Summer, Hats, Prizes and Deadlines

Summer has arrived here in California!  When the weather is warm and I am busy traveling and running to picnics and games, I look for a project that is small and portable.  I think a hat for a Sailor is the perfect project for summer and I am hoping you feel the same way.  With that in mind, we are announcing an exciting summer campaign!

The campaign deadline is August 31, 2011 with prizes to be given away each month until then - starting this month!  Each hand-knit or crocheted hat will enter one chance to win the prize in the month it is received.  The winner will be randomly selected after I receive the mail on the last day of the month.

THE MAY PRIZE

KNIT/CROCHET NOTIONS BOX

I knit with a group of lovely women at our local library every week and after one of our knitters purchased this box at a local store, it became a group favorite and I think the winner of this box will love it as much as I do.

Small enough to be portable and big enough to hold those important items, it is about 2" deep and approximately  4" x 5 1/2".

The top section has 8 little compartments that open separately, perfect for stitch markers.

The bottom section is not divided and ideal for those bigger items.

Included with the box are soft ring stitch markers, locking stitch ring markers, a tape measure, small scissors, post-it notes and a bent tip chibi needle.

MAY DRAWING
I need to RECEIVE your hat by May 31st, to be eligible for this prize.  Everyone who has sent a hat to Sandra since the creation of our Ravelry group in December 2010, will be included in the May drawing.

REMINDERS 
There are a few things that bear repeating.  Hats are currently being mailed to Sandra, so if you don't have my address, please email me at hatsforsailors@gmail.com and I will send it to you.  If you include your email address or Ravelry name with your hat, I will send you a message when I receive it so you know it arrived safely.  If you would like to include a note to the Sailor who receives your hat, please feel free to do so and we will make sure it goes along with the hat.

Hats for Sailors is an ongoing project and will not end in August with this campaign!  So please keep creating hats long after August.

READY, SET, GO!
While we are all working on hats, we, at campaign headquarters, will be working to select the first ship and the number of hats we receive will help guide us.  We will have more to say about the ship before the end of the summer.

So get your needles, crochet hooks and yarn ready to create and let's see how many hats we can finish by August 31st.  I am going to be so excited when my mail arrives every day this summer.  Just think a mailbox full of beautiful hand-knit and crocheted hats!!!

Check back at the beginning of June for the May winner and June prizes.  The June prizes will be awarded for hats received on and between June 1st and June 30th.  Here's a hint...beginning in June, there will be two prizes each month!