yarn for this campaign

Yesterday, with wind chills in the low teens (Fahrenheit), I ventured out to the table on the porch where the light is good for taking photos that represent color well. Only to discover that I can't download photos onto our laptop -- and the big computer is hanging out with the repair people right now. So I'll try to do this in words instead.

I have four small batches of yarn to offer to use for this campaign. Each will make at least 2 pairs of mittens or socks; one batch is slightly larger. I have SO much wool, and would love to have help getting it to the kids of Afghanistan. The batches are small because that minimizes the pressure on you if you take one of them.

I do ask that if you request one of these bundles you complete your project(s) for the current youth campaign. It is absolutely fine to mix this yarn with yarn you already own; it's equally fine to use only this yarn. Your choice! No charge for the yarn, and I pay shipping. You do not have to live in the U.S.

Write to me at yarnystuff@gmail.com. If there's a specific bundle you'd really like to have or a specific bundle you really do NOT want, let me know. If you're not fussy and would be happy to receive any one of them, let me know that, too. Please include your complete mailing address -- no one but me will see it, and I won't use it for anything but mailing yarn if you are one of the lucky winners. It is Wednesday night now; on Sunday, I'll pick the winners, and post your names (first names only) here on this blog. Here are the descriptions of these small packages -- I've linked each yarn, except the Lopi, to the site where you can inspect a color card. (If the computer gets back before Sunday, I'll post the photos here.)

(1) Bartlett yarn, my favorite yarn for thick socks and mittens. When I lived in Maine -- where it does, indeed, get very cold -- I loved my socks made from this yarn and so did anyone else who was lucky enough to get a pair. This bundle includes 2 full skeins of a color called bracken (kind of an olive drab heather), 1 nearly complete skein of a warm brown with blue-ish flecks, almost a full skein of a bright brick red, and a small amount (under 1 ounce) of oatmeal-colored yarn. Great for socks, and they work up fast!

(2) Brown Sheep Nature Spun worsted. This yarn is actually thinner than most worsteds, but thicker than sport weight. I often use two strands together for mittens. This is an odd color assortment (because that's what I have); would work well for intelligently planned stripes or to go with yarn you already have. One ball each of Irish Shamrock, Purple Splendor, and Butterfly Blue; plus one 50-g skein of another brand that feels about the same thickness, in maroon. This yarn is much better for mittens than for socks.

(3) Lopi. A single-ply, bulky yarn that is much better for mittens than for socks. Some people find it scratchy, but it compensates for that by being very, very warm. Two skeins scarlet, one skein bright gold (oddly, my town's high school colors). You should get two pairs of mittens out of this yarn, and they work up fast!

(4) Lamb's Pride worsted. 4 complete skeins spruce; 1 complete skein silver sliver. Hmmm -- seems Spruce has been discontinued; you can see it here. This adds up to 950 yards -- enough for a small sweater, or enough to combine with other Lamb's Pride in navy blue or another compatible color and make a bigger sweater.

I'll wait for that flood of email messages. . .

--Elizabeth D