2008 Taos Wool Festival

Contests

Garment and Home Accessories | Wool Show | Handspun Yarns

Any fiber artist is very welcome to enter these contests at the Festival! There are, however, certain fiber content and other requirements as listed below.

Entry Forms for the various contests are available at the festival, or if you are a juried vendor, they are in your booth assignment packet. We cannot accept mailed-in entries, but you are welcome to send entries along with someone who will be at the Wool Festival as long as that person will also be responsible for picking it up for you after the contest ends and the entries are released.

Garment and Home Accessories Contests 2008

(rules subject to change – please check back often before the festival)

Times: Entries will be accepted at the Yarn Show/Garment & Home Accessories Tent at the Festival on Saturday morning between 9 and 10 AM. Judging will begin at 10:30 AM. Entries can be picked up at 4 PM that same day, or can remain on display for the duration of the Festival – at the entrant’s discretion. Silver Medallion Winners are asked to please keep their winning items on display to be photographed for our website and to be shown at the Awards Banquet on Saturday Night.

Fees: $2 per entry for non-MAVWA members, $1 per entry for MAVWA members who do not have booths; No charge for booth vendors.

Entries: Items entered are subject to the same fiber content rules that are required of booth vendors. Specifically, items may not contain any non-domestic (non-USA grown) animal fiber and must contain at least 60% U.S. animal fiber by weight. Items must be of original design—i.e. not made from a kit or a commercial pattern. Entries are limited to one item per artist per class.

Judging Criteria: Entries will be judged on quality of construction, on medium skill (weaving, knitting, felting, etc.) and on creativity in design and fiber selection.

Garment Classes:
   1. Shawls, Scarves
   2. Sweaters
   3. Ruanas, Ponchos, Serapes, Capes
   4. Jackets, Coats, Suits
   5. Hats
   6. Vests, Skirts, Trousers
   7. Shirts, Dresses
   8. Handwear, Footwear
   9. Handbags
10. Fiber Jewelry/ Wearable Novelties

Home Accessories Classes:
   1. Wall Wear – Tapestry
   2. Wall Wear – Non-Tapestry
   3. Rugs
   4. Pillows
   5. Blankets, Throws
   6. Bags, Containers
   7. Toys, and NEW category for 2006 - 8. Sculpture

Awards: 1st, 2nd, 3rd place ribbons in each class. Grand and Reserve Champion ribbons in each contest—selected from the 1st place ribbon winners in each class. The two Grand Champions also receive Wool Festival Silver Medallions. An additional Silver Medallion in each contest will be awarded for the best item made entirely of Colorado and/or New Mexico and/or Texas grown animal fibers.

Fleece Show & Contest 2008

(rules subject to change – please check back often before the festival)

Times: Bring your entries to the Fleece Show Tent at the Festival between 8am and 10:30am on Saturday. The Show will be open to the public from the 11am judging until closing at 5pm. No fleece may be removed from the show tent before 4:30pm. All fleeces must be picked up by exhibitors by 5pm on Saturday.

Fees: $4 per fleece for non-MAVWA members. $2 per fleece for MAVWA members who are not booth vendors. No charge for WF booth vendors. A signed liability release form is required from exhibitors and will be provided.

Entries: An entry is one fleece. Any one exhibitor may enter no more than 5 fleeces per species – 5 sheep, 5 goat, or 5 camelid. Fleeces must be grown in Colorado/New Mexico/Texas. Fleeces must have been shorn after the 2007 contest and represent 12 month’s growth or less. Yearling fleeces will be allowed up to 16 month’s growth.

Preparation of Fleeces: This show in intended for premium quality Handspinning fleeces. Fleeces must be exhibited untied in a clear plastic bag.

Labeling: Exhibitors will be given a label to fill out. Class/type, sex, age number of month’s growth of the fleece. Exhibitor’s name, address, phone and booth number if applicable. Personal information will be hidden during judging. No farm/ranch business cards or labels indicating ownership are allowed in with the fleeces during judging.

Criteria for Judging: Fleeces will be judged for soundness, cleanliness, uniformity, and general character typical of high quality animal fiber.

Sheep Wool Classes: There are four (4) sheep wool classes:
1. Sheep Fleece, white
2. Sheep Fleece, naturally colored, solid (uniformly solid in any color)
3. Sheep Fleece, naturallyl colored, variegated (different colors or shades in different parts of the fleece)

Each of these first three classes will be divided into four grades:

1. Fine (60's and finer)
2. Medium (52's to 58's)
3. Coarse (50's and coarser)
4. Hair or Fur Breeds (Karakul, Navajo-Churro, etc.)

Heritage Breeds Class – Sheep Fleeces entered into the show that demonstrate a combination of hair or medulated fiber (kemp) and wool typical of the primitive, unimproved breed’s standards can compete in the Heritage Breeds division without regard to uniformity of grade, color or staple length. If entries warrant, these fleeces may be divided into separate classes. Examples of fleeces that MAY fit into this class are Jacob, Black Welsh Mountain, Shetland, etc.

Other Species Fiber Classes: Classes and divisions as entries warrant as follows: 1. Fiber Goats: Angora, Cashmere, Cashgora, etc. 2. Camelids: Alpaca, Llama, etc.

Awards: Sheep Wool Classes: 1^st , 2^nd and 3^rd place ribbons in each grade of each class, 1, 2, and 3. A Silver Medallion will be awarded to the Best of Show in each of Sheep Classes 1, 2, and 3. In the NEW Heritage Breeds Class – (4), 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place ribbons can be awarded. Grand and Reserve rosettes may be given.

Fiber Goat Classes: Classes and divisions as entries warrant; 1^st,2^nd and 3^rd place ribbons. Grand and Reserve Champion ribbons and a Silver Medallion for Best of Show may be awarded.

Camelid Classses: 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place ribbons. Grand and Reserve rosettes and a Silver Medallion for Best of show may be awarded.

An additional award for Best Fleece for Handspinning will be voted on by the public . The award will be given by Ken and Grayce Aggen, Fleece Show Chairpersons.

Fleece Sales: There will be no sales directly from the Fleece Show. Interested buyers will be directed to the exhibitor’s booth. Exhibitors who do not have booths are not allowed to sell their fleece or indicate that they are for sale while on the show grounds.

Handspun Yarn Show 2008

(rules subject to change – please check back often before the festival)

Times: Bring your entries to the Yarn Show Tent between 9:00 and 10:00 AM on Saturday. No late entries will be accepted. Judging will begin at 10:00 AM on Saturday, and the Show will be open for viewing when the judging is completed.
Fees: $2 per skein for non-MAVWA members; $1 per skein for MAVWA members who are not booth vendors; No fee for Wool Festival booth vendors

Entries: An entry shall consist of one skein, which shall weigh at least one and one half ounces. No limit on the number or type of skeins that each spinner may enter. All yarn entered must have been spun since Wool Festival 2005.

Fiber Content: Because we wish to showcase Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas fibers, and improve the marketing opportunities for them, all animal fibers in the skeins must be grown in CO, NM or TX. You may enter yarns that are blended or plied with non-animal fibers if at least 60% by weight is CO, NM, TX animal fiber.

There will be four Divisions: Expert Division, Novice Division, Drop/Hand Spindle Division, and a separate Novelty/Designer Division (in addition to the Novelty Classes under the Novice and Expert Divisions).

EXPERT Division: for spinners of any age who have won prior awards, spin professionally, or want to test acquired skill.

NOVICE Division: for spinners of any age, new to spinning, or are just getting back to the wheel or spindle.

Expert & Novice Division Classes
1. Wool, natural or dyed, single ply, smooth and even.
2. Wool, natural or dyed, multiple ply, smooth and even.
3. Mohair, natural or dyed, single ply, smooth and even.
4. Mohair, natural or dyed, multiple ply, smooth and even.
5. Angora Rabbit, natural or dyed, single or multiple ply, smooth and even.
6. Alpaca, natural or dyed, single or multiple ply, smooth and even.
7. Llama, natural or dyed, single or multiple ply, smooth and even.
8. Other CO/NM/TX animal fibers, natural or dyed, single or multiple ply, smooth and even. (Dog, Buffalo, Cashmere, Cashgora, Jack-a-lope, etc.)
9. Blends, natural or dyed, single or multiple ply, smooth and even.
*10. Novelty, any fiber or combination of fibers, single or multiple ply.

Drop/Hand Spindle Division: The best yarn spun on a drop or hand spindle. Open to Novice and Expert spinners. Single-ply yarn of CO/NM/TX wool or wool blend, natural or dyed, smooth and even yarn, spun on a drop spindle or hand spindle.

Novelty/Designer Division: open to all ages and skill levels, and has separate classes and judging criteria from the other divisions. We've developed the NOVELTY / DESIGNER Division with an eye on releasing the wild beast of creativity that lies latent in the heart of many a spinner. Judging emphasis in the NOVELTY / DESIGNER Division is on the artistic merits of the yarn, with only a few points given for the technical aspects of cleanliness and suitability. For those spinners of novelty yarns who would like a more technical appraisal of their skills, there is still a Novelty Class (# 10) in the Expert & Novice Divisions. Classes in this division are as follows:

Singles Yarns: (Slubs, Lock Spun, Tweeds, Garneted, Spaced Dyed, etc.)
1. Natural Colored.
2. Dyed.
*3. Blended Fibers.
Plied: (as above, plus Core spun, Spiral, Boucle, Knot, Tufted, Crepe, etc)
1. Natural Colored.
2. Dyed.
*3. Blended Fibers.

*Blends and novelty yarns must be at least 60% CO/NM/TX animal fiber, combined with a non-animal fiber, or may be a combination of two or more different CO/NM/TX animal fibers

Classes may be combined or further divided based on the number of entries. Both the judge and the superintendent of the Yarn Show have the option to change the class designation of a skein if they determine the skein has been entered in the wrong class. Please read the criteria carefully.

Judging Criteria: Yarns in the Expert and Novice Divisions will be judged on (1) Suitability of yarn for its intended use as stated on the entry form, (2) Consistency of twist, control of size and strength, (3) Preparation-- cleanliness, distribution of color, etc., (4) Hand and finish -- feel of the finished yarn, correct skeining and finishing.

Yarns in the Novelty/Designer Division will be judged on (1) Choice/Use of Color, (2) Choice/Use of Texture, (3) Originality/Inspiration of Design, (4) Cleanliness and Suitability for intended use.

Awards: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons in each Class of Expert, Novice, and Novelty/Designer Division. Grand and Reserve Champion ribbons in each Division above as well. Silver Medallion for Best of Show in each Division. Drop/Hand Spindle Division Award: One-of-a-Kind Hand/Drop Spindle made by Magpie Woodworks

Labels: When you bring your entries to the Yarn Tent, you will fill out a label for each skein indicating spinner's name and address, class and division, origin of fiber and the use for which the yarn is intended. If you have someone else bring your skeins, be sure to furnish him/her with all this info. You or your rep will also be required to sign a liability release if you have not already done so in connection with another part of the Festival.

Sales: There will be no sales directly from the Yarn Show. Potential buyers will be directed to the booth of the spinner. Buyers may not take delivery before 4:30 PM on Sunday. Because Festival rules disallow sales except by licensed booth vendors, Yarn Show entrants who are not booth vendors cannot sell skeins at the Festival.

Entry Release: Entries must remain on display for the entire Festival. You may pick them up between 3:30 and 4:30 PM on Sunday. MAVWA cannot be responsible for skeins remaining in the Show Tent after 4:30!! Please note that we can no longer return any entries by mail, so please make sure that if you do not pick up your skeins yourself, someone does for you.