FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions about Spin Together

The How It Works page in conjunction with the FAQS page constitute the official rules. Void where prohibited.

FAQs for Everyone

Q: What is Spin Together?

A: Spin Together is an opportunity for spinners from all over the world to come together online for a week of spinning fun and a friendly team-based competition. You can spin wherever you and your spinning wheel or spindle are in the world.

Each spinner will join a team, and the teams will compete to see which one can spin the most yardage during the course of the week as well as competing for a few other award categories.

Q: What are the dates for the event?

A: Spin Together starts at noon wherever you are on 17 February 2024 and ends at noon wherever you are on 24 February 2024.

Q: How much does it cost to join a team?

A: The fee to join a team is $15. Also, we encourage you to make a donation to Habitat for Humanity when you sign up for a team. You can sign up for the team of your choice beginning on January 20th and ending on February 4th. We suggest signing up as early as possible, as teams are limited to 25 members.

Q: What will the $15 registration fee be used for?

A: The $15 registration fee will be used to cover the expenses related to running Spin Together. Whatever is left over will be divided among the organizers as a stipend for the many hours involved in organizing and running Spin Together.

Q: I really want to be a part of the competition, but I can’t afford the $15.

A: If the $15 entry fee is truly a hardship for you, please email us at spin2gether {@} gmail.com. We will have a limited number of scholarships available.

Q: Who can participate?

A: Anyone age 18 or above can take part so long as the laws of their country do not prohibit doing so in any way.

Q: How do I join a team?

A: The first step is to read the How It Works page and the FAQs pages (this one) of our website so you have a good understanding of the competition. You can do that any time. Those two pages constitute the official rules for Spin Together.

Beginning at noon Pacific Daylight Savings Time on January 20th and ending on February 4th, you can sign up for any team you like right here: https://www.spintogether.org/join-a-team/. Each team is limited to 25 members including the captain, so if one team is full, you are welcome to join another.

You have to personally read and fill out the form on the Spin Together website to join a team.

Q: How do I choose a team to join?

A: If you have a relationship with a shop or guild that created a team, we suggest joining that one. However, if that one is full by the time you are ready to join a team or if you don’t have a particular relationship with any of the Spin Together teams, you might consider looking for one that is geographically close to you. You are welcome on any team.

One thing that you might take into account is where the team group is hosted. Some are on Facebook and some are on Ravelry. If you prefer Facebook over Ravelry or vice-versa, you might choose a team group that is hosted where you like to hang out online.

Q: What are all the categories in this competition?

A: Here are all the categories:

  • Greatest number of yards spun by a team.
  • Highest average yardage spun by a team. (This helps smaller teams to compete against larger ones.)
  • Greatest number of yards spun by an individual on a spindle.
  • Greatest number of yards spun by an individual on a spinning wheel.
  • Great number of yards spun by an individual on an e-spinner.
  • Most beautiful skein of yarn.
  • Wildest skein of art yarn.

Q: What individual category will I be competing in if I use more than one type of spinning tool?

A: Whatever the most efficient tool you use will be the category you’ll go in for the individual yardage competition, so if you spin everything on the spindle, you’ll be entered in the spindle competition. It goes like this:

  • If you spin on your spindle and nothing else, you’ll go in the spindle competition for most yardage spun on a spindle.
  • If you spin some on your spindle and some on your spinning wheel, you’ll be in the spinning wheel competition.
  • If you spin some on your spindle, some on your spinning wheel, and some on your e-spinner, you’ll be competing in the e-spinner category.

Q: I have a kick spindle. What does that count as?

A: For the purposes of our competition and after some research, we’re going to count kick spindles in the spinning wheel competition. There’s no perfect answer because they seem to be more efficient than drop spindles but somewhat less efficient than most spinning wheels; however, the method of using kick spindles and the wheel involved has somewhat more in common with the spinning wheel than supported or unsupported spindles.

Q: I will be spinning on a charkha. What does that count as?

A: We are counting a charkha as a spinning wheel.

Q: I have a great wheel. What does that count as?

A: Even though great wheels are somewhat less efficient than most modern spinning wheels, they are still spinning wheels and will be counted as such.

Q: I don’t want to create a team, but I’d love to be a sponsor. How do I do that?

A: If you are able to sponsor a spinning-related prize of any size, we would be so very grateful to you, and we’ll put your name in lights so to speak and encourage the contestants to patronize your shop. You can learn more on the Sponsor a Prize page.  Please keep in mind that this is an international event and prizes should be appropriate for anyone in the world to be able to claim and enjoy. That also means you will be responsible for the cost of shipping your prize to the winner.

Q: How do I connect with the spinners and teams of the Spin Together community?

A: In the weeks leading up to the competition, you’ll have the opportunity to get to know your fellow teammates through the Facebook group, Ravelry group, or Ravelry thread your team captain sets up. Your team captain will email you the link to your team group and other team info as soon as you sign up. There is also a Spin Together Facebook group, which is the main hub for all news pertaining to Spin Together.

Q: How and when do I calculate and submit the yardage I spun during the competition?

A: We have a full explanation of how to easily do this at the bottom of the How It Works page. Once you have calculated your totals, you can give them to your team captain, who will submit them to the Spin Together website. Please submit your yardage totals to your team captain by February 28th.

Q: Should I wash the yarn I spun during the competition before measuring it?

A: No, you should not. The reason is that different fibers shrink at different rates when they are washed, so the yardage before you wash it will be a fairer representation of what you actually spun. It will also be more. 🙂

Q: What type of yarn counts for the yardage competition?

A: Anything you spin from any type of fiber preparation during the competition week counts. You are welcome to use commercial cores, plies, and binders as you see fit. However, you only get yardage credit for elements that you actually spin during the competition week, and you must spin at least one ply of any skein of yarn yourself. To receive plying credit you must spin two or more plies during the competition.

That means that if you corespin with a core you spun yourself, that counts as 2x the length in yardage. If you corespin with a commercial core, it counts as 1x the length in yardage.

If you spin a 2-ply yarn and you spun each ply yourself, that counts as 3x the length as before. However, if you spin a 2-ply yarn and use one commercial ply, it only counts as 1x the length. You cannot count the commercial ply nor the act of plying with a commercial in this case since since only one ply was spun during the competition.

Please take a look at the new examples on the How It Works page for more details.

Q: How are the rules different for the creative competitions?

A: In previous years, the rules were a little different for the creative competitions, but in the interests of simplicity and consistency, they are now the same. Yardage on skeins entered in the creative competitions counts towards your total Spin Together yardage.

Q: What is the minimum-size skein for the Wildest Art Yarn Skein and Most Beautiful Skein contests?

A: The minimum is a skein weighing 3.5 oz or 100 grams. There is no minimum yardage requirement.

Q: Can I have someone help me during the competition week?

A: You must personally do all of the spinning and plying; however, you are welcome to have someone help with fiber preparation, winding off bobbins, counting yardage, etc.

Q: Will all the competition award winners gets prizes?

A: Let’s start with the don’t-sue-us disclaimer. We cannot guarantee that the winners of the competition awards will receive a prize at all. You’ll definitely get some awesome bragging rights, but prizes are dependent on the wonderful people who have agreed to sponsor them. The organizers at Spin Together cannot be responsible for missing prizes.

Now that we got that out of the way, if this year is like the last three, we should be in good shape to make it so every award winner gets a prize as well as those awesome bragging rights.

Q: How will you figure out who gets what prize?

A: The organizers of Spin Together will match up award winners with sponsored prizes at the end of the competition. We can’t tell you exactly which award winner will win which prize because the sponsors and team captains decide what prizes to offer. The basic idea is that 1st prize winners of the individual award categories will receive the most valuable prize package followed by 2nd and 3rd place for the individual categories.

Each member of the two winning teams (Highest Total Yardage and Highest Average Yardage Per Team Member) will also receive a prize.

Q: How do the Most Beautiful Skein and the Wildest Art Yarn Skein award categories work?

A: In addition to both individual and team yardage competitions, we have an award category for the Most Beautiful Skein and another category for the Wildest Art Yarn Skein. If you wish to enter either or both these contests, you can do so by uploading one photo per award category of the skein you wish to enter. The deadline to enter and send your photos to your team captain is October 13th, and the skein you enter must be a skein you spun and plied during the competition week. As noted above, you may use commercial cores and plies of any kind you can imagine, but you will only receive yardage credit for the parts you actually spin (see “How It Works” for more details). As of 2022, all team members will get to vote on the Most Beautiful Skein and Wildest Art Yarn entries!

Q: What happens if I sign up to spin on a team and then something happens that makes it so I can’t spin?

A: Please only sign up for a team if you have a reasonable expectation that you should be able to do some spinning for your team on most days of the competition. That said, things happen. If you sign up and then get sick or have a loved one who gets sick or life just gets in the way of your ability to spin during the competition, please email us at spin2gether {at} gmail.com and let us know that you need to cancel. Be sure to include your full name and the team you joined. So long as you cancel before the competition begins, we will cancel your team spot and refund your registration fee. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to do this once the competition begins, and teams cannot add new members after the competition has begun even if someone has to drop out.

Q: I have a question you haven’t answered. How can I ask it?

A: The best place to ask is in the Facebook group or the Ravelry group. If you don’t find your answer, feel free to email us at spin2gether {at} gmail.com.

FAQs for Team Captains and Those Thinking of Becoming Team Captains

Q: How much does it cost to create a team? 

A: If you would like to create a team, we simply ask that you commit to sponsoring at least two prizes for the winners of the overall competition. These must be electronic gift certificates to your shop or a fiber arts supplies shop. Please keep in mind that this is an international event and prizes should be appropriate for anyone in the world to be able to claim and enjoy. Each prize should be worth a minimum of $25 USD. If it is easier for you, you are welcome to pay $50 instead of sending the two prizes. That will be an option in the signup form. In that case, the organizers will provide the prize on your behalf.

Q: How and when can I create a team?

A: You can sign up to create a team between January 1st and January 15th. To learn more about creating a team, click here. The form to fill out to create a team will be here during the signup dates: http://www.spintogether.org/create-a-team/

Q: Do I (the captain) have to sign up as a member of my team?

A: No. Instead, you will be “joining” your team when you create it. The $15 registration fee will be waived for captains.

Q: There are two of us who want to co-captain a team. Is that possible?

A: Each team will have one official captain who is responsible for fulfilling all the duties of team captain (see the Create a Team page for details) and who will be our official contact point. However, you are certainly welcome to collaborate with someone who will help lead your team within your team group and in whatever ways you choose. There is a space for co-captain in the registration form, and you will have the option of prepaying and reserving a space or spaces for your co-captain and other collaborators when you sign up to create a team.

Q: Can my organization make two teams?

A: Yes. However, each team must have a different team captain and a distinctly different name–something more distinctive than Team 1 and Team 2. Also, anyone can sign up for each team, and we ask that you avoid dividing teams by skill level, which would take away from the fun camaraderie and welcoming spirit of Spin Together.

Q: If I am the captain of a team, will I need to sign up to join my team?

A: No, you will not. You will only need to fill out the Create a Team form to be considered part of your own team.

Q: If I am the captain of a team, will I also need to fill out the Sponsor a Prize form?

A: No. We don’t like busy work, so when you sign up to create a team, we will ask for everything we need related to your role as team captain and your role as prize sponsor in the one form.

Q: I have a group of people who normally spin on my team whenever there’s a spinning competition. Can they be assured a space on my team?

A: If you would like to prepay for your co-captain and/or a few team members, you can do so when you create your team. The coupon code will only work for as many people as you prepaid for when you created your team. We will email you your team’s coupon code along with a link to the form where they can sign up, and you can share those with the people for whom you prepaid.

However, all the remaining spaces on your team will be available for anyone who would like to sign up. We would encourage you to avoid filling too many of your team’s spaces because part of the fun of Spin Together is meeting new people (virtually) and being inviting and open to everyone who wants to join your team.

Q: I’m a team captain. How will I know when someone joins my team?

A: Every time someone joins your team, you’ll get an email with your new team member’s name, email, and a few other pertinent details. We ask you to welcome each new team member by email and give them the link to your team group. If you are not seeing these emails, please double check your spam folder and put our email address in your safe senders group.

At the end of sign-ups, we’ll also send you a roster of all your team members.

Q: When and how do I need to submit my team’s yardage?

A: We will send you a spreadsheet to submit your team’s yardage during the competition. The deadline to submit your team’s yardage and other information is midnight on February 29th. You’ll need the following information:

  • Your team’s total yardage
  • Each team member’s name, total yardage, and spinning tools used

Q: When will I need to email my prizes?

A: The deadline to send your prizes is 10 days after you are notified of the winners. That means there is a quick turn-around between when you submit your team yardage, when we figure out the results, and when we ask you to email your prizes so the prize winners can enjoy their fiber or tools as soon as possible.