Objective: To complete the sweater/jumper, following the identical International Wool Challenge rules and pattern exactly, within a day.

Rules

  1. A team consists of eight members. One blade shearer and seven handspinners and hand knitters with up to seven non electric spinning wheels. One sheep, any colour or breed but must not be housed or coated for two months prior to shearing.
  2. With the exception of the shearer, team members shall be allowed to perform whichever function is requires within the team. eg a member may start as a spinner and become a knitter, knitters or spinners may wind wool, members of the team may exchange roles with one another.
  3. The continuous time starts when the shearer, holding the sheep, begins shearing. Shearing can begin from any part of the sheep.
  4. An independent timekeeper and assessor are required to verify the time and that the pattern has been complied with.
  5. Spinners may start spinning as soon as the wool is available.
  6. Only the team members may touch the wool.
  7. Scissors, hand-carders, flickers or combs are not permitted.
  8. A hand ball winder tool may be used.
  9. Two wool singles are plied for a double knit of approximately 8 ply yarn.
  10. Use oversew stitch in wool to sew up the sweater.
  11. Time ends when the completed sweater is handed to the timekeeper.

The winning team shall be the one which produces the finished sweater in the best recorded time.

All tasks to be carried out by hand operation only.

Additional Notes

Use any public venue central to team members. Access to phone, refreshments, toilet facilities etc essential. Free entry for the public.

Charity fundraising, especially for Cancer Research, is encouraged.

The International Wool Challenge is now recorded in the Guinness World Records.

Awards

  • Scottish Wool Centre for the fastest team world wide.
  • City of Geelong for the winning Australian team.
  • Shipway Trophy for the winning New South Wales (Australia) team.
  • Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers Ltd for the winning Canadian team.
  • Brigadoon Trophy for the greatest donation to Cancer Research by a Group associated with an International Wool Challenge venue.

Entry forms will be sent to previous participating teams annually in February. New teams, please contact Australia for entry forms.

Wendy Dennis
Tarndwarncoort
Warncoort 3243 Victoria
Australia

Sweater/Jumper Pattern

Each team will follow this International Wool Challenge pattern exactly as it is written. On completion, the team assessor is responsible for counting the stitches and rows.

Yarn – To be equivalent to Double Knit.

Back and Front (both the same)

  • Using one pair of size 10 (3.25mm) needles cast on 96 stitches.
  • Work 16 rows in k1, p1 rib.
  • Change to one pair of size 8 (4mm) needles and knit 1 row plain and 1 row purl (Stocking stitch).
  • Continue until 134 rows have been completed from 16 rows of rib.
  • (Total from cast on edge 150 rows).
  • Change to k1, p1 rib (still using the size 8 needles) work 12 rows.
    Cast off loosely in rib.

Sleeves (Make two alike)

  • Using size 10 (3.25mm) needles cast on 46 stitches.
  • Work 16 rows k1, p1 rib.
  • Change to size 8 (4mm) needles and knit 1 row plain and 1 row purl (stocking stitch).
  • Increasing 1 stitch at each end of first and every following 4th row until 96 stitches.
  • Continue without further increase until 100 rows have been completed from 16 cuff rib.
  • (Total from cast on edge 116 rows).
  • Cast off loosely.

Making Up

  • Join Back and Front at shoulder edge (quarter of the way from the sleeve edge – leaving half of the top edge as neck opening)
  • Sew in Sleeves.