughter has her own personalized Sweeters Pal, an Easter gift from the “Easter Bunny” that ended up as a favorite bedtime buddy! So much for putting it away with the rest of the Easter toys for the following year! She named her pal “Gigi” (her version of her own name at the time), and this beautiful, heirloom type gift has held up to nightly snuggles and various washes (we have to sneak it away to be washed) for over 3 years, and is still looking just as new as the day we received it! My son also has his own pal, a striped honey bear that keeps him company in his crib. It was one of the first toys I put in the crib with him…I didn’t have to worry about button eyes or noses popping off. Plus I knew that it was safe for him to snuggle with (and yes, chew on…there’s just no stopping it!).

All-American Baby has teamed up with Sweeters for an amazing giveaway offer: One lucky follower will receive their own Personalized Monkey Sweater Pal from Sweeters! This is such a special giveaway offer because the winner’s pal will be hand-knit to order! The winner will be able to choose from pink, blue or orange for their monkey's outfit, and will provide a personalized name to be knit into the monkey's shirt!  The winner should allow 3 weeks from the time of order for your new Sweeters Pal..just in time for Christmas!


Can't Wait?? You can buy it: Sweeters Pals and sweaters retail from $42.00 and up and are available at the All-American Baby retail website! Enter “Sweeters” in the product search box, or look for pals in soft toys and sweaters in clothing.  Remember, each pal or sweater is hand knit to order.  To allow 3 weeks before shipping, if you are hoping to receive your order before Christmas, you should order your pal or sweater this week!

Win it:

1. Mandatory Entry: please visit our website (http://www.all-americanbaby.net/) and return with a comment on one item that you LOVE!


Additional Entries (must complete mandatory entry first):
2. "Liking" us on Facebook
3.  "Liking" Sweeters on Facebook
4. Follow us via GFC
5. Subscribe via email or RSS (one entry each)
6. Add your networked blog
7. Grab our Holiday Button and post it on your blog or website for TWO entries (leave the link in your comment)
8. Blog about this giveaway with a link back to All-American Baby Blog, and leave the URL to your blog post in the comment for TWO additional entries.


Be sure to leave an additional comment for each entry to get credit! And please leave a way to contact you! Comments without contact information will be disqualified. Contest winner will be drawn using Random.org. Winner has 24 hours to respond or another winner will be drawn (this is a time-sensitive prize, so winner will need to respond ASAP). Contest ends November 28, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Please note that all comments are moderated, so your comment will not appear until it has been approved.


Disclosure: This blog is used to promote American-made children's products, and our retail website All-American Baby. Many of the products reviewed here are available for purchase from our online store, http://www.all-americanbaby.net/. I am always on the look-out for only the best products to offer to parents looking for American-made items. I will only promote high quality, safe products that are made in the USA, whether in my store or in my blog.  I was not provided with any gift or compensation; this review is based on my experience with the product as a consumer and as a retailer. Sweeters is providing the gift for the winner of this giveaway. All views and opinions with regard to the products or manufacturer itself are my own and were not influenced, nor reviewed, by the manufacturer prior to posting. Offer Valid US only!

Personalized Christmas Ornaments - Made in the USA!

I just wanted to let you all know about an online Christmas ornament shop that carries made in the USA ornaments!  There is a review and giveaway going on at Fun Saving Money's blog for Ornaments with Love, an online store offering a huge variety of personalized ornaments, and many of them are American made!  Since not all of their ornaments are made in the USA, you can use the handy search feature at the top of the page to narrow your search to “made in USA”.  You will have a great selection!  You can visit their website at www.ornamentswithlove.com, or you can enter to win a free ornament of your choice at Fun Saving Money’s blog.  Let her know I sent you!   

Nursery Rhyme Blocks by Uncle Goose

Another update of a classic, these whimsical Nursery Rhyme Blocks help children to learn their nursery rhymes. Great for block play, early reading or as a nursery decoration. Sure to be cherished as a favorite toy or family heirloom.Each block is embossed on opposite ends with two silhouette images from classic Mother Goose stories. The nursery rhyme text is printed consecutively on the four remaining side. 28 blocks, made from the same generous 1 3/4" blocks as our alphabet set. Ages: 2+. Made in the USA, of course!

Nursery Rhymes included: Little Jack Horner, Three Little Kittens, Mary, Mary Quite Contrary, Old Mother Hubbard, Humpty Dumpty, Diddle Diddle Dumpling, Little Boy Blue, Baa, Baa Black Sheep, Old King Cole, Tom Tom the Piper's Son, Hickory Dickory Dock, Little Bo Peep, Ladybug Ladybug, Jack & Jill, Pat-a-cake Pat-a-cake, Wee Willie Winkie, Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater, Dickery Dickery Dare, Pussycat Pussycat, Jack Be Nimble, Sing a Song of Sixpence, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Hey Diddle Diddle, Little Miss Muffet, Old Woman Who Lived In a Shoe, One Two Buckle My Shoe, Little Robin Redbreast.

Also available in a 9-block set.

Toys Made in the USA for Christmas 2008

It’s unbelievable that the holidays are already just around the corner. Last year, the focus for Christmas was on safe, quality, American-made toys for the children…avoiding potentially lead-tainted Chinese-made products at all cost. But what about this year? With financial times so challenging, budget is definitely a major consideration. It’s tempting to run out to the nearest Target or Wal-Mart and buy all cheap plastic toys to make sure there are lots of toys and gifts under the tree, while still keeping to the budget. But what is that teaching our children about quality vs. quantity? And how long will that Chinese-made plastic toy really last? Are you certain of its safety? It is still important to remember the many reasons for buying American-made items wherever possible. Here are a few reminders:

1. Safety – American-made toys and products have much stricter safety requirements than many foreign made toys. The recalls for lead paint last year are still fresh in the minds of parents, and when it comes to our children…safety trumps all.

2. Quality – American manufacturers have a high standard of quality, and as many are still smaller, family-run operations, the focus on the quality of the products remains top priority.

3. Supporting our Country and Economy – Any shopping money that is dropped into our economy at this time will be helpful, but when you spend your money on products that are made in the USA, so much more of your hard earned cash is going directly to Americans, instead of supporting huge US corporations that pour the money in foreign economies.

4. Your Child's Development – Have you noticed how much noise those plastic toys of today make? American-made toys are typically more classic, and yes, quiet, toys…just like the ones you grew up with. How much more freedom does your child’s imagination have if they are not being “told” by a toy exactly what to do and how to play? So many skills can be developed by a simple set of blocks or a wooden train set: creativity, problem solving, critical thinking, collaborative skills, science skills, math skills, motor skills…just to name a few! And the time YOU spend interacting with your child and their “quiet toys” has so much more developmental impact than any songs or lessons a talking toy can teach.

So how can I make this a classic, quality holiday season for my children and myself, and still stay within my budget? It may not be practical to think that every item you place under the tree this year will be American-made, but you might be surprised at the wonderful, reasonably-priced gift ideas that are out there! Here are a few suggestions. Many of these items can fit in a variety of categories.

Holiday Gift Ideas from All-American Baby:

Boys
Train Sets
Floor Cars
Floor Trains
Trucks
Building Blocks
Alphabet Blocks
Boy Rag Doll
Art Easel
Puppet Theater
Personalized Books
Clothes


Girls
Tea Set
Cooking Set
Dolls
Stuffed Animals
Play Kitchen
Art Easels
Puppet Theater
Blocks
Music Boxes
Personalized Books
Clothes


Infants
Wood Rattles
Plastic Rattles
Stacking Toys
Pull Toys
Soft Blocks
Soft Knit Dolls
Soft Knit Animals
Bonding Dolls
Hats and Blankets
Clothes

Remember that with American-made gifts all the batteries, blinking lights and loud sounds are NOT required… but IMAGINATION is!!