We did it ...

The Toronto Spiders have taken back the B2B title!!!

International Back to Back Wool Challenge

P.O. Box 34

Birregurra Victoria 3242 Australia

20010 Results Annual Challenge

Promoting Wool World Wide & Fund Raising for Cancer Research

Ph: + (03) 5233 6241 Email: backtoback@iprimus.com.au

POSITION TEAM 2010 Time Previous Best Time

1. Toronto Spiders, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 5hr 52min 48sec 5hr 55min 50sec 2008 . Including a 5 min penalty NEW CANADIAN RECORD 2010

2. Team 1, Pelhrimov, Czech Republic 6hr 52min 10sec 7hs 34min 15sec 2009 . NEW CZECH REPUBLIC RECORD 2010

3. Hitsujikouboh Masako, Chibaken, Japan 7hr 14min 04sec 5hr 33min 46sec 2006 JAPANESE RECORD 2006

4. Spinning Knitwits-Newcastle, Patterson, NSW, 7hr 22min 35sec 5hr 43min 26sec 2004 Australia

5. Kurrajong Handspun Crafts, NSW, Australia 7hr 44min 00sec 6hr 34min 19sec 2007

6. Team 2, Pelhrimov, Czech Republic 7hr 44min 13sec 8hr 32min 40sec

7. Bloemfontein Spinners Academy, 8hr 13min 40sec 9hr 9min 15sec 2009 Republic of South Africa NEW SOUTH AFRICAN RECORD 2010

8. Gumeracha Gumknutters, Lobethal, South Australia 9hr 34min 38sec 7hr 21mins 59sec 2009

9. Gospereau Valley Team, Nova Scotia, Canada 9hr 59min 10sec 11hr 15min 00sec 2007

10. Cotswold Woolgatherers, Stroud, 10hr 10min 00sec 9hr 40min 13sec 2009 . Gloucestershire, UK

11. Thunder Bay Weavers& Spinners, Ontario, Canada 14hr 25min 12sec 17hr 46min 20sec 2008

12. The Unspun Heroes, George River, 7hr 37min 00sec 15hr 09min 00sec New Team . Cape Brenton Island, Nova Scotia Canada Including a 5 minute penalty

13. Spinthrift Scotsville Cape Brenton Island, 15hr 30min 00sec New Team . Nova Scotia Canada

Guinness WORLD RECORD

Pembroke Merriwa Jumbucks, NSW, Australia 4hr 51min 14sec ~ 2004

2010 Awards:-

Scottish Wool Centre - The winning team world wide.

Toronto Spiders, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 5hr 52min 48sec

Including a 5 min penalty NEW CANADIAN RECORD 2010

City of Geelong - Winning Australian team.

Spinning Knitwits-Newcastle, Patterson, NSW, 7hr 22min 35sec

Shipway Trophy - For the winning New South Wales, Australia, team.

Spinning Knitwits-Newcastle, Patterson, NSW, 7hr 22min 35sec

Canadian Cooperative Wool Growers Ltd Trophy for the winning Canadian team.

Toronto Spiders, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 5hr 52min 48sec

Including a 5 min penalty NEW CANADIAN RECORD 2010

Brigadoon Trophy- The team with the greatest donation to charity.

Results to be announced when all the results are in.

Media Release

Toronto Spiders Spin a Winning Woolly Web

The Toronto Spiders team competing at Black Creek Village in Toronto, Ontario, handspun and knitted a jumper from sheep’s back to theirs in just under six hours to win this years International Back to Back Wool Challenge.

Winning a whole hour ahead of the second place getter, The Czech Republic team, their time was not enough to break the Guinness world record time of 4 hours 51 minutes and 14 seconds, held by the Merriwa Jumbucks

Thirteen teams of blade shearers, handspinners and knitters entered at

twelve different venues around the world in the sixteenth Challenge, completed on Sunday 20th June 2010.

Each team consisted of a blade shearer, a country of origin sheep and seven

handspinners (with spinning wheels) and knitters who follow the identical

Challenge rules and pattern to knit the adult size jumper.

The teams were from six different countries, two teams competing on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada for the very first time.

Each team not only promoted wool world wide but raised substantial

funds for Cancer Research.

Countries competing this year included Australia, Canada, Japan, UK, South Africa and the Czech Republic.

Results:-

First :- Toronto Spiders, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 5 hours 52 minutes 48 seconds.

NEW CANADIAN RECORD Including a 5 min penalty.

Second:- Team 1, Pelhrimov, Czech Republic 6 hours 52 minutes 10 seconds.

NEW THE CZECH REPUBLIC RECORD

Third:- Hitsujikouboh Masako, Chibaken, Japan 7 hours 14minutes 04seconds

InsideToronto.com did a great article - check it out!!

Twas the Night Before ...

... the Relay for Life. I missed last year and am totally stoked to be knitting with the ladies of the DKC/Toronto Spiders again this year. A couple of friends from the Mart of Wal will be joining me - while they don't knit they have not vehemently refused to learn so they are welcome. They can be our token walkers!!!
While we have traditionally knit & spun pink scarves & yarn, this year the team is representing the Rainbow of Hope so I have done my nails to get into the spirit of this new tradition.

P.S. If you are able to sponsor me, it's not too late & I'd really appreciate the support!!

Nicole & I are heading out early tomorrow to pick up some pants at the Eddie Bauer outlet in Vaughan then a surprise mission - I'll share tomorrow!!! Then it's packing up supplies, picking up Krista and then on to the Relay for 12 hours of fundraising & knitting fun!!!

And yes, China Clouds is progressing - pics tomorrow?

Head in the Clouds

Sunday was excellently productive - I started out here:

and ended up here:

Yesterday was a bit of a knitting bust but I'm closing tomorrow so I can stay up a bit late tonight & get some knitting in before I head in to the Mart of Wal for 2:00.

Guess Who's Back?

I know that it's been awhile - longer than I thought but between starting a new job & trying to work through some other stuff it was time that I needed. While my knitting slowed down it never stopped (that would totally have been the time for an intervention!!!). Thanks to everyone for staying in touch but not pushing - I know that you would have been there if I had to ask for help and that meant a lot to me!

I am going hardcore right now on China Clouds. I haven't called Jackie so I would like to take this opportunity to explain how the rumours about my knitting speed should be amended to the slowest fast knitter! I have allowed deadline knitting to crowd out this project but I am committed to it and I love knitting on it. It is challenging and rewarding and there will be visible progress - it will be blogged. Cindy - make sure that your mom sees this please!!!
This is the reverse side of the 1^st sleeve blocking - I'm into the 2^nd sleeve now.

One of the perks of working at the Mart of Wal is that I can score a movie poster once in a while. Amanda nearly died when I brought this one home. She's Team Jacob - what team are you on?

Watching TAR with Wannietta - The Finale

So it all comes down to this - the safe money is on Meghan & Cheyne based on their performance over the whole race, but I'm backing Brian & Ericka; I think that they want it a lot.

So it's off to the Grace Land Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas for their next clue.
Meghan & Cheyne are out in the lead at 11:10 AM.
Sam & Dan are next at 12:08 PM followed by Team Zebra at 3:15 PM.
Once again the airport is the big equalizer - all of the teams are going to all be on the same flight.
Of course it wasn't your fault Sam & Dan - the cabbie asked you for more money for the privilege of dumping his fare.
The big cabbie race is on from the airport to the chapel.
What is up with the bride in black shoes with the white dress?!?
They all arrive at the same time, listen to Elvis finish his corny version of Amazing Grace then the cabbie race to the Mandalay Bay Hotel.
Brian & Ericka arrive 1st and Erika is going to do the 600' rappel down the face of the building. Good thing - Brian is terrified of heights!!
Ericka is talking the talk about being fearless - we'll see what happens when she goes over the side.
Meghan & Cheyne arrive next and Cheyne is going to do the deed.
Sam & Dan's cabbie is going the wrong way into the entrance of the hotel.

Ericka is totally doing it but I think that it would go faster if she had her legs straighter.
Cheyne is over the side and Sam & Dan have arrived.
Cheyne is going down with his eyes closed.
Ericka is Down and they're off to the Mirage.
Cheyne is halfway down and glad he's wearing a helmet as his head goes off the side of the building.
Sam is rocking it out and catching up fast!!
Cheyne is Down and opened his eyes.
Brian & Ericka have arrived at the Mirage and need to join the cast of Love. One person needs to sproing the other one up from a bungee harness to capture a bouquet of flowers in order to move on.
That was lame Brian - she needs more force than that!!
Ericka is projecting her frustrations onto Brian and ordering him to settle down.
Cheyne is bouncing with Meghan!! OMG
Oh snap - both girls almost had it! Meghan just got a piece of hers!
Ericka is losing it and demanding that her & Brian switch and she's telling Brian not to get her pissed off. I think that train has left the station.
Meghan & Cheyne are off to find the Monte Carlo.
Poor Dan is getting his balls squished, but has his bouquet.
It's more about using your momentum in the harness than being tall.
Ericka is losing it - she can't get the hang of it and is sprawling herself all around rather than compacting herself and springing up to the target.

Meghan & Cheyne don't have the right destination casino & Sam & Dan are following it.
Sam & Dan called someone and they're off to the Monte Carlo and are trying to not let Meghan & Cheyne see them peel off.
Meghan & Cheyne may be headed off to the Venetian.
Brian & Ericka are finally done & headed to the Monte Carlo.
Sam & Dan are at the Monte Carlo and need to count out $1,000,000 of chips.
Meghan & Cheyne are at the Venetian and are seeking 2nd & 3rd opinions and are now off to the Monte Carlo.

Sam & Dan are arguing about the best way to sort and count out the chips.
Brian & Ericka have arrived and started counting.
Sam & Dan are at $300,000
Meghan & Cheyne have arrived.
It's just a mass of chips clinking and teams encouraging each other to go faster.
Sam is a freakin' mess, but Dan is handing over chips. If they don't have the total right Sam is going to go apeshit on Dan.
Brian & Ericka think that they are done.
Meghan & Cheyne too.
Meghan & Cheyne are correct - Sam & Dan and Brian & Ericka ... not so much.
They are off to the MGM Grand high roller suite where Mr. Las Vegas will tell them where the finish line is.
I'd be totally letting Kerwyn be in charge of counting.
Sam & Dan are correct.
Brian & Ericka are wrong again and Ericka (no surprise) is falling apart.
Meghan & Cheyne are at the MGM and they are off to find Wayne Newton's house.
Sam & Dan aren't far behind.
Meghan & Cheyne are having a hard time finding the main entrance to Wayne's ranch.
But they totally did it!!!

#1 - Meghan & Cheyne - no one else matters tonight.

Just for fun - Sam & Dan are the 2nd place team. They didn't show how much longer it took Brian & Ericka or the ragging that she must have done on him.

It was a great race - thanks for watching it with me!!!