HAND SPUN SKEIN COMPETITION

SUBMISSION OPTIONS:

Up to Wednesday September 4, 2024, drop off or mail your submissions (clearly marked ‘Manitoba Fibre Festival’) to:

On Thursday September 5: drop off at Red River Exhibition Place 3977 Portage Avenue between 11:00 am-4:00 pm OR drop off at the Fibre Flock Mixer at Torque Brewing Thursday evening.

Make sure your submission package contains all the necessary parts in one bag.  Our receivers will not be checking contents.

Entry fee for each skein submitted is $5. We accept cash or cheque. Cheques can be made payable to Manitoba Fibre Festival. 

JUDGING:

• Judging will take place privately in the morning of Friday September 6th before the Festival opens. Skeins, their assessments, and awards, will be displayed during the Festival.

• Judging will be based on quality of the twist and appropriateness for intended use, good hand (how it feels), overall quality, skein preparation, and written information provided by exhibitor. Submissions may be moved to a more appropriate weight subdivision at the judge's discretion. The judge's decisions are final. 

• Entrants may submit one yarn per subdivision (for example, 3a and 3b), with the intention being to allow you to be assessed on your range of skills.

PREPARING YOUR ENTRIES:

• Skeins: All skeins must be between 2 oz – 4oz (57 – 120grams), be prepared in a 1½ to 2 yard (1.4-1.8m) circumference skein, and tied in 3 or 4 places with figure-8 ties that do not detract from the skein. This ensures that the skeins will be a manageable size and not easily tangle during judging. If spinning a bulky yarn, please ensure that you have a sufficient yardage that demonstrates your skill.

• Contact information: Please submit one page that includes your name, address, and phone number and a list of the skeins submitted, with a brief description of each so that we can readily identify them. Your skeins will be separated from each other during judging, and no names are attached to skeins for judging, so we need this info to ensure all skeins are easily returned. First name and last name initial will be included when the skeins are displayed after judging.

• Skein Information Card: Each skein submitted must have a separate 3x5” index card attached (and tied with a bow so that it can be easily removed during judging) that includes the following information -

CARD SIDE ONE

A) Finished Yarn Category

B) Fibre Contents - include percentage (approx.) and breeds if known.

C) Form of Fibre to Start (when acquired) - such as raw fleece; commercial top; art batt

D) Fibre Preparation by Spinner - include all that apply; such as washIng, flicking, carding (specify hand ordrum), combing, none (from the end of prepared top; from loose cloud?), rolags, lengths to spin from the fold, etc.

E) Spun with: wheel, spindle, other. If other, please specify.

CARD SIDE TWO

F) Intended Use (imagined, hopeful, or real) - be descriptive such asknit ribbed toque; knit lace shawl; knit cabled sweater; crochet rug; weaving weft, etc.

G) Additional Comments (optional) - if you wish to say anything else about the yarn, particularly if this is art yarn.

HANDSPUN CATEGORIES

1) Singles - Must be at least 50% animal fibre. Must be a finished yarn, not to be plied.

1a) Lace to DK weight.

1b) Worsted weight to bulky.

2) 2-Ply yarn - Must be at least 50% animal fibre.

2a) Lace to DK weight.

2b) Worsted weight to bulky.

3) 3 or more plies of yarn. Must be at least 50% animal fibre. Specify the type of ply including if it is chain plied.

3a) Lace to DK weight.

3b) Worsted weight to bulky.

4) Novelty or Art yarn. Any weight yarn. Must be at least 50% animal fibre. Specify the type of yarn and/or fibre preparation that qualifies this as ‘noveltY’. Examples include, but are not limited to, boucle, core spun, objects incorporated, one single spun opposite, cable-ply, crepe, etc. Exhibitors may submit up to two different examples of novelty/art yarn.

4a) Example a.

4b) Example b, which must be an entirely different type of yarn spun.

5) A balanced yarn spun from a raw fibre source prepared by the spinner. Must be from a single animal OR a single plant fibre type. Any yarn weight. Please include a sample of washed lock attached to the card for animal fibres.

5a) Sheep (please specify breed/source if known).

5b) Other animal fibre (alpaca, llama, angora, mohair, chiengora/dog, etc.)

5c) Plant Fibre (flax, nettle, cotton, etc.)

AFTER THE SHOW:

  • Please pick up skeins and any awards received at the close of the Festival on Saturday, September 7 at 3:30pm.

  • Skeins (and prizes) may be picked up by someone else by prior arrangement—please indicate the name of the person who will be picking up your skein on your index card when submitting it for competition or notify our volunteer coordinator at the Festival. Unclaimed skeins (and prizes) can be picked up from organizers. Contact: volunteers@manitobafibrefestival.com to make arrangements.

  • We are not responsible for lost or stolen yarns.