Hey Hugo hold a sock

So – You know what would be fun?

(That’s Stephanie for “take cover”) I have been just obsessed with the picture that Tracy got, the one of Barack Obama holding a sock in progress – and yesterday, the look on Greg Kinnears face when Carol handed him her sock for a picture, reminded me that I’ve been planning this post for a while.

Take a minute and go look at Tracy’s picture. I’m not sure why this moved me so much, but I just can’t stop thinking about it. Perhaps its because I think that politics sometimes does more harm that good in the world,or perhaps it is that the image of a person out to promote their own purposes being asked to momentarily have to serve ours – frankly, just charming. Perhaps it is simply the juxtaposition of a candidate for Head of State holding a sock is just so wholesome, that I am amused to no end. Perhaps it is simply that there is a part of me that really enjoys seeing powerful people befuddled and confused by a handknit ….Whatever it is, In the spirit of what all of that means to me, I have a challenge that I hope you guys will take me up on.

Every time someone gets a World Leader, a Head of State, Royalty or a Candidate for any of those positions to hold a sock in progress….I will make a donation to MSF, and record it with KWB (I won’t send myself an email though, because I will know.) I am hoping that other knitters/people will want to make donations too… and that they will send me an email so I can keep the tally. I’d love to see a million dollars in the sidebar, but I think that might be an idea that’s made of crazy-dust.

Rules? You betcha.

1. No minor politicians. No Governors, no Mayors, no City Councillors. (The occasional exception will be made for other really cool people or celebrities. For example, I made a donation yesterday because Carol got the Greg Kinnear thing, and she (and Greg) are made of awesome in sixteen ways. Did you see Greg on Conan talking about how now he kinnears people? Crazy.)

2. The politicians and royalty of any country in the world are eligible.

3. No lawbreaking. There is no bail fund to get a knitter who snuck into Buckingham Palace out of the clink. Be careful and do not frighten, startle or alarm the powerful. Do not rush at them with pointy sticks, do not attempt to breach security in any way. Be aware that there are people in the world who would like to hurt these people, and that it is very important that you are not confused with those people…even for a moment.

4. Photographic proof must be provided.

5. The sock must be on the needles.

6. The sock must be offered to the powerful person in question by a knitter. (This means that if your cousin is an aid to Raul Castro, he can’t take the sock for you – unless he is a knitter, in which case I’m really looking forward to the photo.)

7. You can’t explain. All the knitter can say is something like “Excuse me…would you please hold this sock for a picture?” Do not reveal to the politician that it might have anything to do with charity. Some of these people are campaigning, and we are attempting to reveal their true sock feelings, not their feelings about winning. Besides, it’s funnier my way.

8. By “Candidates” I mean anyone officially in the running for the position of President, Prime Minister, Head of a National Party, Queen, King, Crown Prince or Princess, Emir, Emperor or Empress, Sultan, Pharaoh…. or stands to inherit such a title through a line of succession (like Prince Charles) is eligible for the sock stalking.

9. Multiple sock encounters are permissible, and yay, even desirable. If someone else (or 20 other people) all get Barack Obama to hold a sock, game on.

10. This rollicking game of “hold a sock” shall be played without political agenda. Should a knitter succeed in getting a powerful person to hold a sock, this action shall not be considered a political endorsement of the powerful persons candidacy….or a statement of the knitters position on the issues. This means that if I were to manage to get a sock to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, I should not be considered a conservative….just really good at this game.

Double points if:

1. A politician publicly says “Is it just me….or am I seeing a lot of socks?”

2. A politician actually knits on the sock.

3. A politician makes mention of the sock action in an interview.

This game is only intended to, for very brief moments in time, warp the purpose of the politicians actions for our own means. For the 5 seconds that they hold the sock…their actions serve our purposes, and that just can’t be bad. I can’t force all of the powerful people in the world to care about the things that I do…but if, while they are out in the world, convincing people of their positions and raising funds for their own purposes, they hold a sock for a minute, maybe all of the good, quiet, thoughtful intention present in knitting will transfer to them…just for a second, and maybe they will think about that, and while they do, we will have turned that 5 seconds into a tiny little fundraiser that suits our purposes. It’s almost poetic.

Anybody in?

As always, if any member of our team is caught or killed, The Blog will disavow all knowledge of their actions. This message will self-destruct in five seconds.

253 thoughts on “Hey Hugo hold a sock

  1. Oh, OOK! I’ve never made it this high in the comments before! Even though I have nothing to say {sigh}

  2. Oh my this sounds like so much fun!! But I don’t think I will find anybody local!!

  3. Tragically, Ralph Nader has already stopped at my school, and I’m in a non-battleground state, so I won’t be able to participate in this during this election cycle. But! I’m seriously contemplating at least one Washington internship in my career, so fear not, I shall stride the corridors of power fearlessly, sock in hand, in an attempt to get a qualifying picture.
    P.S. I assume that even if e.g. non-political celebrities & local politicians probably would not “count” in terms of the MSF donation, you would still want a link to the blog post?

  4. And the internship would be during my *educational* career. Although an actual career might involve working in Washington . . . you never know . . . Depending what goes down this fall, in 4 years I may very well be working on a presidential campaign in some capacity, even if it is the capacity of frsh-faced college grad trying & failing to work her way up the ladder of political success.

  5. This is SO Cool! I was thinking of something like this last night after reading your last post, but the charity aspect makes it beyond Cool. I just MAY have an opportunity to get several pics of famous folks with socks at the end of the month (if I can figure out how to sneak my SIP into a black-tie event without my hubby noticing).
    But two questions…….Do Congressmen and Senators count? You said no Mayors or Governors, but you didn’t mention Congressmen or Senators. And do Candidates for Governor get a yea or nay?
    Second……..How famous do the famous people have to be? Brangelina? Steven Spielberg, Ann and Nancy Wilson? Famous software types?
    This has the potential to make an otherwise boring event kind of fun for me! Thanks!

  6. I can’t seem to find a clip online, but Greg Kinnear was on Conan O’Brien last night and the whole first half of the interview was about the NYTimes mention of kinnearing, and he said the words “Yarn Harlot” on national (American, anyway) television. According to GK, you are the “Michael Jordan of knitting.”

  7. Now see, if I had Unlimited Funds I’d fly me to T’ronto and find YOU on account of,you may not be political but speaking from a purely knitterly direction, YOU’re *the* important person. But anyway this is a project equal to you and I will wait with great excitement to watch the development! (Now I think on it – I’ve never seen any mention of the Republican candidate for Vice President knitting – and she lives in Alaska!

  8. Now wouldn’t it be fun if all the knitters in Canada can get your Mr Harper to hold their socks? He won’t know what’s hit him!

  9. Ok, so now I totally have to keep a sock on my person at all times. Can we add rock stars or movie stars to the game at some point? I’m way more likely to get a rock star to hold my sock (I work in the music gear industry) than I am to get a political figure. Sigh.. I should have been a reporter. 😀

  10. Is it crazy of me to check your blog every ten minutes, knowing that you post around this time? Nah.
    Anyhoo, I may have to take up stalking the Higher Ups to see if I can get them to take a picture with my as yet unborn sock. I know that John Baird goes to my Loblaws… Does he count?

  11. I am so in love with this idea! For the first time, I’m happy to live in a battleground state (pennsylvania) near the city they seem to visit most often (philly) I am *so* going to drag my boys and a sock-in-progress to every single rally in the next 30 days, and get pictures with all of them!

  12. I’m in … and I have secondary access (that means I usually avoid that political nonsense like a bad case of bubonic plague.) I may have to explain it to my boss – after the fact, of course.

  13. Wow, just read this entry and the one before about Carol and Greg Kinnear. Do you realize what you have started here? From now on, to be considered famous you will have to have had someone take your picture with a half finished sock!! Knitters will indeed, run the world someday.

  14. Leave it to the Harlot to some up with the most amazing ideas. Is it any coincidence that you’ll be in the Bay Area the same time as one of our VP candidates? Even though you’ll be in Petaluma (the chicken capital of the world) and she’ll be in Millbrae, I’m betting the two of you will be at SFO around the same time – although I’m sure she does not fly commercial!
    Kudos for you for turning this scathingly brilliant idea into an opportunity to raise even more money for charity.

  15. Oh, thanks to Sarah for mentioning Jack Layton! I might just be able to do that, but Prince Charles is likely out of my reach. And I didn’t think you would count Olivia Chow, right?

  16. So… “a million in the sidebar”. Could that be considered a challenge? Wasn’t it last year that you wanted to “double” the then-current total and did that within 6 days or something? So, why not a million by Christmas? Or year’s end? Just a thought…

  17. So my fencing teammate volunteers at Gov. Schwarzenegger’s office. She also knits. Perhaps I should ask her to try this one. XD

  18. That is the funniest thing I have heard in a while, I laughed out loud! Love it! If only I could come across someone of political importance!
    Good job of coming up with something fun!

  19. Gotta do my part.
    I’ll match you’re donation cuz of my Obama sock picture, and I’ll donate for any other Obama picture as well. Just tell me where, when and how much!

  20. So, Stephen Colbert is coming to my school next week… Does it count if I get a sock picture with him? He *did* sort of run for Presidential candidacy….
    Oh, also? Thanks, Harlot. I just lost the game. 🙁

  21. Haha! SCA royalty… I bet she’d love the picture of the royal group, all with half done socks though!
    You should do it anyway. 😉

  22. You would have to start this AFTER our big Presidential debate at Ole Miss. My big chance, too late. Oh well.

  23. What a hoot!!!!!
    I hope someone else gets Obama with a sock!!!! I won’t see him, I’m in a solidly democratic state (we haven’t voted otherwise in decades…Massachusetts!).
    Prince William with a sock…that would be fun. My DDs would go nuts.

  24. I’m in – even though my chances of finding a candidate are kind of hopeless. On the Palin issue – If you’re governor of a state where a major newspaper has a regular dedicated knitting column (the Alaskan Daily News – it’s online also) wouldn’t it be a requirement that you knit?

  25. This is just one of many times that I really hate living in the butt crack of nowhere. Even the politicos couldn’t be paid to show up near here.
    Although Jimmy Hoffa used to own an island on one of our lakes.

  26. This is a great idea. Not sure if I would be able to find anyone. I sleep during the day. My DH works at SFO and he usually sees important people. Sometimes from a distance.

  27. The husband is going to the United Arab Emirates in a couple of weeks and is likely to meet someone who fits the rules. Now I need to crash course sock knitting so I can teach him before he goes….

  28. Please oh please nobody get arrested. But if you you do, just remember the immortal words of Arlo Guthtie: “And friends, somewhere in Washington enshrined in some little folder, is a study in black and white of my fingerprints.”
    Do you remember what happens next?
    “if you’re in a situation like that there’s only one thing you can do and that’s walk into the shrink wherever you are, just walk in say “Shrink, You can get anything you want, at the Yarn Harlot Blog.”. And walk out. You know, if one person, just one person does it they may think she’s really sick and they won’t take her. And if two people, two people do it, in harmony, they may think you’re both crazy and they won’t take either of you. And if three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in askin’ you to hold a sock and walking out. They may think it’s an organization. And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day, I said fifty people a day walking in askin’ you to hold a sock and walking out. And friends they may think it’s a movement.”
    And that’s what it is , the KSF sock photo Movement, and all you got to do to join is sing it the next time it come’s around on the guitar.
    Let the mayhem commence. Please no one get hurt.

  29. See, now a truly evangelical knitter would have had Obama learning how to knit the next row. Aw, but great picture anyhow, and I envy her for the opportunity.
    Now if he’ll only swing through our state one more time… and I can arm myself with a sock in progress…

  30. You are so going to drag me, kicking and screaming, into the world of sock knitting. I am not a sock knitter. Tiny sticks, skinny yarn? No, no, no, maybe, um, ok. Or maybe I’ll just have to have sport weight socks in my bag…
    Cool!

  31. Really fun idea, and great links in the comments too. Paris, thanks for Drop It Like A Sock. I’d love to see Obama and McCain in Dancing with the Candidates. Or, has SNL already covered that material? Anyhow, I’ll keep my “annual” sock handy, just in case…

  32. OK, first off, I am peeing my pants right now.
    Secondly, I want whatever you’re on. How do you come up with these things?
    PS. I’m so in.

  33. Wouldn’t it be cool to know how many votes he’ll get from knitters because he was cool enough to humor the crazy lady with the sock?

  34. Awe man! All the party leaders aren’t campaigning in my city in the near future, let alone BC – we’re soooooo ignored out here. Booooo! I just need to find a celebrity now. 🙂

  35. I am going for it! I live in a small ski town, so it might not be fore some time until all of the hollywood people start heading our way for some pow-pow, but I will be ready at all times from now on!

  36. When I read your blog yesterday, I laughed so hard I almost fell out of my chair. It was just great! Today’s post proves it…. we are getting closer and closer to “When Knitters take over the world…” I think you are in the front car of this roller coaster! 🙂

  37. Would you take a picture of a sock with the American Idol winner? 😀 (You have NO idea how many people said “Oooh! A Harlot sock!” to me after I took that picture….!)

  38. I’m going to Ottawa tomorrow for two days – and I’m staying right by Parliament Hill. What are the chances ANYONE will be there or will they all be out kissing babies in the middle of nowhere?

  39. I can already see the national news…
    “At the most recent World Peace Conference, all countries agreed to lay down their arms for good thanks to the efforts of a mob of knitters who convinced the leaders to pose for a group picture while holding half-completed socks, still on the needles. They finally understood that if they could come together for such an effort, all else paled in comparison.”
    AWESOME idea! I love it! 😀

  40. So, can I “accidentally” stab Stephen Harper with really (REALLY!) sharp needles when I ask him? Huh? Can I? Please??

  41. Oh Stephanie, why didn’t you hold this contest back in January, when presidential hopefuls flocked to my tiny little state in hopes of a disproportionate push in the polls thanks to our early primary?
    I could’ve easily tried for both Kucinich and McCain! (And wouldn’t that have been a funny combo.)
    Alas, with only 4 votes in the electoral college, NH is now pretty much devoid of big politicians. But I look forward to seeing who the other knitters can snag.
    (I’m guessing that a photo of McCain’s bald spot from the window of a room next to the room where I knit every weekday during lunch doesn’t come close to counting. heh.)

  42. Done and done.
    I have posted on my blog (if I’ve done this right the post link is attached to my comment signature) a photograph of my party’s (and party is definitely the operative word) presidential candidate holding my current sock-in-progress.

  43. Dear Steph: I’m getting in line with the exceptions. How about a picture with Gavin Newsom, mayor of San Francisco? Even though he is a mayor, he was the first to bring gay marriage into the legal forefront. He’s coming to the dedication of a building my company is constructing and I can get a photo of him. Now I have to get a sock started!

  44. Count me in-I have been meaning to donate again but have delegated the thought to my alsheimer brain section.
    My daughter flies with the President(and the next)on the Presidential Helicopter-maybe she can send some sort of picture. If that’s allowed by the Gov’t.

  45. Tell you what. I can’t get within arms reach of Dion or Harper but October Fest starts next weekend here and I will go out of my way to get Burton Cummings and/or Tom Cochrane to hold a sock. I hope they count! (at least to us Canadian gals!) Besides, I’d hand my sock to the Guess Who over Harper any day :p

  46. Umm… the message didn’t self-destruct, and it’s totally been more than five seconds. Does this mean you’ll have to post bail if I get caught?

  47. Being cited by the NY Times for inventing a new word would be almost as cool as being a clue in their crossword puzzle. It’s worth it to search for the Kinnear-Conan interview: go to NBC.com, then Late Night with Conan O’Brien and then click on “full episode” Friday, October 3. You have to wade through a few segments (and commercials), but then he’s on and they really do spend alot of time talking about the new verb “kinnearing” and its brilliant inventor. He thinks you’re a wonderful woman!!!! BTW, while I don’t knit socks, I will l live vicariously through other brave individuals’ politically sockish photo shoots.

  48. Oh Stephanie, you truly are the Michael Jordan of Knitting! I can’t wait to see the pictures come rolling in.

  49. You are so right on the money, Stephanie…Obama holding the sock is charming. It gives me the warm fuzzies inside. (I’m completely serious; no trace of sarcasm here.)
    Can you honestly see Stephen Harper holding a sock? If someone gets him, I’ll throw an extra donation in there.
    One question: do socks on circulars count? (No offence intended!)

  50. Darn on the not being able to get someone else to get the photo for you, I’m not sure who’s going to come through Thunder Bay anytime soon. I could have just sent Mike Layton a sock in progress and got him to get a pic of his day with it. Yay, NDP! (Sorry couldn’t help it.)

  51. Dag Nabbit Yarn Harlot, you’ve done me in. See, I swore i’d never knit a sock again. Not one. Not a teeny tiny eeensy weensy little sock for a tree ornament, not socks for the love of my life, no more socks, ever. No baby socks, no cashmere socks, no knit a long socks. But now? I have to go at least start a pair of socks. And keep them in a little baggie at all times. On my person. See, chances are now that i’ve sworn off socks, i’ll meet my first really incredibly powerful person. And I’ll shoot myself if I don’t have a sock on the needles. Since I am anti shooting myself, well, Garr! I have to go buy some sock yarn now…

  52. Sigh. This is the only time I’ll ever say this: I wish the race for NY votes in the presidential election was tight enough to bring Obama to our town.
    But thankfully! NYS is pretty much sewn up for him. Maybe if Hillary is out and about doing her job as senator… 🙂

  53. I think it’s worth repeating… maybe as the next subtitle of a Harlot book… “The Michael Jordan of Knitting”…
    🙂

  54. I don’t know who I might find, but I’m totally in on the game.
    BUT I have a QUESTION: When will you update the KWB totals for those of us who have contributed since they were last recovered? That number hasn’t changed in a long, long time… and I know you are (and have been) really busy. I just think we are farther along than it seems. Thank you, Harlot, for adding such fun to our passion!

  55. Do former candidates count? (Good access to Ross Perot here in Dallas!) What about the daughters of former Presidents? (I think that Lucy Byrd and Linda Byrd both live in Austin, somewhere…..)
    (grins sheepishly and stalks off after T. Boone Pickens and Ron Paul)

  56. Absolutely true that you are the Michael Jordan of knitting!!!! Greg Kinnear is right on.
    Although I am not Canadian, the best I could ever do taking a picture of a living president, etc. would be to Kinnear them. I don’t see anything in the rules that says it must be a living, breathing person. I bet you get pictures of socks with Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial.
    Oh, and by the way, here in the states we have a current candidate for high public office who is using the phrase “you betcha!” a lot and the phrase has just been spoiled for me. I’ hoping for all our sakes that soon we won’t have to hear it from anyone other than you!

  57. Does it have to be my sock? I don’t have any in progress right now, but I know where my fiance keeps the one he’s working on (its on hiatus while we knit an afghan for my roommate). I’m going to go Telegdi hunting! (Yes, he’s “only” an MP, but he gets people voting Grit across party lines, and anyone who steals the Tory vote is worth sending you a picture, whether or not you donate because of it.)
    And he’s most definitely NOT *my* Mr Harper.

  58. Do you have any clue how stupid this makes me feel? I have photos of myself with Barack Obama and John Edwards, sans sock. It’s not as if I showed up to the events without a sock to work on, I just completely blanked b/c I was so excited to get photos with them.

  59. Whee! It just happens that I started knitting my very first sock last week. AND we live in a battleground state. My husband and his friend were planning to go see Joe Biden when he’s in town tomorrow. I wasn’t going to go, but now I have a good reason to join them. I’ll bring the kissable, cute kidlet (stereotypical politician magnet), and clue in the hubby in case Joe is game….

  60. So does do US Senators count? Cuz I could get two photos, easily, and one of them WAS a candidate for president in this cycle, but he’s no longer in the race. So is that good enough??

  61. what about if you’ve got a mitten or a hat?
    I love this idea. Is this about shaking up the world or what? will you be posting any and all photos?

  62. What if it was a mayor who was nationally famous, like everyone’s favourite criminal turned mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick?
    This sounds so awesome!

  63. What was that rubbish about artists? Stephen Harper, knit yout heart out. This is the best (not really so) political fundraiser I’ve ever heard of.
    The last presidential debate is in my area. I wonder…

  64. You know… a year ago (with me living in Iowa and all) this would have been CAKE for me. Now the bigwigs aren’t as attentive to my little state, but I’ll see what I can do…
    But now I need to knit a sock… 🙂

  65. Damn, I should have read blogs before going out to the rally today! I was sitting directly behind former Vice President Mondale, and have a picture with him. And former Vice President Al Gore was there.

  66. I have no idea who I’d get, but I am so in! This means I will have to learn how to knit socks though…
    Do famous authors/artists count? They’re probably the only ones I have a prayer of running into.

  67. Steph, I was trying to find out about Kinnear talking on Conan about kinnearing folks and I tripped on this blog, Conan Island (http://conanisland.blogspot.com/) in which this person wrote this:
    Guest Greg Kinnear talked about having a word named after him. The verb “to kinnear” was coined by the New York Times.
    Um…I think the NYTimes stole that from you! You should sue for royalties. People used to read papers back in the day…they may still have money hidden away somewhere!
    As for sock pictures, Dolores is running on the Fibertarian party (FIBERTARIANS UNITE!) Does it count if she’s holding my sock!?!

  68. So – You know what would be fun?
    (That’s Stephanie for “take cover”)
    Truer words have never been spoken.

  69. What about those of us that do no knot socks? Can they hold our lace knitting? or any other WIP?
    Great idea, tho — and a great read!

  70. Someone please get a picture of actor Hugh Laurie (“House,” “Jeeves,” etc.) holding a sock. I know he loves to do crosswords and sudoku puzzles so it is not a far stretch to have him holding knitting. He loves to do funny things. The picture would be adorable. When you get it, please let someone know where it is posted so I can see it. Thanks!!!

  71. Alright, alright…..rumor has it Sarah Palin is coming to my town next weekend….I wasn’t going to attend because I’m, ummm, not a big fan of the ticket shall we say; but this gives me great incentive to go and suffer through a rally for a good cause. Game On!!

  72. HAHAHA… I just read the Kinnear post a couple of hours ago and didn’t think it could get better. I should have known.

  73. Bruce Springsteen is going to be in Michigan to campaign for Obama. He’s not a politician, but if I can get him to hold a sock I’ll send it in anyway…just because it would be cool.

  74. I am sure our political and world leaders have more important things to do than have their picture taken with a sock. This does nothing but make a mockery of women.
    Imagine, grown women running with camera and sock after world leaders and heads of state. What a truly absurd idea!
    And, you wonder why men think women are subordinate, emotionally volatile, and generally a lesser being. In this case, they would be right!!!!

  75. I so wish I could see the Conan interview, but unfortunately everywhere I try it says that it can’t play this clip in “my region”. Sometimes Australia can feel like it’s a very, very long way away from the rest of the world. 🙁
    I’ll keep my eye out for sock photo opportunities (would they be “sock ops”?), but in rural Australia we don’t get many celebs visiting!!!!

  76. anita
    the episode is due to be played on the comeday channel on Monday night 11.24pm sydney time, if you have access to foxtel. or maybe you will be able to download the nbc link once it has aired here.

  77. “Imagine, grown women running with camera and sock after world leaders and heads of state. What a truly absurd idea! ”
    PRECISELY

  78. Saw and heard you today in Santa Rosa. You were awesome! Thanks for sharing yourself with the North America knitting community, Stephanie. The world is a better place having you be an active part of it. Loved to hear you read the passage from your book. I came home and read it to my husband. Men suffer from low self esteem, too. They just cope with it a bit differently from how we women do.

  79. Count me in n this – with all the Oilsands bashing , we should have a few candidates thru our fine city (Fort McMurray, or as some people slur “Fort McMoney) before our election is over. That is, if they (the candidates) have the nerve to actually walk on our soil rather than cowardly fly over….

  80. Would Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago count? (Probably not, but he’s my most likely target. WE think he’s important.)
    I will come through with a MSF donation (okay, a small one, but y’know) for all pictures. Starting with $10 for the pic with Obama. Let’s do this monthly, shall we?
    PS Steph send yourself an email anyway… you will forget to update with your mite otherwise, as the pics start rolling in. I’m so excited to see who will show up.

  81. Ah sweet Mary Malone! It would have been so easy to get at least one big politico to do this a few months ago when they were all busy flogging the area for votes, but not so much any more. And no enlisting help? Dayum. That would have so worked for a celebrity or two. Short of getting my enlistee to knit (bribing her with a few handknits for her kid might work) I think we may be up a creek. Especially since I never managed to teach her in high school. Sigh. I’ll keep my sock and cell phone handy, though!
    I think we may have to define celebrity though. I think Bono obviously counts, but how far down the billboard list do we have to go? I mean the bass player for Good Charlotte? Not so much. (I don’t get dis the Good Charlotte – but I figure if you can’t id them in the aisle of the grocery, they probably don’t count.)

  82. I was thinking of going to a taping of the Oprah show before the end of the year. If I can score a sock pic with Oprah in it that would be amazing!
    I also might be seeing Comedian Jeff Dunham this month. Does he count?

  83. Fantastically brilliant! You may have the American candidates realizing that they now have a whole new demographic group to court! Forget soccer moms (I am one, so I can say that), knitters rule!

  84. You say: “Rules? You betcha.” I think you are picking up Sarah Palin’s style of speech!

  85. I have a picture of you holding my sock (from your lecture last May, in SLC). Since you’re a totally cool, internationally famous person, does that count?

  86. I. love. it. Game on!
    PS – Just finished reading the Kinnear post, and I just can’t stop laughing over Greg Kinnear Kinnearing himself. Fan-freaking-tasic!

  87. I don’t think this is a mockery of women. Traditionally, women have been the ones who make sure their family has warm clothing. Socks seem pretty basic to me–and women must have an interest in politics if they are at rallies.
    Our slogan should be “Go forth and knit for peace”

  88. I saw the Kennear interview..what a riot! You’re so cool…such a great idea! Since I am a shy little thing and never around royalty or important people..I can only wait (with bated breath) to see everyone else’s pictures…
    Good luck everyone!:))
    Knit on!

  89. If SCA royalty counts… My niece is Queen of the East, and a knitter. But I bet she’s already working on it!

  90. Sparky, given that at this time politicians and heads of state in both Canada and the US do not appear to have anything better to do than run around having their pictures taken wherever and with whomever they possibly can, if one of those pictures is with a sock to generate donations for MSF it’ll be for one hell of a better reason than the others.
    Is it an absurd idea? Absolutely. Crazy fun. Can’t wait to see what people come up with.
    As for your assertion that men think women are subordinate and lesser beings, well. I’m honestly not sure whether I’m more offended on behalf of all of the very decent men I know who obviously and clearly don’t think anything of the sort, or for Stephanie and myself and every other woman reading this post whom you have just insulted. Mostly though, I’m really very sad for you if this is what your experience has caused you to believe.

  91. Sigh,,, if only I had my knitting, sock or otherwise, when I ran into Ron Jeremy. Then again, he might not have been holding said knitting with his hands.

  92. What is MSF? I did a search and got so many hits I couldn’t find the one ‘splainin’ it. Merci.

  93. I really wanted to, but the security guards wouldn’t let me in to the rally with my needles. 🙁

  94. HALP! I’m also getting the “not available in your region” message from the NBC website. Is there any way somebody with access could put it on You Tube? This is too great not to see!

  95. I’m out! I’m a wild-eyed novelist–the S.S. probably has targets of people JUST LIKE ME in their shooting range, I’d be toast for sure!

  96. I just watched the Conan clip and it was totally awesome! They managed to talk about the Yarn Harlot without demeaning knitting or women who do it.
    I was at your Santa Rosa appearance today and you said something along the lines of how you feel for your kids because as an adult you totally know you’re not cool and never will be, but the kids still have hope.
    Well, guess what? You ARE cool, and this just proves it. How many “cool kids” from your high school days have been mentioned on the Conan Obrien Show, by Greg Kinnear, no less?!
    ;o)

  97. Love it! Count me in for a little donation when you get pictures. What a complete laugh. Someone PLEASE get George Bush before the week is out!!! What do you bet the celebs will be desperate to be photographed with a sock when this gets out. Can’t wait for that. Beware publicity shots!

  98. Definetely game!!! This will make me take my sock-in-progess with me everywhere… oh, wait… I already do that 😉
    Besides, I’ve already eaten dinner alongside crown prince Frederik (Denmark), so I might get lucky again! (though I would have to summon up a great deal of courage… but for a case like this? SURE!) 😉
    GAME ON!

  99. Two questions, is there a time limit, and does Prince Phillip count? He isn’t Head of State and nor will he ever be, but he is married to one. He’ll be around at work in late June. Oh, 3rd question, how far down the line of succession can we go? Charles and Edward are both alumni and we have 800th anniversary celebrations coming up.

  100. I now have a mental image of Obama, after being asked to hold a sock for the 100th time, finally flipping and being like, “WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH ALL THE SOCKS??”
    XD
    Seriously, though, this is a very, very neat idea.

  101. This should be easy for us Canadians, I mean if someone can “give” the Prime Minister a pie, how hard will it be to get him to hold a sock?

  102. Me too, I’m SO in! Problem is, we live in Massachusetts which is so solidly blue that presidential candidates of either stripe seldom campaign here. If, God forbid, McCain/Palin win, we’re planning to migrate to Canada – can you sponsor us? (Not really joking.)

  103. Mr. Obama was smart to hold that sock, it may get him the knitters vote! I wish I would have seen this earlier, I went to a military museum gala & there were tons of men in fancy military uniforms. I don’t know if any of them would have counted, but it would have been a great picture!

  104. I love it. Guess I had better learn to knit socks and then get out to places that any of the people you listed might hang out. I too have little use for politics so if we can repeatedly get these people swayed toward the public good it will be a good thing.

  105. I love it…in all it’s parts and layers of goodness. Makes me want to send handknitted socks to Obama and his family…well, want to may be as far as I get. I’m working on Christmas knitting and sure I will not be close to finished in time. I did email my support to him in connection to his holding the knitting. And I will vote for him. Thanks for another in a long line of great ideas!

  106. Hey, politics from the other side of the pond just got interesting! This could be such fun. Am ready with socks and camera! Trouble is, would any of you recognise our Prime Minister?!

  107. If it doesn’t have to be a sock, I might get another knit item into Obama’s hands as he’ll be in my area next week.
    This newish knitter is going to have to learn how to knit socks soon!

  108. Hey people,I like to knit-not mix my politics with it. Oh, and why bar Governors? I’m voting for the
    next President of the US-John McCain and his very
    capable and honest VP Sarah Palin. And I live in NY!

  109. If the politician says yes and stands still for the photo, can you explain after the photo is taken? They’ve already proven that they are willing to stand with the sock on needles.

  110. I saw Kinnear on the Today show and he did give credit to the Harlot, while pointing out the story about Kinnearing was in the Times. Truly cool – Kinnearing is official and fibrous!
    Count me in on the fundraising. How do you want us to notify you of our pledge? Should we go on KWB and pledge $10, $20, $500 per photo?

  111. I had an opportunity last night and I blew it! We went to see the Mythbusters live here in Seattle. Great show! They took questions from the audience, it would have been perfect. The flaw was that I had no camera and no knitting. I knew the theater would be crowded and didn’t take my bag. 🙁 How awesome would it be to see Adam and Jamie holding a sock?!

  112. This has to be one of the best politically- connected ideas I’ve heard in well, forever. I only regret that I am a new knitter and had no sock when I was able to have my picture taken with Barack Obama several years ago. *sniffles* But I will be ready next time (knits feverishly)…

  113. Does the word pandemonium mean anything to you? Brilliant! Let the revolution begin 🙂

  114. This will be tons of fun. Do managers of teams like the Angels or actors count? Can you change the rules to count governors? What about the Governator Arnold Shwarznegger, who is famous outside his politics? (Not that I’ll ever get close enough, but I thought I’d ask.)

  115. Lots of knitters in Nashville, TN should get their socks ready for next week’s debate. Here’s hoping someone is successful!

  116. sometimes timing is everything! if i had of known about this on the 3rd, i might have been able to manage dion and harper in one day yesterday in moncton… is there an end date on this? i *do* have pics of my mayor and a provincial mla (former cabinet minister, current candidate for mp) holding a sock in progress (and why yes – they were both befuddled by the request), but clearly i’m going to have to step this up a notch for some real points.

  117. How can you say that this isn’t political? It is! It’s (insert title) for knitters.

  118. Okay, how do you think the Secret Service, CIA, (or equivalent offices in other governments) are going to handle all the new files they have to make on people? I wonder, if enough people join in, if we could get national media?
    bwah ha ha ha ha!

  119. Would a previous candidate for President be acceptable? I’ve actually got two in this state, but only one is potentially available. (I suspect that storming the Kennedy compound would rank up there with invading Buckingham Palace).
    And would other famous people do? Or important people (which is not the same thing as famous). The company I work for has a Nobel Prize Laureate working for them in another office. I might be able to set something up.

  120. We can change the world–and I mean that, and I know you do too. Does it count if you’re related to the politician so have an extra chance at getting close without alarming anyone? I wouldn’t tell him till afterwards what I was doing. His sister is a knitter, I think he’d get it.

  121. Obama just went up a bunch of points, in my opinion. He looks like he could actually be a fairly nice person.
    It has been quite a while since there has been a nice President in the White House.

  122. Dude, Greg Kinnear and Conan O’Brien were talking about you! How strange is that? The power of knitters hits the main stream press. About something other than knitting. weird.
    I’m glad Greg described you as the rock star of knitters because now some of my muggle friends who didn’t understand why I would be so excited about going to sock camp and taking sock classes from you and Cat can see actual confirmation of what I was trying to tell them.

  123. Here is to Sparky’s comment: How can you call women “subordinate, emotionally volatile and generally a lesser being” when the majority of the $434,439.41 raised for Doctor’s Without Borders probably came from knitterly women. As we look at the mess we have in our countries around the world I don’t see too many women in leadership roles. Thank God men have their emotions in check or where would we be (wink-wink). As they say “Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History” So, here’s to you Stephanie and all of us out here who will be flinging our socks in the far-reaches of star-studded boulevards, political circles and campaign speech venues. Go out and make some HERSTORY girls!!! Barb

  124. Thank you. Marvelous. I will donate something to MSF for each picture, too. $10 US per picture, for the first 100 pictures. Probably a smaller amount per picture after that. (I’m afraid of the open offer, given your ability to mobilize).

  125. Congrats to Yarn Harlot for being specifically mentioned by Kinnear on Late Night With Conan O’Brien. Kinnear seemed genuinely bemused by the popularity of a woman who knits, but he also was tickled to have a word named after him.
    I love the picture of him holding the sock…
    Thanks for all the laughs.

  126. Dolores, presidential candidate of the Fibertarian Party will be in my area shortly doing a quick sweep of our bedroom community (it as the only way I could convince her to stop here) in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, and then off to a rally in VT (I offered taxi service to a bikers rally there).
    I say it counts and I’ll donate as soon as I get her to stand still (or upright) long enough.
    I have the perfect tulip heel sock for her to hold… (note to self: knit FAST)
    ~kali

  127. OK, Obama rocks!
    And we wonder that people don’t take knitters seriously. Oh right, knitting is not to be taken seriously.

  128. If I may quote – MY MODIFICATIONS (original lyrics):
    “You know, if one person, just one person does it they may think he’s really sick and they won’t take him. And if two people, two people do it, (in harmony), they may think they’re both PART OF A SECRET SOCIETY (faggots) and they won’t take either of them. And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in ASKING SOMEONE TO HOLD SOCKS (singin a bar of Alice’s Restaurant and walking out). They may think it’s anorganization. And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day,I said fifty people a day walking in ASKING SOMEONE TO HOLD A SOCK (singin a bar of Alice’s Restaurant) and
    walking out. And friends they may thinks it’s a movement…
    Great idea. Fibertarians unite!!

  129. I’ve never been around any of these sorts…
    But, I’m putting a sock in my purse and keeping my cellphone/camera batteries charged just in case! And my wallet will be open for donations when other suceed! Best of luck everyone, go out and Sock’em for me!

  130. Oh, DANG IT. I interviewed Jamie and Adam of Mythbusters yesterday. They TOTALLY would have gone for it. DANG IT.

  131. 1.Game On.
    2.Have just commented on Conan’s blog about the necessity of somehow posting the Kinnear episode so that non-Americans can see it or he may be in peril of being flooded with single socks or pointy needles a la the BMFA bank fiasco!
    3.”Hear, hear” to Rachel H’s reply to dear old Sparky’s comment!
    4.Sock knitters, start your engines!!!!!
    Cheers, Barbie O.

  132. All in. You’re on. I’ll have to go scouting around and see if anyone note worthy will be in my area soon.
    Let’s hear it from Team Wichita!!! (anyone? hello?)

  133. Since the likelihood of another candidate appearing in my backwater only slightly surpasses the likelihood of my having a functional camera with me at any time, I’ll have to join on the opposite side, to wit:
    1) 50 bucks if anyone gets John McCain with a sock, double if it’s pink;
    2) 50 bucks for Prince Charles OR Queen Elisabeth;
    3) 100 bucks for Cindy McCain, Michelle Obama, or Todd Palin (zero bucks for Jill Biden; her mum just died, and we shouldn’t be pestering her);
    4) 200 bucks for Tiger Woods.

  134. I’m in…but no one comes to the northern wilderness of Michigan(esp. McCain).
    One question though: will you share a compilation of these photos so all of us can see them?
    Eagerly throwing uncompleted socks into purse…

  135. I’ve wussed out of three sock photo opportunities in the past week (random Stormtroopers outside a club, Kevin Whately and Laurence Fox filming in Broad Street, and chef Raymond Blanc on a street corner) but I’ll start seizing them from now on so as to get my nerve in training for when I come face to face with Dave Cameron – the guy’s my MP, it’s got to happen sooner or later.

  136. I couldn’t get in to the previous post’s comments. Just wanted to say that that photo of Greg Kinnear holding the sock left me just plain speechless! Then, gales of laughter, but the immediate reaction was amazing. A combination of disbelief and total amusement. Wonderful! Thanks, as always, for sharing…

  137. I’m totally in! Do vice-presidential candidates count? Winning the office would put them, as is pointed out ad nauseam, one heartbeat from the presidency.
    The chances of my actually being able to pull this off are slim and none, because I live in Massachusetts, where Obama is currently ahead in the polls by about 25 points, which means neither candidate will waste any of his precious and ever-dwindling time here. MA is next to New Hampshire, where things are more interesting, but NH too is beginning to look bluish.
    Desperately trying to think: whom do I know who is intimate with a head of state (or potential successor thereto) and whom I could teach to knit?

  138. MSF is Medecins Sans Frontieres (sp?) AKA Doctors without Borders. Now I have to go start a sock just in case I run into a celeb. This is wonderful! I just watched the Conan/Kinnear episode – very funny and great mention of the Yarn Harlot.

  139. Congrats on your coinage of “kinnearing”.
    I think you should also be given credit for the term “Harlot Effect”; the spike in web traffic or increased sales on sites (or of various products) that get mentioned in your blog.
    That sort of viral marketing is considered to be like gold to those in the marketing profession. I have no doubt that your example will someday be taught in the best business schools.

  140. Sparky, I prefer sock holding to all of the negative campaigning. I see a sock holding break as only a good thing, certainly worthy of a little time and nothing negative for women there at all; there are some awesome socks knit by men too. Maybe there can be a transfer of the creativity, love and perseverance that lives in every sock in progress.
    Sock holding could turn out to be a pause that restores sanity. One can hope.

  141. I don’t expect to see anyone famous from my little prairillion home in North Texas. So I will throw in a few bucks.
    $50 for the QE2 – $25 for Charlie
    $50 for Prince Willy or Harry
    $25 for any in the Presidential, Prime Minister or V.P. race
    Maybe the folks at Ravelry could help keep track?

  142. Stephanie:
    Is MSF the Multiple Schlerosis Foundation??? I’m sitting here at the MS Society in BC doing some volunteer work and hoping that you direct funds to the cause.
    Thanks

  143. Darn, if only I could persuade my husband to become a sock knitter (or any kind of knitter, for that matter)! He works at a military hospital where *everybody* comes to visit, heads of state and assorted celebrities from all around the world. But I’m not sure he’d like me becoming his faithful shadow all day long just so I could get sock pictures. 🙂

  144. Awww, does it HAVE to be a sock? I don’t do socks.
    And, off topic: I got Free Range Knitter today! I am exercising extreme will power and have not cracked it open yet as I am still at work. I have it hidden in my bag so it cannot tempt me until I get home. I can’t wait!

  145. Stephanie, I’m a teacher, a grad student, a mother of three, and when I have time, a knitter. Life has sucked a little lately, and at 40, I find myself going at a pace that I culdn’t manage in my 20s. I just wanted you to know, that you and your blog help lift my spirits every day. After a seriously nutty day of wrangling 15 year olds (love ’em…really), dealing with the stupid laws on education in this country, and facing a whole evening of bathing and feeding children, and studying for my MA in education, I take 5 minutes to hang out with you. You make me smile on days when I don’t have much to smile about, and I really appreciate that. THANKS. Suann

  146. I can’t believe that I had my sock with me and didn’t hand it to the Prince of Monaco when I had the chance. Oh, the barren regrets of hindsight.

  147. Just one day. That’s all I want. Just one day of living inside your head and seeing what actually goes on in there.
    ::wanders off, shaking head, and scanning horizon for errant politicians who fit the rules::

  148. I can’t believe this. I’m spending a week in Washington, DC. But I’m at a conference … in the Ronald Reagan building. What are the chances I’ll run into anyone while they’re all out campaigning in the real world?
    I’d better cast on that sock just in case.

  149. “No minor politicians.” Damn. I’m a member of our county board of supervisors so I could have had every single one of the other 23 hold my sock.
    Oh, well, guess I’ll just have to go for Al Franken or Barack Obama.

  150. To Marie in NJ: although I don’t think many caught your words of wisdom echoing Arlo Guthrie and Alice’s Restaurant (where you can get anything you want), I did and Yes, it could be a movement. A knitters movement with four part harmony and feeling.

  151. Sock-stalking is the best pun I’ve heard in a long time. You’re a genius! But then you’re Canadian so it’s pretty normal.

  152. lol, great idea and concept but….. are we going to take donations when we get stuck behind bars because the person being stalked just saw tiny sharp pointed items moving towards them? smile

  153. It would be wrong to vote on the Presidential/Vice Presidential ticket that held the most socks in progress, wouldn’t it?

  154. So there I was, sitting at a friends house, babysitting her kids and reading a magazine with Conan on in the background when I hear the words “The Michael Jordan of Knitting”. I instantly thought, “Yarn Harlot!” I dropped my magazine and hit the rewind button on the Tivo remote. Yup.
    You’re even more of a celeb than I thought. Greg Kinnear mentioned you on Conan!

  155. I live in nowhere, USA where no one visits. But I’m in for donating to those who succeed.

  156. hehe, this should be a lot of fun. I esp. love the one of Obama holding the sock after picking apart Palin’s attempt to “connect” to people during the debate in my Political Science course the next day… Obama connects 🙂
    What about Congressmen and Senators???

  157. Okay, that picture from Tracy is actually making think I should vote Obama! Amazing what knitting can do.

  158. LOL sounds like fun! I have a sock in my bag at the moment… for a friend in Maine. So if I end up running into any candidates in the area… tada! Thank goodness for cameras on cell phones as well!

  159. “The occasional exception will be made for other really cool people or celebrities”. I don’t want to risk my neighbour thinking I’m any weirder than she already thinks I am unless she counts here! We’re talking CBC comedic personality, broadcast nationally. Oh, and a Newfoundlander at that. Would that work? Is that worthy of exception?
    Also, I’d like to see someone get Peter MacKay holding a sock while standing next to Alexa McDonough and telling her to “stick to her knitting”. Nova Scotians will know what I’m talking about, but I’m not sure if that made the national news or not. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2006/01/20/ns-mackay-mcdonough20060120.html

  160. We’re talking CBC comedic personality, broadcast nationally. Oh, and a Newfoundlander at that
    are you talking about Rex Murphy by any chance???

  161. No, I’m not game for this.
    ONE: I’m suffering from politician overload and enjoy knitting blogs because it’s a nice break from the politics and financial baloney that we’re subjected to. Besides, it’s as much fun seeing a mounted police officer, or street juggler or hot dog stand guy holding a sock.
    TWO: I don’t see the need to put political people on a pedestal any more than they are. Depending on each day’s circumstances, bus drivers, nurses, construction workers… we’re all important. We all do our part.

  162. “… maybe all of the good, quiet, thoughtful intention present in knitting will transfer to them…just for a second, and maybe they will think about that, and while they do, we will have turned that 5 seconds into a tiny little fundraiser that suits our purposes.” That is beautiful, Stephanie. Needles up to you.
    In our strange, strayed, frayed world … there are a few sparklers. You are one.
    Warmest regards,
    firefly

  163. We have been so bombed with political comercials recently. This morning in church our litergist said, Good Morning, I’m Ben the liturgist and I approved today’s message! What a hoot.
    Go out sock knitters, young and old and find the big guys! Hey could high ranking military officials qualify? Like maybe a four star general?

  164. I’ve been thinking about this and to support the holding of socks by aristocrats, I shall also make a donation for each picture that Yarn Harlot does. Say, $20 per.

  165. Love this site, Just learning to knit socks and take them with me every where I go..
    Sock Knitter Ext.

  166. Today I’m going to an event where Bill Clinton will speak. The first thing I did this morning was transfer my sock in progress from two circs to wooden dpns, in hopes that I’ll make it past security. 🙂
    There’s a reception as part of the event, I have my fingers crossed that this is my big shot!

Comments are closed.