Now Norma Knits

A Scarf Pattern Suggestion and More Prize Awards

Thanks to Barbara in Dunwoody, Georgia, for the following recommended pattern for Red Scarf knitting:

Flo, by Jennifer Carter, is a free Ravelry download. Barbara says it takes a bit longer to make because it's in brioche stitch, but it's a lovely gender-neutral design and a great introduction to brioche. It makes a great-looking scarf.  You still have time (don't you? heehee) to make a scarf before the December 15th deadline.  

I've added Flo to the longer page of suggested scarf patterns. Please go and peruse that page again, and get inspired by the photo of some of the recipients at the top.

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In today's prize drawings, we have the following winners:

1.  Sharon S. is the winner of these 4 skeins of Boku yarn in blues and greens (enough to make the ever-popular Jared Flood Striped Scarf), donated by Michelle P.  (Thank you, Michelle!)

 

2.  K.T. Eisler is the winner of Gale Zucker's notecards and Seaglass Button

and

3.  Donna W. is the winner of the Chic Knits Cassidy's Cap pattern with a skein of Malabrigo to make it.

Congratulations to the winners and thank you again to the prize donors!

Red Scarf In The News

An odd and unexpected (and hopefully isolated) thing happened this week with regard to red scarf collecting. Sigh. Just when you think nothing else can go awry....

Anyway.

Thanks to Harriet Levy of the Albany Times Union blog for being on top of the issue, for publicizing it, and for rescuing the 40-odd scarves that were turned in. They will now be sent to their rightful recipients. 

Please take a moment, if you would, to go comment on the Times Union blog in support of Harriet's writing about this issue, and for being gutsy, standing up for her principles, and demanding that the scarves go where they were intended to go.  

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I don't know about you, but I know I'm inspired to do even more for this project to sort of try to counteract some of that less-than-good energy that was exhibited there.  So....for starters...

...as promised, we drew three names for prizes last night. Each of these three lucky people receive a $15 gift certificate to my beautiful and friendly and wonderfully supportive local yarn shop, Kaleidoscope Yarns. And the winners are:

Manise! (my dear friend and commenter extraordinaire)

Christine C.

and

Samantha T. 

Congratulations, ladies!  The certificate numbers have been emailed to you, and you can use them on the online shop or print them out and take them in in person if you are local (but I don't think any of you are).  

Thank you a hundred times over to Jill of Kaleidoscope for coming back from the flu, having I'm sure an overflowing desk of stuff to do, and yet still being thoughtful enough to send me the certificates for this fundraising drive!  

AND there is still one more $15 gift certificate left to KYarns which will go to some lucky future winner.

If you didn't win yet, don't worry, there are still lots of prizes left to be won! Everyone who donates over $5 is a winner of a thank you discount coupon from JessaLu. I hope you are remembering to use your coupon and buying yourself a nice little gift, or a gift for a friend, from JessaLu's shop. We must all try to support those who support us, and we so highly appreciate JessaLu's lovely gesture of offering everyone who donates more than $5 a coupon. 

If you haven't made your tax-deductible donation yet, please consider doing so today:

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We've got some more wonderful, exciting, and interesting prizes that have rolled in that I need to find the time and energy to tell you about. And tomorrow there will be three more prizes awarded. Thank you to everyone for your donations!  We're doing well -- as of the last accounting I received from Lynn, we are in the range of $5,500 in money donations, and more came in since that time. Next Saturday is the next date that the scarf-processing group has set for processing scarves. Shortly following that day, we'll have a total of scarves received to share with you.  

Thank you, everyone!

HEADS UP!

There will be six prize drawings this weekend -- three on Saturday and three on Sunday.  

Be sure to get your donations in and notify us at REDSCARFFUND@GMAIL.COM if you want to be included.  

Chic Knits Prizes!

Today in our Red Scarf Fundraiser, 

we have two wonderful prize offerings from

Chic Knits!

PRIZE ONE

4 Printed Brochure Patterns from Chic Knits (Basic Chic Hoodie, CeCe, Mondo Cable Pulli & Sandrine).

 

PRIZE TWO

Yarn & Pattern to make a Cassidy's Cap: Malabrigo Worsted in the color VAA and a Cassidy's Cap printed pattern

 

A huge thank you to Bonne Marie for (as always) helping us with our fundraising efforts.  

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For more information about our ongoing fundraiser, prizes to be won, and prize drawings, click on the category in my right sidebar labeled "Red Scarf Project," 

and for a more succinct statement of the rules and such, click here.  

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Oh, and don't forget to click here, too:

And don't forget to notify us at REDSCARFFUND@GMAIL.COM of the amount of your donation, so you can be entered in our drawings.

Terrier Tuesday -- Sweaters for Yorkies and Less CuteOther Dogs, and Babies

Hiya folks,

Well, while A.Alpha has been keeping you abreast of all of her goings-on, I've been busy, too. I've been helping her with collecting donated items for the Red Scarf Fund drive. Because, you know, when she's working away at these other things, she is not paying attention to ME-ME-ME-ME-ME. I figure if I help, things will get back to normal around here sooner, so I've been trying to get in her way helping. No really, I have.

You don't believe me? Look at what I've got for you today. Babies, I think you might agree, are almost as cute as Yorkies. And everybody loves to knit for babies. So Mary Lou Egan has donated a copy of her pattern, Baby Lace Cardigan (adorable infant not included):

(Isn't that cuuuuuuuute? And the sweater too?)

and a skein of now-discontinued Yarni in peaches and pinks:

 A.Alpha wishes for you to temporarily disregard the opinion she expressed yesterday about pastels for babies. I mean, she doesn't DISlike them -- she just prefers those other colors, is all. Then again, this is not about her, is it? It's about YOU-YOU-YOU. Oh, how that does not seem RIIIIIGHT.  It should be about me-me-me, especially on a Tuesday, but I'm gonna let it slide. A. Alpha snidely told me that I've been dominating the blog just a little too much lately anyway. Feh.

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And then, Ann of Sheep Shots had a copy of Stylish Knits for Dogs by Ilene Hochberg, and on Saturday she had Ilene autograph the book for a lucky winner in the Red Scarf Fund drive. With this book, you could make very classy sweaters for YOUR pooch, or a pooch you know, and they'll all be cute like me.  Ann is also donating a copy of It Itches, which, when I first Googled it for the link, I landed on something labeled, "It itches down there," and Ms. Alpha got all upset, said I was too young for that, and made me click out of there.

(This is my attempt at the "hang-dog look."  Yorkies are not so good with that. We're all perky and chipper all the time....except when A.Alpha yells and points The Finger of Doom. Then we -- which is to say "I" -- hide. And then peek out from the chair or the person's legs or the desk or whatever, and look SUPER-CUTE. Because that is my greatest weapon: Nobody can resist the CUTE of a Yorkie when we -- which is to say "I" -- really turn it on.)

So please, I'm trying hard to get some of her attention back here on ME, where it belongs. If you can donate something to help me out, I'd appreciate it. A. Alpha says we've raised $5,070 so far. Aren't you all awesome?! That's about a quarter of her goal. And you know what's interesting?  A lot of small donations have really added up! It doesn't take much -- it just takes a lot of you donating a little bit, to make a big difference.

Click:

 And then notify her and Cookie at redscarffund@gmail.com of your amount so you can win-win-win. The sooner she reaches her goal, the sooner I can go for a walk and the sooner she will stop hounding you to give more. Get it? "Hound"?  

Oh, I crack myself up.  

Love you!
Mr. Jefferies
   

Trick or Treat!!!

Treat, of course. 

It's a surprise Halloween drawing in the Red Scarf Fundraising Drive, and the winner is..... drum roll, please....

MELANIE P. 

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Melanie is the winner of the following:

a JessaLu bag

 

a skein of Twinkletoes sock yarn just donated yesterday by Ann K.  This is very cool yarn with twinkly contrast yarn for heels and toes.  

(Thank you, Ann!)

A $10 gift certificate to Knitspot

and

A copy of Vogue Knitting Holidays donated by Carol.

Congratulations, Melanie, and thank you for your generous donation -- and thank you again to all the prize donors.  

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, everyone!

INSTANT SOCK YARN STASH BUILDER Prize Package

BUILD UP AN INSTANT BEAUTIFUL AND VARIED

 SOCK YARN STASH!

Jan H. has sent two beautiful lots of sock yarn:

 

Shibui Sock in this gorgeous blue.

 

And Lorna's Laces in the Grumperina colorway.

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Ann K. has donated Sanguine Gryphon Eidos in the colorway Emoige 

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Rabbitch has donated a 460+-yard skein of her fabulous sock yarn in her new colorway Aurora

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Kristin S. has donated these two skeins of Socks That Rock and two skeins of Lorna's Laces:

and 

Kate L., Annobananos & ShelbyKnits have teamed up to donate a skein of Sundara Santa Fe Sock Yarn (This wonderful yarn is available only by subscription.  They have a combined subscription, and have very generously donated their next shipment to our cause!!)

THIS ENTIRE PACKAGE OF 11 SOCK YARNS WILL GO TO ONE LUCKY WINNER!

and don't forget to notify us of your donation amount at 
redscarffund@gmail.com

You get one chance at winning for each $5 donation, and for every donation over $5 you are entitled to a discount in JessaLu's Artfire shop.

We're Doing GREAT! Keep Up the Good Work

Well, that prize post yesterday got a few people's attention.  I think it was the chocolates.  In fact, I KNOW it was for some people, as they said so! We all know that knitting and bonbons go hand in hand; am I right? Knit a row, eat a truffle.  Knit a row, eat a caramel.  Knit a row.... 

Well, all I can say is, these had better be BIG ROWS, and not just, say, a scarf or a baby sweater.  Be kind to your hips:  I'm just sayin'.

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Here is an update of the donations as of 1:45 p.m. yesterday, information from Lynn of the OFA.  

1.  Paypal donations since 9/1/09 -- $4,165

2.  Scarves processed (with more boxes yet to be unpacked) -- 487 

(This is pretty far short of our goal of 2,500-3,000 scarves.  Keep knitting, weaving and crocheting!)

3.  Donations packed in with the scarves (cash, checks, gift cards & stamps) -- $462.60

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WAY TO GO SO FAR!

So, we're not done.  We've got more prizes, and more are pouring in every day, thanks to the wonderful response I've got from my casting of lines. Thank you, everyone!

1.  First up for today, Marcia has donated this box of unique pewter beads to be knitted (or added via crochet hook, whatever) into your garment as a signature mark, initials, whatever you want to do.  How cool!  They're called Sig'nits, and they are from the Nancy O shop.

 

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2. Here is a reminder of something wonderful that I've been remiss about a) reminding about in the blog, and b) consistently adding to our thank-you emails, as was our intent.  I'm going to back up a bit and try to make sure that these go out, but if you are interested in this and you have not received your coupon code via email from me or Cookie, please do write us to remind us at, of course, redscarffund@gmail.com

What I'm referring to is that for everyone who donates more than $5 to the Red Scarf Fund, JessaLu will donate a coupon code for 10% off to be used against any purchase in her ArtFire shop. The coupon can be used for the next year, once per customer.

 

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3.  Susan R., (who I'm sorry I managed to unintentionally elude while she was searching for me all day at Rhinebeck) has donated a $25 gift card to Little Barn, Inc.

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4.  Andrea has donated 2 lovely skeins of Malabrigo Brillante worsted. Thank you, Andrea!

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5.  Elaine C. has donated a new copy of Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines. 

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6.  And Linda M. has donated a new copy (still in shrink wrap) of Yarn Girls' Knitting Journal.

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I've run out of steam for today, but as I say, there are more to come. Cookie and I have not yet definitively bundled up the prizes into bigger packages. Some of these things will be awarded individually and some will be put together with other related items to make our mondo prize packages.  We wish you all the best in winning something you love.

 

Be sure to notify us of your donation amount at redscarffund@gmail.com.

You get one entry in the prize drawing for each $5 donation you make.  

Another Scarf, Many More Wonderful Prizes, and Two More Surprise Drawings!

Robin V. (Ravelry Link) sent this pretty Corrugator scarf in to the OFA last week, along with a Target gift card and a donation to the fund -- another person who rounded all the bases.   

Thank you so much, Robin.  All of your efforts and your gifts will go a long way towards brightening up someone's day.  (Here's another example of how hard it is to photograph red.)

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Let's talk prizes, shall we? Here's something wonderful to sweeten the pot:

THE SWEET VERMONT PACKAGE:

My lovely sister Gail, President and Founder of Vermont Nut Free Chocolates, has donated a 24-piece assortment of her delicious gourmet chocolates. 

 

You will not be disappointed -- I can guarantee it. These things are to live for, and my mouth is watering just looking at that picture.  Gail's chocolates are the Real Deal, people.

And in the Sweet Vermont Package, there's a jar of my homemade rose petal jam in the freezer that I'll send out to the same winner.  

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BABY COCKTAILS:

My friend Thea, the designer of the wonderful Golden Vintage Cardigan that I knit in red Rowan Calmer, like so:  has donated four prizes -- one copy of each of her BabyCocktails patterns -- Golden Vintage, Nantucket Red (two are still being test-knit -- Short Lucky and Long Lucky), together with vintage buttons suitable for each of the patterns.

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KNITTING AS FAST AS I CAN:

Susan, with whom I have shared so many laughs and a Very Interesting Wine Party with a great backstory she once hosted in my honor, for which I will be forever grateful, not to mention being responsible for me experiencing the full-on Salt Lake City (aka the must-have green jello and associated items) dining experience, has donated a copy of EACH of her ten patterns.  Susan's patterns are always favorites, as they are so well written, so varied, and so accessible to knitters of all levels.  Did you know there is a Ravelry group for lovers of Susan's patterns?  

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FIBRE-ISLE FINE YARNS:

Fibre-Isle Fine Yarns has donated two stunning lace scarf kits, complete with bison yarn (I'm drooling), bamboo needles, stitch markers -- even trimming scissors! -- and a gorgeous lace scarf pattern.

 

(Click to make the image bigger.)

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GALE ZUCKER PACKAGE:

Our Gale has donated a pack of her photo art gift cards

 

 

(soooo beautiful) and one of her distinctive seaglass buttons.

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And last (for today) but definitely not least, Carol has donated two copies of Vogue Knitting Holiday Edition!

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And today, in a little surprise drawing, we have given away one of Thea's patterns AND one of Susan's, so after today there will only be three of Thea's left and nine of Susan's. 

Want to be sure to get in on all of the drawings?

Donate now:

and be sure to notify us at redscarffund@gmail.com of the amount of your donation.  You get one chance at the drawing for each $5 donation.  

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AND THE WINNERS ARE:

• Of Susan's Beautiful Fingerless Mitts, Elysian: Ann M. 
• Of Thea's Wonderful Golden Vintage Cardigan: Stephanie B.  

I've emailed both of the winners and they've already got their patterns.

Congratulations and thank you for your donations!

Just Another Friday Night

...but not really.  As of yesterday, my stint with my wonderful med student has ended, at least for the time being, because she is off to a rotation in a different state.  So.sad.  I'm moping. I'm going to intensely miss her, her fellow students, the wonderful faculty, the totally

jazzed 

way that I have felt at being in med school classes at this stage in my life -- the whole damn wonderful experience has been life-changing -- and oh, yeah...

the income.  There is that, too. 

I've still got some other classes which are also fun and interesting and will keep me from applying for food stamps, but I'm going to definitely feel like a fish out of water for a while, with not enough to do -- a feeling I'm not too fond of. 

Oh, but wait.  It's not all bad: This will give me a chance to get back to the gym on a more regular basis, knit more, and study (which really just means "practice a lot," because there is no real "studying" to be done) for the LSAT which is scheduled for December 5th.  

AND it'll give me time to turn up the heat for the Red Scarf Fund fundraising.  I spent last evening contacting friends and shops for donations, and OMG, people, put on your seatbelts.  You are gonna like this. 

For example, here is my lovely friend Miriam, modeling her gorgeous design called Cloisters....

...which is but ONE of the fabulous patterns she has donated for some lucky winner(s).

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And my hilarious and fantastic friend Laurie has donated six bars (winner's choice of scents) of her amazing Blessed Juno soap.  This is my absolute favorite soap of all time, and I'm never without a stockpile of it. Many a day I have lingered in the shower just.one.more.minute, all because of Laurie's wonderful soap.

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If you are a shop owner, an Etsy shop owner, a bookshop owner, an indie spinner or dyer or fiberista or chocolate maker or soap maker or potter -- or have connections with any of the above or more that I may not have thought of -- we can use your donated gift certificates or tangible items to further entice people to make donations to the fund.  Be creative! Have a gift certificate for an online cupcake shop or something unique from where you live? Let us know, and please email us a photo of your donated item to redscarffund@gmail.com (that's also where you should email us your donation amounts to be entered into the drawings).

I'd ask that you ship the items directly to the eventual winners, so that I don't have to bear the expense of all the shipping.      

In exchange for the donated prizes, I will give you or your shop my blog and Facebook exposure, you will have the wonderful feeling of Doing Good, and you will have my and Cookie's and the OFA's heartfelt thanks.

Pass it along!  And thank you.  

Or, if you wanted, you could just donate now: