This morning, I sent Michael to the post office with the first, second and third place prizes to mail as well as all the dish rags fro the team captains! My dining room table is clear again (except for the decorative bowl of sock yarn).

Finally.

While he was there, he was kind enough to pick up box 21! It arrived while we were out of town and was taken to the post office for safe keeping. I was surprised and delighted to find that it belonged to one of the teams that suffered Dish Rag Tag Hardship: the Ragtag Racers!

Ah, the harsh light of an October afternoon.

Lucy sent CANDY! I am eating it right now. The Hershey’s Kisses have stuff in the middle (cheesecake, according to their flags)! What they can’t do these days. The two cherry swirl yarns are making me contemplate projects larger than a dishrag…suggestions anyone? Captain Alaina will love with the pretty dishrag, it is just the colors to soften a fall day. Thank you so much Lucy, and congratulations Ragtag Racers on overcoming your racing hardships!

In other news, I’ve extended the Think Outside the Sink Photo Contest deadline by a week (It will close October 29). This is partially because I forgot to send an email to all the Dish Rag Taggers about it, partially because I would love some more entries so that the voting systems can get a good workout and partially because I need to pick which voting systems I want to try so I may as well leave it open to more entrants. I sort of forgot we were going out of town and that has set me back a bit.

OHOH! The mailman just came (and asked again what happened to our nice, big mailbox) and brought another finisher! Who do you think it could be? Stay tuned.

Dish Rag Tag: the Sequel Round-Up
1… Deuces Wild 9/24/2008
2… Rag-Taggers 9/25/2008
3… Dishrag Taggers 9/25/2008
4… Dishin’ It Out 9/29/2008
5… Cotton Queens 9/30/2008
5… Cross Country Knitters 10/1/2008
7… DISHY DOZEN 10/2/2008
8… Rag Olympians 10/2/2008
9… Dishrag Divas 10/2/2008
10… Phaster than Phelps 10/4/2008
11… Scrubbing Stars 10/6/2008
12… Rag Tag Fleet 10/6/2008
13… Rag Time Gals 10/9/2008
14… SuperSpeedyStitchin7 10/9/2008
15… Cotton Conquerors 10/9/2008
16… DishPaw Raggers 10/11/2008
17…Knitting Aces 10/14/2008
18…Magic 8 10/14/2008
19…2 Sticks and a String 10/14/2008
20…Expe-Dish-ous Raggers 10/16/2008
21…Ragtag Racers 10/21/2008

We’ve been out of town. And somebody learned a new skill.

Oh, Ellie. Slow down just a tiny bit.

I had big plans for an on location photo shoot of the latest box to complete the race – it was in the mailbox when we left and accompanied me unopened all the way to Atlanta. Unfortunately, since Ellie felt that she had to practice her Mad Standing Skills every chance she got (including when she should be sleeping), I only had time to take a single picture. I would have showed this to you several days ago if only I had packed the camera cable. We’re home now and the camera cable was right where I left it.

The twentieth box to complete the race belongs to the Expe-Dish-ous Raggers!

E is for me! (Ellie too, but she can’t write.)

Mandy completed the final leg for her team and packed a great box. Among the treats was a Starbucks gift card. I got a little teary when I saw it. I am so pathetically grateful to you, Mandy! I don’t know how you knew exactly what I needed after all my sleepless nights (different place + new skill = zero sleep for Ex2). On the way home this morning, I cashed in.

An Americano full of cream and one of those doughnuts. Sweet.

Your Team Captain, Lesley will adore the turquoise dish rag (I like that color so much), and I got just a kick out of the treats from the other Expe-Dish-ous knitters in the group! Thanks very much and congratulations to all of you for completing the race!

One more good thing: My stamp order arrived while we were gone so I know what I will (finally) be doing tomorrow! I will be so happy to get the rest of the prizes in the mail, y’all just have no idea. I hate making people wait.

Dish Rag Tag: the Sequel Round-Up
1… Deuces Wild 9/24/2008
2… Rag-Taggers 9/25/2008
3… Dishrag Taggers 9/25/2008
4… Dishin’ It Out 9/29/2008
5… Cotton Queens 9/30/2008
5… Cross Country Knitters 10/1/2008
7… DISHY DOZEN 10/2/2008
8… Rag Olympians 10/2/2008
9… Dishrag Divas 10/2/2008
10… Phaster than Phelps 10/4/2008
11… Scrubbing Stars 10/6/2008
12… Rag Tag Fleet 10/6/2008
13… Rag Time Gals 10/9/2008
14… SuperSpeedyStitchin7 10/9/2008
15… Cotton Conquerors 10/9/2008
16… DishPaw Raggers 10/11/2008
17…Knitting Aces 10/14/2008
18…Magic 8 10/14/2008
19…2 Sticks and a String 10/14/2008
20…Expe-Dish-ous Raggers 10/16/2008

Three more boxes arrived yesterday! Once more they were numbered before they were brought into the house.

I had to look up Laurie to confirm that the seventeenth box to finish the race belongs to the Knitting Aces!

Something smells sweet!

The pink (I love the pink!) dish rag was wrapped so cute, I wanted to leave it for The Aces’ Captain, Denise. But I should have gotten the stitch markers out to give y’all a better look. They are gold with pale green and sparkly beads. Really pretty. Thank you so much, Laurie!

The next box to finish the race and occupy the eighteenth slot in the final standings belongs to team Magic 8!

The pink matchbook is wee tiny emery boards.

The sheep is full of gum! Which I don’t *think* is sheep flavored… Thank you, Marie, I will use the wee tiny dish rag to wash my wee tiny cake tote! It’s made with scrubby seed stitch to get things sparkling clean. The matching cousin dish rag belongs to Team Captain Jennifer.

The nineteenth finisher has my vote for Most Battered and Bedraggled – duct tape is holding the whole thing together. Ladies and Gentlemen, 2 Sticks and a String!

Three cheers for three balls of yarn!

The little scarecrow couple from Marie have joined the turkey on the baker’s cabinet (he was lonely). I love sewing kits, they fall into my sweeping love of all things wee and tiny. Captain Cynthia will be thrilled with the bright dish rag, I think bright colors make washing dishes a slightly more appealing chore. Thank you so much, Marie!

Dish Rag Tag: the Sequel Round-Up
1… Deuces Wild 9/24/2008
2… Rag-Taggers 9/25/2008
3… Dishrag Taggers 9/25/2008
4… Dishin’ It Out 9/29/2008
5… Cotton Queens 9/30/2008
5… Cross Country Knitters 10/1/2008
7… DISHY DOZEN 10/2/2008
8… Rag Olympians 10/2/2008
9… Dishrag Divas 10/2/2008
10… Phaster than Phelps 10/4/2008
11… Scrubbing Stars 10/6/2008
12… Rag Tag Fleet 10/6/2008
13… Rag Time Gals 10/9/2008
14… SuperSpeedyStitchin7 10/9/2008
15… Cotton Conquerors 10/9/2008
16… DishPaw Raggers 10/11/2008
17…Knitting Aces 10/14/2008
18…Magic 8 10/14/2008
19…2 Sticks and a String 10/14/2008

This was about a week ago (we just put down the new rug), she’s even better at it now.

It really IS like Christmas around here.

The DishPaw Ragger box has arrived and claimed the sixteenth finishing position! When I opened it, this is what I found:

Red and Green!

Holly (oh my, her name even matches) packed me a holiday in a box!

The candy cane cards are sideways to obscure addresses.

The yarn ornament and the “seasonal” stitch markers are wonderful. There was even a little something for Ellie. Even the dish rag for the Dishpaw Captain, Natalie, blends right in! She will be tickled to death when I get this in the mail! The DishPaw Raggers (and I hope someone will enlighten us in the comments about the ‘Paw’ part or their team name) also sent me a tour of the US in postcard form.

Yay!

You know, I just got to thinking about some kind of state matching game played with post cards. I made up a similar game when I was working on my Art Ed degree..a kind of dominoes using the attributes of the pieces featured on the post card. The state one would uses bordering states to make matches: AL could be played on FL or Ga for example. Sorry for the digression, but I don’t want to forget the idea!

Thank you so much again Holly and all the DishPaw Raggers!

Dish Rag Tag: the Sequel Round-Up
1… Deuces Wild 9/24/2008
2… Rag-Taggers 9/25/2008
3… Dishrag Taggers 9/25/2008
4… Dishin’ It Out 9/29/2008
5… Cotton Queens 9/30/2008
5… Cross Country Knitters 10/1/2008
7… DISHY DOZEN 10/2/2008
8… Rag Olympians 10/2/2008
9… Dishrag Divas 10/2/2008
10… Phaster than Phelps 10/4/2008
11… Scrubbing Stars 10/6/2008
12… Rag Tag Fleet 10/6/2008
13… Rag Time Gals 10/9/2008
14… SuperSpeedyStitchin7 10/9/2008
15… Cotton Conquerors 10/9/2008
16… DishPaw Raggers 10/11/2008

PS Holly, we need to add you to the Alabama Knitblogger List.
PPS Prize Postage Update: I ordered a bunch. These are going to be some stamp-laden envelopes when I get finished.

I can’t find any arrival pictures for Thursday’s mail call!

Imagine, if you will, a cheerful mail lady in the driveway honking so that she doesn’t have to get out of the truck. I wasn’t dressed yet* so Michael went out to retrieve our mail. Turns out, she’s very interested in Dish Rag Tag and wants her mom to play next year! So no picture of the mail in the box. Or in Michael’s hands. Or even unopened on the table. That must have been when I set the oven on fire a little bit.

Even a small oven fire didn’t keep me from numbering the boxes in the order in which they were received.

The 13th spot (I hear it’s lucky) is occupied by the Rag Time Gals!

Many thank yous to Sheila!

I ate the cookies yesterday (I’m kind of surprised that the lasted so long), and I have decided that I am adding them to the starter boxes for next year. I will get enough so that I can eat as many as I give away. Yum! See the spider web votive holder? Inspired me to finish the first trickertreat sock. I never could have done it without you, Shelia! The Gals’ Team Captain, Tiffany is going to love her earthy dishrag when it finally gets mailed**.

The box ranked fourteenth belongs to the SuperSpeedyStitch7!

Stickers! It’s almost like decoupage under the packing tape!

Once again, I am floored at some of the great “small gift” ideas folks have had! Scissors are always a welcome addition to any knitters home. You can never ever have too many. Brilliant, Stacey, I’ll remember this one too. Thank you so so so much – and your Team Captain, Kirsten, will be thanking you for the gorgeous dish rag soon!

Drum roll please:
The fifteenth box to complete the race: the Cotton Conquerors!

Another Sheila! And what are the odds that both Sheila boxes would be from TN?

You can’t see it well, but that little zippered case will be great for holding tiny notions (like a yarn needle and the row counter) . I can’t wait to try the “Chocolat en Poudre.” I am sure it is going to be delicious – I can tell because of the word “Chocolat” in the name. And in my experience, packages with the ingredients and directions printed on the back in six different languages means that the contents are deliciously special. Speaking of delicious, the peachy delicious dish rag is for captain, Laura – Sheila, she’ll love it!

ADDED: Chocolat = yummers.

Dish Rag Tag: the Sequel Round-Up
1… Deuces Wild 9/24/2008
2… Rag-Taggers 9/25/2008
3… Dishrag Taggers 9/25/2008
4… Dishin’ It Out 9/29/2008
5… Cotton Queens 9/30/2008 (amended)
5… Cross Country Knitters 10/1/2008
7… DISHY DOZEN 10/2/2008
8… Rag Olympians 10/2/2008
9… Dishrag Divas 10/2/2008
10… Phaster than Phelps 10/4/2008
11… Scrubbing Stars 10/6/2008
12… Rag Tag Fleet 10/6/2008
13… Rag Time Gals 10/9/2008
14… SuperSpeedyStitchin7 10/9/2008
15… Cotton Conquerors 10/9/2008

*You try to find time to get dressed, bake brownies and bread, feed cats and boy and baby, put a chicken in the crock pot, set the oven on fire a little bit, unload and reload the dishwasher all before 9:30am. I don’t know why there is so much more to do all of a sudden.
**I’ve had the prizes (and team captain dishrags) together, wrapped up and ready to mail since Wednesday! I just haven’t had an hour and a half in my day to go to the post office and watch the guy print postage for 36 plus 9 (now 12) packages. I made a great plan on Friday to send Michael with a representative sample of the different weights to just buy the appropriate number of stamps to get them all done. But of course the credit card machine was down and we had no cash. He did get the guy to weigh them, so stamps.com here I come!

I sort of took a day off yesterday. Which means everything I need to do has sort of piled up in front of me.

But I finished the first Trick or Treat Sock!

So I’ve got that going for me.

Which is nice.

The yarn is from RubySapphire’s sock club. I don’t remember the month, but the color way was named Galileo. I think they are out of that batch, but maybe if enough people ask about it…

We’ve got one more contest in this year’s Dish Rag Tag. It’s a little photo contest with two categories. Anyone may enter, but only two will win.

Best Use of Dish Rag
Submit a picture that illustrates what is, in your opinion, the Best Use of a Dish Rag. This is a contest of creativity rather than knitting speed. I’ve got a flickr group all set up. Just upload your photos, join the group and submit them. If you don’t have/want a flickr account (they are free), you can either email pictures to me (emily at yarnmiracle dot com) and I will upload it, or put a link in the comments of this post. You’ve got until October 21, 2008 at noon central to get the old creative juices flowing. After that, I’ll narrow the playing field to three entries and we’ll all vote for a winner*. Jessica has created an exclusive set of Dish Rag Tag stitch markers for the winner! They are really cool, I’ve seen a picture.

Best Time to Knit a Dish Rag
Submit a picture that illustrates what is, in your opinion, the Best Time to Knit a Dish Rag. There’s another flickr group for this one! You can email pictures to me or put links in the comments of this post if you prefer. To keep things simple, you’ve got until October 21, 2008 at noon central to submit pictures for this one as well. We’ll put these to the vote soon after! Barbara has donated a 2009 Dishcloth Calendar “Knitting in Colors.” It’s a wonderfully put together collection of patterns with dishcloths for all seasons.

If you’ve gone pro (on flickr) and are feeling daring, videos are more than welcome.

To sum up:
Two categories: Best Use of Dish Rag and Best Time to Knit a Dish Rag.
Anyone can enter, you don’t have to be a DRT participant for this one.
October 21, 2008, Noon Central is the deadline.
Enter more than once if you’ve got more than one idea! The more the merrier.

*We’re going to practice different voting methods to use for the Merit Awards and Superlatives, so help a knitter out and play along.

Monday morning, the mail man once again pulled down the driveway. This time, Michael saw him out the window and met him at the truck. Michael stressed that the order in which the boxes were handed to him was paramount.

Eleven and Twelve!

The boxes were carefully labeled so that there are no mistakes*: the eleventh box to complete the race belongs to the… Scrubbing Stars!

See the Cinderella frisbee? Makes me giggle.

Crabby Patties, tiny Tabasco and Old Bay! Must be time for gumbo. There is also a crochet hook in the mix, is this an inspiration piece? Is it possibly a sign of Things to Come? Thank you, Cindy! The bright and pretty turquoise dish rag belongs to Captain Gracie (formerly an Alabama Knitblogger).

If the Scrubbing Stars are eleventh, that makes the Rag Tag Fleet my even dozen.

I <3 knitting!

Thank you so much, Barbara! As you can see, the cookies arrived in one piece (although they didn’t stay that way for long). Barbara also included a dish rag just for me with South Carolina on it. The striped blue dish rag goes to KT who captained her team to Dish Rag Tag Glory.

We’re at the halfway point for returned boxes! It’s time to announce the last contest of Dish Rag Tag: the Sequel. But that’s another post. So you have to wait a minute.

Maybe more.

Dish Rag Tag: the Sequel Round-Up
1… Deuces Wild 9/24/2008
2… Rag-Taggers 9/25/2008
3… Dishrag Taggers 9/25/2008
4… Dishin’ It Out 9/29/2008
5… Cotton Queens 9/30/2008 (amended)
5… Cross Country Knitters 10/1/2008
7… DISHY DOZEN 10/2/2008
8… Rag Olympians 10/2/2008
9… Dishrag Divas 10/2/2008
10… Phaster than Phelps 10/4/2008
11… Scrubbing Stars 10/6/2008
12… Rag Tag Fleet 10/6/2008

*Except for the mistake I made when I was labeling the pictures. 12 is 11 and 11 is 12. I am starting to worry about me.