THE International Crochet Day Prize HOOK WINNERS ARE>>>>>>>>>

AND THE WINNER OF THE 2009 International Crochet Day Hook, is from Australia. She, once upon a time was a nomadic artist and has dabbled in many different art forms. People often recognize her for her colorful hats. Our winner is none other than... MEG of ARTNOMADIX
Check this EXTREMELY talented artist's blog at

http://artnomadix-meg.blogspot.com/
Here is Meg's entry.
Hi,
International Crochet Day eh! Well think I'd better go into my local town Murwillumbah,NSW,Australia, and crochet in public in a Cafe Crochet Crawl, to inspire others to learn to crochet. I've been meaning to try and start some classes going around here and have been getting a few inquiries about my hats,whenever I wear them in town. So some informal free crochet cafe class/info will get the ball unrolling, as people sign up for some future class or workshops,or just record their interest for learning the wonderful, meditative and relaxing art of crochet.
Meg.

Winner of the INTERNATIONAL CROCHET DAY KIDDO HOOK IS>>>>>
Konna from Ecuador!!! Konna teaches at an international school in Quito, Ecuador and among her duties, she teaches crochet to grade 6-8 students as part of an exploratory class.
I hope the Kido hook will help her in that effort!

THANK YOU ALL for entering the contest, and PLEASE remember International Crochet Day next year!!

Jimbo





This logo was created by

Grafico/Receitas de Crochê By Ivy´s Creations Crochet (www.ivyscreationscrochet.com)

THANK YOU, Ivanise, your creation is BEAUTIFUL!!

Please click on the logo or go to Ivys Creations and see the amazing things there!
Jimbo


Its HERE!! The 2009 International Crochet Day Hook!! And it could be yours!
Look at the post below this one, there's a story there about the humble origins of this hook, which was made from the wood of the old apple tree you see in the pictures below. This old tree has donated its apples to deer, bear, turkeys and all sorts of animals including us humans. It has also donated wood from branches that have fallen to unknowing animal arborists. The 2009 International Crochet Day (ICD) Hook is made from one of those branches.
The old apple tree has given us wood for hooks that have traveled to gentle hands all over the world... so it is only fitting that this particular hook be destined to be the 2009 International Crochet Day Hook.
Technically, the 2009 ICD Hook is 5mm (an H on the Susan Bates gauge)and is 7 1/4 inches or 18.4cm long.
How can you win this hook? Simple. Just write a comment here in my blog about what YOU are going to do to promote International Crochet Day, or if you can't post a comment, you can email me your entry at:
jimbocrochetwhittler@yahoo.com

I'll draw a winner from those who enter on Sept. 12!

Last year the winning hook went to a VERY accomplished Crochetier, Sandra Coatti from BRAZIL! You can visit Sandra's blog at http://sandragcoatti.blogspot.com/

Since this is "International" Crochet day, I REALLY encourage entries from all over the world.

Let the contest begin!!

And thanks again to all for their efforts to promote the gentle art of Crochet!

Jimbo
PS>>>

And to sweeten the pot... Here is a small hook, intended for kids learning to crochet. Its made from one of the Hazelnut bushes up on the Ranch, so it carries all the Deadman Crick history in its grain, and is hopefully destined to be a family heirloom for the winner. Its a K (6.5mm) and is 6 inches 15.24cm long.
Lets make this a contest within a contest. Enter as instructed above, but please identify the Kido hook and promise me you'll use this hook to teach a child how to crochet.
I'm seeing other folks now blogging about International Crochet Day, doing other give aways to celebrate the day! A very worthy thing to do to promote a VERY worthy but underrated artform!
Oh and you can indeed enter both parts of the contest, but I'll do the drawing to assure that both hooks aren't won by one entrant.

Oh and one more favor... would you please identify your nationality in your entries? Its fun to see where entries are coming from.

Thanks!!!

Time for harvest

(click on images to enlarge)

Here's a shot of the cabin and Jimbo's Front Porch, taken from about 300 yards south. Gives you an idea of proportion. The area in front of the house is not going to be done in lawn. We're just letting pretty much what ever wants to grow there just go ahead and try. The old apple tree that has donated so many crochet hooks isn't in view here; but its out there in front of the cabin. Its just hiding behind the tall fir on the left.


You've seen pictures of the old apple tree in fall and winter? You'd look at that old leaning cripple and think it'll never make it another season. Well here you see the very top of the old codger, and the picture was taken just a week ago. Its loaded with apples and is offering them to who ever would like to stop by. We have..



Turkeys! Turkeys like fallen apples, so the old tree drops a few to feed the flock.
And of course we have deer to feed....



The old tree also donates apples to our local bears. Now I have to confess, this picture was taken a couple years ago. I did see a bear up there last week, but he was being shy about coming up for a meal at the tree and a photo op. Still, there's "sign" around the tree that tells us the bears are have been feeding on the apples again this year.


Its a giving tree, and takes so very little in exchange. Just a little water from the spring and it stands there, taking constant abuse, but still giving. In all the excitement to get those juicy apples, the deer and especially the bear will pull branches down. Oft times the branches break and fall to the ground, or they crack on the tree and die. I take the dead branches as one further donation from that generous little tree, and make crochet hooks. The old apple tree donated the wood for a prize hook that will be given away in a contest coming in a day or so, in celebration of International Crochet Day! You'll be welcome to drop by and enter the contest, and in the meantime, consider what you might do too, to promote the art of crochet on International Crochet Day, this coming Sept 12.

Thanks once again for dropping by!
Jimbo

My bride of 41 years.... TODAY!!

Karol, on the right, has put up with me for 41 years today!! Plus she's had a hand in bringing me such joy as our Grand daughter, Chloe who'll tell you she's 4 now. How lucky can a rickedy old hook whittler be??!! Heck she doesn't even LOOK 41 let alone having been married that long. Now ME on the other hand.... well lets say strangers take me for her grampa... Karol's that is.

I'm a very VERY lucky guy!!

14.... 14 Auction is closed. THANK YOU, Bidders!!

Whew again! That was a close one, with bids coming in right down to the last thirty seconds!! NEVER been that close before.
So, to the high bidders: please consider using the "Make a Donation" button to pay using paypal. If you'd rather pay another way, that's fine too.. just email me and we'll figure it out.

And thanks again everyone!!

NEXT UP..... Getting ready for INTERNATIONAL CROCHET DAY.. COMING UP SOON (SEPT. 12). ARE YOU MAKING PLANS??? I AM!


(Hi Kids! Last day for this auction! Auction will close tonight at 10pm Pacific Daylight time. That's 11pm Mountain, 9pm Alaska, 12pm Central, 1am tomorrow Eastern. We are at GMT-7, England is GMT+1 Australia (Victoria) is GMT+10. Can you tell I've been playing with wwp.pacific-standard-time.com? Cool site!)


(click on image for a larger WAY more detailed view)

WHEW!! I've been busy. Playing hooky from house painting (don't tell Karol, ok?)

Anyways, here are a bunch of hooks that have been a LONG time in the making. So to not get in alot more trouble with the hooky playing, I'll get right to them. Lets start from the top.

The very top hook, we'll call hook #1 is THE most unique hook I've made to date. Its has almost a Boye style hook, meaning it's NOT in-line. The throat is tapered but (ulike real Boyes)the hook head isn't a wee bit larger than the shank (if I make another I'll try harder to do an authentic Boye style). Its made of Bloodwood, a really dark and beautiful, dense wood, has flats on both side and is 7 inches long and if I'm measuring right, thats 17.7cm. Size: H (5mm)

Next down and starting from the left is a six hook set of Beech hooks (hooks 2 - 7). Never made a Beech hook before but this is summer and hay, wouldn't you like to be on the Beach right now? heh Ok Beech is a really nice hardwood that used alot for tool handles. Nice light but hard wood... and handsome too (I'd say pretty but Beech is a kind of manly wood). They're all close to the same length.. in the 7 1/2 inch range (19cm). Sizes? From left to right in the group.. Hook #2 is a Q (16mm); Hook #3 is (15.5mm)((fits in the P hole of my Bates size gauge)); Hook #4 is a N (15mm); Hook # 5 is an L (8mm); Hook #6 is a K (6.5mm); Hook #7 a G (4mm). All of these hooks are pointy so I call them slip stitch hooks. Ever see a set of slip stitch hooks before?

Now, Hook #8 is made of Thunder Plum, a really pretty wood that came from an ornamental shade tree. Its a size 7 (4.5mm) that's 7 1/4 inches long (18.3cm). Beautiful wood and a very large thumb rest.

Hook #9 is made from BEAUTIFUL Marblewood. What size should a Marblewood hook be? Why an M of course (9mm). This gorgeous hunk of wood is build for M hooking comfort, and is 7 1/2 inches long (19cm) MMMM

Next is Hook #10 which is an amazingly figured Redheart I (5.5mm) that's 7 1/2 inches long (19cm) with grain figure that'll surprise you at is variety.

Hook #11 is another Redheart beauty. Redheart is SUCH a pretty wood, only this one's a J(6mm) 7 1/2 inches long (19cm)

Hook #12 is an Egg Hook! Its Cherry wood and an H (5mm), 4 5/8 inches long (11.7cm), and the bulb is 1 1/4 inches in diameter (3.2cm).

Toward the bottom is lucky Hook #13... is one of the FARA Chophooks. No need to bid on this one, just email me your order offering $10.00 or more per hook and the whole $$ will go to finding a treatment or cure for Friedreich's Ataxia! These hooks are square in the shank area but measure out to be about a K sizewise (6.5mm) and vary in length. I've made lots of these so you can order as many as you'd like and be helping a very worthy cause as well!


And last and REALLY unique to the Jimbo line is Hook #14. This hook is another newby for me... a double ended 19mm (an S) Cherry that's 8 1/2 inches long (21.5cm). All you double ended hookers rejoice!


WHEW!!

Ok! Let the bidding begin! Lets run this auction till Aug. 19 and close on that evening at 10pm Pacific Std time. Please bid in $5 increments if you would.. makes things more fair to those in remote time zones when the deadline looms close.

Also I'll do this too. I'll make a category for the set of Beech Wood hooks (all 6 of them) for those who'd like a set. I'll also take bids on the individual hooks, so whichever total is more will get the hook/hooks. If the set bid is higher than the total bids for all six individual hooks, the bidder for the set will get all six hooks) OK?

As usual, you can email bids with $5.00 raise minimums please, to me at:

jimbocrochetwhittler@yahoo.com

Oh, and for any new bidders: I try to post bids as they come in. I'm not here ALL the time though so if you bid and it doesn't show up right away, not to worry. Your bid will be posted as soon as Jimboly possible.

And away we go!

Bids:

Beech Hook Set:
PLEASE NOTE: To buy the set, the highest bid for the set (hooks 2-7 only) must be more than the total amount bid on the individual hooks (2-7). Therefore, even if you are the high bidder on an individual hook in the set, you can loose to a high bid for the whole set. The rest of the hooks (hook #1 and 8-14 are not part of the set so bids on those can go as usual) Hope that's not too confusing. If so please email me.. we'll figger it out.

Jane bids $20 for the set.
set bid is now to $70 (total of Robin's bids)
Tracey raises to $75 for the set
Looks like the set bids are in the lead! Robin goes $85
Tracey goes to $90
Robin raises it to $100!
Undaunted, Tracey goes to $105
Robin raise to $110
Tracey to $115


Hook #1
Jane goes $10
Robin ups it to $20
$25 from Mary
Denise goes to $35

Hook #2
Robin: $10

Hook #3
Robin: $10

Hook #4
Robin: $10
Serina: $15

Hook #5
Robin: $10

Hook #6
Robin: $10


Hook #7
Jane with $10
Kathryn goes to $15
Robin here too with $20

Hook #8
Jane again $10
Shannon goes $20
Beth raises to $30

Hook #9
Janet goes $10
Denise bumps it up to $15
Robin goes to $20
Tracey ups it to $25

Hook #10
Lolly starts us with $10
Robin with $15
Lolly raises it to $20
Serena goes to $25
Robin to 30

Hook #11
Lolly here again with $10
Robin again: $15
Lolly goes to $20
Jenny raises to $25
Lolly here again with $30
Robin 35

Hook #12
Denise goes $20
Robin: $25
Denise with a big bump to $40

Hook #13 (remember this is the FARA Chophook and you needn't bid.. but please email me about your order. Order one or lots!
Bless her heart, Denise ordered a chophook!

Hook #14
Sherri goes $5
Robin with $10
Tracey bumps it to $15


And thanks again for dropping by! Stay awhile. Kick your shoes off. Make yourself at home.

Jimbo

Oh and an afterthought. If you're interested in the Beechwood set or an individual beechwood hook... but don't want the pointy, slipstitch head, I will change the head shape for you... no extra charge.

Bids, Bird Feeders, and Stone Work

hooo its HOT here! Just got back from the Ranch where its hot too, but worth it. And there's always the crick for cooling off.
Those interested in bidding on the Bocote hook (see post below this one) are welcome to send bids now.... one more day till the auction closes (you have till Tuesday Aug 4 10pm Pacific Std Time).
In the mean time I'll show you what's been happening out on the Front Porch.
The porch (THE Front Porch, this blog's namesake) up on the ranch works well but I never liked the look of the concrete pillars underneath. I love stone work. So, I decided to stack rock around the pillars to hide the concrete. Three are finished. Did the last one yesterday and last night. HOT heavy and HARD work but I sure like the results. All the rock has been taken from the ranch. In fact lots of the rock you see in the stack on the far right was taken from our old home site. The old place is hardly a flat spot on the ground, but I was able to gather some of the rock used for the foundation and now its part of the new place. Makes it all more special, and I think my Dad would have approved.
The other picture is of a bird feeder that my buddy Jim Kester and I made of sticks and such we rustled up on the ranch. I mounted it on one of the posts on the porch that one day will help support a roof. We did almost all the work by hand. See those really nice dovetails? Jim made those with his back saw and chisel. Cool eh? And I hand made the trusses, timber frame style, and hand split the shakes. Fun. Now I'm waiting for the birds to find it. Hope they do. We have some pretty birds around the Ranch and it'll be fun watching them in the bird feeder.
Ok enough drivel for a day, eh?

On to the Fast and furious bidding!!

Hope everyone's staying cool.
Jimbo