Dish Rag Tag: the Sequel sign-ups are officially closed at 289. Follow Yarn Miracle to stay current on Tag related events including next year’s race.

The race is basically the same as last year. See this post for a list of major changes.

Teams of Knitters will participate in a Dish Rag Knitting Relay Race that spans the 50 states.

Dish Rag Tag: the Sequel sign-ups are officially closed at 289. Follow Yarn Miracle to stay current on Tag related events including next year’s race.

DISH RAG TAG SIGN-UPS FOR 2008 WILL CAP AT 300!

The Longer Version:
There will be a box (the baton) that circulates through the 12 Knitter Team.
Each box will be packed with a finished dish rag, one ball of dish rag cotton (you know the kind I mean: Sugar’n Cream, Peaches & Creme, or a similar cotton), instructions, the Official Dish Rag Tag Pattern and a small treat (stitch markers, a candy bar, one of those “what size is my needle” thingys).
When a knitter receives the box, the knitter will report (using the DRT web application) that she or he is “it”, and empty the box keeping the enclosed dishrag and treat.
The knitter will then knit a new dishrag with the cotton in the box and the Official Pattern.
**You may not start knitting your dishrag until you receive the box. This is cheating and will make the cats cry. Not to mention ruining the fun for your whole team.**
When the dish rag is finished, it goes back in the box with a new ball of dish rag cotton and a small treat and will be Priority Mailed to an untagged team member (don’t forget to add tracking). The first box to make it through all a team’s members and return to the Miracle Household achieves Dish Rag Tag Glory! Prizes for the top three teams will be announced at a later date.
The whole thing (even with priority shipping and tracking) should cost less than $10 per participant and take up a little more time than knitting a dishrag.

Dish Rag Tag: the Sequel sign-ups are officially closed at 289. Follow Yarn Miracle to stay current on Tag related events including next year’s race.

The Dish Rag Tag Web Application will not only help you sign up, but there will be forums for each team and box progress will be electronically monitored. Addresses will be stored in the Relay Race Manager Application – they will not be included in the boxes. To get the address for the person you are supposed to send it to next, you will log in with your secure password and pick the team member you want to tag and receive the mailing address for that person and that person only. Your address will be available to only me and the team member who is mailing the box to you.

Details and Rules:

Signups will happen from now until 12:00 am Central, Friday, August 8, 2008. Or when there are 300 knitters signed up. Whichever comes first (I learned my lesson last year).

Teams will be assigned shortly after sign-ups close.

The race will begin on August 15, 2007, when I mail the boxes to team captains.

Fed-Ex and Overnight Delivery are Prohibited. Participants must ship using the US Mail’s Priority Shipping and delivery confirmation (tracking).

Dish rags must be made using the ball of cotton in the box and the Official Pattern (also in the box).

Teams will consist of 12 Team Members. If we end up with an uneven number, the last folks to register will be on the alternate list.

Teams will be assigned by the Yarn Miracle Household (because geography has to be considered to keep the playing field even).

There will be a Team Captain for each team who will moderate that team’s private forum (did I mention that there are team forums?). Team Captains will be responsible for communicating with me about their team’s status and will let me know if there are any obstacles that need hurdling. Teams are encouraged to develop winning strategies and communicate with each other (that’s what the forums are for). Oh, and they get to make up team names – names are fun.

Unless your team strategy says otherwise, you may not know that you are going to be tagged next – stay in touch with your team members in the forum to let them know if anything comes up (out of town for the weekend etc.) and you shouldn’t be tagged next. Have your ball of cotton and treat ready at all times!

You may not start knitting your dishrag until you receive the box. This is cheating and will ruin things for your whole team.

Included treats should remain small in both price and size. The boxes won’t have room for much and you want to keep the box under a pound for the best shipping rate. Try to keep this to a $10 swap (including shipping).

There will be prizes. I can’t tell you what yet. There will be prizes for the top three placing teams and additional individual prizes based on merit (even if your team is dead last, you have a chance at Personal Dish Rag Tag Glory). And of course, everyone will receive a wonderful dish rag to enhance their kitchen or bathroom.

Dish Rag Tag: The Sequel is only open to residents of the US. If you would like to run a Dish Rag Tag for your country, just let me know and we’ll help with hosting and setting up the DRT Web Application.

Dish Rag Tag: the Sequel sign-ups are officially closed at 289. Follow Yarn Miracle to stay current on Tag related events including next year’s race.

FAQ POST HERE

Dish Rag Tag: the Sequel sign-ups are officially closed at 289. Follow Yarn Miracle to stay current on Tag related events including next year’s race.

I’d like to sign up but I’m going to be away on vacation for part of August. Do you think that would be something we could work around?
Absolutely! Keep in touch with your team mates through the forums and you can let them know that you shouldn’t be tagged while you are out of town.

Does this involve special computer skills in anyway?
Nope! If you can send email, blog or shop online you can do this.

How are teams getting assigned?
The Miracle Household will be assigning teams – I want as evenly matched a race (geography wise) as possible.

Do we leave all the dishrags and treats in the box as it goes along? That would get very heavy after a while…
When you receive the box, you take everything out of it, keep the treat, and the finished dish rag. Make your dishrag and put it, a new ball of cotton and a treat back into the box to send it on. Pick your treat carefully to keep you box less than a pound.

Why do we have to use priority mail?
Basically to to keep the playing field even. By ensuring the same shipping speed for everyone (and the same inconvenience of a trip to the post office) this race is a more true contest of speed and organization. Team work will win the day!

Why aren’t you having the team captains start the boxes?
Because it is more fair to have them all originate from one place. Everything will be mailed at exactly the same time and return to exactly the same place. There is no room for ambiguity, no accusations of unfairness etc.

Where do I send it after I get it? To the team captain or what?
The box is going to leave my house and travel through each team member once and then back to me. There is no set order for who is tagged next. Your team should communicate in the forum to decide where to send it. Strategy making is encouraged: get out your maps and plot the quickest course around the country, figure out who is out of town when and work together to achieve Dish Rag Tag Glory!

How much of my personal information is going to be out there for all the world to see?
Not much! When I post the teams, the list will be your first name (which will link to your blog if you have one) and your state. The only people who will see your full name and address are the Miracle Household and whoever is mailing the box to you. You do have to consent to share your email address with your team captain and team captains have to consent to share their email address with their team.

Dish Rag Tag: the Sequel sign-ups are officially closed at 289. Follow Yarn Miracle to stay current on Tag related events including next year’s race.