Crafting for Others

I'll admit, I'm usually pretty selfish with my crafts. I don't have as much time as I wish I had to work on my projects, so when I do have the time, it's usually something for me. But this summer, I've learned how much joy the things that I make can bring to others.

If you've been following my blog, you know that I offered several items that I have made as prizes in my fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Most of the prizes were already completed, but there are a few that were custom made for the winners.

The first was a handwoven scarf, won by Amanda. She picked out a fantastic skein of Wollmeise sock yarn in one of the sock club colorways, Hollerstaud'n. I think this scarf is so beautiful! There are definitely more Wollmeise scarves in my future.



I also am working on the hat that Tammy won. She picked out a pattern that I couldn't resist making out of handspun. I love the fiber she selected. I've only spun half of it because I wanted to make sure I got it bulky enough. I am completely enamored by this yarn, but's a little thinner than I had hoped, so I'll be back at the wheel to see if I can get the squishy bulky yarn I wanted. I'm sure I'll come up with something else to make out of this.



This last skein of yarn was not from the fundraiser. At The Loopy Ewe Spring Fling, I made a deal with my friend Jessica. I would spin a skein of 3-ply sock yarn, and she would knit me a pair of colorwork socks - something I would never make for myself!

The socks she knit for me are the Norwegian Rose socks by Wendy Johnson. I think I got the better end of the deal.



The yarn I spun for her is Rambouillet - a very soft and springy wool - hand dyed by JulieSpins. While there were times when I wanted to throw this wool out the window...we just didn't get along very well...I am very happy I stuck with it. I know Jessica is going to make something beautiful with it!

Fall

Fall is my favorite time of year. The leaves are changing, the air is crisp (although Mother Nature seems to be trying to hold on to some of the summer heat) and it just makes me want to spend time outside. I've been lucky this fall to go to some of my favorite places.

Over Labor Day, I went back to Kansas City to visit my friends and we spent a day in Lawrence. I hadn't been back there since I moved away five years ago. I enjoyed a black bean quesadilla from Free State Brewery, did some shopping on Mass St and then we went up to campus to wander around and take a trip down memory lane. It was a gorgeous day and it was the first football game of the season so there was a lot of energy on campus.

I love to see the game day flag flying on top of Fraser Hall.



Later in September, Gina and I decided to celebrate her birthday by taking a drive up to Breckenridge. We took 285 and the aspens were glorious.





This past weekend, Mary, Phil (click to see their photos from Taos) and I took our annual trip to Taos for the Taos Wool Festival and we once again stayed with James and Becca. I had been looking forward to this trip all year.

We stayed in their incredible house out on a mesa...



Such an amazing view from the front yard...



We took a hike through the sage...



And toured an Earthship that is under construction...



There are thousands of bottles and cans used to create this home...



and the fence...



Of course we went to the Taos Wool Festival...



And I can't post about Taos without including a photo of Jasper modeling a hat I made...



It's a bit snug, but he was a good sport.

Cracking the Oyster

It's been almost two weeks since Team Cupcake Mafia cracked the Merrell Denver Oyster and I still smile when I think about how much fun we had. It was a gorgeous blue skies Colorado day and Mary, Tali and I were all ready to race.



I saw more new to me places in Denver in the 6 hours and 30 minutes it took us to complete the course than I've seen in the almost 3 years I lived here. What a great way to see the city! We covered more than 30 miles on foot and on our bikes.

Our day included an early morning kidnapping, searching for public art, making guacamole at Chipotle (sounds easy - try doing it zip tied to 2 other people!), visiting the Pepsi Center, riding an absolutely insane ride (note to self: look at the NAME of the ride before deciding to ride it...if the name includes Chaos, keep on walking) at Elitch Gardens, kicking some goals at DU, eating cupcakes, riding scooters and playing beer pong. And we climbed a lot of stairs. A LOT. Phew. But I would do it again in a heartbeat.





I love this next photo...it was taken by the race photographer right after we had overtaken another team in our division. The intense competitiveness really came out. The thing I love most about the photo is that we're all looking in the completely wrong direction of what we were supposed to be looking for. We did find it shortly after the photo was taken.



Our support team Phil, Joe and Monica were incredible. They made sure we had everything we needed throughout the race and they were key to helping us figure out where we needed to go. They also set up our awesome transition area.



We ended up in 4th place in our division, which makes me incredibly proud. We certainly weren't the fastest team out on the course, but we worked so well together and enjoyed every step of the way. Next year we'll be aiming for a podium finish!

And we also raised a lot of money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Team Cupcake Mafia's grand total was $2605. Wow. We were recognized as one of the top fundraising teams and I was also recognized as one of the top individual fundraisers. The total money raised will make the wishes of three very deserving kids come true. I hope those kids have as much fun with their wish as we did at the Oyster. Thanks to everyone who helped us make this happen!

I can't wait until next year!

You can also read Tali's recap of the race on her blog.

Do you want to be a part of the Cupcake Mafia? We have some extras of our team tank tops and one could be yours for $30 (includes shipping). The shirts are a bamboo blend so they are super soft and they are great for the gym.

The front of the shirt:


The back, which lists the names of some of our awesome donors. And the ball of yarn and needles represents all of the knitters who made donations!



We have 1 small, 1 medium, 3 Large and 1 XL. If you're interested in purchasing a shirt, send me an email at lynnazimmermanATmacDOTcom.

We did it!

The Denver Oyster was this morning, and we had an incredible time! Tali, Mary and I biked and ran all over Denver and completed every task we were asked to do in 6 hours and 33 minutes. It was so much fun!



I'm way too tired to do a full report, but I'll share a photo of our day.



This is Tali and I realizing we should have chosen a ride at Elitch Gardens that was NOT called Chaos to complete one of the tasks. Yikes.

A Final Push

The Denver Oyster Adventure race is only 3 days away! On Saturday morning Team Cupcake Mafia will be running, biking and completing crazy tasks all over Denver. I am so excited and can't wait to share my experience with you. I'm sure there will be good stories.

I am also extremely excited that we have completely blown away our goal of $1,500 and are now only $125 away from raising $2,500. For someone who has never attempted fundraising before, I am humbled by the generosity of my friends and family. We couldn't have done it without you. As many of you know, I am a bit competitive. Now that $2,500 is within our sights, I'm determined to get there. So I've come up with my last ditch effort.

From now until noon MDT on Friday, for every $5 you donate, you will receive one entry to win this 2-ply heavy fingering weight merino handspun.



If we raise more than $50, then I'll also draw for this 3-ply BFL handspun.


And if we go over the $2,500 mark, then I'll draw for this. It's almost 800 yards of 3-ply fingering weight superwash merino handspun.



To donate, click here, select Denver, Team Cupcake Mafia and Lynn Zimmerman. (edited to add: This system only takes donations from the U.S, if you are outside of the U.S. and would like to donate, send me an email at lynnazimmermanATmacDOTcom, and we can work out another way for you to donate).

Thank you for your support!

Winners

So far, Team Cupcake Mafia has raised more than $2,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation thanks to all of you. I am completely overwhelmed by your generosity.

That's why doing this drawing was so hard. I wanted everyone to win something because you are all so awesome! But I guess in the end, we all do win because we know that very deserving kids are going to have their wish come true. I can't thank you enough.

Drumroll please

The winners are... (I'll post photos of the prizes soon, but I know there are some anxious people out there so I want to get this up!) Photos of the prizes are here.

1. Sparkle Handspun: Jen Kahn

2. Project Tote Bag (made by Sharon: Lisa Loftis

3. A skein of LaLaKnits sock yarn: Megann Mills

4. South African Fine Handspun: Karen Malave

5. Piddleloop Triangle Bag: Leslie Thompson

6. A skein of Frog Creek Fibers Sock Yarn: Angie McDermid

7. Cashmere Handspun: Denise Shoup

8. A skein of Keegan Lane Yarns and stitch marker: Sarah Barrett

9. A skein of Perfect Day Yarns: Tracee Smith

10. Handspun BFL: Laura Kluge

11. A skein of LalaKnits sock yarn: Lisa Beamer

12. Small project bag made by Sharon: Katherine Drivas

13. Wollmeise Lace: Lynda Hitt

14. Handspun by Mary: Megan Wright

15. A skein of Frog Creek Fibers Sock Yarn: Linda Ford

16. Handspun Superwash BFL: Cathie Jones

17. Project Tote Bag (bicycle fabric) made by Mary: Polly Hoover

18. Hand knit Hat made by me: Tammy Eastburn

19. Hand woven scarf made by me: Amanda Helstrom

20. An Unoriginal Hat made by Mary: Sharon Scerrato

21. Hand knit socks, custom made by Leslie: Beverly Love

Winners, you will receive an email from me soon to confirm your address.

Thank you again, to everyone who has made a donation and to those who donated prizes. I couldn't have done this without you.

Also, you can still make a donation to Make-A-Wish through Aug. 20. To make a donation, click here, select Denver, Team Cupcake Mafia, Team Member Lynn Zimmerman.

Purl and Ashford request a moment of your time

But first, a message from me. I left the house for a bike ride about two hours ago and came home to find that we've gone over $2,000 raised for the Make-A-Wish Foundation! Thank you to everyone who has donated!

And now I'll introduce the girls. For those of you who are new to my blog, Purl and Ashford are my three year old "kittens" who are my constant companions. Throughout this fundraising effort, they have been my support team, making sure my lap is warm while I spin the handspun prizes, inspecting the packages as the amazing prizes my friends have donated arrive at my house and celebrating with me as each donation comes in.

They wanted to say a few words. Ladies...

Hello Friends,

Three years ago, our wish came true when our mom adopted us in Oklahoma from the shelter. We have lots of warm places to sleep, more sparkle balls than you can imagine, yummy treats and an older sister who we absolutely adore. We know how awesome it is to have a wish come true.

We are so excited to have been a part of raising more than $2,000 that will help even more wishes come true. Thank you to everyone who has donated! If you haven't had a chance to give yet, please consider making a donation now. We're ready to celebrate your donation with kitty treats for everyone.

Purrs and headbutts,

Purl & Ashford

Thanks girls! To make a donation, click here, select Denver, Team Cupcake Mafia, and Lynn Zimmerman

Your Last Chance!

Help me help make the wishes of sick kids come true! I will be participating in the Denver Oyster Urban Adventure Race and my team is raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. To donate, click here, select Denver, Team Cupcake Mafia, and Lynn Zimmerman. (If you are outside the U.S., this site won't work for you. Send me an email at lynnazimmermanATmacDOTcom and we'll work something out so you can participate too!)

Today is the last day (by midnight MDT) to make a donation and be entered for a chance to win some incredible prizes! Click here to see the entire prize list.

And can you believe I have MORE new prizes to share?

First, a skein of handspun from a new fiber-loving friend named Mary. She just completed a Master Spinner program, so you know this is an amazing skein of yarn. It is 286 yards (121 grams) of handspun goodness. She was heading out of town and didn't have time to get a shot of the completed skein, but this is an in progress shot of this beautiful denim-colored yarn.

Sharon, who donated the beautiful batik project bag, just sent me an email wanting to donate another of her project bags! This one is a smaller tote. Perfect for a small project like a pair of socks. And it's just as cute as the other bag!

Again, to donate, click here, select Denver, Team Cupcake Mafia, and Lynn Zimmerman. (If you are outside the U.S., this site won't work for you. Send me an email at lynnazimmermanATmacDOTcom and we'll work something out so you can participate too!)

The Final Stretch!

Help me and Team Cupcake Mafia help make dreams of sick kids come true! To make your donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, click here, select Denver, Team Cupcake Mafia, Team Member Lynn Zimmerman.

We reached our goal of $1,500 today! But we're not stopping there. The more we raise the more we help make dreams come true. You still have until Saturday, July 31 to make a donation and be entered to win a fabulous prize!

Speaking of fabulous prizes, I have more to share.

Laura, of the Knitgirllls, dyed this gorgeous sock yarn.

So pretty!

And my Cupcake Mafia teammate and awesome little sister has donated two new prizes to the list of fabulous prizes!

First, this very cool Unoriginal Hat made out of navy blue Rowan Big Wool. I love this hat. She made another one in white that I've attempted to steal.

And this handmade project tote bag made out of some very cute bicycle fabric. I believe it's a cotton/linen fabric (Mary, correct me if I'm wrong)

There's only two days left to donate and be eligible for the prizes! I hope you'll consider supporting me. And if you've already donated, thank you and keep an eye on the blog for a list of winners by Aug. 15.

To make your donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, click here, select Denver, Team Cupcake Mafia, Team Member Lynn Zimmerman.

Three more days - Two more prizes!

Help me and Team Cupcake Mafia help make dreams come true! To make your donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, click here, select Denver, Team Cupcake Mafia, Team Member Lynn Zimmerman.

We're only 3 days away from the deadline (Saturday, July 31 at midnight MDT) to donate to be entered in the prize drawing for my fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. I have two more prizes to share with you (and this isn't all of them. Check back tomorrow for two more prizes!).

First, another skein of my handspun! This is 492 yards of superwash BFL dyed by Spunky Eclectic. It's a beautiful combination of greens, blues and golds - like a Mallard Duck.

Second, my friend Megan donated a gorgeous skein of the highly coveted Wollmeise Lace-Garn in the Barista colorway. Amazing stuff!

You can check out all of the incredible prizes here.

To make your donation, click here, select Denver, Team Cupcake Mafia, Team Member Lynn Zimmerman.

Thank you!

I Can't Believe I'm Giving This Away

I have finished spinning two of the skeins of yarn for my giveaway. I'm very excited that this is helping raise money so some very deserving kids get to have their wishes come true by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. But as I finished one of the skeins, I realized how much I'm committed to blowing away our $1,500 goal.

I love this skein.



Photos do not do it justice. It is black BFL dyed by Gale's Art in my favorite colors...blue, purple, green and teal. It just glows! This will make a gorgeous shawl or super soft socks. At least I know where I can get more fiber in this colorway.

I also finished another skein from the South African Fine dyed by Spunky Eclectic. I think this would make a cute baby sweater. So soft and snuggly.



I also wanted to share with you the photos of the project bag Sharon donated for the prize drawing.



I love the fabric!



You can see the rest of the prizes by clicking here.

To donate, click here, then select Denver, Team Cupcake Mafia, and Team Member Lynn Zimmerman. Remember, for every $5 you donate by midnight on July 31, you'll receive one entry in the drawing for the awesome prizes, except for the hand knit socks. For the socks, donate $25 for your first entry, and then you'll receive an additional entry for every $5 after that.

Team Cupcake Mafia thanks you!



We did a recon mission for the race on Sunday and came across this incredible "yarn bombing" in downtown Denver. It was the perfect colorful background for a photo of a team of knitters.

One More Fabulous Prize!

I got a surprise in the mail today from Sarah from Perfect Day Yarns! She sent me a skein of her awesome Sonnet Sport Yarn (245yards/4oz) in the Midnight Iris colorway to add to the fundraiser. Thank you, Sarah! Absolutely gorgeous!



You can look through the last few posts to see the other fabulous prizes.

To donate, click here, select Denver, Team Cupcake Mafia, and Team Member Lynn Zimmerman.

Another Awesome Prize

Seriously. I know the coolest people in the world!

Amanda from Frog Creek Fibers has donated two skeins of her Sonsie base (8-ply 100% Superwash Merino) in this gorgeous Computer Blue colorway. Each skein is 100 grams/330 yards.



Once again, to donate, click here, then select Denver, Team Cupcake Mafia, and Team Member Lynn Zimmerman.

I discovered today that the site is only set up for donations from the U.S. If you're not in the U.S. and would like to donate, please contact me at lynnazimmermanATmacDOTcom and we'll work out an alternative way for you to make your donation.

Thank you!

Are You Tired of Me Yet?

I recently rekindled this blog to promote my fundraiser, and have realized how much I really enjoy blogging. I do a lot of writing professionally, which I love, but the blog gives me the opportunity to be a little more free with my writing. No promises, but I plan on blogging more often from now on, even after the fundraising is over. So stick with me!

I have a special "infomercial" edition of The Knit Girllls to share with you. Laura gives a few more details about her donation (she'll be giving several skeins of LaLaKnits yarn is special edition colorways!) and Leslie shows off the options you'll have if you're the lucky winner of socks handknit by her. I love these girls.



Inspired to donate now? Click here, select Denver, then Team Cupcake Mafia and Team member Lynn Zimmerman.

If that doesn't tempt you, I received another awesome prize donation! Melissa (aka Meliabella on Ravelry and Plurk), the owner of Keegan Lane Yarns has offered a 420 yd. skein of her hand dyed Toasty Sock in a color way of the winner's choice with a matching stitch marker. Here are some examples of her gorgeous yarn...





YUM!

Remember, for every $5 you donate, you get one entry into the drawing for all of the prizes except for the handknit socks. For the handknit socks, make a $25 donation and you'll receive one entry for that drawing (but 5 for the other prizes!), and then additional entries for both the socks and the rest of the prizes every $5 you donate. You can see the other prizes here and here. This weekend, I'm going to put all of this information on one page so it will be easy to find.

Again, thank you so much to everyone who has supported my efforts to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. This is the first time I've every done a fundraiser like this and I have been amazed by the generosity. I think I'm having as much fun doing the fundraising as I will competing in the Denver Oyster. Every dollar we raise helps make the dreams of sick kids come true!

That's What Friends Are For

I think it's pretty obvious that I love yarn and fiber and knitting and spinning and weaving. But something I have neglected to write as much about is one of the things I love the most about my hobby...the awesome people I've met who love yarn and fiber and knitting and spinning and weaving as much as I do. It has been incredible to me how many people from all over the world I have met and am now lucky enough to call my friends because of my hobby.

I started this crazy fundraising effort for the Make A Wish Foundation a couple of weeks ago and I have been overwhelmed (but not surprised) by the generosity of all of my friends. Something I really didn't expect was the offers to help entice others to give. The Knit Girllls, Laura and Leslie have mentioned my giveaway on their fantastic podcast (if you haven't checked them out - go now... this post will still be here when you get back) and I've had several generous offers of additions to the prize pool. I don't have photos of everything yet, but I'm so excited I have to share.

1. A hand sewn bag from Sharon, who I met at The Loopy Ewe Spring Fling. No photo yet, but I've seen some of the bags she's made and they are fantastic!

2. Hand-dyed sock yarn by Laura of the The Knit Girllls - again, no photo yet, but she's a talented dyer. You can see some of her yarn by clicking here) (Ravelry link)

3. A Piddleloop triangle project bag donated by Jen and her sister Wendy. I LOVE Piddleloop bags. They are so well made and they use gorgeous fabrics. I think the triangle bag is perfect for a small project and some lucky donor will get this fabulous bag! So cute!



4. Last, but not least is something that even the non-knitters should be excited about! Leslie of The Knit Girllls, has offered to donate one pair of handknit socks made specifically for the winner.  Choice of sock yarn (see the photos to follow. Since this is such a huge prize (for the non-knitters, knitting socks is not a quick endeavor) you will be entered in this drawing with a $25 minimum donation. Every $5 past $25 will get you additional entries in this drawing. Leslie will knit the socks according to your specifications...size, plain foot, plain or patterned cuff, etc.  These socks will be mailed priority to winner's home no later than 30 days after the drawing.

If you have never had the pleasure to wear handknit socks, you don't know what you are missing. This is your chance to have socks custom made to fit your feet in your choice of gorgeous yarn! Anyone out there with really big feet? Make a donation and let's try to give Leslie a challenge! Here are a couple of the yarn options. I'm working on a separate page for the fundraiser and will post all of the options there.

Perfect Day Yarns Free Verse Sock Yarn


Numma Numma Baby Boo


Thank you so much ladies for helping make my fundraiser a success! I hope this will help even more kids have their dreams come true.

And don't forget the handspun yarn I posted about in an earlier post!

Are you ready to donate? As a reminder, for all prizes except the handknit socks, you'll receive one entry in the drawing for every $5 you donate (i.e. make a $10 donation and you'll receive 2 entries). For the handknit socks, if you donate $25, you'll receive one entry for the socks an additional entry for every $5 over $25 (i.e make a $35 entry and you'll receive 3 entries for the socks).

To donate, click here. Select Denver, then Team Cupcake Mafia and Lynn Zimmerman.

Thanks again for your support!

A Quick Post

Please consider supporting my fundraising efforts for the Make-A-Wish Foundation! Click here to find out more.

When I took a weaving class earlier this year, I really didn't expect to enjoy it that much. But I'm hooked and fascinated by the fabric I'm creating. I made this incredible scarf in a day.





I made this out of Noro Sock Yarn. Either this scarf, or a very similar one will be a prize in my fundraiser.

I also finished a skein of handspun that has been on the wheel for awhile.



628 yards, Falklands Wool.