UPDATE FEBRUARY 17, 2019: Again, I appreciate all the support and kindness shown to me and my family (and my fellow federal employees, contractors, etc.) through this difficult time. Now that the government is funded for the rest of this fiscal year, I have almost caught up with the strain it caused to our finances. Since the date I had set for the promotion to expire was Feb. 28, 2019, I will just leave the code active until then if anyone else would like to take advantage of it. THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH!!

UPDATE JANUARY 26, 2019: Thank you to everyone who has helped me through this ordeal, whether you bought my pattern or just said something kind and supportive. I will keep the discount active until I do get a paycheck. And, whenever I have an opportunity to help someone else in a similar bind, I am committed to stepping up for them and paying forward the kindness I have been shown. Thank you again.

I am a federal employee by day and a knitter by night. I am “furloughed” indefinitely, which is the government equivalent to a “lock out” under private sector labor laws. My husband has been under- or unemployed for 3 years. I have only one pattern for sale right now, so I am promoting it as hard as I can. Until I get my next paycheck, you can save $2.00 with the code: shutdown when you purchase Calverts and Crosslands, my homage to our beautiful Maryland State flag. (If you can afford to, feel free to purchase it without the code, but I will appreciate any purchase at this point.) On Feb. 5, my next payment to University of Maryland for my 2 sons is due. If 1000 people use the code before then, it would cover the whole amount ($2000). I guess this is my version of a gofundme page (which I heard another UMD mom has done for her son’s payment), but I would rather sell something of value to people who would enjoy it than simply ask for contributions from random strangers. On behalf of my family and the entire federal workforce (furloughed or not), thank you for your help.

This tribute to the State Flag of Maryland is worked in slip-stitch patterns; only one color is used per round.

All proceeds will go toward my 2 sons’ tuition and housing at the University of Maryland, College Park -- GO TERPS!!

The yarn for this pattern is available from Dragonfly Fibers as a set of 4 skeins (1 oz./70 yds each).