Ladies and Gentlemen.
In far less time than I expected* and with far greater numbers than I anticipated**, Dish Rag Tag sign-ups are now closed.
We have 200 participants in the US and 10 on Team Canada. We will have 21 teams of 10 people each. The Miracle Household will be reviewing the list of registered participants, comparing it to known swap-buster lists^ and assigning teams over the next week. We will be contacting Team Captains over the course of the week as well. Since so many of you have volunteered for this job, we will be selecting Team Captains in a loose first come first serve fashion (geographic distribution will have something to do with it – this is a complicated algorithm).
In spite of the early closing of registrations, I am not going to move the start date. I am sure that like me, many of you have commitments in July that you did not think would affect the race. Y’all are just going to have to be patient – you knew we weren’t starting until August 1 when you signed up! However, there are a couple of “training events” in the works to keep you all in shape over the course of the next month or so. Stay tuned to Yarn Miracle for announcements, training events and other interesting goings on!
I want to thank each of you in advance for making this undertaking a success! You have certainly warmed my heart with your enthusiasm for this idea.
I also want to apologize to those of you who don’t get to participate in this go round. Please stay tuned to watch the show. Every team will need support and enthusiasm when the race begins and you never know what will happen!
*Seriously, I would have waited until Mid July if I had any idea how quickly this would go!
**Oh my gosh, I thought it would take a solid month to entice 50 people to play this game! The Wee Tiny Sock Swap only had 80 and it was a much cheaper swap! I solemnly swear that I will never again underestimate the Enthusiasm of Knitters for a challenge.
^This is a TEAM competition. Every team member needs to be dedicated and willing to finish the race. There is nothing more heart breaking than a broken swap. I’m not talking about medical emergencies and unavoidable situations, or slow knitting or whatever. I am talking about hijacking the box. Don’t hijack the box.
I’ve got about three or four dishcloths sitting around that I can send you for start up cloths too. No problem to shove them in an envelope and send them down.
Are you going to have a button? Or is there already one and I was just out of the loop and didn’t see it?
Also, I can send some start ups too if you need anymore! Just let me know 🙂
Nevermind, I found it LOL
I would also be happy to send starter washcloths.
Darn,
Does that mean that we here in Australia have missed out? I have been busy getting a team together.
Sue! That is great! (I am emailing you).
If there are other countries that would like to field a team, please contact me for details!
This is going to big and public. And we’re knitters. Nobody’s gonna hi-jack the box.
We’ll revoke their membership in the club.
can not express just how bummed i am to have missed out on this (tag? relay? go knitters, go!) i will be watching the results with enthusiasm!! great idea, and hope i’ll not be so late to the game next year: cheers! –kaf
Wholly maceral!! 200 people! Thant’s a lot of dish towels! You all are going to have so much fun! I look forward to see all thr progress and pictures in August.
I have never been much of a joiner, but am thrilled to be involved in this tom-foolery… looking forward to it very much. I solemnly swear not only to NOT hi-jack the box, but to fill it with as many goodies/chocolates/yarn as humanly possible. That way the next recipient as more sugar to get jacked up on. With bated breath, I await thee, dishrag… Cami
Wow that was fast!! I’m really excited to be on a team! Dish cloths are one of the very few things I can whip out! If you still need help with starter dish cloths, I have a couple I can send in too…
What a fun idea! I wish I would have known about it so I could have signed up!!! Maybe you’ll have another one later…?
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what a totally fun idea, Emily – glad it’s such a rockin’ success! May your relay be “party-pooper free”!
I’m all prepared and waiting with baited chocolate breath! Frankly, I might go thru a lot of chocolate before the box gets here. I better freeze some of the loot!!
Oh, I missed it!!! Sounds like fun. I hope you all have lots of fun!!!
To answer your question about quarantine for Dottie… a couple years ago Tax-a, I mean Massachusetts tried to make all rescues adopting dogs up from the South to MA register as pet STORES (i.e. pay taxes)… but mind you they are rescues and non-profits. So since then the Dept of Arg has this assanine law that all dogs coming in to MA to be fostered or adopted have to spend 48 hours in an approved quarantine facility – and that means 48 hours in a cage/crate, they aren’t even allowed out to go to the bathroom! ARGH. And of course, 48 hours is not even long enough for anything to actualyl show up – a true quarantine would have to be for 1 – 2 weeks so it is absolutely ridiculous. Poor Trixie had to go last month — after she lived with us (just 15 minutes over the damn Massachusetts border!) for THREE weeks… argh, argh, argh…
(aren’t you glad you asked? lol)
I’d be happy to contribute a starter dish rag! Glad to be on a team – Go Team!
Em, have you considered recruiting a few angels in strategically placed locales to act as baton-picker-uppers in case of a true emergency? I know that the Secret Pal swaps always had angels back when I did ’em…just a thought…
I agree with KT–could I/our little team that missed out be part of the back-up plan? All or one of us would be happy to “sub” if someone has a conflict. If not I’ll happily lurk on the sidelines and wait for 2008!
The Back Up Plan is still in progress, but everyone should feel secure in that I am developing strategies for hijacked boxes, lost in the mail boxes and Substitute players. We’re getting the teams together first so that you can all start meeting each other and then I will reveal the Master Back Up Plan!
I may even post about some knitting.
Wow, that sounds amazing!! *sniff* I’m so sad the registrations are closed though……… Do you have a waiting list for ’08 yet? If so, sign me up!!
I can send you a million starter cloths as well.
Wow, take Ellen up on that offer and let’s get someone to join them all up and make blankies outta them! (grins)
Hail to thee, oh Poobah-ess o’the cloths, for all your forward-thinking-osity. We mere mortals shall sit quietly with our cotton yarn and boxes at the ready and await the next directive from ‘Bama-land.
Unless something else pops up that requires a sarcastic PITA point-of-view comment, that is.
(blows a kiss)
Can we get on a list of backup knitters? I can’t believe everything filled up so quickly!
Team Australia is ready and raring to go. Woohoo!!
I would be glad to send a (some?) starter cloths as well. This will be good practice for me since I’ve never knitted a dish cloth. I got some extra yarn to practice with already. When would you need them?
Thanks Emily for getting all this up & running. Can’t wait to meet you……….probably at SAFF!
I wanted to do this too but I couldn’t find the Canada sign up page. Can I be Canada back up? I’ve been knitting dishcloths anyway – undergrads need reminders to wash come September! Or if there happened to be any space on Team Canada I’d happily jump on that bandwagon! A couple of my Monday knitters are on there already!
Please tell me that there is a waiting list for the next Dish Rag Tag!!!!!! I cannot believe I missed the deadline! When are you going to set up the next one????
I would love to be on the waiting list for the next one. I did not hear about it until it was full.
Marie Garman