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Arts and Sciences
Duchess Juana will be hostessing
the Food Area of Gloriousness this
year and Sabrina de la Bere will be
organizing classes so please contact
them if you have questions or
suggestions or want to teach a class.

Current list of classes:

West An Tir War 2010  A&S
Class Tracts
MEDIEVAL SOCK WARS!

MEDIEVAL SOCK WARS!

Sabrina de la Bere announces: West/AnTir War in
July 2010 will feature the FIRST EVER MEDIEVAL
SOCK WARS!!

Here’s how Medieval Sock Wars will work. (These
are the rules as they stand now: please be alert
for updates.)

   • The competition will be for knee-length, SCA
period style stockings in worsted weight yarn.
(Wool unless you’re allergic.)

   • You must be a paying participant at the hosting
event, the West An Tir War of the Society for
Creative Anachronism, AS XLV.

   • A free pattern for knitted stockings will be
provided. The pattern is Pre-Literate Stockings,
available online at <http://chrisknit.blogspot.
com/2007/12/pre-literate-stockings.html
>. Other knitting or nalbinding patterns that
produce a period- plausible stocking at least 16
inches from heel to top can be used.  
Sock Wars stockings must be either nalbinded or
knitted.

   • No Sock Wars stockings may be started before
9:00AM on Friday, July 2nd, 2010. (You may
certainly practice on other projects ahead of
time.)

   • All participants must sign in at Sock Wars
Headquarters *BEFORE* starting their socks.
Brown Sheep has kindly donated enough yarn for
the first 20 participants that show up Friday
morning to get free kits.

   • Others may participate but must bring their
own yarn. If you bring your own yarn, you must
show it to the judges when you sign in.  
A pair of stockings takes about 8 to 10 ounces of
worsted-weight wool yarn (only one finished
stocking is required for Sock Wars, but you’ll
probably want to make a second one eventually so
you can wear them ;) If you bring your own yarn
and want to compete, the yarn can be _no
heavier_ than standard worsted weight (8-9 wraps
per inch, or 50+ yards per ounce, or it says
“worsted weight” on the label).

   • All participants must bring their own needles.
Depending on whether you are a tight or loose
knitter, these would most likely be a set of US size
5, 6, or 7 double-pointed knitting needles. Circular
needles, while not a period technique, are allowed.

   • A short class will be held Friday morning to
demonstrate two techniques that may be new to
some knitters: knitting in the round with double-
pointed needles, and the period-style heel found
in the pattern, which is not like a modern sock
heel but is very easy.  
Experienced knitters will be at Sock Wars HQ
during the day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to
provide help and instruction. (Volunteers for this
are welcome: please contact Dame Christian de
Holacombe <claning@igc.org
>.)

   • Participants may turn in completed Sock Wars
stocking(s) at any time (exact hours TBA) on
Friday, Saturday or Sunday. All participants must
stop and turn in their stockings by the announced
time on Sunday, July 4th. (Time TBA, but it will
probably be around midafternoon.)

There will be THREE competitions:

(1) First to turn in a finished stocking (only 1 is
required). If no one has finished by the deadline,
the longest stocking wins.

(2) Judges’ Choice. Honorable Mentions may also
be added at the judges’ discretion.

(3) TOTAL INCHES KNITTED PER KINGDOM!
(This is, after all, a WAR! ;) When you turn your
sock in, you will be required to specify whether you
are knitting for the WEST or AN TIR. The judges
will measure the total inches knitted for each
kingdom and declare a winner!

Results will be announced at Closing Court on
Sunday. Pickup of socks will be just prior to
closing court and all participants are encouraged
to bring their socks to Court!

We will announce more details as we have them,
and full and final rules will be announced when
Sock Wars begin.

Thanks to our sponsors, Brown Sheep and Yarnia!

Questions are welcome! We want this competition
to be both fair and fun.

---------------------------

REMINDERS:

(1) Note: If you want to compete, you will probably
want to bring your own yarn, just in case you are
not one of the first 20 to sign up.

(2) Remember in any case to bring your needles --
the nearest yarn store is 50+ miles from the war
site. US size 6 is recommended -- or if you knit
loosely, a size 5; if you knit tightly, a size 7. The
best length for double-pointed needles is probably
8”. If you prefer circular needles, the stocking is
small in diameter, so you will need to use either
the “Magic Loop” technique or two circular needles
(any length).

(3) You will also probably want to bring a ruler or
measuring tape, safety pins or stitch markers, and
a pen or pencil and paper. (And chocolate, if that’s
your thing!)

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