INTERNATIONAL CROCHET DAY CONTEST!! HO0K AUCTION! and WHY I'VE BEEN SO LATE POSTING

Auction is over (Barbara gets the hooks)
and the winner of the ICD hook set is:
CARLA

INTERNATIONAL CROCHET DAY APPROACHES (SEPT 12)

Just had to include this link... a celebration of  International Crochet Day, AND a really clever tutorial
crocheted cactus!  Check it out.  Amazing!

International Crochet Day started back, oh, about 8 years ago as a twinkle in Jimbo's eye and has grown leaps and bounds  since.  Still not recognized as a paid holiday and no postal stamps have been dedicated to the event, but Crochetiers all over the globe are coming to know the day as one for celebrating the gentle art of Crochet.  How are YOU going to celebrate?  I'm having a contest and giving away an instructor and student hook!   I made them both the same hook  size (M) but very different lengths so an adult instructor using the big hook will be able to crochet the same pattern with a child student using the baby hook.  The instructor is 8 inches long; the student is 6 inches long.  Fun, eh?  

So to enter the contest simply post a comment here,  or email your comment to me at jimbocrochetwhittler@yahoo.com.  All you have to do is say Please enter me.  I'll do the rest.


Since I'm so late in starting the contest, we'll run it a bit past ICD and announce the winner after 10pm Pacific time on September the 16th.  Please only ONE entry per person.
Happy International Crochet Day!!!  Spread the word!

AND WE HAVE A NEW AND TOTALLY UNIQUE AUCTION!  

I've been working my poor old arthritic hands to the bone making up a one of a kind set of 9 hooks that I'm guessing is new in the known universe.  A set of  VERY large  hooks, ranging in size from Mongo, the 42mm hunk-o-hook on the far left, to the more standard "N" (10mm) hook on the far right.   Why'd I make such a set?  Uh, well I can't really answer that except to say that that big size hooks are rare in wood and I like to do rare things. 

The really big hooks have tapered cheeks to reduce that "bump" you often experience when sliding a loop on to the shank.  And all but Mongo are carefully crafted of good ole American Maple.  Mongo is made of even gooder ole Deadman Crick Red Fir  (very light weight for the size).  These hooks are just itching to be making BIG, FAST projects and should be a real joy to work with.

To be a bit more specific, the hooks can be identified from left to right as ..

A: Mongo (42mm) 

B: V (25mm)

C: U (20mm)

D: T (16mm)

E:  S (14mm)

F:  Q (13mm)

G:  P (12mm)

H:  O (12mm)

I:   N (10mm)

Bytheway, the auction hooks are in the range of  8 1/2 to 10 inches long.

I'd love to sell this bunch as a set but realize that might be a bit much.  Even so, I'll set a price for the whole bunch at $400. We'll still offer up the individual hooks at auction, and if the total amount bid on the individual hooks add up to more than $400, we'll break up the set.  If the total is under or matches $400, I'll take the $400 offer and sell the set.  How's that? 

Bidding rules:  We'll run the auction up until 10pm on Wednesday, Sept 16th.  Please email your bids to me at jimbocrochetwhittler@yahoo.com .

Tying bids will be resolved in favor of the first received.

I do take "Proxy" bids if you choose to do that as well but if we get a tie on highest proxy bid, resolution will again be in favor of the first bid received, but in this case I'll notify the later bidder of the situation.

I'm not always close by the computer, but I'll try to post your bids as soon as I can.

Please increase bids by $5 minimum.

Let the auction begin!

Offer for the set ($400)
Barbara!

Individual hook bids::
A

B

C  Doug starts it off with $40 bid

D

E  Nellie bids $35

F

G  Missy goes $30

H  Debbie says $30

I  April bids $30
   Nellie goes $35

WHY I'VE BEEN SLOW POSTING.....

   If you know the general location of Jimbo's Front Porch, you may be aware that it's located  in the midst of the largest forest fire in Washington State history.  This half burned Colville National Forest sign is down the road from the Front Porch about 4 miles.  The fire got within 2 miles of the Ranch and was seriously threatening to burn us out.  We were at level 3 evacuation for several days, dozers cut a fire line around the house and crews came in to move combustibles safe distances away.  I placed a sprinkler on the roof , packed up family treasures, evacuated, and prayed for a break but with bleak hope.  We were told several times that there was no hope.  The wind was blowing the flames down our canyon at a frightful pace and we were in the direct path... and then the blessed rain came and the wind died down.  What a relief!!  Jimbo's Front Porch was spared!  The firefighters are amazing and we're all right, at least for now.  None of the three fires that threaten the Ranch are out by any means, and it's said they won't be till snow flies, but they've been slowed by our firefighter heros and mom nature, and I'm finally starting to breathe again.   About 80,000 acres of our forest has burned and more's to come, but it looks like our little place will (knock on wood) be spared.  Whew!!