The WOVEMBER WAL

Following suggestions made in our Ravelry group we will be running a WAL this Wovember. A WAL is a “Wool-Along” which works exactly like a KAL, “Knit-Along” but which (unlike a KAL) also includes spinning, weaving, crochet or any other making craft which utilises wool. If you want to join the WOVEMBER WAL simply select your proposed 100% WOOL project and set a timescale for the month. You could:

  • Knit something in 100% WOOL yarn
  • Crochet something in 100% WOOL yarn
  • Sew something in 100% WOOL cloth
  • Weave something in 100% WOOL yarns
  • Felt something in 100% WOOL yarns
  • Complete a personal spinning challenge using 100% WOOL fibres
  • Come up with ingenious other WOOL based making activity
  • The point of the WAL is to celebrate the diversity of what we can do with WOOL, to share what we discover about this amazing textile as we work with it, and to encourage each other as we go.

    We thought that in addition to sharing THE JOY OF WOOL, we could also showcase a range of WIPs + comments in the “Working with Wool” section of the Wovember.

    This is how you participate in the WOVEMBER WAL:

  • identify a 100% WOOL project which you would like to work on during WOVEMBER
  • assemble necessary items (knitting needles, spindles, looms, crochet hooks, sewing thread etc.)
  • WORK ON YOUR WAL PROJECT THROUGHOUT WOVEMBER
  • On 15th WOVEMBER photograph your project in progress and email it to wovember[at]gmail[dot]com with your name, what you are working on, the WOOL that you are working with, and a sentence describing the experience so far
  • Send a photo of your completed project in on 30th WOVEMBER for the end-of-month WAL showcase!
  • Please note, if you are currently part way through a 100% WOOL project, you can also use the WAL as an incentive to finish it.

    There will be three prizes awarded for participation in the WAL:

  • The Golden Fleece Award
  • The Sheepy Rainbow Award
  • The Ewe-sain Bolt Award
  • The Golden Fleece Award will be bestowed on the sheepiest project – i.e. the project that from materials through to concept, most thoroughly celebrates the inspirational and material qualities of THE SHEEP

    The Sheepy Rainbow Award will be bestowed on the project which most creatively exploits the palette of colours provided by natural sheeps’ wool shades

    The Ewe-sain Bolt Award (name shamelessly plagiarised from this) will be awarded to the crafter with the fastest fingers, i.e. to the greatest technical feat of WOOLWORK completed during the WAL

    Prizes will likely consist of 100% WOOL-COVERED brooches to be posted out to you in December, plus Internet fame and Glory. You can advertise your participation in the WAL on your website using this specially crafted website badge!

    WAL_BADGE

    Here are some images from previous years of WOVEMBER to get you inspired for the WAL!

    11-egg-cosy
    Tea Cosy knit in Herdwick, Sue Blacker, Pure Wool

    NMWProtoTrousers
    Wool Trousers sewn in WOVEMBER 2012 by TEAM WOVEMBER MEMBER Tom van Deijnen

    13-YARN
    Handspun yarn by Cecilia Hewett

    sheep-kit-caro
    Felted sheep by An Snag Breac