May 08, 2006
Dulaan 2007?!!
Happy Monday morning, Dear Readers and Brigadiers! I have some very interesting news to share with all of you.
I received an email from F.I.R.E. on Thursday asking why on earth I (I?!) was stopping Dulaan at the end of 2006. Imagine how bowled over onto my well-padded derrière, denim-clad legs flailing in the air, that email left me! The last I’d heard—and straight from the horse’s mouth, this were—was that F.I.R.E. was ending Dulaan after 2006 because they were going to start focusing more on providing medical and educational supplies and services to the Mongolians rather than clothing, and that the knitted items and blankets would no longer be needed. (A certain Buddhist monk concurs with my remembrance of this. The Cuzz has my back, yo!)
I sent F.I.R.E. back the email equivalent of "Whuh?!!!," and have now learned that, apparently, thanks to all of you and the article in Vogue Knitting, Dulaan is so successful F.I.R.E. has no intention of stopping it! In fact, Meredith, the Executive Director, hinted that they couldn't stop it if they wanted ta' when she wrote, “At this point, the momentum has gained such strength that it would take some work to discontinue the project.”
(Any of you old-timers remember how Dave, the man who founded F.I.R.E., doubted that we would even send 500 items? And now, here we are, on the cusp of our third year of the project. 6,000+ items later, Dave, all I can say is, "Har, har, har!" and "Neener, neener!")
So there you have it, Brigadiers:
Dulaan 2007!!!!!!!!!!
What this means is, first, if you bought something from CafePress because in my naiveté I had announced we’d be taking the site down on July 2, my apologies. (Watch me really end up running a scam! Oy.) However, every dollar we make through the site will help F.I.R.E. this year so we very much appreciate your purchases. Besides, who knows; since there’s no controlling The Mysterious K, we may have a completely different logo next year. Maybe we’ll even start the Dulaan haute couture line. Milan, New York, le Gay Paris, here we come!
Secondly, because, unfortunately, the Vogue article does indeed say the project is ending in 2006—this is no reflection on Lee Anne, the author, since that’s exactly what I told her—help me get the word out as much as possible that the project will indeed be continuing.
In the meantime, our deadline for everything to be in F.I.R.E.’s hands for 2006 is still July 1 (54 days from now, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock), so don’t let the fact that we will be continuing the project into 2007 slow you down. In fact, let me share with you the latest numbers:
2,472 items received; 2,046 to go. We've passed the halfway mark!!
Thanks to local knitters, I have at least 70, maybe 80 items to send myself so we should soon be below the 2,000 mark for items needed.
In the "Name That Province" Game, we’ve added Alabama, Nebraska, Oregon, South Carolina and Indiana to the list of “states heard from,” thanks to Martha in Mobile, Minnie, Laurie, Kirsten and Mindy.
Still nary a peep officially from Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, or Wyoming, although Patti is trying to see if she can get something going in Georgia; Laura is trying to goose knitters in Indiana, Oklahoma, and Wyoming into action; and Carrie is trying to cobble together some activity in Nevada (although, no, Carrie, it doesn’t count if you knit everything in Arizona except the last row and then send it someone in Nevada to finish and mail, you schemer, you). Who knows a knitter in Hawaii?
On the Canadian front, JenH plans on mailing items knit while on vacation in Newfoundland and on Prince Edward Island and may, through her sister, be able to make some contacts in Nunavut. Since neither the vacationing nor the knitting is happening as we speak, I’m going to hold off on marking those provinces off the list, but I am SO counting on you, JenH! In the “Done Deal” column, however, thanks to Knit Picking and her sock-knitting mother, we can officially and with a grand flourish of our quill pens, add New Brunswick. Woot! (Celtic Knitter, are you listening?)
By way of explanation to our readers who may just be catching up, we are trying to acquire knitted items from every state and every Canadian province and territory for the Dulaan Project. To qualify, an item must have been at the very least knit from start to finish in the state, province or territory, even if you were only there on vacation. Ideally, it would both be knit and mailed from the same location but the “mailed” part is not a deal breaker.
On the knitting front, I promised you a few entries ago an update on the “Staring Contest With Fate” Sweater.
Fate blinked. I had enough yarn.
This cardigan is a combination of saffron-colored WoolPak and a brightly variegated wool-acrylic yarn from Berroco called Foliage, which I love so much I have a poster of it over my bed. The weird blobs of color at the shoulders were a spur of the moment attempt to add an epaulet-like, colorful design element up at the top.
I can't wait to see this thing blocked and put together.
Oh, you mean I have to do it?
Now the rules for the states are that the item has to have been knitted in the state, correct? If so, count in Indiana. I live in Illinois but a couple of my hats for Dulaan were knit in Indiana while at the movies (a scant 15 mile drive from my Illinois home) and while I was at work!
Posted by: Mindy on May 8, 2006 01:45 PMNo question, Mindy; under the new "rules," if I can even call them that, your hats qualify as Indiana-knit. Yay!
Posted by: Ryan on May 8, 2006 01:48 PMDulaan Continues! This is excellent news, indeed.
Is there any way to determine if Vogue Magazine will publicize this for us in its next issue? Hope they do! That way we get the word out that Dulaan continues AND another shot at getting even more participants in a worldwide publication!
Mary B (on item No. 30 and going strong...)
Posted by: Mary B on May 8, 2006 02:16 PMDang, foiled again. Curses!
(Do you suppose that "Curses" thing came about because someone misread a stage direction?)
On the other hand, I CAN provide next year's Hawaii contribution, as we will be heading over there in December. For this year, alas, I can't help you.
Maybe LeeAnn can print a correction in her next Vogue article.
So glad it's continuing on for another year! Yeah!
Posted by: Sheri on May 8, 2006 02:20 PMI know a knitter in Hawaii. I'll see what I can do.
Posted by: Melinda on May 8, 2006 02:38 PMI just e-mailed an internet friend who is a knitter and lives in Hawaii. We'll get you that state yet!
Love the "Fate" sweater!
Posted by: KtTA aka Kathy the Tax Accountant on May 8, 2006 02:41 PMHooray for the continued life of Dulaan! Three cheers for fates blinkiness! The sun is smiling on you Ryan.
Posted by: Elaine on May 8, 2006 03:10 PMHi Ryan: I was wondering. I made a sweater out of 50/50% cotton and acrylic blend and I wondered if I could send that to the Dulaan Brigade? it is sized to fit a 1 year old? I made it for a friend and now the child is too big. Thanks?
Posted by: Wanda on May 8, 2006 03:32 PMI'm listening! I'm listening! YEAH NEW BRUNSWICK!! That is where my father's family originally settled way back in 1817!
YEAH CANADA!!
Posted by: Celtic Knitter on May 8, 2006 03:34 PMI am stunned that there are no knitters in Iowa taking up the Dulann banner. If nothing else, next time I go visit my mom-in-law, I'll whip up a quick hat while there.
Posted by: melissa on May 8, 2006 03:37 PMWanda, YES, absolutely, send the sweater! The fiber content of the yarn used for Dulaan Projects is not an issue. Er, except maybe cotton, which wouldn'te be warm and which would defeat the entire purpose of the project.
Posted by: Ryan on May 8, 2006 03:41 PMHey, we Canadians had better get our act in gear and have representatives from everywhere - the end date is Canada Day! (Or Dominion Day, depending on your age). Although I have often heard Americans refer to it as the Canadian Independence Day, it is fairly different in that it is the day we became a country, and member of the Commonwealth instead of being directly under the crown.
Posted by: Karlie on May 8, 2006 04:24 PMAll along I was thinking it had to be wool only... now I know it can be anything WARM I will see what my little knitting group up here on central vancouver island can do. I know you already have BC represented, but hey -- we're the island :)
I promise, promise, promise that this Georgia knitter will be sending something soon!
Posted by: Jane on May 8, 2006 05:32 PMSo if I finish a thing while visiting my family in Nevada, that counts? If so, I'll have to make a special trip. (That's way more likely to happen than persuading my cranky little sister to knit something for Dulaan or teaching my crazy mother to knit...)
Posted by: Becca on May 8, 2006 05:57 PMHey, TMK! The "magic" is gone. It used to be that your site didn't remember me. Then I figgered you did something, because it did for a long time. And now it's not again. Just thought I'd enter that into the "Complaints" department. Hee.
Okay, well, that 'splains it. I ALSO wondered (and even mentioned it to my insider at Vogue Knitting this weekend, the one with the orange hair) HOW COME YOU WEREN'T GOING TO DO DULAAN after this year. I'm glad it's continuing. Yay.
Posted by: Norma on May 8, 2006 05:59 PMDude, I'm mailing my editor right now. I'm hoping they'll issue an update/correction/WooHoo.
Otherwise, I swear, I'm making some kind of Canadian connection up and sticking it into my column.
SO EXCITED.
I think I'm going to need me a t-shirt :-)
Posted by: Lee Ann on May 8, 2006 07:26 PMum, ryan, you mentioned nebraska in the "call in" list & in the missing list. make up your mind! and i can swing iowa! omaha is right across the river from iowa, and my inlaws live in council bluffs. the next time we go, i'll do a quick hat! woot!
Posted by: minnie on May 8, 2006 07:38 PMHad dinner with Cuzzin Sarah tonight. She wants to know how come there's no District of Columbia on The List. I mean, we're all trying to forget about it these days, but...
Posted by: Cuzzin Tom on May 8, 2006 08:10 PMYea!!!! Another year of Dulan. I am excited. I had just gotten a large stash of wool and now I will be able to use it for this project. I was a bit depressed when I read the Vogue Knitting article. I even emailed Cuz Tom who actually confirmed that it was to end.
I will be taking 50 hats and scarves to Flag tomorrow and will have 10-15 more by the deadline. You made my day.
Posted by: Petrified on May 9, 2006 07:54 AMOh, I have items, I have items...I will try to get them out to you. Oh wait, I must first find them, they are in one of the many boxes from my move...I will get a move on
Posted by: Isela on May 9, 2006 08:32 AMmy first hat is ready - quebec is officially on tyhe map. and i've sent emails to yukon, north west territories, and later today, nunavut. canada will not let you down!
Posted by: Meredith on May 9, 2006 10:12 AMDulaan fame spreads! As I was knitting at the bus stop today, a college girl asked me what I was knitting. A hat, I said, which will go to a child in Mongolia. Before I even got to the "my friend has a cousin" part, she said, "Oh, yeah! I've heard of that. It's like a big project isn't it?" Hurray for Dulaan!
P.S. I'm e-mailing a friend in Oklahoma today.
Posted by: Diana on May 9, 2006 01:06 PMDon't worry to much about Georgia. I have several items that will be going out, I just haven't mailed them yet. :D
Posted by: A'tuin on May 9, 2006 07:30 PMYipping, jumping and tush wagging at the idea of more Dulaan! I'd feel that way even if I hadn't dropped 95 dollars last week at the the "wool closeout" at my local Crafts 2000 store. I loves me a good 75% off sign. Next year....mittens!
Posted by: marylee on May 10, 2006 03:22 AMYay Ryan,
I'm so happy to hear that Dulaan is back for 2007! I just completed another hat for 2006 so I'm up to 46 items. My goal for 2007 is 100 knits. Sometimes it's good to reach further than we think we can.
cheers,
mary anne
I'll be mailing a box from Rhode Island.
Posted by: Lisa on May 10, 2006 07:18 AMI will be sending some stuff from Massachusetts. I know you have a ton from our state already, so I will hold mine until later in June. I have a sweater, 4 hats, and a pair of mittens, but I hope to add to that...
Posted by: Danielle on May 15, 2006 08:38 PM