SHEEP-TO-SHAWL

Friday, June 23, 2023
9am - 2pm

The 2023 Sheep-to-Shawl will take place in Hall C in the northeast corner of the Willamette Event Center. Equipment can be unloaded, and entrants can arrive, through the rear of the Willamette Event Center building. The team areas will be marked.

Janet Potter will make announcements, demonstrate, and explain the competition to the public.

The judging will be at 2pm sharp. Ribbons and prizes will be awarded directly afterwards. It will be required that each shawl be displayed in the Fiber Arts Competition until the end of the Black Sheep Gathering when it can be picked up or will be sent to the team representative.

Each team may have a support person whose only responsibility will be to run errands and get food and supplies for team members and to talk with spectators, but will not take part in any of the picking, carding, spinning, weaving, or finishing of the shawl. With popularity of the Sheep-to-Shawl competition growing, entries will be taken on a first come, first served basis.

There will be a no host Meet and Greet after the competition. We hope all the teams will join us. You are invited to the annual potluck dinner that begins around 5:30pm Saturday. If you are available after the potluck dinner, plan to model your shawl at the Spinners’ Lead event held in the animal show ring at 8pm.

Rules

Process: Woven shawl.

Team: Six members: one weaver, five spinners.

Size: The shawl must be at least 1440 square inches. (This is equal to approximately 20" x 72" long, minus any fringe.If it is narrower it must be longer, wider if it is shorter). It may be larger. Any shawl not meeting this requirement will not be disqualified but will lose substantial points.

Fiber: The Shawl has to be at least 90% wool and 25% of the wool has to be natural colored, other than white. The remaining 10%, by weight, of the shawl may be other fibers, in either the warp or weft. Except for the 25% natural colored wool, all of the fiber used MAY be dyed. Weft fiber may be cleaned and ready to card/comb and spin.

Yarn: All yarn used is to be handspun and plied. This will aid with demonstrations and in the look and feel of a "fresh" shawl (one that has not been washed yet). The weft yarns are carded, combed, or flicked and spun during the competition.

Equipment: Loom-warped and tied only. Use only 4-harnesses or less. Tie-up is at the discretion of the weaver. One drum carder, handcards, wool combs, flick cards, spinning wheels, and bobbin winders are allowed. Teams may bring a light as the only electrical equipment allowed.

Presentation Board: Please create a poster-sized board describing your design process, including weaving structure and samples of your fibers, for display at the event. Share any information helpful for onlookers to understand the making of cloth, in general, and your shawl, in particular.

Good luck and have fun!

Entry deadline is June 1, 2023.

Sheep-to-Shawl Entry Form