late last night i received this comment from sunshine:
I have started reading your blog and am wodering where I can see how much YOU matched for this amount that your readers are donating. In other words, I donate $5, you say that you match this correct? If this is the scenario, where can I see documentation that you yourself matched it. Also,where is the documentation that states it is being matched indeed by you and not by monies sent to you from your readers (in thoughts that you will send it in under the actual donators name).I attempted to search your blog to see if there may be a link to this information but am unable to see one.
and then today, after being out all day and away from the computer i received another:
As I commented on a previous blog posting of yours, I would be more then thrilled to donate for M.S. but I find it a bit unsettling that you give the appearance that your site is making rather large donations matching others. If you can show somewhere that you indeed ARE donating, then I will be happy to follow suit. I would like to add that your attitude that reveals through your blog postings appears to be quite pompous and a smidge smug. I am sure you are not that way IRL, but you do your readers such an unjustice by portraying that. Bloggers/designers with far more experience and following don’t portray anything close to that and I am sure they wil never do so.
I am hoping you will take this as contructive critisim and not anything more. It would also be helpful to not hav your patterns all be clained as your designs when they really are just stitch patterns that anyone can do. If you designed the stitch that is entirely different, but you did not correct? I will wait patiently for fundraising documentation, I am sure you have it correct?
i find it odd that in attempting to reply cordially to you sunshine, i cannot get my emails to go through; apparently you are using an email address in your comments that yahoo tells me does not exist. you are also using the IP address of another reader, so that no one can identify you (yet you insist that i be very public about my donations, which strikes me as being just a little odd).
so, i will try to satisfy you with an answer here as best i can, though i wonder from your note if indeed you want to be satisfied.
in the 18 days that i have been running the matching fund challenge, i have linked back frequently to the original post (click HERE to read it) about my booster drive to help claudia raise funds for knitters against MS.
in that post, i was very publicly clear about the goal: i put up a $500 matching fund to be distributed to the national MS society as follows: for every reader who left a comment telling me that they gave i would give $5 to knitters against MS (readers did NOT need to disclose amounts, and the donation could take place any time during this year’s fund drive).
why “sunshine” chose NOT to read that information, or to ask for clarification of it, is a mystery.
if we used up the whole $500 i would add a bonus amount.
everyone was on the honor system; if anyone emailed or left a comment for me, i would believe that they gave, and add $5 to my total donation. for people who let me know they gave more than once, i added $5 for EACH time they gave.
to be very clear, i did NOT promise to match reader donations dollar for dollar; rather, i promised to simply to tally up the total number of givers who let me know they gave, and multiply by $5 to calculate my own gift.
also, i do NOT accept or collect monies directly from readers EVER to forward to any fundraising venture. in fact, i do not accept donations at all from readers, or for any reason whatsoever. readers are always asked to make their own donations directly to the organization concerned, and donations are completely voluntary and discretionary.
any gift i give comes from my own pocket alone.
as for publicly proving what i gave, i don’t know that it is possible. by yesterday, i really wanted to send at least part of my gift in so that claudia could get a number toward her goal. we had nearly reached the original goal of using $500 with 98 total matching gifts (98 x $5 = $490.00)
figuring (and hoping!) that some more would come in over the weekend i sent in a $600 contribution. as of this minute to the best of my knowledge, we have achieved a total of about 110 matching gifts, so i think my contribution will cover everything.
while knitspot does appear on the rolling list of contributors here, i did not ask to have my amount listed next to the name (maybe i should have . . .). i do however have a receipt for the amount in hand (but since “sunshine” uses a fake email address, i can’t show it to them).
since it is our goal every month to forward donations to organizations in need, i feel a little funny about defending myself in this situation. it never occurred to me that anyone would question that we actually do follow through on that goal. i don’t think publishing the particulars about donations is prudent or necessary, even though i felt it important to do so today. any thoughts? do you as readers generally feel uncomfortable with the sort of fundraising challenge we do here every june?
i really try not to beg readers to give money for every little thing. once in a while i mention that another blogger is doing some fundraising to raise awareness that it’s happening. the june booster event is one of the very few that i directly ask readers to help me fight for a cause.
last year someone took issue with the fact that we had a raffle to help get interest in this event, saying that the raffle came across as a bribe. so this year i went for pure begging instead. it’s hard to strike the right balance between keeping things fun and having serious goals, but my hope is that somehow we are doing it.
as for the other constructive criticism in “sunshine’s” note—you always have every right, sunshine, to voice your opinion. you also have every right not to read blogs that offend your sensibilities.
179 thoughts on “i can answer that”
Wow – I have to be brief as I’m getting breakfast for the little guys but….
Not pompous.
Not smug.
Sunshine way out of line.
Love your blog.
Love your patterns.
Keep up the great work.
Very level headed response to a pretty inflammatory comment.
Bravo
and thanks
You have no idea the number of hours of enjoyment your patterns have given, and will continue to give, to me. Your blog is one of my favorites and your patterns are fabulous.
Please do not give this person anymore of your thoughts. Let their “power” wither away.
Ignore this twit, Anne. Your designs are the best. Anyone can look in a stitch dictionary, but it’s what you do with the stitches that keeps everyone coming back for more and more. And your skill and knowledge as a designer, teacher and knitter makes you so valuable and respected in the knitting community. I also think you are as honest as the day is long. Obviously, this person must hide behind someone else, and doesn’t have the nerve to see the light of day. That says the criticisms are baseless and unfounded. Don’t take this to heart, Anne. Look at the comments you are getting. This person is just a PITA with nothing better to do. I love your blog and look forward to seeing your gorgeous garden and beautiful knitting. Press on!
Dear Anne,
I’m so sorry to read that you received such offensive comments. I have two dear friends who suffer from MS, and I appreciate the way you have brought the cause to the forefront.
I am also disturbed by someone questioning your design efforts. Yes, I have books that teach me various stitches, but I have not thought to put those stitches together to create beautiful scarves, shawls, etc. I don’t have the focus to do that. I will continue to purchase your designs when I’m inspired by the pattern and yarn you have chosen.
Thank you for spending time designing, knitting, blogging, and introducing me to new yarns!
Well! She was rude. You hold your head high. Fundraising and design wise.
I clicked on to gratefulness.org before I read your post – oh.
Todays words are “Suffering exists not for the purpose of hurting us, but to teach us where genuine good is to be found, and thus to make us stronger, more intelligent and more vibrant.” – Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov
Anne, you shine.
Enjoy the beauty that surrounds you today.
Well, if it helps, you’re totally pompous enough to be my friend.
Sheesh. Kudos for your classy response.
you’ve done well, anne, to respond to this mean-spirited person with such grace & dignity! i don’t know that i would have managed it half as well 🙂 i just wanted to add my name to the growing list of folk who love your blog, & love seeing the creative thought & hours of work that go into each of your unique designs. don’t let this get you down – you’ve done some very generous things to help others (including me!) with fundraising for various good causes, & we all appreciate it!
well,well, looks like ‘someone’ has a case of sandy vagina, eh? ‘Sunshine’, that just pains me, as I was given that ‘term of endearment’ in Jr.High, he/she is really giving it some bad coverage. meh.
‘Pompous’? LOL… I’ve never, ever gotten the feeling you were being that, or that you lacked in integrity. sheesh.
Well, you know how I feel about you, your blog, your designs… hee… ‘gimme some sugar’… and as always, you are so diplomatic…in a Very Good Way and I thank you, on a daily basis, whether I put it in writing here or not. Trust me. I do.
ps that’s also just the kind of crapola that truly bugs me about ‘skimmers’….
All the comments have pointed out how graciously you answered ‘Sunshine’ and how your intentions re donations were clearly above board from the get go – all I want to add is MEAN PEOPLE SUCK!
And I think ‘Sunshine’ qualifies.
Wow Sunshine is a real B****! I agree with Abby that your response was indeed classy.
In regard to the statement about you being a stitch pattern arranger…didn’t Elizabeth Zimmermann observe that there has likely been every stitch combination done already and that she just “unvents” things? I don’t think that makes her any less of a designer because some granny in the netherlands came up with a pi shawl 200 years ago (or whatever) Especially if she didn’t know about that granny ’cause she never published her designs. SPare me! It’s like saying a painter didn’t design their own piece because the paints were stock colors or that a landscape designer didn’t design the landscape because the neighbor down the road had similar plants.
Mean people suck!
Oh isn’t that funny how Nestra and I said the same thing!
Brava! In the short time we chatted at tnna I discovered: 1) you’re not pompous 2) you’re not smug .
And I already knew how talented you are. So there.
Life’s too short to worry about commenters like that.
As a technical editor, I’d like to see Sunshine come up with a pattern using a simple stitch pattern – something that not only is beautiful, as your design’s are, Anne, but is also written in a coherent manner so that other knitters can make it as well. Show us the money, Sunshine!
Your blog is one of my favorites, precisely because you talk about your design process (and your garden.) I, too, own stitch dictionaries, but I have neither the patience nor the time (and probably not the skill) to do what you do.
I certainly don’t think it is any of anyone’s business how much you contributed although it is gratifying to know that so many people accepted your challenge. And while winning a prize would be fun, that’s not why I contribute to any cause.
Congratulations on a very judicious response. I hope you can let her comments roll off your back. She was wrong, wrong, wrong.
“Sunshine” is an oxymoron with emphasis on the last two syllables.
Oh fer cryin’ out loud. What a ridiculous series of comments and questions from Little Miss Sunshine. You responded well Anne and now I hope you can forget it ever happened.
I’m perversely glad that ‘Sunshine’ was unreachable by email so the rest of us get a taste of what you put up with to do a good deed.
Your donation methods were crystal clear to me, and I feel no compunction to see receipts – I trust you. And, frankly, even if I didn’t, even if you sent in no money to Claudia… how has that hurt me?
As for designing with only original stitch patterns, that’s so laughable I’m not sure what else to say.
It looks like you are well on your way to being flooded with supportive comments; I hope it’s a balm for having to listen to the grumps.
Eek, what an ugly little ray of sunshine! This would make me a bit nervous. Poster is clearly nuts! Good luck to you Anne, someone is very, very jealous of you. Love your attitude and talent.
When I say “Goodbye,have a good day, I love you!” to my husband as he exits in the morning, he responds with a hug and “ditto”. So ditto to all the above comments and on to more critical matters. I too knit socks for a Big Foot. If I don’t make it with knittingNotions “Persimmon” is anyone holding a little ball of it in their basket? Be alert! I may need it….
Yes, Sunshine is definitely a gloomy soul! How rude!
(hee hee, I’d be interested to know if he/she actually DOES contribute after this, as he/she said she would!)
Oh, and I REALLY don’t get the “pompous and smug” criticism. Perhaps “Unfairly talented” and “way too clever and smart”, lol!
That thing about the stitch dictionaries? I knit your bee shawl, and I was completely amazed the entire time that you designed that, even while knowing where the stitch patterns were in the Barbara Walker books. That particular shawl, IMO, was a masterpiece. (not my knitting it, hee hee, the design!)
What in the world is wrong with people??
Anne,
I’m coming out of lurkdom to congratulate you on your hard work – both with the content of your blog, quality (and never mind, quantity) of your knitting, and garden pictures. It was a very nice and thoughtful reply to a comment that should have been a personal e-mail to you with appropriate return e-mail address. Let’s see more of your new patterns!!
Just want you to know how much I enjoy reading your blog and knitting your patterns!!!
Well, if that is what sunshine is, I’m loving all the rain we’re getting! I can’t say any more than what has been said before, I guess it was just your turn for attack of the troll.
Yeesh.
Let’s hope “sunshine” is as rare on your blog as it is in the weather round here. In that case, you may not see it again for weeks!
Anne Hanson = one classy gal!!! Funny, I got it too and I almost always read you in the early am, not quite there sometimes…Love ya Anne!
I’m so sorry you were hassled by this person. I hope you won’t let it sour the wonderful thing you’ve done here. I’ve read your blog for quite some time now and I’ve never once thought you were anything but a caring, amazing woman who happens to be a brilliant designer. Keep up the great work!
wow, I’d like to know what happened to “sunshine” to make him/her into such a malignant sourpuss. what a coward, to not leave a valid email address . . .
It always amazes and saddens me when people like Sunshine who are so unhappy with themselves feel the need to insult and demean good and clever people doing good and clever things to make themselves feel better. I’m sorry you had to deal with this, but as others have said, you have done so graciously.
For what it’s worth, add me to the list of those who knew exactly what your goal with the matching fund was and how it worked because I READ what you wrote, and was happy to have a chance to make my contribution go a little further. Thank you for that.
As for her other comments, well, they’re really just too stupid to warrant a thoughtful rebuttal, so let me just say that I very much enjoy your blog, your style, and your designs. Thank you for sharing them with us.
The comment about your designs only being stitch patterns makes me cringe.
As far as donations,I might be naive but it seems like knitters are generally trust worthy and generous people and I’ve never questioned that people are actually donating when they say they are.
Well Anne, I think the best response to those comments is simply this:
‘Pish Posh’!
I’m sorry you had to deal with this, but I think you handled it well. If Sunshine really had concerns and “constructive criticism” then he/she should have sent you an email and discussed it privately. He/She was just trying to publicly slander you. I think your designs are awesome! Keep up the good work.
Hello Anne,
I am de-lurking to tell you how much I enjoy your blog, and your beautiful patterns. You have gotten some strange comments since I started reading, and I have to say that you answer them with more patience than I would. Thanks for creating a blog that is a joy to read and for creating patterns that I want to knit!
Hi Anne,
I get up each and every morning in anticipation of reading your blog. I hope for a new pattern, a veiw of your garden, or an update on a wip. Please don’t take “sunshines” words to heart.
I read 8-10 knitting blogs on a daily basis – yours is the first one on the list. Your content is interesting and your writing is articulate, which is not the case with every blog I’ve come across. There are several that I chose not to continue reading because I thought they were in poor taste or poorly written – but I did not feel compelled to comment and share that with the author.
I’m amazed at how prolific you are as a designer! Yes, I might be able to use my stitch dictionaries to come up with the same or similar design, but it would likely take me months. I’d rather pay a reasonable price for a pattern (I bought Elm Row and Fiddlehead from a LYS last week) in support of someone who is trying to make a living doing what she loves and spend the time I have available knitting instead.
As for the charities, at no time have I felt obligated to do anything. As with most people, I can’t afford to contribute to every opportunity, but I don’t mind when someone wants to support a friend’s fund raising efforts – and if a raffle is included, that’s perfectly acceptable as well.
Sunshine needs to reevaluate his/her own life, and find a positive focus instead of trying to find negative things in others’ lives.
What a shameful use of sunshine! no need to waste more words on it!
Those comments were so far off that they’re actually funny…way to go, Team Troll! :eyeroll:
Anne, PLEASE do not take any of this to heart; Sunshine is clearly an a** who deserves to have her comments deleted summarily. You have better things to do than to respond to this sort of pissy trolling.
Ok, since I feel I can speak first hand on this post, ya;ll are gonna get skammed with bad grammar and speling…here goes, Miss Unshine,yes,I know I left off the S…where is YOUR proff of any donations, to ANYTHING? Your asking Anne to prove someting, well why don’t you. Why did you feel a need to come here and stir a pot of someone who has no clue who you are, you have no way of being contacted back and lastlty..YOUR USING MY IP YOU DORK! I am turning you into yahoo as this is not of proper terms and usage. Dunno what your deal is but you suck and your mean, I say, don’t feed the trolls people, it only makes them grow!
Hi Anne! I had to write and let you know how much I enjoy all of your writing and designing and garden sharing. I have several of your patterns. I think at least 8 or 9. Your patterns inspire me to broaden my knitting horizons. Yours was one of the very first knitting blogs I ever read.Through your blog I have had the privilege of investigating new yarns. I also learned how to oven dry my cherry tomatoes! I check your blog for new knitting progress daily, even at work! I just wanted you to know that you are an admired and lovely person. BTW you ROCK!
Hmm, strange comment about designing. That’s like saying you can’t write a novel unless you invent all new words! I love reading your blog, one of the few I read on a regular basis. Love your garden pics too.
And I get such inspiration from your designs! Kepp up the good work.
Anne – you provided a more patient reply than I could have written. My respect for you grows.
Sending thoughts of love, support, and peace winging across the country to you, Anne.
I’m glad you posted this and I’m sorry you’ve had to endure this bad behavior. Your response was right on and as always done with class and grace!
This smacks of the individual who had to put her 2 cents worth and numerous threats regarding the purported copying of Fleegle’s pattern! I have found there are people in this world who have this need to create some sort of havoc in order to get the attention they so desperately need. Kind of sad really. It does not surprise me that you can’t reach her and that the IP# is not hers.
I love your blog and all you do. Please don’t change a thing in how you go about fundraising for MS. There is always going to be a thundercloud out there to rain on your parade. I vote getting out the umbrellas and standing together in the rain when it does happen.
Anne, I feel sorry for sunshine. People that think it’s their job to make everyone else accountable for the good that you do are unhappy people. And I personally don’t believe it is required of you to report how you match donations. I believe that what you do is your personal choice and truly not anyone else’s business.
I really enjoy your projects!
Dear Anne,
Don’t listen to this person. You are at the top of my tool bar, right next to the Yarnharlot. Whoever this little person is she is not worthy of your time, energy and anxiety. That being said, I know that no matter how many of us write in support her one comment will sit uncomfortably on your mind. Forget her, know that we love and respect everything you do and design. I consider myself a designer and yet I have spent a fair amount on your designs. Why reinvent the wheel when you have already done it sooo well. Thank you for living your life with such grace and sharing it with us.
I appreciate all you do and how you do it! While I donate to other causes, I am pleased how you gently remind me to share my blessings.
What is the nastiness that is in knitdom lately? For pete sake, Sunshine, don’t read it, but being nasty only shows your own karmic life. This blog is a delight, as is the author and for enjoyment purposes only. Thanks Anne, for this blog, for your wonderful designs and delightful attitude. Somewhere along the line our sense of humor is evaporating along with our politeness. Please, people, get the facts and then “if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything” or just move along.
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