Sheep to Shawl VOLUNTEER and Vendor information
This is our “big” volunteer/educational project each year. Las Arañas and the Wool Growers Association cooperate in presenting this program. STS is a fun time of sharing and a great time for beginners in weaving, spinning or dyeing to get to know our members better, get mentoring on your new skill and share your love of fiber with the public. We will begin signing people up for working shifts at the July guild meeting. If you have particular areas, days and times you want to work, you can sign up early just email or call Ruth Ronan (268-0726 or rbronan@gmail.com) to get your name on the schedule. to
Vendors: Scroll to the bottom of this page for more information on vendors & shop requirements etc.
STS CARDING
Both electric drum carders will be at the fair this year. One for fine fiber, one for the more coarse fibers. (because of power restrictions, only 1 may be used at a time) Your fleece must be clean, clean, debris free, dry fleece. If it is still damp from washing it will stall out the carder. Training Required if you have never used the New Carder and wish to do so, contact Phreadde Davis to arrange for training. Try and talk to the public as much as you can about what you are doing and why. Please leave the carder clean.
CREATIVE ARTS BLDG.
There is only one shift per day at the Creative Arts Building from 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM. There will be a warped loom that you can use to assist people to try weaving and, at the same time, weave part of a scarf for the peo-ple undergoing chemotherapy at the UNM Cancer Center. You will also point people to the main Sheep to Shawl demo area and shop. You will be provided with the weft and shuttles so you do not need to bring any yarn or equipment. The weave structure will be plain weave. If you have not done this before, it is a lot of fun! The kids just love to weave on the loom and often adults will try their hand at it. You are encouraged to volunteer to man the Creative Arts Building even if you do not want to show people how to weave. You can do any fiber arts activity you want to at the Creative Arts Building – all the things that are done at the ETC table can be done here as well as spinning.
STS ETC. TABLE
Bring your favorite small fiber craft to demonstrate. Show Weaving on different looms, Knotting, Colcha Embroidery, Braiding, Knitting, Crochet, Needle Felting, and any other fiber activity that you find interesting and wish to share with others. To sign-up early, contact Ruth Ronan at rbronan@gmail.com or 268-0726. STS DYEING If you have flowers in your garden that can be used in the dye pot, please save the blossoms in a paper bag and let Linda DeBlois or Denise Davis know you have them..If you have yarns you want dyed we plan on 2 - 3 oz extra in each dyepot. If the yarns are not mordanted we will mordant the first 2 days of the fair. Tag them with your name. Adding content, weight and color preferences is nice but not necessary. Let us know how many you have so we can get the same amount back to you. You don't need dye experience to sign up. Linda or Denise will be there every day. Put on your dye clothes, comfy shoes and come play with us.
STS SPINNING
We plan to have three spinners per shift; so sign up with your friends, or sign up alone and be ready to make new friends. We plan to be outside the Dairy Barn in our spinning tent. Chairs and foam pads for underneath the wheels will be available.
STS WEAVING
Signing up to weave at STS is really great for beginning weavers or those who would like to try weaving—after all the warp has been measured and threaded on the loom so all you have to do is press the pedals and throw the shuttle. Several members did their first weaving (and got hooked) at STS. The 8-harness looms are being warped with 5/2 perle cotton set at 20epi using the colors shown at right.. Contact Nancy Brouillard if you have questions The 4-harness looms will be warped with The first 4 shaft loom will be threaded to a M and W twill pattern in red, white and blue, predominantly white. The wool is JaggerSpun
Maine Line 3/8. The second 4 shaft loom will be white JaggerSpun yarn in a goose eye twill.. Contact Myra Chang-Thompson if you have questions. Remember to bring yarn for weft, shut-tles, bobbins, scissors and any other weaving aids you might need. A pillow for the bench is also a good idea.
STS T-SHIRTS
Martha Alvarado has again come up with a neat design for our T-shirts. The price is $12 a shirt with 2X for $14 and 3X for $15. Long sleeved shirts are $22. There will also be tote bags available at $10.
Sheep To Shawl Key Dates
Aug. 12 (Friday) Consigner sheets due to Marsha Julian. No exceptions.
Aug. 27 (Tuesday) Las Arañas Guild meeting —9:30 AM.
Sign up for STS shifts.
General STS announcements.
Distribute parking and admission passes.
Sept 3 Move equipment from storage.
Sept 4 Inventory check-in & Shop Setup.
Sept 5-15 Sheep to Shawl: at the New Mexico State Fair.
Sept 16 Sheep to Shawl: Inventory Check-out & Shop takedown
November STS Committee “wrap-up” meeting.
NOTE: Dates for Sheep to Shawl are controlled by the dates of the NM State Fair and are subject to change.
STS PARKING & ADMISSION
Those working/volunteering at STS should know this about parking and admission passes:
STS SHOP
If you plan to enter items for sale in the STS shop, please read the guidelines in the Membership. You will note that you need to work one shift for each item entered up to five shifts. If you are working five shifts you are requested to work one of those shifts in the Shop. In addition to Shop assistants during the Fair, we also need help delivering and setting up items from storage, checking in inventory and shop and demo area set up. We will also need help with shop take down, returning items to storage and checking out inventory and cleaning the STS space. Working at any of these times will count toward shifts needed. There will be sign up sheets at the July and August meetings.
INVENTORY & CONSIGNOR SHEETS
The deadline for turning in your Con-signor sheets for the STS Shop is Friday, August 12. The Consignor sheets, info & di-rections will come with July & August newsletters. Since there are 3½ weeks between the time the Consignor sheets are turned in and Inventory Check-in, some “fudge factor” needs to be allowed for items you might finish during that time period. We have set a limit of 20 items on the Consignor sheets that are not checked in with no penalties. If 21-30 items are listed on the Consignor sheets but not checked in, then 20% extra will be deducted from the proceeds from any sales. If more than 30 items are listed on the Consignor sheets but not checked in, then NO ITEMS FROM THE CONSIGNOR SHEETS WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR SALE.
Daily shifts: 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM and 1:30 PM - 5:30 PM.
It is important to be early for your shift to get set up and ready to start at 9:30 AM and to stay after 5:30 PM to clean up and lock down. Please be conscientious about the housekeeping chores.
Shop Merchandise Guidelines:
How to Become a Vendor
Shifts worked STS comission
5 25%
4 27%
3 30%
2 35%
1 40%
0 45%
(If you enter fewer than 5 items for sale, you are required to work one shift per item and the STS commission is 25%.) The commission will be increased over 25% for each required shift you do not work, following the chart above, i.e. if you miss one shift the commission will be 27%, if you miss two shifts the commission will be 30%, etc.)
PLEASE NOTE: Sheep to Shawl does not assume any risk or liability for the theft, damage or other loss of items consigned to Sheep to Shawl and does not warrant or guarantee that items consigned to Sheep to Shawl are secure from theft, damage or other loss while in the possession of Sheep to Shawl. Consignors assume all risk of theft, damage or other loss of consigned items.
Vendors: Scroll to the bottom of this page for more information on vendors & shop requirements etc.
STS CARDING
Both electric drum carders will be at the fair this year. One for fine fiber, one for the more coarse fibers. (because of power restrictions, only 1 may be used at a time) Your fleece must be clean, clean, debris free, dry fleece. If it is still damp from washing it will stall out the carder. Training Required if you have never used the New Carder and wish to do so, contact Phreadde Davis to arrange for training. Try and talk to the public as much as you can about what you are doing and why. Please leave the carder clean.
CREATIVE ARTS BLDG.
There is only one shift per day at the Creative Arts Building from 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM. There will be a warped loom that you can use to assist people to try weaving and, at the same time, weave part of a scarf for the peo-ple undergoing chemotherapy at the UNM Cancer Center. You will also point people to the main Sheep to Shawl demo area and shop. You will be provided with the weft and shuttles so you do not need to bring any yarn or equipment. The weave structure will be plain weave. If you have not done this before, it is a lot of fun! The kids just love to weave on the loom and often adults will try their hand at it. You are encouraged to volunteer to man the Creative Arts Building even if you do not want to show people how to weave. You can do any fiber arts activity you want to at the Creative Arts Building – all the things that are done at the ETC table can be done here as well as spinning.
STS ETC. TABLE
Bring your favorite small fiber craft to demonstrate. Show Weaving on different looms, Knotting, Colcha Embroidery, Braiding, Knitting, Crochet, Needle Felting, and any other fiber activity that you find interesting and wish to share with others. To sign-up early, contact Ruth Ronan at rbronan@gmail.com or 268-0726. STS DYEING If you have flowers in your garden that can be used in the dye pot, please save the blossoms in a paper bag and let Linda DeBlois or Denise Davis know you have them..If you have yarns you want dyed we plan on 2 - 3 oz extra in each dyepot. If the yarns are not mordanted we will mordant the first 2 days of the fair. Tag them with your name. Adding content, weight and color preferences is nice but not necessary. Let us know how many you have so we can get the same amount back to you. You don't need dye experience to sign up. Linda or Denise will be there every day. Put on your dye clothes, comfy shoes and come play with us.
STS SPINNING
We plan to have three spinners per shift; so sign up with your friends, or sign up alone and be ready to make new friends. We plan to be outside the Dairy Barn in our spinning tent. Chairs and foam pads for underneath the wheels will be available.
STS WEAVING
Signing up to weave at STS is really great for beginning weavers or those who would like to try weaving—after all the warp has been measured and threaded on the loom so all you have to do is press the pedals and throw the shuttle. Several members did their first weaving (and got hooked) at STS. The 8-harness looms are being warped with 5/2 perle cotton set at 20epi using the colors shown at right.. Contact Nancy Brouillard if you have questions The 4-harness looms will be warped with The first 4 shaft loom will be threaded to a M and W twill pattern in red, white and blue, predominantly white. The wool is JaggerSpun
Maine Line 3/8. The second 4 shaft loom will be white JaggerSpun yarn in a goose eye twill.. Contact Myra Chang-Thompson if you have questions. Remember to bring yarn for weft, shut-tles, bobbins, scissors and any other weaving aids you might need. A pillow for the bench is also a good idea.
STS T-SHIRTS
Martha Alvarado has again come up with a neat design for our T-shirts. The price is $12 a shirt with 2X for $14 and 3X for $15. Long sleeved shirts are $22. There will also be tote bags available at $10.
Sheep To Shawl Key Dates
Aug. 12 (Friday) Consigner sheets due to Marsha Julian. No exceptions.
Aug. 27 (Tuesday) Las Arañas Guild meeting —9:30 AM.
Sign up for STS shifts.
General STS announcements.
Distribute parking and admission passes.
Sept 3 Move equipment from storage.
Sept 4 Inventory check-in & Shop Setup.
Sept 5-15 Sheep to Shawl: at the New Mexico State Fair.
Sept 16 Sheep to Shawl: Inventory Check-out & Shop takedown
November STS Committee “wrap-up” meeting.
NOTE: Dates for Sheep to Shawl are controlled by the dates of the NM State Fair and are subject to change.
STS PARKING & ADMISSION
Those working/volunteering at STS should know this about parking and admission passes:
- STS reserved parking is at the Barber College, across San Pedro from Gate 6 and the Dairy Barn. 13 spots are reserved by cones.
- STS is only buying 13 spaces per day, so SIGN UP EARLY. Overflow people may be required to park in public parking for the Fair.
- When you arrive, move the cone to the front of the spot and park.
- When you leave, move the cone back in place to keep the spot saved for the next STS volunteer.
- Arrive on time, and leave on time for your shift. MORNING SHIFT WORKERS MUST MOVE THEIR CARS BY 1:15!!
- Be considerate of the afternoon workers. You can’t imagine what chaos you create if you do not move your car in time.
- Anyone who wants to STAY LATE to go to the Fair must make arrangements with the Barber College office before starting their shift. An additional fee applies and is the individual’s responsibility. The Barber College WILL BOOT cars if you haven’t made these arrangements.
- Passes will be distributed at the August Las Arañas meeting. Please try to attend, to save the costs of mailing the passes to you. Rules for parking are printed on the back of the parking pass. Please read and follow.
- Our entry passes cost the same as last year ($4). It helps if people can work a full day, rather than half days.
STS SHOP
If you plan to enter items for sale in the STS shop, please read the guidelines in the Membership. You will note that you need to work one shift for each item entered up to five shifts. If you are working five shifts you are requested to work one of those shifts in the Shop. In addition to Shop assistants during the Fair, we also need help delivering and setting up items from storage, checking in inventory and shop and demo area set up. We will also need help with shop take down, returning items to storage and checking out inventory and cleaning the STS space. Working at any of these times will count toward shifts needed. There will be sign up sheets at the July and August meetings.
INVENTORY & CONSIGNOR SHEETS
The deadline for turning in your Con-signor sheets for the STS Shop is Friday, August 12. The Consignor sheets, info & di-rections will come with July & August newsletters. Since there are 3½ weeks between the time the Consignor sheets are turned in and Inventory Check-in, some “fudge factor” needs to be allowed for items you might finish during that time period. We have set a limit of 20 items on the Consignor sheets that are not checked in with no penalties. If 21-30 items are listed on the Consignor sheets but not checked in, then 20% extra will be deducted from the proceeds from any sales. If more than 30 items are listed on the Consignor sheets but not checked in, then NO ITEMS FROM THE CONSIGNOR SHEETS WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR SALE.
Daily shifts: 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM and 1:30 PM - 5:30 PM.
It is important to be early for your shift to get set up and ready to start at 9:30 AM and to stay after 5:30 PM to clean up and lock down. Please be conscientious about the housekeeping chores.
Shop Merchandise Guidelines:
- Items must be handmade by each individual vendor. As an individual vendor you may not purchase items for resale. New Mexico Wool Growers, Las Arañas Spinners & Weavers Guild, Inc. and the Sheep to Shawl (STS) organizations are the only vendors who are permitted to purchase items for resale in the shop.
- Vendors are not required to be Las Arañas members.
- Handmade items must contain a minimum of 60% natural fibers: i.e. wool, mohair, alpaca, cotton, silk, rayon, tencel, bamboo, soy, llama, linen, etc. Synthetic fibers, such as acrylics, nylons & metallics may be used but should make up no more than 40% of an item. Items not containing 60% natural fibers must have a sheep or goat theme or be a handcrafted knitting, weaving, spinning, etc. hand tool. The Shop chair will be the final judge on the eligibility of items. Though we no longer require wool or mohair in each item, STS is still an organization promoting the use of wool & mohair and encourages the continued use of these basic and beautiful fibers. Fleece is an accepted sale item, but any raw or processed fleece must have been grown in the U.S. Fleece must be grown or cleaned or carded or dyed by the vendor.
- Sheep to Shawl labels containing vendor number and price will be required on each item and will be provided by STS. In addition you may also attach your own tags with such information as artist/company name, fiber content, care, etc.
- Handspun yarn must be skeined or banded with a secure label. The label must include weight, number of yards, and fiber content.
- If an item is for a child and not flame retardant it must be labeled "NOT INTENDED FOR SLEEPWEAR".
- Items may only be offered for sale for three consecutive years.
- A commission is taken by STS on the sale of your item, so price your item accordingly.
How to Become a Vendor
- The STS Consignor Forms come in the July and August Guild Newsletters. Fill in your Consignor Forms to include ANY AND ALL items that you may have completed and have ready for sale before the end of the fair. Since there is a period between when the Consignor Forms are due and Inventory Check-in, some “fudge factor” is being allowed. A limit has been set of 20 items on the Consignor Forms that are not checked-in without penalties. If 21-30 items are listed but not checked-in then 25% extra will be deducted from the proceeds from any sales. If more than 30 items are listed on the Consignor Forms but not checked-in then NO ITEMS FROM THE CONSIGNOR SHEETS WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR SALE.
- Inventory sheets and item labels will be distributed at the August Las Arañas meeting. If you are unable to attend the meeting, the inventory sheets and item labels will be mailed after the August meeting. You should place the item label either directly on the item, or on a tag that you can attach to the item.
- Each day has two shifts: 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM and 1:30 PM - 5:30 PM, however, some shifts may be dismissed at 1:15, if necessary, to vacate needed parking spaces.
- A sign-in sheet will be inside the demo area. Please sign in when you arrive to work a shift.
- If you enter five or more items for sale in the STS shop, you are required to work five shifts. It is strongly suggested that one of the shifts be in the Shop.
- At the end of the fair, STS computes its commission on individual vendor sales. The commission is tied to the number of shifts worked:
Shifts worked STS comission
5 25%
4 27%
3 30%
2 35%
1 40%
0 45%
(If you enter fewer than 5 items for sale, you are required to work one shift per item and the STS commission is 25%.) The commission will be increased over 25% for each required shift you do not work, following the chart above, i.e. if you miss one shift the commission will be 27%, if you miss two shifts the commission will be 30%, etc.)
- If you cannot work the specified number of shifts you have an option of having another person work your shift(s) either gratis or for pay (you must negotiate with the worker directly).
- Deliver merchandise to the STS check-in area in the Dairy Barn at the NM State Fair on Wednesday, September 4, 2015 between 10 AM and noon. Enter at Gate 6 from San Pedro between Central and Lomas. There is no parking fee on Tuesday. Bring your copy of the inventory sheet and a stamped self-addressed envelope.
- You or your designee must pick up your unsold items on Monday after the fair between 11 AM and 1 PM. Your items will again be inventoried at check-out. You may enter at Gate 6 and park with no fee on Monday. Bring your copy of the inventory sheet.
- The STS Co-Chairs or Shop Chair will answer questions and make decisions on any merchandise. You may not remove your inventory prior to check-out without approval.
PLEASE NOTE: Sheep to Shawl does not assume any risk or liability for the theft, damage or other loss of items consigned to Sheep to Shawl and does not warrant or guarantee that items consigned to Sheep to Shawl are secure from theft, damage or other loss while in the possession of Sheep to Shawl. Consignors assume all risk of theft, damage or other loss of consigned items.