I was a member of the Kansas City Fiber guild Sheep to Shawl team this year at KAWS. After a trial run at our winter retreat we were ready to go. I spun 16 oz of Falkland wool for the warp which we broke into two batches and dyed one from blue to forest green and the other from blue to plum. We were then able to wind a warp with gradating stripes. For the competitions the warp could be spun and measured but the loom couldn’t be dressed. That is practically unheard of all the sheep to shawls I have watched they always came with the warp already on the loom.

The wool for the weft could be washed and dyed but it still needed to be in lock form. We bought 3 lbs of raw merino fleece form a guild member and washed and dyed it. Leslie and I even set them out in layers of tissue paper with all the tip ends going the same way for faster preparation time.

While it was close, the 4 of us were ready to set up on time and we got right to work. Debby and Lolly warping the loom while Leslie and I flick locks and started spinning. This pretty much covers the next 2 hours. Once the loom was all warped we took turns weaving. Once the loom was warped Lolly wove and Debby took over the flicking the locks.

Four hours later the competition was over but not one of the 5 teams had finished. I think that had some thing to do with us having to warp out looms on site. But they graciously allowed us to work through breakfast the next morning to finish.

The KC Fiber Guild team finished first. YAY us. That’s right we won. We also had the most team spirit (notice our uniform of matching hats) and the nicest shawl (at least I think so). A slam dunk for that first place spot.


I finished some socks in Sockotta yarn. They’re too big for me because they are a gift. It didn’t occur to me until I was looking at the photos that my wearing them first might be considered icky by some. That I might consider it icky if I thought someone else was wearing my gift socks. Betsy, I promise those are shower fresh feet in your socks, but go ahead and wash them before you wear them if you want.