FIBER COMPETITIONS

 

*ALL EVENTS WILL TAKE PLACE OUTSIDE, BEHIND BUILDING E*

Fleece to Shawl

In our annual Fleece to Shawl competition, watch 3 teams make a shawl step by step: starting with washed fleece, to hand carding, to spinning, to weaving, to finishing ends... It's a jam-packed demonstration of classic textile production!

 

PRIZES

Ribbons are awarded to the teams.

Additional awards 

$50.00 FOR BEST USE OF COLOR.
$50.00 FOR BEST USE OF PATTERN.

ADDITONAL $25.00 AWARD FOR THE BEST USE OF NATURAL DYE.

Award for Best use of Natural Dye

This award is dedicated to the loving memory of Don Nervik. Don was a volunteer during the Festival and at the Dutchess County Fair Wool Workroom. He passed away January 20, 2012.

Don was an avid spinner and weaver with a passion for using natural dyes for wool. Also a Master Gardener through the Cornell program, he was particularly fond of Indigo, which he grew in his garden. Participating in fleece to shawl competitions was something he especially liked to do with the team from the Elmendorph Guild. He will be missed by all who delighted from a hand processing or weaving demo given by Don and all who knew him.

The Dutchess County Sheep and Wool Growers Association is proud to sponsor this award to the team demonstrating the Best use of Natural Dye in the warp, weft or both, of their shawl. 

 

The Elizabeth H. Joslyn Best Use of Pattern Award

Elizabeth was a long-standing member of the Elmendorph Handspinners Guild of Red Hook, NY.  She passed away July 21, 2021.  

A true fiber artist, she was a regular participant in the Fleece to Shawl competitions here at Rhinebeck as well as the Ulster and Dutchess County Fairs.  Elizabeth was generous with her fiber knowledge, especially with new spinners and weavers.  She had the ability to construct intricate and beautiful patterns, and was modest about her efforts.  Her self-deprecating English wit is sorely missed.

The Elmendorph Handspinners Guild is pleased to sponsor this award to the team demonstrating the Best Use of Pattern in their shawl.

 

RULES

  1. 3 teams will compete,  consisting of 1 weaver, 3 spinners, and 1 announcer. The announcer will be assigned one 15 minute time slot to speak to the public regarding their team history, what the team is doing, and answer questions. 
  2. Deadline to enter is October 1, 2021. Email Claire Houlihan for more info.
  3. Each team will supply all its own equipment (i.e. spinning wheels, pre-warped loom, shuttles, bobbin winder, hand cards, or flickers).
  4. No drum carders, pickers, or electric/battery-powered equipment.
  5. Warp yarns and spinning fiber must be 100% sheeps wool. Handspun weft will not exceed 3 times diameter of warp.
  6. Pre-warp loom (may be handspun or commercial, dyed or natural) at no fewer than 8 ends per inch.
  7. Each team will start with raw fiber which may be washed but in obvious lock formation. 
  8. The completed shawl must be a minimum of 18 inches wide and 72 inches long, excluding optional fringe. Points will be deducted for shawl being shorter or narrower.
  9. Teams will be judged on the following 100 point criteria:
    • Team display
      • Team sign (5 points)
      • Team attire (5 points)
    • Announcer
      • Knowledge of presentation (10 points)
      • Oral presentation (5 points)
    • Fleece
      • Choice and preparation (10 points)
      • Dyed warp and/or weft (5 points)
    • Spinning
      • Uniform preparation (5 points)
      • Overall uniformity (5 points)
    • Weaving
      • Design (10 points)
      • Straightness of edges (5 points)
      • Evenness of edges (5 points)
      • Evenness of beating (5 points)
      • Handspun warp (10 points)
    • Time
      • First finished (10 points)
      • Second finished (5 points)
    • Point Deductions
      • Less than 72 inches long (25 points DEDUCTED)
      • Less than 18 inches wide (25 points DEDUCTED)
    • Bonus Points
      • Team spirit and effort (5 BONUS points)
      • Fringe (5 BONUS points)
  10. The competition will last 3 hours and 15 minutes, with a 15 minute break halfway through. The shawls should be completed in this timeframe or risk being declared ineligible for judging.

Drop Spindle Spinning Contest

Saturday 10/16/21, 2:30PM

Spinners will spin for 10 minutes. When time is up, the spun yarn will be skeined, measured and judged.  Limited to 30 contestants.

Deadline entry: 15 min before contest starts

(Awarded in both youth and adult divisions. Youth = 19 yrs and under, Adult 20 yrs old and older)

$15.00 - First Place
$12.00 - Second Place
$10.00 - Third Place
$8.00 - Fourth Place
$6.00 - Fifth Place

Spinning Wheel Contest

Saturday 10/16/21, 3PM

A race to spin the longest, best skein of yarn! Adult and Youth divisions.  Limited to 30 contestants.

Deadline entry: 15 min before contest starts

Awarded in both Youth and Adult divisions.
Youth: 16 yrs and under
Adult: 17 yrs old and older

$15.00 - First Place
$12.00 - Second Place
$10.00 - Third Place
$8.00 - Fourth Place
$6.00 - Fifth Place

Chopstick Knitting Contest

Saturday 10/16/21, 3:30PM

Walk In's Welcome. No Pre-registration required.  Limited to 30 contestants.

People knit as much as they can, as fast as they can, in 10 minutes - using chopsticks. It's a hoot!

Entry deadline: 15 min before contest starts

(Awarded in both youth and adult divisions. Youth = 19 yrs and under, Adult 20 yrs old and older)

$15.00 - First Place
$12.00 - Second Place
$10.00 - Third Place
$8.00 - Fourth Place
$6.00 - Fifth Place

  1. Contestants will be provided with worsted weight wool yarn.
  2. Contestants will be provided with a pair of Chop Stick Knitting Needles.
  3. Before timing begins, contestants will cast twenty stitches on knitting needles in any way they prefer.
  4. Knitters will knit for 10 minutes.
  5. When time is up, the swatch will be judged and measured by the rows knitted.
  6. Judges decision is final.
  7. No entry fee.
  8. Entries close at the start of the competition

     

Crochet Contest

Saturday 10/16/21, 4PM

People race to crochet the most stitches in 10 minutes.  Limited to 30 contestants.

Entry deadline: 5 min before contest starts

$15.00 - First Place
$12.00 - Second Place
$10.00 - Third Place
$8.00 - Fourth Place
$6.00 - Fifth Place

 

Watch our 2020 Fleece to Shawl Competition!