"Think Outside the Sox"Contest Announced;TYF is a "Sox Hot Spot"for Skacel, Universal YarnSouth West Trading & Regia

Knitter's Magazine (XRX) and seven co-sponsors have officially announced the details to the "THINK OUTSIDE THE SOX" contest.

There will be a total of 26 categories and over $20,000 in prize money.

There is a First Place Grand Prize of $6,000, $1500 Second Prize and $500 Third Prize!

Plus, the THINK OUTSIDE THE SOX co-sponsors have devised categories to stimulate your creativity. Each category will be judged by the sponsoring company, and each winner will be awarded a $500 prize.

Tempe Yarn & Fiber will be a "Hot Sox Spot" where you can get the sock yarns for this contest from Skacel, Universal Yarn, South West Trading Company and Regia.

Tempe Yarn & Fiber is your best choice for sock yarns in the Southwest.

Here are some of the various categories that you can select from:

Skacel Collection has 4 categories that you can enter:

Step into the Future: Austermann's Step, a sock yarn fused with Aloe Vera and Jojoba Oil, was the first of its kind. We want you to come up with another first. Allow your imagination to run wild, and show us your socks of the future!

Teddy Bear Footwear: Nothing evokes a sense of love, comfort, and security quite like a teddy bear. Your challenge is simple...create a sock in Fortissima Socka Teddy that captures these feelings. Think house slippers/socks, children's socks, baby socks, and more.

It's good to get Hosed!: When we see a man in a kilt, we don't wonder "What is he wearing under it?", but what he's wearing WITH it. Make a pair of Kilt Hose that has us concentrating on his calves. The hose should fit a man's shoe size 9 to 12, and should pull up to 2 to 3 finger widths below the knee. Use any yarn from the Fortissima, Trekking, or Step families.

Socks to Dye For: This 2 step challenge uses the ready-to-dye sock yarns, Trekking Undyed or Trekking Pro Natura Undyed. First, dye your own colorway. And second, fashion a unique pair of socks from the newly dyed yarn. Or, knit/crochet your socks first and then dye them!

Universal Yarn's challege includes four exciting categories.

Knitting In Colors: Use at least two colors of Pace or Pace Step in any colorwork technique (Fair Isle knitting, Intarsia knitting, Armenian knitting, etc.) or a combination of techniques together with any stitch pattern.

Most Masculine: Use any Ditto color or combination of colors to make socks that are a direct response to the relationship between the structure of a man's foot and the environment around it.

Most Technical: Use any Fibra Natura Yummy color or combination of colors for a pair of technically innovative socks. We're looking for the most innovative cast-on, heel-shaping, and toe-shaping techniques and the most innovative stitch pattern to create a textured and/or lacy effect.

Most Avant-Garde: Your most avant-garde socks will stretch the boundaries of the idea of a sock. Use any Marathon Socks color or a combination of colors, but be sure to change the existing pattern the yarn creates.

South West Trading Company has two categories:

Unleash the Creativity: Forget how it should look - we want you to dream in technicolor, live wild, and break the rules! Design a sock using any technique, style, or idea in one color or many. Unleash YOUR creativity with Tofutsies sock yarn.

SOX Forever: Design a sock that excites us, motivates us, and makes us want to run for our needles! We want to see what you can do with our beloved sock yarn, Tofutsies. We'll pick our favorite, a sock that we just can't resist.

Regia has four opportunities for you to shine.

Twist and Shout: Show us what you can do with cables in a pair of socks made in any of the Regia 4-Ply yarns.

Get into the Groove: Show us your best textured socks made in any of the Regia 4-Ply yarns.

Toe Tappings: Show us your best socks pattern worked from the toe up made in any of the Regia 4-Ply yarns.

Best Foot Forward: Show us the socks that you would wear with clogs or sandals made in any of the Regia 6-Ply yarns.

Knitter's Magazine has some interesting contests for you to participate:

Inspired by Knitter's Magazine: Show us how Knitter's Magazine has inspired you. Make a pair of socks based on some project and/or technique you've seen in Knitter's Magazine.

From Sheep to SOX: Spin your favorite fiber into your own unique sock yarn and then turn that yarn into a pair of socks with a twist.

Best in the Universe: Members of KnitU, this one's for you only. We're looking for the most universal Outside the Sox socks - innovative, but also knittable/crochetable, understandable, and adaptable - a sock that will be the talk of KnitU.

Under 18: You are not yet 18, today's young knitter/crocheter who will be tomorrow's expert. Show us socks that make YOU want to wear them.

Xmas Sox: This is the only category where one sock is fine - no need to make a pair. You decide what would be the ideal stocking for Santa to fill.

Final, for the Pros: If you are paid to knit or crochet, teach knitting or crochet, design knit or crochet garments, or sell yarn, you are defined as a professional. This is the category you must enter. Since professionals are the idea people in our industry, this category is open-ended. We're looking for socks that build on your skills (techniques that have gone before) but also take the yarn world at least one step further into the 21st century.

DETAILS:

Here's the THINK OUTSIDE THE SOX contest entry form and the Rules with Questions & Answers .

Stop by Tempe Yarn & Fiber for inspiration, coaching and wonderful yarns from Skacel, Universal Yarn, SWTC and Regia.