It has been the practice at the CSMSA Conferences to have a "fleece-to-feet" contest in which contestants make a complete pair of socks in as short a time as possible. At CSMSA 2002, the contest was held on the first floor of the Iowa Historical Society Building.
       While socks were being made, a staff of spinners added to the fun by spinning fleece into yarn. This year, three spinners  provided the spinning services for the contest.

         
       The Fleece-to-Feet contest takes place on the afternoon of the second day of the conference. That gives contestants a day and a half to practice and have the adjustments set, yarns selected, and machines lubricated. Machines are lined up in the starting positions. Excitement builds to a peak.
      Then the MC announces, "Ladies! Start cranking your machines!" Well, not really. But the contest is carefully timed, and when the winner holds up a pair of socks, the crowd cheers, "keep cranking". Second place is yet to be determined.
       What would a CSMSA Conference be without a sock making contest?