Ravelraiser!

It's a year this month since I joined Ravelry, and like so many things including Netflix, my yarn winder and swift, and cabling without a cable needle, I don't know how to picture my knitting life without it anymore.  Between keeping up with what my friends are knitting and queuing, finding the just-right pattern to go with some mystery stash find, and watching radar when I really should be grading papers, Ravelry has proven over and over to be my best resource, a bubbling well of inspiration, and a place I always can count on to leave the light on for me when I need somewhere to go.

To make a long story short, I was hanging out with my pals in the Ten Lousy Bucks group when it occurred to me that it might be time to give Ravelry a boost.  A call to Jess and Casey confirmed that a new server is on the wish list- we're loading them up with good data that needs a home.  I emailed around a bit and received my first donation- two hanks of handspun from Jared of Brooklyntweed.  And from there it yarnballed into RAVELRAISER '08!

So here's the skinny.

Rulez

1.  Make a donation through the button atop this thread on Ravelry  between now and APRIL 25 (please note date change!!) and include the word "Ravelraiser" in the comments box.  (See how to do that here.)  If you use the special button above it won't matter as much, but it's still helpful.
2.  Each $10 donation wins you one chance at fabulous prizes!  Therefore, a $30 donation would win you three "tickets in the hat."
3.  If you are allergic or averse to wool, you may write "cottons" in the comments box as well.  This will mean that your name will only be added to the drawings for non-wool prizes.  Due to my desire not to overload Casey and Jess with extra work, no other special prize "requests" can be honored.
4. Jess and Casey will draw winners at Maryland Sheep and Wool on May 3!

Prizes
I will  keep a running thread about them here in the Ten Lousy Bucks group- feel free to come by and oogle and comment!  In addition, there is a Flickr set full of gorgeous photos to drool over and links to explore. Donors are highlighted in this thread.

The four "Grand Prizes" are "Dream Stashes."

Earthy Stash:

Brights Stash:

Cottons Stash, including Lexie Barnes knitting bag!

Handspun Stash (which is growing as I write this)

In addition to the dream stashes, there are many other amazing prizes including:

• two bags of Malabrigo Silky Merino donated by Yarnzilla
• an exclusive colorway Fiddlehead Mitten Kit donated by Adrian at Hello Yarn
• a Lexie Barnes needle case
• a three-month membership to the Yarn Pirate Booty Club
• two Scout's Swag $15 gift certificates
• Jess's Delight- three skeins of Jess's favorite yarn from Meg of Twisted Fiber Arts
• a Guess Who? gloves kit from Holli at Bee's Knees Knits
• Ravelry swag donated by Jess and Casey themselves!

If you are a spinner or dyer and would like to contribute a prize, please contact me!  The more winners, the merrier, I say!  I'll be updating the Flickr set and Prizes Thread often.

Talk to Me

• I have high hopes for this fundraiser.  Is there anything that isn't clear?  Any way you think it could be improved?  Donations you'd like to offer?  Places to advertise on Ravelry?  Please let me know.
• Please feel free to advertise Ravelraiser on your own blog, pointing folks either here or to the thread on Ten Lousy Bucks.
• Come over to this thread after you've donated to talk about why you did so.  Was it a particular prize?  Something you love about Ravelry?  Was I standing behind you, twisting your picking/throwing arm?  (I can be such a bully.)  You can also read, there, a little personal story about why Ravelry has been important to me.  Join up with the Ten Lousy Bucks folks while you're at it.  We're nice!

Thanks

I owe a lot of thanks for all the help I received putting this together. 

• To everyone who donated- your yarns took my breath away, and it was all I could do not to run off to Mexico with them once they arrived.  But then, where would I get more?  Good thing your stores are all linked in the Flickr set!
• To my dad, who photographed all of the yarn as it came in and in the process became a bit of a yarnie himself.  He spent hours fretting over white balance.  He showed up at my house every day to check for new packages.  He endured taunting from my mom.  Thanks, B-Bear!
• To Ashley, Kirsten, and Beth, who helped me solicit prizes.
• To Jared, for being first.
• To Jess and Casey, of course, who will keep track of donations.
• To Elizabeth, who helped me make an ad to run on the Rav.

Now let's get together and Raise the Rav!  Donate now!

Comments

[Stacey]

What a wonderful idea - Ravelry is a site I go to every day - several times a day! I need to settle up a bit - and prizes don't hurt:) Thank you for doing this!

[Miss Scarlett]

Whoa! As if Ravelry isn't fabulous enough - look at the prizes for supporting them.

Those Dream Stashes are amazing.

What a fantastic thing you're doing - I am foreseeing a lot of data juggling in Jess & Casey's future!

[Stacey_CrimsonPurl]

The two bags of Malabrigo Silky Merino caught my attention alone! LOL

[Heather]

Having the donation button linked to Paypal has made donation so easy, I have been trying to remember to give $5 a month. Good for you for organizing this event, yet another great idea from La Frick !

[Chris]

I'm donating right now!! And I'll post about it tomorrow.

[brenda in toronto]

great idea, j! time to make another donation anyway, so off i go!

[wenjomatic (from ravelry)]

Super excited to help out! Thanks for all of your efforts getting this in motion!

[Sarah]

As a professional fundraiser, and avid raveler, I applaud and support your efforts!

[5elementknitr]

I just donated $20 through the Ravelraiser button but I didn't read the instructions about sending a "Message to Merchant" until just now. I'm such a dunderhead!

[Michaela]

Great idea!! I'm going on Ravelry right now. Those yarns just look too good!

[Carla]

Great Idea! I did it!

[Stacey]

Going to donate now!

Are you still looking for prizes? I own Made By Ewe and have some great stuff I could send you.

[Theresa]

Just wanted to tell you that you are fabulous for doing this, and everyone involved is A1 in my book!

[--Deb]

Great idea! I'm in....

[Patty Bolgiano]

I would like to donate a prize. It is Alice Starmore American Portraits. Is this possible?

Patty

[Knitnana]

Have donated and also aquired a button on Ravelry saying so, and posted there, but will post here. What a great idea!
Whoohoo! I *heart* Ravelry!
(((hugs)))

[brownbear]

What a great idea! I'm about to go donate.

[Jagienka]

Ravelry got my 10$. Got to support people with great ideas.

[MistKnits]

Done! Great idea! Thank you! :)

[glitterbug]

I just made my first donation! I have stitch markers to donate, how do I do that?

[Natalie]

This is a great idea. I donated. I just clicked on the Pay Pal button but neglected to write "RavelRaiser" in the comments---I typically do things without reading the instructions. I hope I still make it to the raffle ticket process.

Thank you so very much!

[Kim]

Great! I donated! Looking forward to the drawing at MDSW. The one at Rhinebeck was fun!

[Melissa]

I've also been wanting to donate for a while, so thanks for giving me the kick in the tookus. I happened to have $20 in my paypal account from destashing some yarn, so I've sent it on over to Ravelry, my favorite place on the web.

[Amy]

I donated twice, but forgot to put Ravelraiser in the first one. :-(

[Ingrid]

This is a superfantastic idea. I'm heading over to make my donation now!