Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Tour de Fleece 2014




It has been eons since I have posted here!  Things always seem to get in the way.

I decided to participate in the Tour de Fleece this year.  I joined the wonderful Babe group as there are some terrific people who have Babes.  I always find it is a good community and very encouraging!

My goal was just to spin every day.  I didn't set any amount of fiber or anything else.

Unfortunately, I didn't meet that goal.  *sigh*  However, it was because I woke on Friday night/Saturday morning at 3:30 in the morning.  My stomach was cramping...  Won't bore you with all the details.  But the short version is that I am fairly certain I either ate something that didn't agree with me or I had a stomach bug.

So for day 16 & 17, I didn't spin.  I barely even moved for that matter.  Blah!

On the plus side, I did spin every other day.  So hey, I had two rest days.  Of course, they weren't the same as the TfF, but it is all good!  *smile*

It just felt *really* good to get back to spinning.  I don't think I had spun at all in over a year.  The last thing I have listed for handspun was added in Feb. 2013!

Finished yarns:

DyeingforColour in the Nobility III colorway

Tour de Fleece -
Finished Yarn - DyeingforColour Nobilty

Superwash Merino Firestar blend.


Pics don't do it justice.  Nice shimmer but not overpowering.  Lovely purples & black with gold shimmer.  Beautiful fiber & the prep is amazing.

4 oz.
WPI 8-13
~200 yards

Semi woolen spinning.  Lots of loft and squishiness.  Lovely.

My DD has already claimed it for mittens.  Might work really well for them.  So it might be hers...  We shall see.  I really like it too!

The fiber came from Dyeingforcolour's Etsy shop.  Lovely fibers at very good prices.  And the prep was sooo nice on this.


The First Draft Merino/Silk in Coldilocks Colorway

Tour de Fleece -
Finished Yarn Prebath - The First Draft Merino/Silk in Coldilocks Colorway

From the fourth Dresden club.


Came in a braid.  I divided it in half.  Then I took one half & divided it into eight more strips.  The other half I drafted out so there were longer color repeats.

The trick was that with the half that I drafted, it came out thicker than the one I split further.   uneven.  I still had about a third of the spool left of the one I had drafted out thinner.

6 oz.
WPI 14-21 WPI (average around 18)
~560 yards

Brown Alpaca

Tour de Fleece - Day 10
- Monday July 14

This fiber was sitting on a bobbin.  I know it is alpaca from the feel.  But honestly, I don't have a clue how long it was on that bobbin!

I think it is part of the NorthStarAlpacas Roving from Sonata & Berringer that I spun.  I had blended that with a black for a project.  Though honestly, I am not certain that is what it was.


Unfinished Spinning:

Loop BULLSEYE Bump in Hidden Passions colorway

Tour de Fleece - Final
Day 23 - Sunday July 27

 
Lovely colorway with reds, purples & black.  Made specifically for me and has my fav colors!

Started this when I got it in April 2012.  Set it aside for the TdF in 2012.  Then picked it up again about a year later. 

I figured I would spin it for the Tour de Fleece this year!  It spins super fine.

I finished the single on the last day of the TdF.  I am planning on letting it rest a bit & then Navajo plying it.  I wish I felt like I did it justice.  I think parts are thicker.  So I really wonder how this will come out when I ply it.

I am going to post this.  If I don't, who knows when I will!!  *laugh*

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