COA students spin and knit for cancer support in global wool challenge

A rotating crew of Spinters dove into the asynchronous challenge, clocking in with a time of 13 hours, 40 minutes and 44.2 seconds to turn raw wool into a sweater. The team, led by professor Susan Letcher, helped shear Honeybee the sheep first thing that morning before spending the day spinning and knitting.

The Back to Back Wool Challenge was started 30 years ago by a sheep farm and historical homestead in Southwestern Victoria, Australia called Tarndwarncoort, or Tarndie. The Back to Back Challenge is part of Tarndie’s mission of promoting self sufficiency and traditional skills, while also fundraising for cancer charities around the world.

As soon as the first piece of wool was snipped from Honeybee by the team’s shearer, Heather May, the Spinsters were off and spinning. Using seven non-electric spinning wheels, the spinners and knitters worked on a rotating schedule, knitting more and more pieces of the sweater as yarn became available.

During the competition, the team sold handmade yarn goods and hand printed t-shirts, raising over $1,500 for Sarah’s House, a regional cancer charity and home away from home for cancer patients who need support through the care process.

The Spinsters don’t know how they placed in the competition yet, and won’t know until the competition finishes on June 30. However, their time would have put them in the top ten competitors last year.