Showing posts with label scholarship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label scholarship. Show all posts

Beans for Brains Scholarship Fundraising Contest!

by : KristenJBW
Scholarships, raffles, and prizes - OH JIMMY!



There are so many exciting things are going on here at Jimmy Beans Wool, and today we are really excited to tell you more about the the fabulousness of the Beans for Brains Scholarship! 

This scholarship program is near and dear to our hearts because our entire fiber arts community contributes to create academic scholarships for college-bound students with fiber arts experience. Basically, any college-bound student or current student is eligible to apply if they knit, crochet, or weave. Pretty cool, eh? In the years since this program began, our amazing community has raised and distributed scholarships totaling over $50,000!  This is just another awesome example of the kindness and generosity that represents the heart of fiber artisans.



What makes this year’s program so special is our CrowdRise campaign. We hope you will check out our video and comment or share the page with your social networks. We want to shout about this from the rooftops and rally our fabulous fiber arts family — AND THIS IS WHERE THE FUN REALLY BEGINS.

To celebrate Beans for Brains, and sweeten the pot for those who help us spread the word about our scholarship fundraising efforts, Jimmy Beans Wool is offering some amazing prizes!

To be eligible to win one of these two prizes below (each worth over $150) you have to do at least one of the following (and you'll receive 1 entry for each one you do for up to 3 chances to win!):

1.    Go to this page and Tweet the message on the main page about Beans for Brains!
2.    Comment on the blog and tell us where you will share the news about Beans for Brains! (Make sure however you do not comment anonymously, we need to be able to contact you if you win!)
3.  Share the Beans for Brains Crowdrise page on your Facebook or Instagram feeds and be sure to tag Jimmy Beans Wool so that we can see your post!




And, as an additional thank you to those who donate $$ to the Beans for Brains Scholarship (sponsors excluded of course) we've created a raffle for the larger "super prize" below that is worth over $250!!!!  Everyone who donates will be entered into that raffle as well (including those who have already donated prior to this announcement.) To be eligible, go to our CrowdRise page and donate. All individual donors are automatically entered to win!



You do not have to donate to our CrowdRise campaign to be eligible for prizes #1 and #2 above.  If you choose to donate, you will automatically be entered to win prize #3. All of you will have our never-ending love and gratitude for spreading the word and donating.

We have also put some collegiate kits together to celebrate March Madness. TEAM BEANIES (split up by collegiate conference) are available on our website and Schachenmayr yarns and Jimmy Beans Wool have each generously agreed to donate $1.00 of every purchase (that's $2 per kit sold!) to the Beans for Brains Scholarship fund.




We'd like to thank our sponsors for this year's Scholarship fund! Knitter's Pride and Vogue Knitting are our Co-Sponsors in this year's campaign and we are so grateful for their generous support. Additional sponsors of this year's scholarship include Classic Elite Yarns, Cascade Yarns, Denise Knitting Needles, Lorna's Laces, Mrs. Crosby Yarns, Blue Sky Alpacas, Chicken Boots, Plymouth Yarns, Schachenmay yarns, and Anzula Yarns. 

Mostly, we really want to thank you (our customers) for being such an important (and awesome!) part of our family. If you are reading this, you know what an amazing group we walk among here in the fiber arts community, and we are so grateful that you walk with us. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Maryla



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Beans for Brains!

by : Bethany
Hello knitters and crocheters!

Last year we had over 3,000 applicants for 2010-2011 awards. There were so many amazing applicants we couldn't wait to get started with our 2012-2013 Beans for Brains Scholarship program. And we can't do it without you!!

This year, we have 10 major sponsors that will be matching public donations to the Beans for Brains scholarship fund. For the month of November, Jimmy Beans Wool will be accepting donations online and in our retail store with the targeted goal of raising $10,000 from all of YOU! Each of our sponsors will match the amount raised up to $1,000 for a grand total of $20,000 combined.
So from now through November 30th, be sure to send your family and friends to our website to donate to Beans for Brains (a 501c3 non-profit organization). If every one of our customers gave $1, we'd be well over our goal in no time!! And remember, the more we can raise this month, the more we can give this spring!
Want to apply for a scholarship? Make sure to check back March 1st when we will announce the call for applications for our 2012-2013 awards!!
Please be sure to thank all of the Beans for Brains sponsors! We couldn't do it without them!!




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Beans for Brains Winners

by : Bethany
Hello!
Well, we've done it. We somehow managed to read through almost 3,000 applications!! I was amazed and enchanted by so many of the projects, essays and phenomenal stories. Thank you to everyone who applied. We wish we had more awards to give to all of the truly outstanding knitters and crocheters that applied.

I know, I know- you want me to tell you who the winners are already!! Ladies and Gentleman, here are the winners of the 2011-2012 Beans for Brains Scholarships.

Northeast Region: Olivia Murton

Olivia Murton
Olivia's Sock
University: Massachusetts Institute of Technology


Planned major/course of study: Biology


Tidbits about Olivia: An avid knitter, Olivia has been knitting for 8 years and worked in her LYS for 2 summers. Two of her designs have been published in Knitty and she has used knitting for 2 of her final projects for school! Check them out here:
http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/KnittingCharts/




South Region: Abigail Wright
Abigail's blanket
Abigail Wright
University: Rice University


Planned major/course of study: Biochemistry and Cell Biology


Tidbits about Abigail: Struggling with a family history of cancer, Abigail is waging a cellular war! She plans on using her brilliant brain to learn more about this tenacious disease and work towards eradicating it from the world.


Local Region: Judi Lin

University: University of Nevada, Reno


Planned major/course of study: Nursing


Fun tidbits about Judi: Judi learned how to knit just a few months ago from one of our Beans! She is making a beanie for her boyfriend who was deployed to Afghanistan.


West Region: Alysa Joaquin
Alysa Joaquin

Alysa's Citron shawlette
University: University of Washington
Planned major/course of study: Chemical Engineering, emphasis in nanotechnology
Fun tidbits about Alysa: You may know her as founder and moderator of the Seattle group on Ravelry (Sheepless in Seattle). She plans to use her degree to be involved in outreach programs that are designed to support disabled women.




Midwest Region: Emma Coates

University: University of Cincinnati
Planned major/course of study: Industrial Design
Fun tidbits about Emma:  This is Emma's Cheesburger dress that she crocheted for Homecoming. A-MAZ-ING!!! And not only did she work up one of the best projects that came through our shop doors, she also happens to be captain of multiple sports teams, participates in 3 school bands, is a 4.0 student and somehow finds time to volunteer at her local Alzheimer's Center. Talk about a well rounded young woman!





International Region: Elysse Meridith
Elysse's Chess Board
Elysse Meridith

University: The University of Edinburgh
Planned major: Ph.D. in Medieval Studies
Fun tidbits about Elysse: The chess set to the left is a thirty-two piece knitted chess set, complete with chessboard, and it is the first pattern she's ever created. (And there's not a single seam in the entire set!) 







Congratulations, Ladies! I would like to again thank all of the wonderful ladies and gentleman (as there were a lot of very talented young men too!) who sent in applications. It was SO tough deciding on the final 6. If you didn't win this year, don't worry! We plan on growing the program even more for next year so make sure you check back in the late fall when we announce the call for applications for our 2012-2013 awards!!

I would also like to thank all of our wonderful sponsors! Please help support them while they support you! Thank you to The Yarn Group, Interweave, Tahki Stacy Charles, Denise Needles, Classic Elite Yarns,  Lorna's Laces, Jennifer Knits, Koigu, Muench, Styled by Kristin, Berroco, Fairmont Fibers, Knitting Pure and Simple, Knitting at Knoon,  Artyarns, Blue Sky Alpacas, Madelinetosh, Plymouth, Prism Yarns, and Be Sweet!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Bethany and the entire Jimmy Beans Gang

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Stitches, stitches, and more stitches!

by : Freaky Knitter

Wow, here we are one week since we got back from Stitches West and what a great time we all had! At first, we weren't planning to be at Stitches this year since things have been jumping around the shop so much. However, when Coats and Clark asked us to help out at their booth, we jumped at the chance to see everyone and build on our already great relationship with them. Coats and Clark distribute our Stitch Nation and Rowan products so, of course, it was really easy to jump in and lend a hand!

We had a much smaller booth this year so we were able to visit a lot more with our out-of-town customers and touch base with some of our current vendors, as well as building new relationships with new vendors (stay tuned on that)! Our friend Kirsten of Muench Yarns was just a couple of booths down from us and hanging out with her was a blast! It's always a delight to see her! :)

We also got to see our good friends from Skacel and make some really amazing new friends from Webs!! The first day we arrived, we had to drive through a real big snow storm over the High Sierras and, alas, we were late! In jumps Cliff from Skacel and some really spectacular folks from Webs to help us unload and set up the booth! Thanks just doesn't seem like enough as we would have been sitting on our boxes in the aisle greeting customers and trying to direct traffic around the huge palettes of yarns without all of their help!

We were up and running by show time and got through the night in true JBW style but a HUGE thanks goes out to everyone who helped out...THANK YOU!!!



We had a visit from Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting and that was so awesome! I was actually star struck which was kind of funny but Alana cruised right through my stammering without missing a beat! In my defense, she startled me and well-what's a knitter to do but stammer and sputter...ha ha! I went over (after recovering a bit) to her booth and got a great picture of her by her pattern display.


I have to say, she is one of the nicest people you will ever meet and of course her patterns are fabulous! I just finished my Autumn Vines Beret and have had nothing but compliments when I wear it!

There was so much to do and so much to see that it is impossible to mention it all here, but let me tell you, it was a lot of fun!!

I am so excited about some of the new things that we will be adding to our inventory over the next year as a direct result of this trip. It's going to be hard not to blurt it out over the course of these months...hee hee...I know I am a real stinker!!

So that's about it for now, but as always happy knitting and crocheting!

Jeanne

The clock is ticking! Remember that you can turn your fiber arts hobby into some cash for college! Any student who can knit or crochet and will be attending an accredited institution Fall 2011 is eligible for the Beans For Brains Scholarship! This award is made possible by Jimmy Beans Wool as well as many other contributor from the fiber arts industry. Submissions are due no later than April 1st, after which finalists will be chosen for five $3,000 scholarships based on merit. To learn more and apply visit the Beans For Brains Scholarship page. If you know any hardworking knitters and crocheters with dreams of going to college, be sure to share the Beans For Brains Scholarship with them via Ravelry or by posting a flyer at your LYS (flyers are available at the Beans For Brains Scholarship page)! Help us help the next generation of fiber artists achieve their goals of higher education!



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$18,000 for Beans for Brains!

by : Bethany

You've been hearing the rumors, and here's the big announcement!!

We are now accepting applications for the 2nd annual Beans for Brains Scholarship! We've partnered up with folks across the industry to offer one of the largest Knitting and Crocheting scholarships out there!

What makes a student eligible? Here's the run down:

  1. Are you attending an accredited institution in the fall of 2011?
  2. Do you know how to knit or crochet?
Then you are in! This is a merit based scholarship open to anyone attending undergraduate, graduate and professional school students in any course of study.

For the 2011-2012 award year, there are six $3,000 scholarships up for grabs, one of which is guaranteed to go to a Reno/Tahoe local, 4 awards will be distributed evenly among the 4 U.S. Regions, and we are proud to be able to offer one International award. (All application documents must be submitted in English.)

For more details and complete rules, please download a copy of the scholarship application:

Get the Scholarship Application Here


Not in college but know someone who is? Please print out one of the fliers below and help Spread the Love!

Spread the Word! Download a Flier for Your College Here


Spread the Word! Download a Flier for Your LYS Here


Applications will be accepted from February 1st, 2011 to April 1st, 2011.

We would like to take a brief moment to give a huge shout out to all of our partners who helped make this opportunity possible! We wouldn't have been able to do this without you!

Thank you!

Our Co-Sponsors:

The Yarn Group and Interweave

Classic Elite Yarns, Lorna's Laces, Denise Needles and Tahki Stacy Charles

Summa cum laude sponsors:

Berroco , JenniferKnits, and Koigu Yarns

Magna cum laude sponsors:


Cum laude sponsors:


Thanks to everyone involved and we look forward to all of the amazing applications!

Good luck!
All of us at Jimmy Beans Wool

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February is Heart Month....

by : Freaky Knitter
February has been dubbed Heart Month by the American Heart Association and I think it's important to remember that heart disease is one of the number one killers of women today. With that said we are going to be participating in the 'wear red' day on Friday February 4th at the shop and I think I will be wearing a hank of February's Lorna's Laces Limited Edition color around my neck!

The shipment was delivered today and it is a real festival of color (hint, hint)!! Okay with the picture here it isn't much of a hint, but it's beautiful don't you think? Shevawn inspired this months color and boy did it turn out to be amazing!! Of course if you are a member of the LLE Fan Club you have already seen this great color and are probably ready to add it to your cart as soon as it is live on the site right? If you are not a member then check out the Facebook Fan Club, or if you aren't part of Facebook just sign up here and once you are a member you can even win yarn, so what are you waiting for?

I hope you will participate in 'wear red' day on Friday and we would LOVE to see pictures of you wearing your red to remind everyone how important the fight against Heart Disease is! I have been personally affected by heart disease and miss my mother very, very much! I will also be knitting with my Festival of Love knitting up my little hearts from the book Gifted. I plan on working up a BIG bowl of these adorable hearts for Valentines Day!

This pattern is a fantastic short row knit and after stuffing the little darlings they get felted. This picture is before felting, so stay tuned for more! I am going to use the Festival of Love in the Greenline Worsted which will felt up great! I used Classic Elite Fresco for these hearts here (I doubled the yarn), but have been using anything I can find including Cascade Pastaza.

And we have some other really exciting news to share!

It's that time again! We are now accepting applications for the 2nd annual Beans for Brains Scholarship! We've partnered up with The Yarn Group, Interweave, Denise Needles, Lorna's Laces, Tahki Stacy Charles and tons of other folks across the industry to offer one of the largest Knitting and Crocheting scholarships out there!

As you may or may not know, the Beans for Brains scholarship is a merit-based scholarship open to all students attending an accredited institution in the fall of 2011. Applicants must know how to knit or crochet. The scholarship is open to undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students in any course of study.

For the 2011-2012 award year, there are five $3,000 scholarships up for grabs!! Deadline to apply is April 1st, 2011 so just hop over to our website to apply today!

As always happy knitting and crocheting!!

Jeanne

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Congratulations to all the Beans for Brains WINNERS!!

by : Jimmy Beans Wool


Congratulations are in order for all of the Beans for Brains scholarship winners and we are working really hard to make sure we can continue this great program!! Hopefully we will be able to expand this to larger prizes for students working towards a graduate degree. School is so expensive and boy don't I know it since my son Chris is starting his senior year of high school! Wow! I am making a list of every scholarship that he can apply for and believe me he WILL apply!

Laura spotted this great article about one of the lucky winners of our scholarship, Snowden and we couldn't be more thrilled to share it with you.

This is the note that went out to all of the following winners and again CONGRATULATIONS to all of you!!

Here are the winners:

Chika from Yale

Snowden from University of Texas (Austin)

Ariel from University of Washington (Seattle)

Roxanne from Loyola Univ of Chicago

Lauren from UNR



Dear Student (insert name here :),

On behalf of Jimmy Beans Wool, we extend our congratulations to you
regarding your Jimmy Beans for Brains Scholarship award!

We are so excited to be able to offer these scholarships and we are proud of
students like yourself, who work hard to improve your own quality of life
through education, and bring your talent to the world!

We can confirm that your scholarship check was sent out today to your
Financial Aid Services office.

As part of this agreement, you will also be receiving an annual subscription
to Vogue Knitting for free, as well as a gift card for VogueKnitting.com.
Please confirm the mailing address that you would like these items to be
sent to.

We would like to share this great news as we feel it deserves recognition!
If you are happy for us to send out a press release to your hometown network
TV station and newspaper, can you please include the name of your home city
in a return email? We would also like to send this release out to your
University. In addition, feel free to distribute the press release to anyone
you see fit! The release is at the bottom of this email.

With best wishes for a bright future, from all of us at Jimmy Beans Wool,

Laura Zander

p.s. We will also be including your first name and university name in our
next newsletter, as well as on our social media sites. Congrats again!

As always happy knitting and crocheting (of course studying too!!)

Jeanne
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Babies, dogs and Beans for Brains...

by : Jimmy Beans Wool
Well, I had the BEST day yesterday because it started out with our littlest bean, Huck in my arms all morning. Laura called me the night before and sheepishly asked if I would take care of him in the morning, because we had one of our beans fall ill (she is doing better, so not to worry, get well soon, Shevawn) and she needed to work. Doug had been out of town for the weekend and wouldn't be back until 11:00.

Hmmmm, what do you think I said? It took about 2 nano seconds to say, why yes I would be thrilled to hug, coo, feed and just be around that amazing little bean, Huck!! He is such a little angel and even when he decided he wanted to scream it was nice to be there for him. I bundled him up in our Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton blanket and rocked him to sleep. Then Sandy made a bed for him out of Manos Del Uruguay Classica yarn and he was very content.

Doug did show up and bundle him off, but I got a smile from him before he left. So isn't that the dreamiest job ever!! I can't wait to help out again, so come on I am ready to take care of our little guy, anytime and thanks Laura for making my day :)

Then the other day I got an email from Amber with her dog Rukus laying on his new Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino yarn baby blanket. Doggone it do we spoil our dogs around here! He looks pretty happy doesn't he?

I am also, enjoying working on the Artyarns Cashmere Sock for our shop sample (follow my progress here) and I am completely hooked! What a great job I have getting to work with such fabulous yarns, people and of course the baby just tops it all off!

HUGE news too on the education front!! We have teamed up with Vogue Knitting to create the Beans for Bucks scholarship program and I just had to shout it out as soon as I could!

As always happy knitting!

Jeanne








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