Saturday, July 14, 2012

Tour de Fleece - Day 14 Progress


Today has been a very productive spinning day.  I am kinda surprised just how much I got done.

I finished spinning the singles for the Edge of the Universe fiber from Dyeing for Colour.  Beautiful fiber.  All ready to ply.

Tour de Fleece - Day 14
Progress

Then I wound the Bump I Navajo plied into a skein and soaked it.  It is hanging to dry right now.  I am *loving* it so much. Already trying to figure out what it needs to be.  (Currently leaning towards the Afternoon Tea shawl but these things change.)

Tour de Fleece - Day 14
Progress

After that was done, I started on the Bullseye Bump in the Pear Blossom colorway.  With the Loop challenge, I decide to try something different.  I am intentionally spinning it a bit thin & thick.  I am planning on thread plying it and adding seed beads to the thread.  I think it could look amazing.  *crosses fingers*  The fiber is super yummy.

Tour de Fleece - Day 14
Progress

A very productive day.  Now so time for sssslllleeeepppp!


Monday, July 9, 2012

Tour de Fleece Update

Quickie update.

I didn't spin on Saturday.  I was in the car for three hours.  Then I was at a party & by evening, I was so beat it just wasn't happening.  I supposed technically I didn't spin on Friday but Saturday as I was spinning at 1 am.  No, I didn't stay up to spin.  I was working.  Sad as that is...

I have spin:
5 oz Loop Bullseye Bump - Still a single. Hoping to ply it tonight.
2 of 4 oz of the Dyeing for Colour Edge of the Universe 
1/4 oz tops of Cloverleaf Farms Silk - On my spindle so I don't honestly know if I will finish that for the TdF. 


I spun with my spindle some on Friday & Sunday.  That is when I am unable to use my wheel or waiting for something on my computer to finish processing.


I am feeling good about my progress.  Since I took a rest day Saturday, I am thinking I will spin on the rest day tomorrow.  We shall see.


Tons to do, but I wanted to check in.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Tour de Fleece - Day 1


I so should already be in bed.  I am gonna wanna throttle myself in the morning when Little Guy wakes at the crack of dawn.  *sigh*

The Tour de Fleece started today.  I can't really spin with LG in the room.  He will try to put his hands on the wheel.  Luckily, he took a two hour nap so I got to spin for about an hour.  Then I spun in the kitchen while Eldest Munchkin was coloring.  After the littles went to sleep, I did some more spinning as well.  Spun through episodes 2 & 3 of the new Doctor Who episodes.  I love Christopher Eccelson as The Doctor.

I am pretty thrilled with my progress.

So hard to take photos at night and without a good camera.  This is taken with DH's cell phone.  I tweaked it as much as I could to get the colors to come out.  But the pic doesn't do this any justice. 

It is my June custom Bullseye Bump from Loop.  The colorway is Night Bloom.  I really should have taken pics of the Bump before I started spinning.  Though I discovered even more beauty to it as I started spinning it. 

 The first color, the midnight blue is covered by the lovely green and I started on the purple.   The blue is so multidimensional with bits of lighter blue and all.  So yummy.  The green also has bits of blue and other shades.  The purple is lighter than the pic shows but super yummy.  Steph does such amazing work.

Also, it spins like heaven on earth.  Super easy to spin.  It also spins so fine.

Given I have spun 2 and about a quarter of the third color, my guess is that it is about 2 1/4 oz. 

Tour de Fleece - Day 1
Progress


Though an important note to self.  DO NOT WATCH SPINNING VIDEOS WHILE SPINNING!  I really was struggling when I started and I realized I was trying to change my spinning while watching the DVD for The Intentional Spinner.  Bad idea.  I have some fiber that pulled off because the single kept breaking.  Not good.  *sigh*  Ah well.

I did watch my Drafting dvd later while both the kids were wake.  I knit while watching that so it was actually informative instead of troublesome.  It is a really interesting dvd and I think useful.  Though the kids were not quiet and I know there were large portions I missed while they were hollaring for one reason or another.  *laugh*  I will rewatch it some day.

So I am hoping I can spin every day for the Tour de Fleece.  But I am not betting on that.  All I can do is try.  Other than that, no particular goals really.  Just trying to spin often.

Ideally, I would love to spin at least two of my Bullseye Bumps.  The Ravelry team has prizes for different types of yarn.  One category is for ones Navajo plied which is what most people do with the Bumps to keep the lovely color progressions.  One category is for 2 ply or other techniques.  I am thinking I might try thread plying the colorway I got that I think Eldest Munchin will like, but add beads to the thread.  I don't know if I will have the time to do that one.  But who knows.  The last category is using two or more Bumps or two fibers of hers together.  I *really* doubt I can touch that category.  Though I am a bit tempted to attempt EM's colorway plied with the Ultraviolet one my terrific SIL got for me since I couldn't get to Maryland Sheep & Wool.  That could be incredible.  But again, we shall see.

After the Bump, I want to spin some fiber from Dyeing for Color.  It is called Edge of the Universe and it screams Doctor Who to me.  Since one of the teams I am on for the TdF is Team Tardis, it only seems right.  *grin*

Dyeing for Colour Superwash Soysilk Seacell Silk Bamboo Blend - Edge of the Universe Colorway

Time to get some sleep!   DH gets to sleep in tomorrow.  I got to sleep in today.  I really should have been in bed a couple hours ago at the very least... *yawn*