Solstice Fundraising Pop-Up 2021

Greetings, friends and family.  I wasn't certain there would be a fundraiser this year, but, gladly, here we are.  This year, 100% of proceeds will go to Montclair Mutual Aid, our local mutual aid association.  Thank you so much for stopping by.  Wishing you and yours light in the darkness.  Happy Solstice.

Thank you ~ with your support, I am sending off a check to Montclair Mutual Aid for $640 ~ 100% of your donations!!!  I am so grateful for your friendship and solidarity.

How this works:

If you see something you would like, please email me the item # and your name at: shirleypond4@gmail.com.  Items will be held, first come, first served.

I will respond to your email to confirm the item is yours (or not) and will include further information on how to proceed.  I will update this blog post as quickly as I can to indicate if an item is sold.  Numbers in red have already been spoken for.  Thank you!

Please feel free to get in touch with any questions.

A word about pricing:

I am asking for a minimum donation of $20 and will cover shipping costs.  If you can give more, please consider doing so.  Shipping will be first-class via USPS unless you request (and pay to cover) priority.  First-class and priority shipping both come with tracking.  I will not be responsible for covering the cost of items delayed or lost by USPS.  Questions about shipping can be addressed by email after/when you claim interest in an item.

If you are local, let's do porch pick-up/drop-off.

A word about payment:

I am set up to receive personal funds (not for goods/services) through PayPal, Venmo and Zelle.  I prefer using these electronic modes, but will accept a personal check or cash (if local).  Questions about payment can be addressed by email after you claim interest in an item.

The goods:

All of this year's hats were knit using yarn leftover from other projects.  It was satisfying and fun to play with colors and stripes.  Additionally, most of these hats can be worn two ways: slouchy or beanie-style (with the brim folded up).  The red hat is the one true beanie.  They are almost all soft and machine-washable (delicate cycle, cold water) although hand washing with a (non-detergent) wool soap will extend the life of the knit.  The brown hat is the exception: the brown part of this hat was knit with a less processed wool and is not buttery soft.  None of these items should go in a dryer.  

All hats are $20.  Items 1-17.

The kerchief is super soft and is $20.  Item 18.

The cowl, which can be worn as a single loop or wrapped double, is soft and smooth against the skin, dense and chunky.  The triangular scarf is made of the same yarn in different colors.  They are each $40.  Items 19-20.

Still available:

8

Already spoken for:

1 

2

3

4

5

6

7

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

      

18

      

19

Solstice Fundraising Pop-Up 2020

Welcome to the Winter Solstice 2020 Fundraiser!

Thank you, everyone ~ I have donated $515 to the Autistic People of Color Fund!

100% of the proceeds will go to the Autistic People of Color Fund, "a fund for community reparations for autistic people of color's interdependence, survival, and empowerment."  (Please follow the link for more information.). It feels important to make a donation to a domestic organization specifically supporting oppressed and marginalized populations, this year.  In a former life, I was a teacher who worked and learned alongside children with autism and their families.  I was thrilled to come upon the Autistic People of Color Fund which knits together pieces of my heart.

How this works:

If you see something you would like, please email me the item # and your name at: shirleypond4@gmail.com.  Items will be held, first come, first served.

I will respond to your email to confirm the item is yours (or not) and will include further information on how to proceed.  I will update this blog post as quickly as I can to indicate if an item is sold.

Please feel free to get in touch with any questions.

A word about pricing:

The minimum donation is $20.  Pricing corresponds, essentially, to the associated cost of materials (yarn and, if applicable, pom pom) for each item.  Knitting is my hobby and coping mechanism for troubled times.  I enjoy it and it helps me stay whole.  You are not paying for my time, but your contribution does support my effort to be of service to others.

A word about shipping:

If you need an item/items shipped, you will be need to pay for shipping.  This is new this year.  Once your package is shipped I will let you know the exact cost.  You may make two payments (the cost of your item[s] and the shipping charge, separately, at different times) or a single one (combining the cost of your item[s] and shipping charge, after your item[s] ship[s]).  Shipping will be first-class via USPS unless you request priority.

I am conducting this fundraiser early this year as the pandemic and political situation in the US has been wreaking havoc on sections of the postal system, unpredictably.  My local post office has been performing well thus far and my hope is to stay ahead of delays and challenges.  First-class and priority shipping both come with tracking.  I will not be responsible for covering the cost of items delayed or lost by USPS.  Questions about shipping can be addressed by email after/when you claim interest in an item.

If you are local, porch pick-up will be available.

A word about payment:

I am set up to receive personal funds (not for goods/services) through PayPal, Venmo and Zelle.  I vastly prefer using these electronic modes, but will accept a personal check or cash (if local).  Questions about payment can be addressed by email after/when you claim interest in an item.

A word about fiber content of yarn:

Merino yarn will feel soft and comfortable next to the skin, for anyone.

Wool not listed as merino will have more character to it, texturally.  For those sensitive, these items will feel scratchy, depending on the person, uncomfortably so.

When nylon is blended, it imparts a sturdiness to the yarn in terms of wear and tear.

Superwash is a treatment/process which allows wool to better handle the rigors of being washed in a machine.  (Hot water/heat will shrink/felt wool.  Superwash will not protect against hot water/heat.)

A word about sizing:

Model is 5'4" and her head measures 23.5" (a skosh on the bigger side).

Happy shopping and warmest wishes for a solstice season full of light and love.  Thank you so much for visiting this space.  Peacefully yours, Shirley

#1: Madison Seed Stitch Wrap  $100

A color blocked rectangular wrap.  Feels like a cloak, has a weight to it.  Edges are not absolutely straight block to block.  Please bear that in mind if this will bother you.  Visually bold, delectable against the skin.  15"W x 70"L.  100% superwash merino, machine washable.

#2: Sophia Inchworm  $75

A super soft, super cushy, and very light (despite its length) tube scarf.  Superwash merino with a bit of cashmere and a bit of nylon.  Hand-dyed.  7"W x 114"L.  Machine washable.

#3: Nordic Wind Au Natural  $60

A graphic sheepy triangular shawl.  (The narrow stripes are dyed wool, the rest, undyed.).  A rustic layering piece which may soften somewhat with wear.  Variety of minimally processed wool with some alpaca and mohair.  33" (at widest point down the spine) x 67" (wing span).  Washing by hand recommended (but would likely be okay with a cold water delicate cycle machine wash).

Solstice Fundraising Pop-Up 2019

Welcome to the 2019 Winter Solstice Pop-Up ~ thank you so much for stopping by.

I will be honoring my Wonder Woman, my sister-in-love, Jay, and donating 100% of the proceeds of this year's fundraiser to No Stomach For Cancer, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering and supporting people living with stomach cancer (some, like her, without stomachs), world-wide.

Thank you, thank you, thank you ~ I made a donation of $610 to No Stomach For Cancer in honor of my zen warrior queen on December 31, 2019.

A few logistical notes:
• my noggin is 22" round ~ these hats will truly and well fit most heads.
• our home is pet-free, smoke-free, and essentially fragrance-free.
• unless noted otherwise it is recommended that these items are washed by hand (instructions available by request).
• locals feel free to come by and try things on.
• domestic shipping (US) is on me, local pick up/drop off is encouraged.
• shipping/pick up/drop off to start on Wednesday, December 11.

And a note "in the spirit":
Much consideration is put into fair pricing.  And, also, to finding a balance so that my donation to the organization feels substantial in both quality and quantity.  That all being said, it is important to me to matchmake unions of joy...and to move as many of these knits to hands and homes other than my own.  I will certainly field offers below asking if you are moved to make one and I will see what I can do.

Please email me at shirleypond4@gmail.com.  Items are first come, first served.  I will communicate with you about payment with a confirmation email back to you.

Wishing you laughter, love and light this Solstice season.

With gratitude and peace,

Shirley

P.S.  My general, quite unoriginal naming system is the name of the yarn colorway(s) plus the name of the pattern.

What's left...

#4 Foliage Sugar Plum

$25

A steadfast cowl.  The crispness of this workhorse wool will mellow with each wash.  The tweedy, heathered blend of colors in this yarn made in New Hampshire is truly reminiscent of New England foliage.

#5 Malabrigo + Noro Scarf

$25

This soft and stripe-y scarf is for pink lovers.  Will coordinate excellently with a Pussy Hat.  Double looped in this photo, it is actually 78" long and 4.5" wide.

#6 Castlemilk Moorit Low Tide

$50

The beauty of this rustic shawl is that the main color yarn is undyed (yarn geek excitement)!  That's the color of the Castlemilk Moorit breed of sheep's fleece, which means this wool is minimally processed/fussed.  This yarn is produced by a British daughter of a shepherd in small, limited edition batches, from sheep she knows and loves.

#8 Turmeric Honeycomb C Train Cowl

$50

This is probably the most luxe piece I knit this year.  The fabric is a blend of two different yarns and the color is amazing.  One of the yarns is a 70% mohair/30% silk blend which gives this long cowl (worn in the photo double looped) a soft, warm halo.

What's gone...thank you so much!

Shamrock Sockhead  Claimed

Soft and light and an irresistible pop of color to brighten the dreariest of days or moods.  100% merino wool.

Joshua Tree Two By Two  Claimed

A classic look with a smooth and soft handfeel.  100% superwash merino wool (machine washable).

Solis Two By Two  Claimed

A classic look with a smooth and soft handfeel.  100% superwash merino wool (machine washable).

Riddle's Diary Vanilla Beanie  Claimed

Harry Potter/Slytherin fandom alert!  This hat was knit with sock yarn held double and has a snug feel.  80% superwash merino/20% nylon (sourced sheep to skein in the USA and hand-dyed in Portland, OR).

Purple Gray Easy Ombré Slouch  Claimed

Colorful and cushy.  The yarn used for this hat is 100% Falkland wool and made on Block Island, RI.

Milarrochy Breiwick  Claimed

The stranded colorwork technique gives this hat wonderful visual interest (the tweedy flecks of color in the strands of yarn and the way the colors blend together truly need to be seen to be believed) and added warmth.  It is very light and runs slightly big.  70% wool/30% mohair, milled in Ireland.

Cranberry Weathervane  Claimed

A warm, red beanie-style hat.  50% wool/50% alpaca bred and made in the USA.

Tobacco Honeycomb Sockhead

$25  Claimed

A study in contrast.  The Tobacco made by a Danish yarn brand (with a crisp Scottish highland wool), the Honeycomb dyed right here in New Jersey on a soft and fuzzy 70/30 mohair/silk blend.

Would pair nicely with the Turmeric Honeycomb C Train Cowl.

 Gray Purple Project Peace Shawl

$30  Claimed

A beautiful yet odd duck.  The shape is an elongated, asymmetrical triangle...with a rectangular lace edge bordering one side of the triangle.  The feather and fan lace pattern is classic and pretty.  The colors are sophisticated and the shawl is toasty.  An open and creative mind necessary to wear as suits you.

#3 Derwen Letterpress

$40  Claimed

Cozy and cuddly and cables!  A pattern for lovers of reading.  The yarn is 75% Blue-Faced Leicester/25% Masham and hand-dyed in Wales.

Tiddy Brook Fika

$50  Claimed

Light and airy yet warm.  Generous dimensions (73" wing span x 28" spine) give this piece versatility.  The yarn is the true star, a wonderful blend of the wool from five breeds.  The yarn maker is in Cornwall so I think of this as a "Poldark" shawl ~ a hybrid of Demelza and Caroline.

Gray Low Tide

$40  Claimed

A lovely light gray color that will coordinate with just about anything.  This soothing piece is 100% alpaca which = soft and warm.

Montana Wind

$50  Claimed

This wonderful shawl has a wingspan of 85" ~ plenty of Montana woolly goodness to wrap oneself in for a ramble, a book, a nap.  90% merino/10% mohair.

#7 Willow Bark Hurdle Stitch Scarf

$50  Claimed

This scarf is long (84" x 7"), soft, light, and warm.  The yarn is a higher end blend of 50% alpaca, 25% yak and 25% silk.

#2 Moonstone Pesto Boneyard

$30  Claimed

Soft and buttery with a touch of silk and cashmere.  Will tuck under a jacket/coat nicely.