# Sheep to Shawl Contests



## Johnny Dolittle (Nov 25, 2007)

OK ... you are right ... I am not a spinner

.... but I like to watch spinners (especially if they are women)

Here in Pa. we have a huge state farm show event which is indoors and held the second week in January. Originally it was an event for and by farmers but over the years has become more oriented to education and entertainment for the general public.

This years week long show ended on Friday. PCN (Pa Cable Network) videos the show and you can see it on TV through the week and they show it for a week following the end of the show.

The sheep to shawl contest is very popular. The shawls are judged and then auctioned at the show. For those 18 and younger they have a fleece to shawl contest.

I also sometimes observe local spinning guilds when they set up to demonstrate at events.

I have a 33 year old niece who began sewing 4 years ago.... then started quilting and now is knitting. She has made a lot of nice gifts.

I have the skills and equipment to build both a spinning wheel and a loom and am planning to build her one of each next winter. I will be starting a separate thread soon as I am in the planning stage right now.... and will need some advice before I choose a style and size for the loom and wheel.

I was wonder if any of ya have formed a team and participated in these sheep to shawl events?

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIaOsgavRnU[/ame]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOnJdVsXL78[/ame]

This is an interview of a young weaver at the show who also has a fiber arts business

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxQgOMOmJ0g[/ame]


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Hey Johnny Dolittle thanks for posting this. Our own PKBoo was part of one of those teams. She posted a bit in the FAC thread I believe.

Welcome to The Fold!!!!


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## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

:sing:
Yes she was!
The middle video is, I believe, her team in action.
Her pictures are on page 11 of the Fiber Arts Chat thread, right here, http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/fiber-arts/530943-fac-~-january-2015-a-11.html

I'd love to do one of these someday..


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I have participated in one and it was a lot of fun. Our shawl was knitted not woven.

You are right Hercsmama, she is in the Sweet Shop team.


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## lexierowsell (Dec 10, 2013)

Anyone wants to practice, I'm shearing in March! I have 4 BFL, and 17 (13 that will be sheared, 4 are going north to a new home *wink wink*) Rambouillet fleeces up for grabs!

No, seriously. Please. <3

To Johnny--
I am in the process of designing and building a LARGE floor loom. Will be sharing progress and plans here!


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## Johnny Dolittle (Nov 25, 2007)

OK I just checked out the chat thread and discovered Forerunner is a fiber arts guy.... actually I now recall him talking about fiber arts in another thread.

It has been quite a few years since I visited with a local guild that was demonstrating at Cooks Forest State Park ....which is about a half hour drive from here. I see there was a group in the contest from Butler County which also is not so far from here.

It will be good for me to do my planning with input from many spinners ... this forum should be a valuable asset. A while back I did search here and I read a few threads where others built their own equipment.

I like to build chairs and benches and I have some designs which require rush seats... so I learned to do that.... which I believe is considered a fiber art. I like to make furniture with turned spindles and I bend wood and am very comfortable working with odd angles.... thus I have the skills to make a nice colonial style wheel.


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## Johnny Dolittle (Nov 25, 2007)

lexierowsell said:


> Anyone wants to practice, I'm shearing in March! I have 4 BFL, and 17 (13 that will be sheared, 4 are going north to a new home *wink wink*) Rambouillet fleeces up for grabs!
> 
> No, seriously. Please. <3
> 
> ...


Wow cool... I have been out on the net and I see all kinds of looms.... simple to complex.... table and floor type etc.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Osiris is another fiber guy (weaver ... for now).


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

Welcome, and thanks for the videos !! SO fun to watch !!!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Dixie Bee Acres is another of our guys here on the Fiber Arts Forum


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I love that we have all these fiber guys here


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## Johnny Dolittle (Nov 25, 2007)

Well thats great cause I would much rather be in a room full of women than a room full of men


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I&#8217;ve never seen sheep to shawl as a contest. I&#8217;ve seen sheep, and shearing. Also, my knitting guild has participated in the knitting part, and my spinning guild as participated in the spinning part. It has always been done as demonstrations.


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

As I watched the video, my smile got wider and wider...Those ladies are amazing! I thought how much fun these must be!

I wanna find a spinning wheel and a loom within my budget and.....oh I love making things and my hands don't get tired...oh yes...surely they will come my way...:sing:

What an inspiration to get stocked with my wish list.

Tomorrow I have to start cleaning 3 fleeces....thinking about how easy it is to get to the roving state compared to the spinning time.... The spindle method sure does take me a while to spin yarn with. I have no aspirations to compete...just to create!


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## Johnny Dolittle (Nov 25, 2007)

I thought your username might reflect that you made baskets? ... so I visited your profile to see but evidently not.

I weave seats on chairs and benches that I build. That is also a fiber art and I would suppose basket weaving is a fiber art?????

I have been studying looms on the internet.... there are some fairly simple and inexpensive ones to get you started.... like the Rigid Heddle types

I am building a loom ... not to save money but because my niece will appreciate it more if I build rather than buy.


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## Johnny Dolittle (Nov 25, 2007)

Hey romysbaskets do you live on the eastern or western side ... I have relatives in Spokane.


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

Johnny Dolittle said:


> I thought your username might reflect that you made baskets? ... so I visited your profile to see but evidently not.
> 
> *I made custom unique gift baskets in the past with decorating the baskets with silk flowers, ribbons etc.. and then lining them with antique linens, antique tea cups and platter, complete with candles, special bath products, soaps, candies etc...I do know how to weave but picked up my baskets from the thrift store *
> 
> ...


*I am very sure she will appreciate the art created by your hands versus a store bought version. *



Johnny Dolittle said:


> Hey romysbaskets do you live on the eastern or western side ... I have relatives in Spokane.


*I live out on an island with no stores or businesses about 5.5 Nautical miles from Everett suburb to Seattle out in Saratoga Passage on the way to the San Juan Islands. I am currently out in Colorado for the school year, boys taking college classes. What a life change...*


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