Are you a lover of nonwool yarns and want to discover some new alternative fibers? Perhaps you are allergic to wool, don't like how it feels against your skin or just don't wish to use anything that came from an animal? Or maybe you prefer knitting with cooler plant-fiber yarns for hotter weather? Do you want to meet other knitters who feel the same way?

Join the latest knit-along and secret pal event from Interweave Press: The No Sheep Secret Pal Skein Swap and knit-along event!

Registration is now closed. If you're participating in this event, please visit the blog www.nosheepkal.blogspot.com for updates. To stay informed about future secret pal events from Interweave Press, sign up for Knitting Daily at http://www.knittingdaily.com/default.asp.

Knitty.com editor Amy R. Singer's No Sheep For You: Knit Happy with Cotton, Silk, Linen, Hemp, Bamboo, and Other Delights will be published this March 2007 and we're celebrating in style with two virtual events for knitters across the globe! If you've felt left out of the party wool-loving knitters have been having for years, Amy's book will educate you and these events will connect you with other knitters looking to exchange ideas, pictures and inspiration for their nonwool creations.

Here's what's in store by participating in the No Sheep Secret Pal Skein Swap:

You'll receive two skeins of nonwool yarns-one in June and one in July 2007-from your anonymous upstream secret pal; in return, you are also required to mail two nonwool skeins in June and July to your assigned downstream pal.

What qualifies as a nonwool skein for this swap? Thankfully there are tons of options now in the wide world of fibers. You can send your partner a new skein of hemp, linen, cotton, silk, rayon, bamboo, corn, Lyocall, Modal, Seacell ®, soy fiber yarn, or skeins with any combinations of the above. As long as it is 100 percent nonwool, it qualifies. What a delicious idea for a summer swap!

Registration is now closed.

Timeline and Recap of Requirements Sign up online by May 1, 2007 and secret pal matches will be distributed to you by May 15 Registration is now closed, and you will receive your swap matches soon, if you've signed up. Exchange runs two months: June and July 2007 You must have a blog to sign up, or you can meet the blog requirement by participating in the No Sheep Knitalong at www.nosheepkal.blogspot.com (Why?) You must send two different skeins to your assigned secret pal: one in June and one in July 2007. Each skein must be accompanied by a handwritten note. Email a greeting to your “downstream” secret pal by May 25 - within ten days of when pal matches are distributed.

Buttons
Here are some buttons for your blogs. Please right-click and save them to your own computer, rather than linking to them directly from this website.

Who is this open to?
All Fiber Fans.

How are Pals assigned?
Pals are not assigned to each other. For example, Pal A is assigned to Pal B, who is assigned to Pal C, who in turn is assigned to Pal D. Pal A and Pal B are not assigned to each other, in which case it would not be anonymous! We will try to match you by your nonwool fiber family, age demographic and preferences, as indicated in your initial sign-up e-mail questionnaire (keep on reading).

Required letters and correspondence:
Please include with EACH mailed skein at least one card, letter, or postcard explaining why you selected that particular skein. Use this as an opportunity to try your hand at writing a yarn review or perhaps write a story about the skein's history in your life. If you've used that skein in a project or plan to use it in the future, perhaps you'll want to include a photo. Handspun skeins are welcome too-as long as they are nonwool. What fun it would be to surprise your pal with one you've spun; give the background on the process and dyes you used! Use your creativity to make this fun for your Pal! This exchange is about celebrating the wide, wonderful world of nonwool yarns!

Required Blog or Website:
Having a blog or website is required for participating in this program. Your secret pal will be given your blog or website address, so he/she can find out who you are. Your blog doesn't have to be a knitting blog, but it would be a place where your SP can learn more about you, and it's a place where you should thank your secret pal when your gifts come in. If you do not have a blog or website where you can publicly thank your Secret Pal, you should join the No Sheep knit-along at www.nosheepkal.blogspot.com and publicly thank your pal via that blog. You should definitely send a thank-you note from your anonymous e-mail address as a way of letting your Pal know the package arrived.

International Participation:
This One Skein Secret Pal Exchange event is based in the United States. If you are outside the U.S. (an "international" Pal), you are still welcome to participate, and we will do our best to match you to your preferences. If you would prefer to send to a pal who is either in the same country as you are OR on the same continent, please let us know when you sign up. Our ability to accommodate international participants will be based on the number of people who sign up-we'll do what we can! If we can't match you with someone in your country or on your continent, or with someone willing to send skeins overseas, we'll let you know and you can decide if you still wish to participate. Finally, if you are able or prefer to communicate in any language other than English, please let us know.

Anonymous E-mail Address:
It's required that you have an anonymous e-mail address so your Pal doesn't learn your identity until the final month of the exchange. You can use your current one if it doesn't give too much away (i.e., JaimeGuthals at gmail.com would be a bad choice), or you can set up one such as the free ones from Hotmail or Yahoo. Your Pal will use this address to contact you anonymously to find out more information about preferences. Be sure to check the account regularly; if you're setting up an address explicitly for this SP Exchange you might consider having that account's mail forwarded to your regular account so you don't miss anything.

Final Agreement
Registration is now closed.