A Raffle for Dylan

Hi, everyone!

Updates:  1/21/2009, 1/31/2009, and 2/6/2009 - see below.

Just to recap what this raffle is for:

On September 30, 2008, my sister Luci died unexpectedly.  She was a single mom who was working hard to give her 4 year old son Dylan a good life.  With Luci gone, Dylan’s grandmother and her husband stepped up to take on the challenege (and blessing!) of raising this little boy.  He’s a great kid, but kids are expensive and his grandparents weren’t expecting this new full-time responsibility.  While they can cover his basic needs, and some of his wants, I want to do more for him.  His fifth birthday is coming up on Valentine’s Day.  Luci always said it was appropriate that he was born then – because he was the love of her life.  I want to get him something big for his birthday (like a membership for him and his grandparents to the Zoo, or the local science museum, plus something fun like a new bike).  I would also like to add something to his college fund. 

And that is where you come in.

As a single mama myself, most funds coming into my home are allocated (dang those student loans!).  But I have amassed a bit of a stash over the years – a stash that I will never get around to using.  So I’m giving it away to you.  Yes, YOU!  Well, maybe to you – but you can’t win if you don’t play!

I have a few new additions to add to the list since my last post. 

I got my hands on another skein of Wollmeise 100% Sock in Krauterbeet (click for photo).  That means that TWO people will win skeins of Wollmeise! 

I asked the ever-amazing Erin over at Eat.Sleep.Knit if she’d be willing to donate a couple of her Yarn Lotto Tickets to the raffle, because, really.  The only thing that makes opening a box of yarn any better than it already is would be scratching a Yarn Lotto ticket (and winning!).  Each lotto ticket gives the scratcher the chance of winning awesome prizes like credits to ESK, a free skein of Smooshy, and other stuff.  She gladly agreed to send a few and then went even further.  She has donated three skeins of sock yarn to the raffle.  Her two top sellers!  A skein of Malabrigo Sock in Indiecita and 2 skeins of Yarn Love Elizabeth Bennet in Bayfield Apple!  How awesome is she?   Even if you don’t participate in the raffle, next time you’re looking to place an order for really awesome hand-dyed yarns - PLEASE keep Eat.Sleep.Knit in mind.  They clearly have the best customer service on Earth.

I got lucky in the last Sundara update so each winner will get a skein of Sundara Sock in either a Seasons or Limited Edition color!!!!!!!  I don’t know what the colors will be yet, as I don’t have the yarn in hand.  It will likely ship separately (if international, at my cost) from the other winnings.  It should be expected to arrive to you around the end of March.

So, here are the specifics.

I will draw winners on February 7, which will give me a full week to shop for Dylan’s present.

Each entry is $5, payable through Paypal (button below) or email me at lynleeweber [at] yahoo [dot] com to get my mailing address if you prefer to send a check or money order. 

For every $20 donation, you get a free entry (instead of 4 entries per $20, you get 5).

If you donate via Paypal, I will get an email that has your contact information.  However, if you use another email address more regularly, please feel free to email me and let me know!  If you win, I want you to know right away!

If you donate, and then post a link on your blog or website, you will get an extra entry.  Please put this information on your Paypal comments, or email me at lynleeweber [at] yahoo [dot] com.  You will get one more entry for every 3 people who tell me in their Paypal comments that they read about the raffle on your blog so be sure to let them know!

I will draw a winner for the “big lot” first.  This is the grand prize, if you will.  I will then draw “runner-up” winners for the “sock lot” and then for “the other lot”.   Please see bottom of post for specifics on lots.  I may add more as time goes on so check back!

I will ship to the US for free.  If you live internationally, I will split the shipping costs 50/50.  Still a great deal, regardless of which lot you win.

I have a non-smoking home.  We do have a hairless Sphynx cat, but she is kept away from the yarn (she doesn’t even like yarn, oddly enough).  However, if you have severe allergies, you might want to take this into consideration.

Here’s the donate button!  You can use cash funds, or e-check, or credit card.

 

I want to take this opportunity to give an advanced thank you to everyone who donates.  Together we can give this little boy, who has lost so much, a great birthday and a good start to his future.  And just to put a face to the name, here is a photo of Dylan with his mama.

 

Update, 1/21/2009:

I am so overwhelmed by the generosity of you crafters!  Thank you all for your donations and for all of the sweet notes.  You are amazing people and I only wish I had a stash to send to each and every one of you!

The package from Eat.Sleep.Knit. came yesterday.  Oh.  My.  Goodness.  I had yet to see/touch the Malabrigo Sock and EB from Yarn Love – but they’re both scrumptious!  I can totally understand why Indiecita is Erin’s most lusted after color of Malabrigo Sock.  It’s gorgeous. 

And the Elizabeth Bennet?  All I have to say is that it is so flipping soft that I can’t believe people put it on their feet!  I want bedsheets made out of the stuff!

More photos of these yarns on my Ravelry stash page – my username is PeaceSoup.

She also sent along some of those Yarn Lotto Tickets.  Each winner will get one or two and I think I’ll send a couple out to other winners as extra runner-up prizes.  She also sent some of her cards that have a handy chart on the back to help you keep track of what needle sizes you already have (you know how you go to the yarn store to pick up yarn for a project then can’t remember if you have the right needle size or not?  These business cards fit perfectly in the wallet so that it’s always handy!).  And some buttons, too!  Yay!  Thanks to my favorite KnitterMonkey, Erin, for the fantastic goodies!

Update, 1/31/2009:

And the awesomeness of crafters continues!

Darcy over at Darcy Knotty Knitter is having her own contest to win a silver bracelet and yarn needle (they’re gorgeous!).  To win, you donate to this raffle.   She’s drawing two winners on 2/14.  Thank you, Darcy!!!

Also, Dianne from Creatively Dyed Yarn has donated two skeins of her hand-dyed Calypso yarn!  All of her colors are simply stunning and I am giddy to check out which ones she sent!  I will update with a photo as soon as they arrive.  Thank you, Dianne!!!

Here are the photos, though they certainly do not do any justice at all to this yarn…  The base is beautiful (510 yards per skein!) and the colors are just. plain. awesome.  Two skeins in Marina Cay, still trying to decide which lots they’ll go in (maybe I’ll let it be a surprise!).

Update, 2/6/2009:

I got an email from Ruth at 5elementknitr.  She is generously donating a set of her Stitch Savers, including a custom-made one with the winner’s name!  I don’t know how many times a crochet hook has been used in this house to fix problems that are totally unrelated to fiber, but the idea of having one on my keychain, to go everywhere I go…  It makes me giddy.   Thank you, Ruth!!!

I have also decided to add a surprise to each box.  Yay!

I do want to mention that the donations from these lovely ladies and from Erin at ESK wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for Ravelry.  What an awesome resource and outstanding community of people.  I am completely at a loss for words to describe how much good this whole process has done for my heart.

Prize lots are as follows:

BIG LOT:

2 x Adriafil Carezza, color 01 black
2 x Alpaca with a Twist Big Baby, color 2014 (light purple)
1+ x Artful Yarns Jazz, color54 (blues, discontinued)
4 x Bernat Cotton Tots, Grape Berry
4+ x Bernat Cotton Tots, Wonder White
1 x Bernat Softy Chunky (hot pink)
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9727 Spanish Brown
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9781 Olive
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9734 Licorice
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9741 Bitter Sweet
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9721 Sprig
4 x Berocco Touche, Peeps
3+ x Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton, color 83 Sage
2 x Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton, color 82 Nut
2 x Bristol Yarn Gallery King George, color 302 (brown)
1 x Caron Bliss, Jade
9 x Cascade Pima Tencel, color 7013 Teal
1 x Cherry Tree Hill Orenburg Lace, 44g, Plum Pie
1 x Cherry Tree Hill Possum Laceweight, Misty Moor
2 x Classic Elite Beatrice, color 3285 Autumn Hillside
4 x Classic Elite Desert. color 2077 (blues/greys)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2653 (pink)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2617 (purple)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2646 (blue)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2695 (melon)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2681 (lime green)
2 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2633 (yellow)
9 x Cleckheaton Merino Supreme, color 2205 (dark grey)
3 x Cleckheaton Merino Supreme, color 2202 (light grey)
8 x Cleckheaton Merino Supreme, color 2200 (white/cream)
2 x Crystal Palace Panda Cotton, Kiwi-Mango
1 x Dream in Color Baby, Beach Fog
1 x Dream in Color Baby, Cloud Jungle
2+ x Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, color 32 (blue)
2 x FiberNatura Flax, color 09 Robin
1 x Fiber Natura Flax, color 12 Tarragon
1 x Handmaiden Fine Yarn Sea Silk, Smoke
1 x JaggerSpun Zephyr Wool-Silk 2/18, Admiral
2 x K1C2 2nd Time Cotton, Nantucket
2 x K1C2 2nd Time Cotton, Valencia
2 x Knit Picks Essential, Turtle Multi
2 x Knit Picks Telemark, Deep Navy
1 x Lang Mille Colori, color 697.0088 (blues/greys)
10 x Lily Sugar & Cream, various colors
1 x Lion Jiffy, Dusty Pink
2 x Lion Woolease Thick & Quick, Wheat
8 x Madil Eden, color 002 (black)
4 x Manos Del uruguay, color 48 Cherry
1 x Noro Cash Island, color 12
3 x Noro Kochoran, color 10
3 x Noro Kochoran, color 53
1 x Patons Classic Wool, Natural Mix
1 x Patons SWS, Natural Denim
3 x Patons SWS, Natural Plum
10 x Pisgah Yarn Peaches & Creme, various colors
1 x Pisgah Yarn Peaches & Creme 1 lb cone
4 x Plymouth Royal Bamboo, color 80 (white/cream)
3 x Plymouth Royal Llama Silk, color 1002 (grey)
1 x Rio De La Plata Multicolor Ply DK, lime green/ethereal blue/vibrant orange
1 x Shepherd Color 4 Me, color 4952 lime green
10 x Southwest Trading Co. Amerah, Oh Girl
2 x Southwest Trading Co. Phoenix, Purplexed
2 x Sublime Angora Merino, color 73 (black)
1 x Sundara Sock Yarn, Seasons or Limited Edition color (may ship separately)
4 x Twinkle Handknits Cruise, color 39 Periwinkle
6 x Unger Skol, color 205 (green)
2 x vintage wool, (blue/teal)
1 x Wollmeise Sock, Krauterbeet
Set of Stitch Savers from http://5elementknitr.etsy.com
1 x A Surprise!

SOCK LOT:

1 x The Alpaca Yarn Co. Paca-Peds, Green Gator
1 x Cherry Tree Hill Sockittome Potluck (bright blue & orange)
1 x Dream in Color Smooshy, Dusky Aurora
1 x Malabrigo Sock, Indiecita
1 x Pagewood Farms Alyeska, Crayon
1 x Prism Sake, Sierra
1 x Sundara Sock Yarn, Seasons or Limited Edition color (may ship separately)
1 x The Unique Sheep Tinsel Toes, Dusk
1 x Wollmeise Sock, Saami
2 x Yarn Love Elizabeth Bennet, Bayfield Apple
1 x A Surprise!

THE OTHER LOT

1 x Learn to Spin Drop Spindle Kit from Naked Pines Ranch (contains drop spindle, instructions, and 40z. Romney wool roving)
1 x Bag of wool roving, 6 colors
1 x Sundara Sock Yarn, Seasons or Limited Edition color (may ship separately)
1 x pair of ChiaoGoo knitting needles, size 15
1 x Bohemia Soy Candle, your choice of scents (limited to their stock)
1 x A Surprise!

Raffle!!

Here is the list of yarns to be raffled.  For those of you on Ravelry, most (but not all) of these are listed in my Stash under the Sell/Trade tab. 

There will be a couple different lots.  One “big lot” and one “sock lot”.  There will be at least one other lot, but I’m still working on what all will go into it.  I will split these up later, but wanted to give everyone an idea of what is going to be up for grabs.  

Current count is 190 skeins! 

 

2 x Adriafil Carezza, color 01 black
2 x Alpaca with a Twist Big Baby, color 2014 (light purple)
1 x The Alpaca Yarn Co. Paca-Peds, Green Gator
1+ x Artful Yarns Jazz, color54 (blues, discontinued)
4 x Bernat Cotton Tots, Grape Berry
4+ x Bernat Cotton Tots, Wonder White
1 x Bernat Softy Chunky (hot pink)
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9727 Spanish Brown
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9781 Olive
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9734 Licorice
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9741 Bitter Sweet
2 x Berocco Comfort color 9721 Sprig
4 x Berocco Touche, Peeps
3+ x Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton, color 83 Sage
2 x Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton, color 82 Nut
2 x Bristol Yarn Gallery King George, color 302 (brown)
1 x Caron Bliss, Jade
9 x Cascade Pima Tencel, color 7013 Teal
1 x Cherry Tree Hill Orenburg Lace, 44g, Plum Pie
1 x Cherry Tree Hill Possum Laceweight, Misty Moor
1 x Cherry Tree Hill Sockittome Potluck (bright blue & orange)
2 x Classic Elite Beatrice, color 3285 Autumn Hillside
4 x Classic Elite Desert. color 2077 (blues/greys)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2653 (pink)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2617 (purple)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2646 (blue)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2695 (melon)
1 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2681 (lime green)
2 x Classic Elite Provence, color 2633 (yellow)
9 x Cleckheaton Merino Supreme, color 2205 (dark grey)
3 x Cleckheaton Merino Supreme, color 2202 (light grey)
8 x Cleckheaton Merino Supreme, color 2200 (white/cream)
2 x Crystal Palace Panda Cotton, Kiwi-Mango
1 x Dream in Color Baby, Beach Fog
1 x Dream in Color Baby, Cloud Jungle
1 x Dream in Color Smooshy, Dusky Aurora
2+ x Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, color 32 (blue)
2 x FiberNatura Flax, color 09 Robin
1 x Fiber Natura Flax, color 12 Tarragon
1 x Handmaiden Fine Yarn Sea Silk, Smoke
1 x JaggerSpun Zephyr Wool-Silk 2/18, Admiral
2 x K1C2 2nd Time Cotton, Nantucket
2 x K1C2 2nd Time Cotton, Valencia
2 x Knit Picks Essential, Turtle Multi
2 x Knit Picks Telemark, Deep Navy
1 x Lang Mille Colori, color 697.0088 (blues/greys)
10 x Lily Sugar & Cream, various colors
1 x Lion Jiffy, Dusty Pink
2 x Lion Woolease Thick & Quick, Wheat
8 x Madil Eden, color 002 (black)
4 x Manos Del uruguay, color 48 Cherry
1 x Noro Cash Island, color 12
3 x Noro Kochoran, color 10
3 x Noro Kochoran, color 53
1 x Pagewood Farms Alyeska, Crayon
1 x Patons Classic Wool, Natural Mix
1 x Patons SWS, Natural Denim
3 x Patons SWS, Natural Plum
10 x Pisgah Yarn Peaches & Creme, various colors
1 x Pisgah Yarn Peaches & Creme 1 lb cone
4 x Plymouth Royal Bamboo, color 80 (white/cream)
3 x Plymouth Royal Llama Silk, color 1002 (grey)
1 x Prism Sake, Sierra
1 x Rio De La Plata Multicolor Ply DK, lime green/ethereal blue/vibrant orange
1 x Shepherd Color 4 Me, color 4952 lime green
10 x Southwest Trading Co. Amerah, Oh Girl
2 x Southwest Trading Co. Phoenix, Purplexed
2 x Sublime Angora Merino, color 73 (black)
4 x Twinkle Handknits Cruise, color 39 Periwinkle
6 x Unger Skol, color 205 (green)
1 x The Unique Sheep Tinsel Toes, Dusk
2 x vintage wool, (blue/teal)
1 x Wollmeise Sock, Saami

 

New Toys

I’ve gone on a couple of trips (kinda) recently and picked up some pretty new things, got a couple as gifts, and located some things online that I’ve had an eye out for for a while.

First, I love shawl pins.  They are pretty and…  Well, they’re pretty.  Functional art.

This is a sterling silver number from Designs by Romi that I picked up in San Francisco (or somewhere near there, anyway – Aimee and I hit a bunch of yarn stores between SF and the wine country that day).

Green is my favorite color.  And so I like things associated with the color green.  Trees and plants and envy.  Okay, maybe not so much that last one, but when I saw this pin on the One Planet Yarn and Fiber site (and seeing as I had a coupon code), I had to have it.  It is pewter, with a wood stick from Perl Grey (who has several designs I love – currently working on Ana Bandana (see color in photo above) and have yarn – Dream in Color Classy in the new semi-solid Romeo Blue - for Imogen).  My only complaint with this pin is that the stick isn’t smooth, so it snagged the skein of yarn it was shipped with.  I’ll probably forego the stick it came with and put one of my ebony Lantern Moon Sox Stix to work (since I hate DPNs).

Oh, and don’t worry.  I have some of the DIC Classy in Shiny Moss, too.  I know you were worried when I said my favorite color is green and then showed you (incredibly beautiful) blue yarn.    I’m still debating a bit, but it will likely become a Central Park Hoodie.

I got this one from Lantern Moon on one of my trips to Los Angeles this summer, I think.  It is made from horn.  It’ll look great with Imogen, don’t you think?

Along with shawl pins, I also really, really like interesting bags.  I got this one (half off!) at the same store where I picked up the Romi pin.  A souvenir I’ll actually get some use out of, so it was excusable.  It is by Rebe.  I love the fabrics (all vintage, recycled, or organic), especially the inside, and I love the closure.  The size is perfect (one medium-to-large project or two small ones plus my travel notions pouch and a book).  I keep it packed with a couple small projects at any given time so that I can grab it on the way out the door if I have to go somewhere I’m going to have to wait a lot.  It has been to the hospital, doctor’s office, tag office, the-most-boring-class-in-history, and, of course, Stitch and Bitch.

For the Holidays, Pax went shopping at Twist, the best LYS in history.  Really.  I dropped off my kid and my debit card with Shelly, the best LYSO in history, and went next door to my acupuncturist’s shop to wait.  She came out a little while later with a couple paper bags, all stapled shut, and we went home.  On Christmas morning I opened them to find a really cool bag by a local artist, made from a recycled sweater (so it has been designated my sweater-in-progress bag).  It also came with a pretty stitch marker.  Pax also picked up a skein of Noro Kochoran and a pair of Kollage Square needles (in the right size for my current sweater project!).

Later that day at my mom’s, Pax gave me this vase/cup that she made (with the help of my sister).  I’ve been using it to display my shawl pins.  Isn’t it pretty?

Back to stitch markers, I’m a crocheter first.  I love crocheting.  I love knitting, too, but my confidence mostly lies in crochet.  It is my fall-back.  If I want to make a gift within a certain time-frame, it will very likely be crocheted.  However, this awesome craft is so terribly under-represented.  In the 5 years I’ve crocheted, if a pattern or project required a stitch marker, I almost always used a bit of scrap yarn – which I don’t like doing since they can get pulled out if one isn’t careful.  But the only stitch markers available at the Big Box craft stores were these plastic, split ring things that could lock together if you wanted.  They were terrible.  The molding process to make them left rough bits on a lot of them and the could/would snag the yarn.  So, back to yarn snippets I went running.  Then, once I discovered knitting and found all kinds of pretty, high quality stitchmarkers out there, I was sad.  But – Ravelry to save the day!  I happened upon a link to Hide and Sheep.  They had sterling silver crochet/removable stitch markers!  I quickly purchased a set of Large and a set of Small to try out (at $6/set and my enthusiasm, it’s shocking I didn’t end up with multiple sets of each).  I have tried them out (on a project that doesn’t even need stitch markers, but I was so excited) and they’re awesome.

I also decided to try out their “needle hugger” knitting stitch markers to use on my first lace.  Haven’t had a chance to test drive them yet since the lace is still in time out, but they are pretty, aren’t they?  I don’t like super-dangly ones so I have high hopes.  And all of their markers come in these cute little cans!  I got one for each set, combined my crochet markers, and repurposed the leftover one to hold all of my buttons.

That’s it for the new crafty toys.  Hope you’ve enjoyed it and maybe found some new places to shop!

I do want to give a big shout-out, though.

It goes to Kindel at Kindelsgarden on Etsy.  Miss Kindel is an acquaintance of mine (a lifelong friend of one of my closest friends).  She came to visit a few years ago and watching her knit made me want to try (I thought I failed and gave up for a year or so then tried again).  She also makes quilts. 

I had thought I’d try my hand at quilting a few years ago when a friend gave me an old Bernina (built in 1979 – the people I have service it always swear it is the best model ever made – all I know is that it makes really lovely straight lines ).  I wanted to make a quilt for Pax out of her baby/toddler clothes.  Well, after cutting out all of the seams and stains, the inside of my right thumb went numb for well over a year (it still feels different than the left, but at least I can feel it again!).  That made me never want to make a quilt and the clothes sat for a few years.  When my friend said something about Kindel making quilts – I knew I wanted her to make Pax’s.

Kindel is a gentle yet vibrant soul who just oozes good energy.  And anything my kid spends that much time with needs lots of good energy.  So, I asked Heather to ask Kindel if she would make the quilt.  She agreed.  I shipped off a huge box of cut-up baby clothes and some receiving blankets.  Pax had picked out a backing and some other fabric.  I had mentioned to Kindel that Pax has been collecting peace signs and she said she had an idea.  I trusted her. 

Well, this is what I got back a little while later.

This might be hard to see, but there are peace signs (and flowers and diamonds) hand-quilted into each square.  I had just assumed that it would be machine-quilted… 

I got teary-eyed when I saw this quilt.  I couldn’t believe (especially for what I paid) that she spent so much time making this for my daughter, personalizing it for her, and putting so much of her own creative energy into it.  Pax loves it, too.  She had to do a project in school where she had to draw the items she would bring in her one suitcase if she had to immigrate to a new country.  I think her drawing says it all.  Anything on the same level as her teddy Seamus and her favorite globe (she also collects those) is very much treasured.

That’s all for today, folks.  I’m hoping to get the raffle stuff photographed and posted this weekend.  I’ve got some exciting stuff to announce when I do, so check back!

Take care, drive safely, and have a wonderful day!

Raffle Update

Currently at 170+ skeins! One of which will be Wollmeise!

A Great Idea!

I love the Yarnathon at ESK, and I was reading Rav this morning where someone questioned how many miles of yarn were stashed by Ravelites. And I thought to myself, “I wonder how many miles I could crochet/knit this year?”

One mile is 1760 yards. I have 57,712 yards of yarn in my stash currently (in my regular stash – not in my trade/sell stash and this number may go down as I reevaluate if I want to put any more in the raffle). That is 32.79 miles of yarn!

I want to make a concerted effort this year to crochet/knit as much stash as possible. Now, a lot of these yards are dishcloth cotton, which I don’t really count as stash. The yarn will keep for years, one needs a variety of colors for various gift-giving events, and, well, it’s cheap. So I don’t worry too much about it. I have three sweaters-worth quantities in there, two long skirts-worth, and three adult-sized afghans-worth. And I don’t want to count how many skeins of lace-weight that I just fell in love with… So I don’t think it is quite as bad as it sounds. LOL!

But, I do want to make 2009 the Year of Handmade. I’m going to make a committment to crafting away 10 miles of the yarn in my stash.

And I think I’ve got enough projects in my stash that I shouldn’t need to buy new yarn for at least 6 months (with an exception for 4 skeins that are being special ordered). Ouch. 6 months! But I’m going to do it this year. I was horrible with the “craft from stash” resolution last year because it became apparent that I just didn’t have project-based yarn amounts. Therefore, I amended my resolution and I only bought for a project in 2008 so I’m all set.

Who is with me?? How many miles are you going to craft this year?

ETA:  I have created a Page to keep track of my progress.  View it here. Or my clicking “2009 Challenge at the top of the screen.