Fiber Olympics

Today marks the start of the River Cities Fiber Clan Fiber Olympics. We will be finishing on the 28th and judging/closing events shall be on March 6th.


There are 6 events:

• Figure Spinning: The entrant must spin 3 skeins of yarn: 1 2-ply, 1 3-ply, 1 speciality ply. Skeins must be at least 100 yds each.

• Short Track Speed Knitting: The entrant must knit as many scarves as time allows.

• Curling: The entrant will create a crochet item.

• Nordic Combined: Entrant will make as many felted purses/bags as time allows.

• Freestyle Weaving: Entrant will create a woven item.

• Winter Pentathlon: Entrant will spin 2 skeins of 2-ply yarn at least 100 yards each, knit a hat, create a felted item and create 2 free style projects using any of the fiber arts.

Guess which one I am going to try to do. That is right, the Pentathlon. Although actually I plan on using one of my free style projects and the felted item to complete the Nordic Combined and Curling events. And I hope to spin enough to complete the Speed Spinning. Why no, I don't have a life. Why do you ask?

But here is the plan. I have some lovely fiber from Aimee that I will be spinning all 8oz into a fingering weight single. I will then use the voodoo math of Yards per Pound to calculate how many yards of singles I have by weighing it. This will tell me if I have enough for both the pentathlon and speed spinning. One 2-ply will be a ply of two blue/purple singles and the other will be a ply of the blue/purple with a hot pink single to be dyed and spun at a later date. If those are done and I have plenty of yardage I will make a 3-ply of the blue/purple (mayhaps with the addition of other fibers if I run low) and a 2-ply with beaded/sequined thread/single.

I plan to knit the Cabled Button Toque (pdf) for the knit hat. Yay for size 13 needles and super bulky yarn. I need to make this hat for Becca so I thought it was perfect timing.

I am crochting the Cardiff Cowl. I will be using fingering weight yarn and a size G hook. I don't like the way the yarn is turning out so I think it will find its way into a dyebath before it is done.

I will be making two felted bags from sweaters as I discussed in my previous blog post.

And I will be tatting something. If I can find my stupid needle. I have somehow managed to lose the one size I wanted to work with. And Hobby Lobby doesn't have a 40% off coupon this week so I will have to go wait to pick up new ones. Which is fine, because I still don't know what I want to make. I want something impressive, but I want to be able to get it done by the 28th.

And honestly, I would love to be able to finish all of the events. But I know I could not knit a scarf that fast. Just not happening. And I don't have anything to weave on. I do not need another hobby. And I don't imagine having my first woven object judged against people who have been doing this for a while is a very good idea.