Thursday, January 12, 2006

Contest Winners!

Thank you to everyone who sent in poems for the Ugly Ball of Yarn Contest! I received a lot of good poems and selecting winners was tough. Members of my SnB helped with the judging.(Prior to judging, there was some discussion about the "political correctness" of calling yarn ugly. An ugly ball of yarn was compared to an ugly baby: It isn't nice to call the yarn or the baby ugly and no yarn and no baby is truly ugly. I can't say that I agree with the second half of that sentiment. I think yarn can be ugly and I once knew an obstetrician who said that every baby is ugly when it's born.) I'll admit that I was mostly attracted to the very silly poems but some SnB members were not. I wish I had more prizes, because there were many more deserving poems!

Congratulations to the winners. Ladies, your prizes will be sent soon!

The winners are:

First Place: Tabby Tuxedo
I’m an Ugly Ball of Yarn

I’m an ugly ball of yarn.
I don’t know who planned my color.
My ball band calls me oxidized copper,
But in my opinion I could not be duller.

I’m an ugly ball of yarn.
Although “novelty” is more politically correct.
I’m a little eyelash and a little ribbon,
And a whole lot more than you’d expect.

I’m an ugly ball of yarn.
I’ll squeak as I run across any needle.
Acrylic, modal, plasticey
I may also be made of mashed beetle.

I’m an ugly ball of yarn.
Don’t even try to frog me.
I’ll make a tangle so big and so fast,
You’ll get discouraged and shout, “I’ll be…”

I’m an ugly ball of yarn.
I could be super cheap or pricey.
Lionbrand, Red Heart, Gedifra or Berrocco,
My future production is rather dicey.

I’m an ugly ball of yarn,
And yet I’ve found a place in your stash.
What you were thinking when you bought me, I don’t know,
But Ack, what a waste of cash.

Second Place: Stariel
I'm an ugly ball of yarn

I sit here, in the corner
of the darkened closet
waiting.

Finally I spy
a crack of light.
Could she really
be coming for me?

But alas, no.
The hand reaches into the box,
brushing lightly along my outermost strands,
and passes me by for another.

One more colorful,
or soft
or beautiful
than I.

But still, I wait patiently for my day to come.

Third Place: Cindy
I'm An Ugly Ball of Yarn

I'm an ugly ball of yarn
And I don't know what to do.
I want to make a pretty scarf
To look so nice on you.

I know that you can help me.
You'll find a better way
To make me look more beautiful
For you to wear each day

Maybe you could mix me
With something from your stash
Then I'll look much better
And won't go in the trash.

I've heard about this felting
Would you consider that?
And then when you're done knitting
I could make a lovely hat!

Or maybe make a sweater
For a little dog to wear
And then before you know it
I'll be covered with his hair.

My warmness is an asset
Forgive me if I'm bold.
So even if I'm ugly
I'll make sure you won't be cold.

So think some more about me
Come up with something great!
I know you'll be creative
When you decide my fate!

Fourth Place: dkswife
I’m an Ugly Ball of Yarn

I’m an ugly ball of yarn
I have no natural charm
And live within the depths of my madam’s stash

When I work my way up to the top
She always drops jaw and gawks
And states “What the heck was I thinking?”

I’m an ugly ball of yarn
Would never cause hands any harm
But still no one wants to hold me.

My inner beauty, well, it’s inside
Sandwiched between those smooth 6 plies
Just waiting for someone to see it.

I’m an ugly ball of yarn
Was raised in a barn
One day someone will need me.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those are fantastic! Cindy's is my personal first place. (Stariel's makes me sob.) Perhaps I will mail all the ugly yarn in my stash to these winners since they can see its inner beauty better than I can.

I came up with a single couplet but lost focus after that. I'm glad I didn't try harder -- I doubt I could have topped these! Fun contest, Laura!

Jennifer said...

Everyone came up with such great odes to the ugly yarn! I'm flattered that mine was picked.

Anonymous said...

Hilarious poems! Thanks for the much needed laugh this morning.

amylovie said...

The winners are much deserved. Bravo!!

Meredith said...

What talented readers you have! And no need to be politically correct with yarn--there are definitely some ugly ones out there.