Secret Pal 12!

SP13

2008-09-26T10:48:00.001-07:00

Ok!! We have decided on the timeline for the next SP swap!

Sign ups: Oct 15-31
Matches out by: Nov 15
Swap starts: Nov 15
swap ends: Feb 28

New blog for sp13 is at http://secretpal13.blogspot.com

Come join in on the fun!!

Unlucky Question 13!

2008-09-24T10:48:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the break, us hostesses have been busy!! Here’s a several part question for you all!
If you were told you could never again buy yarn, would would your last yarn purchase be?
If you were told you could never knit again, what would be the last thing you’d knit??
In a given year, how many times do you buy yarn? And what is your favorite place to buy yarn from? A festival? A shop? Online? Dish your favorite places!!
Lastly, with Fall in full swing in many areas, what is the one thing you look forward to most?

Thanks for playing along! This will be the last question of the week! We’ll keep the tradition alive for SP13, so keep your eyes out for next round! Don’t forget- let your hostess know if you have any questions or concerns. We’re here to help you!

Question #12

2008-08-28T08:41:00.001-07:00

I’m sure most of us have a proudest moment when it comes to knitting. A project or technique that you’ve tackled and completed beautifully. What is your proudest knitting moment??

And on the flip side? What is the one thing that you can’t get right? What is that one project that you’ve never been able to complete? Or that you did complete but then hid away instantly because it was too embarrassing?

Question #11

2008-08-22T04:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's late...

What is the best thing you've ever received in the mail/post?

Question of the Week #10

2008-08-13T05:18:00.000-07:00

Here's an odd sort of question...

What Olympic event would best describe you knitting/knitting style?

Have fun thinking about and coming up with an answer...and enjoy any and all of the competitions going on worldwide!

Question of the Week #9

2008-08-06T04:59:00.000-07:00

We've now passed the halfway point for Secret Pal 12. How's everyone doing? We hope well. If you have concerns, please let your hostess know.

This week. our question is about your knitting... In many communities, "the fair" is a great place to visit and spend time with your family. It's also where many have entered one product or another (jams, cakes, even knitting)...

Have you ever entered your knitting (or anything else) in the fair? Would you ever consider it?

(ETA...for those of you who live in parts of the world w/o fairs and with the Olympic competition about to begin...Would you ever consider entering your knitting in a competition?)

Question of the Week #8

2008-07-30T05:16:00.000-07:00

What is your favorite supper for a hot summer evening?

For added flavor (Get it?..."flavor"...I crack myself up!), post a photo or recipe link.

Question of the Week #7

2008-07-23T04:46:00.000-07:00

We are all creatures of habit and when it comes to sitting down to knit, it’s no different…

What is(are) your favorite place(s) to knit? and

What supplies (besides yarn & needles) make the setting perfect for knitting?

Question of the Week #6

2008-07-16T04:52:00.000-07:00

Since thinking about holidays/vacations is SO much fun, let’s continue with the theme…

Questions #6
What is your favorite type of project to take along on holiday/vacation?

If you’d like to share a story…Tell us about a time that you packed too much knitting or were stranded without knitting.

Reminder: If you’re going on holiday/vacation please let your pals and hostess know. And, while you’re gone, why not send a postcard to your pal!?! It’s always fun to receive mail from a pal no matter the “size” of the mailing!

Question of the Week #5

2008-07-09T05:22:00.001-07:00

Boy, time flies. Summer is when many of us head out on vacation/holiday. So, this week’s question/s has us wondering:

1) Where is your favorite place to go for vacation/holiday?
2) Where is one place you’d like to go?

Remember to let your pals and hostess know if you’ll be away for an extended period of time. (BTW a postcard is an easy way to contact your pal from anywhere, even home!)

The Results Are In!

2008-07-02T07:11:00.000-07:00

The button contest is officially over!

and the winner, by a random draw, is.....

big girl feet

Go over and tell her congratulations! She is the winner of a beautiful embroidered knitting tote bag from Rosie Knits
Jess from Rosie Knits has generously donated this bag. She also has offered to personalize it with the winners name!

If you can't live without one yourself, send an email to jess AT rosieknits DOT com
She offers this bag in crochet and knitting and can even add your name to it!

Question of the Week #4

2008-07-02T06:44:00.000-07:00

The “perfect sized” stash was a tough question for many of you to answer. Maybe these stash related questions will be easier:

1) What yarn (that you don’t have/haven’t used) would make your stash “complete”?
2) What yarn do you never want to be without?

Can’t wait to read your answers! Have a good week!!

Question of the Week #3

2008-06-24T20:58:00.000-07:00

So far we've had a lot of fun with "summer related" questions, now it's time to answer a "knitting related" one.

What would you consider the perfect amount of stash?

(In case you think you already have a huge amount of stash, check this one out!)

Robyn!!

2008-06-19T18:40:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I just got word that hostess Robyn gave birth on Tuesday night at 11:29PM! Both Mom and baby Mackenzie are doing well! So if you're in her group, and you've e-mailed her recently and you haven't heard back from her, that's why! If it's urgent, feel free to e-mail me or another hostess and we'll help if we can!

Congrats Robyn!!

Question of the Week #2

2008-06-18T04:38:00.000-07:00

It has been a lot of fun reading everyone's answers for the Week One question. Many of you wrote that your favorite drink was iced cold water, lemonade or iced tea. (BTW there's a drink that is lemonade AND iced tea...it's known as an Arnold Palmer.)

In many parts of the US and abroad, school's out. Take a walk down memory lane for Week Two's question:
As a kid, what did you look forward to most about summer vacation/break/holiday?

Enjoy!!

Question of the Week!!

2008-06-12T10:02:00.001-07:00

This time, your lovely hostesses decided to pose a question of the week! It will help everyone get to know their pals, and be fun at the same time! Be sure to post your answer on your blog, so your pal and hostess can find it! We all want to know:

What is your favorite summertime drink??

BUTTON CONTEST!!!!

2008-06-03T12:30:00.001-07:00

Get your creative hats on..... the BUTTON CONTEST is ready to start!

All you need to do is create a button that can be posted on participants blogs and email it to SP12_hosts@yahoo.com

Entries are limited to 4 buttons per person. Please don't make your buttons too big, we want to be able to fit them all on this blog.

A winner will be randomly drawn on June 15th. The winner will receive a wonderful prize!

Thanks and good luck!

Signups are now CLOSED!

2008-06-03T11:58:00.001-07:00

Sign ups are now closed!!!

If you signed up and have not yet paid your $2.50 participants fee, PLEASE do so now. If you need your invoice resent, email us at SP12_hosts@yahoo.com

You must pay your participants fee before your match will be sent to you

If you signed up and did not get a confirmation email or your blog is not on the participants list, email us at sp12_hosts@yahoo.com

Please make sure that you email us if there is a problem. If you leave a comment and don't email, you may slip through the cracks.

Right now is the busiest time for all the hostesses. Each of us spends quite a bit of time reading your blogs to ensure that we match you up with a great partner. Please be patient with us. We will get you your match on or before June 15th.

SP 12 Questionnaire!!

2008-05-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

Here is the questionnaire for SP12. Please be sure to post it in a spot on your blog where your pal can easily find it. Since your pal will use this to help create your packages you'll want to have it posted to your blog no later than June 15th, but sooner would be better as it can be helpful to us in selecting your pals. Please note that the questions have not changed from last round.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

5. What's your favorite scent?

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

13. What are you knitting right now?

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

18. What is your favorite holiday?

19. Is there anything that you collect?

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

23. When is your birthday?

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?

Signups are UP!!

2008-05-15T05:57:00.000-07:00

Signups are now up! Here's the link!

New Participant Fee for SP12

2008-05-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

SP 12 signups are planned to start on Thursday, May 15th!!

Along with the changes previously announced for this round, we are also initiating a $2.50 participant fee to go toward "angel" contributions for the participants whose pals drop out from the exchange.

We always hope that the angels needed will be few and far between, as we'd like everyone to fulfill their commitments to the exchange. However, in the past, the funding for these angel contributions came from either SP participants or from the hostesses themselves. This time we thought we'd help defray that cost by collecting for it up front.

If we end up not needing all of the funds, we plan to donate them to a charity to be determined later. Some of the possibilities mentioned have been Heifer International, Doctors without Borders, Stitches From The Heart, or Afghans for Afghans.

As always, we would encourage you to be sure you can commit to the exchange requirements before signing up, especially as we have a 300 participant limit this round.

Once you sign up, you will receive a PayPal invoice for $2.50 shortly afterward. We would appreciate prompt payment as then we can check you off the list and move forward with assigning your pals! If you don't pay within a week from receipt of the invoice (which gives you enough time to get your PayPal account set up, if need be) we will be forced to drop you from the exchange.

If you have any questions, please let me or any of the other SP12 hostesses know!

Robin (with an "i")
http://yarncrawl.typepad.com

The rules!

2008-05-04T15:44:00.001-07:00

The rules

1. Deadline to sign up: May 30, 2008
2. Matches will be distributed: On or before June 15, 2008
3. Secret Pal dates: June 15, 2008 though September 30, 2008

Who This Is For: 300 Knitters and/or Crocheters only please.

International Participation: This SP event is based in the United States. The term "International" will refer to all participants outside the United States. You are welcome to join no matter where you live! Due to the high number of International participants, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate all requests for same Country/Continent pals. If you are able to communicate in any language other than English please let us know when you sign up. Normally, we have several participants who are more comfortable corresponding in other languages.

Blog: Having a blog (or website) is mandatory for participating in this program. If you're new to blogging, please note that you must have at least 10 posts in order to join SP. Your blog must be public (if not, you MUST allow anonymous access to your pal and your hostess) and post at least 4 times a month throughout the 3 months (July, August, and September) of the exchange. This online journal is a great place for the SP who is spoiling you to find out who you are and what you like or dislike (do you like sweets? are you allergic to specific yarns?). It also provides a place for you to publicly thank your SP when the packages/cards start rolling in. Your blog certainly does not have to be a knitting blog, but you must have one fiber/hobby related post each month.

Anonymous Email Address: You must set up an anonymous email address such as the free ones from Hotmail or Yahoo so you can contact your SP buddy without giving away your identity. Make sure to check the account regularly. You might want to consider having that account’s mail forwarded to your regular email account so you don't miss anything. If you do this, don't forget to reply from your anonymous account when corresponding with your pal! Make sure to check to make sure the account is anonymous, by emailing yourself, first.

Minimum Contribution: This round is going to be slightly different in terms of how much money is expected. We are going to have two different groups, one where you can spend $30 over the course of three months, and one where you spend $60 over the course of the three months. When you sign up, you will be able to choose between those two groups. These two amounts do not include the value of your time if you make something or any postage costs. Establishing the amount should make it clear to all what a fair commitment should be, and no one should expect more, or less.

Your Pal: Once you have been assigned a secret pal, please send them a quick note to say hello (from your anonymous email address) so they know they've been paired. Keep in mind that the fun of a Secret Pal event is to meet and get to know a random person who shares a common interest with you (knitting and/or crochet). There is a method to the madness of matching up all participants and you only get one match. Complaints about your secret pal of the "I'd rather not have a pal who..." variety are a quick way to have yourself removed from the event. If you feel you have a valid reason to request a rematch, feel free to email your hostess. Please remember though that you cannot pick and choose your secret pal and we will not hesitate to remove anyone who appears to be missing the point of a Secret Pal exchange.

What To Give: Knitting and crochet related items are great but not the only thing you are limited to sending. Lots of participants also like to send their pal soaps, lotions, candy, cards, candles, and other special treats. Just remember that not everyone likes to crochet and that not everybody spins. It's a good idea to get to know your pal by reading the responses to their questionnaire and their blog entries. If you're still stumped, ask your pal what specific things they like. You can always ask your hostess for help too. We've seen lots of neat packages and will be more than happy to make suggestions.

***If you will be gifting items from your stash they MUST be in brand new condition.***

Number or Frequency of Gifts: The number of gifts you send to your pal is entirely up to you. You can send one package a month to spread out the gifts, or one big package at the end. However, sending something snail mail to your pal once a month is a really great way to keep the exchange fun and exciting. Post cards, letters and cards are great, inexpensive ways to stay in touch with your pal if you choose to send only one package of gifts at the end of the exchange. If you do choose to just send one package, make sure to let you pal know your plans so they don't feel abandoned. Purchasing delivery confirmation for packages during this round is highly recommended. It's less than $1 at the post office or free when you use click and ship at the USPS website.

Contact: You must make contact with your pals on the 1st and 15th of each month of the exchange (July, August, September) to let them know you're still around with either an e-card, blog comment, or email. Of course if you'd like to contact your pal more often, you're more than welcome to do so. Remember to use your anonymous email when contacting your pal. If you're going to be away for more than 5 days you must let your pal and hostess know. It's an awkward situation when you think your pal may have dropped out of the exchange because you haven't heard from them. Remember to treat your pal as you would like to be treated.

Please remember that keeping in touch with the pal spoiling you is just as important as staying in touch with your spoilee. A quick email to let your pal know that a package has arrived will ease their mind as to whether or not it got lost in the mail, not to mention it's just plain old good manners. A public post to your blog to thank your pal is required within 72 hours of receiving your goodies. Part of the fun of Secret Pal is the joy of giving and that includes knowing your gift was received.

Stuff Happens: If for some reason you are unable to follow through with your responsibility with the program please let us know immediately so that we can find a replacement for you. We realize and completely understand that things come up some times that are totally out of your control which might prevent you from participating but you need to let us know instead of avoiding your pals and your hostess. If you stop participating and don't respond to your hostess you will be replaced and your name will be added to the banned list for future SP swaps. If you have not had contact from your pal as outlined above, please let your hostess know immediately. Do not use your blog or the SP blog to blast your pal. We will try to find out what happened to your pal and if they have flaked we will get you a replacement.

Angels: If someone does fail to participate as they agreed we will remove their name from the participation list and replace them with someone else. This means we will need a list of "angels" who are willing to jump in as replacements. As an angel, you might come in after the person you are replacing has already received a package. This means you might not receive the full $60 in goodies you would normally receive. We will also be accepting monetary donations through PayPal as well as tangible items to be used this round. If you're interested in donating either or both, please let us know when you sign up.

Contests: This round the contests will be handled a bit differently. In the past, it was up to the hostesses if they wanted to hold mini-contests during the secret pal round. This round, the contests will all be held at the same time, with a winner being chosen from each hostess’s group. The prizes will be items donated from vendors and from participants. All participants are eligible to participate in each contest. Winners will be chosen from each group by a random draw. Contests will be announced via email, a post on our Secret Pal 12 blog, and through a post on Ravelry.

Final Note: It's an important one! Please keep in mind that we are volunteering our time to run this event. We all have participated in past Secret Pal events and know how much fun they can be and want to help continue the tradition. This takes an incredible amount of time and effort. If you think something is amiss please let us know. We're perfectly open to constructive criticism and we'll gladly respond to any civil and respectful queries. The hostesses also reserve the right to remove any participant at any time at our discretion.

I’m sorry for such a long post, but it’s necessary at the beginning of a swap to outline the rules as clearly and succinctly as possible.

***Anonymous comments on the Secret Pal blog will be immediately removed no matter what the content of the post is.***

SP12

2008-04-04T16:26:00.001-07:00

This is the space for the new SP12 swap! Keep a look out for updates!