Four for auction Auction is OVER, one to give away (CONTEST!!) And we have a WINNER!!

Thanks everyone for bidding and entering the contest. High bidders, please use the "make a donation" button in the left margin for payment using paypal or contact me for other forms of payment.

and now to the winner of the Meanest, toughest hook I've ever made...the Australian Red Gum hook....... Drum roll please... rumpa pum pum.... is..... Laughing Purple Goldfish from Australia!! FANTASTIC!!!

For those who haven't had the pleasure, Laughing is an AMAZINGLY talented Australian crochetier and a very deserving recipient. Check out her blog at http://laughingpurplegoldfish.com/

I picked the winner by random choice, not from the hook names, BUT I have to say my favorite name was "Diplohookticus Jimbosai 'Australis' eucalyptus camaldulensis, common name 'Red Ned'". Ingenious, Beth!! Ah but I also kinda like the name I came up with.. "Redrum", you know from "The Shining" cause it sounds kinda like "Redgum" and spells "murder" backwards.

So, Laughing Purple, if you'd kindly email me an address where the hook's to go, I'll send it off. Aussie wood will be returning to Oz! Probably with some amazing tales to tell.


And thanks again to everyone who entered!! This was fun!! Keep watching. We'll do another contest someday soon.

Jimbo
(click on image to enlarge)

Hot off the Jimbo lathe... 5 hooks of beautiful woods; four are up for bids, one will be given away FREE!!

Lets take a look first at the contest hook (on the far right of the photo). This is a one of a kind hook and it will remain unique in the list of Jimbo hooks as far as the wood type goes.

Of course there's a story behind this. I've been interested in the woods of Australia. The land of Oz grows some really beautiful woods, so when I saw an ad on Craigslist for genuine Australian Red Gum, being sold by an arborist about 40 miles away, I hopped in the truck and beat it over there to buy some. In fact I bought several board feet of the stuff. What I didn't know is that Australian Red Gum is NOT good wood to use on a lathe. The wood splinters and likes to fly off the lathe and attack me. Ah but I don't give up easy. I toughed it out even though a chunk flew off the heel end and tried to impale my hand. So although I finished the hook and its a beauty, I took the hint and won't be turning any more Australian Red Gum into crochet hooks. Now don't get me wrong.... Red Gum is a beautiful wood and it makes some really nice furniture and such. It just doesn't normally want to become crochet hooks. I managed to convince just this one and it turned out to be a beautiful I (5.5mm) hook that's 7 3/4 inches (19.7mm) long!

I took SO much time to make the Red Gum hook that I thought it either should sell for hundreds or I should give it away. I doubt anyone would want to pay hundreds, so I'm giving it away. If you've an interest in an incredibly rare Jimbo hook in Australian Red Gum... all's you have to do is enter the contest by posting a "comment" in this blog entry or by emailing me with an appropriate name for this hook. I'll do a drawing of the entries and post the winner on Jan. 20. One entry per person, please except Australians, who have to put up with this wonderful HEAVY and HARD and DANGEROUS wood get TWO entries each. Also, in appreciation to my wonderful blog followers, your entry will count twice too, just mention that you're a follower and you get two chances!

You can email your entries if posting comments doesn't work, at


jimbocrochetwhittler@yahoo.com


Now on to the 4 hooks up for bids. Lets start on the left and call this one hook #1. This beauty is made from genuine and downright purty Deadman Crick Bush Maple cut my me from a dead branch in a bush not more than a stone's throw (and I can't throw so far anymore) from the Front Porch. Its an N (10mm) and would love to cuddle in your hand and help you make whatever N's like to make. It's longish, at 7 3/4 inches (19.7cm) but light as a Deadman Crick turkey feather.

Moving to the right, we have a hook (#2) made from a chunk of local Black Walnut. This piece of wood has been curing in my basement for about a year and I finally cut it into pieces on my bandsaw and was amazed at the beautiful color of the wood. Ordinarily I'm not a huge fan of walnut. I grew up during a walnut craze and tired of the stuff long ago. But there are exceptions and this chunk of wood is one of them. Its just beautiful! Grain so clear and deep, it's just a remarkable piece of wood. And the hook? I decided to let the hook find it's own size as it was made. Turns out it became an H! (5mm), and the length is a very comfortable 7 inches long (17.8cm). I promise you, this isn't just your ordinary ho hum walnut.

Next hook (#3) is made of that same chunk of walnut, only (shhhh I don't want the other hook to be jealous) even prettier, with wavy grain that you'll just enjoy sitting and staring at; it changes in the light as you move it around. At least I enjoy just sitting and staring at it. And this one is even more unique. It came out the same length at 7 inches (17.8cm) but decided all on own to be between the H and I, at 5.25mm. Do you own an H.5? I bet not. And you won't see a prettier walnut hook. Beauty has its quirks eh?

And last up is a hook (#4) made from exotic Zircote, a hardwood that runs from brown to black to dusky tan in VERY defined streaks. In fact, if I didn't tell you, you might think that this is several pieces of different woods that were laminated together. This hook was made from the wood pieces that my son Lance gave me for Christmas and was hand picked by him for its amazing grain. The hook is an I (5.5mm) and is a bit over 7 inches (17.8cm) long.

So there you have it. Enter the contest whether you bid or not. To new bidders: I try to post bids as they come in. I'll not be here ALL the time... in fact I'll be gone from Thursday - Sunday (Jan. 7-10) so if your bid doesn't show up right away, not to worry. Your bid will be posted as soon as I'm able to get to them. Identical bids are entered by first to post so if your bid is the same as another, I'll go by which ever one was posted first. Also please increase bids by $5 minimum. I'll end the auction on Tuesday night 10pm, Jan 12.

email bids, if you've a mind, to me at


jimbocrochetwhittler@yahoo.com

Whew!! So here we go!

Bids:

Hook #1
Krista jumps in with $15
Virginia bids $25

Hook #2
Nancy's the first bidder with $20
Alice takes it to $25
Nicole goes $30
Nancy searched the couch cushions and came up with $35


Hook #3
JoAnn goes $20
Jennifer's saying $35
Nicole's here too with $40



Hook #4
Kelley's here with $25
Dawn drops a bid for $35
Kelley's back with $40
Jenn's here with $45


And THANK you for dropping by!!

Jimbo