The Not a Fool for the Pool Contest

Updated 22 July to add a link to the prize page.

Back in Normandy, I promised to knit my step-mother-in-law a pair of socks. She chose the pattern and the color: red. I don't know if she'd like variegated yarn or on which side of the pool debate she'd fall, but the red seemed stronger than the bits and pieces of dark colors in this skein.

On the record: I don't care for pooling, but I can tolerate small amounts. However, these pools of really dark blue and green look like bruises. Could you imagine how skeeved you'd be if one of your tomatoes had marks like that? And anyway, the stitch pattern and the variegation no worky.

Not only is it time to buy another yarn for her socks, but it's also time to dip into the Wollmeise. There's a lot of buzz swarming around this yarn, probably because it's the first notable indie yarn in Europe. There are more than 100 skeins of Wollmeise stashed in Ravelry -- pretty amazing since there's no shopping cart on Claudia's Web site. You order via email.

I made first contact this morning, and there's something in it for a lucky one of you.

Contest! Contest! Contest!

Here's the deal. I have been spending way too much time on the interweb (no thanks to the new Ravelry groups), and not enough time cranking through my summer knitting goals. This Tapis Colinette Jitterbug needs a pattern, a pool-defying pattern. I can't possibly go it alone.

Here's where you come in. Send me an email (knittingsutra AT gmail DOT com Subject: Contest) with a link or citation to your favorite pool-defying sock pattern, and I'll put your name in a drawing for a prize. If you mention this contest on your blog (post a link in the comments), I'll add you to the pool a second time. For each participating person who says he or she heard about the contest from your blog, you'll get another chance to win.

Note that you can enter the contest simply by posting about the contest on your blog, you know in case you have no more clue than I do. ;)

Deadline for entries: July 31, 2007, 6:00PM EST (that's midnight my time).

There are only a few of rules:

1. Obviously there's no way to absolutely prevent the pool, but the pattern has to do a pretty good job of it. If possible, your links should include photos so I can verify. For patterns from books, see if you can find a photo in Flickr or Ravelry.
2. You cannot suggest Monkey Socks because its pool-blocking properties are well-known.
3. It's OK if you think the pattern combats the pool of a specific yarn, and it doesn't have to be Jitterbug.

4. Since submissions are anonymous, people can submit the same pattern.

The prize is a skein of 4ply superwash Wollmeise sock yarn and a small casual bag from Mono Amsterdam in your choice of fabric. Mono Amsterdam bags are sold in a teeny shop in the Jordaan, the hippest neighborhood in Amsterdam. The store is so small that they only accept cash. So this is a very exclusive bag, and you'll get the pleasure of knowing that I'm going to slink up to Amsterdam to get it just for you. I will also throw in some surprise Dutch goodies. I'll make it all good, I promise.

Head on over to the prize page for the prize pr0n.

Comments

[turtle]

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer07/PATTsweetpea.html

I sent this link to you as i could not get my personal pattern loaded. But it is so much like this one! Enjoy.

[Jodi]

I was thrilled with Randi's Waterloose sock pattern here:

http://lionessdesign.dk/Waterloose_socks_by_Randi%20Knudsen.pdf

Mine turned out beautifully (at least in my humble opinion) using Cider Moon's Glacier yarn, which is pretty thick stuff (DK) weight.

http://caffeinatedyarn.blogspot.com/2007/07/waterloose.html

I think you could very easily add stitches to this pattern to make it work quite well with fingering weight yarn.

[Carolyn]

I have two guesses...Jaywalker seems to do a nice job of pool-blocking. I've knit 2 pairs, and have had limited pooling in both. The other is Pomatomus. It seems to be fairly pool resistent, too. Maybe the trick is the increases and decreases? It sort of minimizes the effects of pooling, I think.

[Julie]

I've heard so much about this yarn that I shant miss a chance to win some! Please find a link to the contest here: http://stoneview.typepad.com/stoneview/2007/07/marvelous-mail.html
and also note that I came here via Peaknits http://peaknit.blogspot.com/ so drop her name in the hat again.

[debbi]

I came from stoneview.typepad.com. I just finished the twisted flower pattern from cookie A and I think that would work just great. http://www.cookiea.com/ check them out. I will also add you to my blog where you can see a pic of these done in my hand dyed yarn. http://adayinthelifeofdebbi.typepad.com

[nrrdgrrl]

thanks to arja i ended up linking your contest :) http://nrrdgrrl.nl/sok/archives/archive_2007-m07.php#e454
great plan! i'd love to read the winning entry as i hate pooling with a vengeance. my entry on it's way as we speak.

[Karen]

I think the Broadripple Sock pattern would be great for breaking up pooling. There use to be a link for it made with fingering weight yarn, but I cannot find it and there is only 15 minutes left. Argh!
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer03/PATTbroadripple.html
If I had my pictures ready for a post I would have linked to this but I don't, darn it.
Happy Knitting!