Tour de Fleece Day 1 - Back to Spinning

It is funny how I go almost completely silent for a whole year except when I got a new-to-me loom! 

Then it is Tour de Fleece time!

Signed up for the Schacht & Akerwork teams again.  Didn't see anything for Into the Whirled and was sad.  But last minute, they posted an unofficial team.  So happy they did.

I decided to also participate in Team Warped.  It is with the Warped Weavers groups.  Since most of my fiber goes onto my loom, figured it was a good team.

I generally pick a team for watching while I spin.  Last year was Babylon 5.  I have also done Firefly, Doctor Who & others.  This year I wanted to do musicals as a theme.  Much to my surprise, I really didn't find a musicals group on Ravelry.  *blink*  There are ones for certain musicals.  And even two for Hamilton. Closest was Movie and TV Show Soundtracks.  But with 18 members & no recent posts, I didn't figure they have a team.

So I am just doing my own thing!  Will try some new musicals as well as ones I love.  If anyone actually reads this anymore, suggestions are welcome!

Day 1 - Jukebox Musicals!

For the start of the Tour de Fleece I wanted FUN!

I actually wanted Little Shop of Horrors.  But much to my HORROR, I don't own it!  *blink*  I had it on VHS.  And in the purge before moving, I let go 99% of my VHS.  I kept a couple things not available on DVD.  But everything else was let go.

I was browsing Netflix, Amazon Prime & HBO in hopes that someone had Little Shop.  No luck.  Ordered it on BluRay for the same price as purchasing it streaming.  With special features & both the theatrical & director cuts. 

In looking, I added a bunch to my watch lists.  One I stumbled across is a jukebox musical called Walking On Sunshine.  Loads of silly 80s music.  And it fit the bill.  Light, bouncy & lively.

I left the drive band on the back post when I switched the bobbins at the end of LAST YEAR'S TDF!!  So it stretched out.  So grateful my Ladybug has the drive band tension adjuster!  Otherwise I don't think I would have been able to start spinning as I had stretched the band out with it sitting like that for a year!

Much to my embarrassment, I still have half of The First Draft Polwarth/Silk in the Thomas Waith Is in Love colorway from LAST YEAR'S TFD on the wheel!  I had finished the first set of singles.  Though in some fairness, I spent EIGHT DAYS spinning the first half!  Wow...

It's on my Akerworks bobbins.  So I need to get them cleared off.  So I started the Tour spinning the second half of the fiber.  Though either I am spinning it to thick or I am spinning faster.  Between Day 1 & some of Day 2, it is about 3/4th done.

I am trying to be smart & take breaks in spinning.  Given I haven't in eons, it makes sense.  It seems to be working well as I am not sore for Day 2.

I also watched Mamma Mia.  Have watched it before.  It is fun.  Not in my top 10 musicals.  But I was looking for jukebox & light.  Fit the bill. 

In addition, I started on Hunky Dory.  Hunky Dory is set in the late 70s.  It is about a teacher in a school in Wales putting contemporary music in Shakespeare's "The Tempest."  A bit slower paced which is not a problem.  But I also decided to take a break last night to play some Borderlands 2 with DH.

I am happy with my progress!  I finished about 2/3rds of the remaining fiber.   I think that is excellent progress.  My only concern is that I may not be spinning it as thin as the half I did last year.  But we will see when I ply it!  Mind you, plying will be interesting given half has been sitting on the bobbin for nearly a year.  So the spring to it will be very different.

Here is the progress pic:

Created via Instagram's photo collage:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzoNGN_h8O-3gthLZBF6PxqMf_MCUZqlOjJtc40/

The details are on my Ravelry page:
https://ravel.me/akasha/twdfl

And for anyone wondering about the colors, this is definitely from my daughter!  Soooo not a pink gal.  *laugh*

Hoping to get back to posting pics on Flickr.  Of course, since it was bought, the service has gotten worse while the cost has doubled...  *sigh*  May be time to start shopping for a new photo service.  Sucks as I have had almost a decade with Flickr.  But it isn't working a lot recently...

Tour de Fleece Wrapup

I didn't post for the last days of the TdF.  Whoops. 

I did post to the Into the Whirled thread for finished items.  Didn't win.  *sniffle*  Though there were 51 entries.  So the odds weren't strong.

I posted to the Akerworks one.  That closes today.  But there are A LOT of members in that group.  I just posted & am 104!  And even with 15 prizes...  You never know but not betting on it.

I am so sad!  I missed the prize deadline for the Schacht group.  *sigh*  I didn't read closely.  They opened a prize thread at the end of the tour.  Ah well.

Mind you, I am not in it for the prizes.  But it gives me something to work towards. 

Here's all my progress together.

I am pretty happy with what I did. 

8 oz of Into The Whirled Polwarth Silk Blended Top in 221B Colorway

~434 yds of 2 ply

4 oz Into The Whirled Polwarth Falkland Wool Carded Batt in Cattywumpus Colorway

~180 yds of 2 ply

2 oz of The First Draft Polwarth Silk in the Thomas Waith Is in Love Colorway

still on the bobbin as I didn't finish the other 2 oz. yet

Wish I had gotten more yardage out of the 221B.  I was spinning singles to 28 WPI.  So I really thought I would get a fingering weight. But it plumped up a lot.

It is funny.  EVERYTHING I spun had Polwarth!  I think it has more crimp than I first thought.  So I think that was part of the poof of the 221B even with the silk. 

I knew the batt would poof a lot as I tried to keep it woolen spun.  I really didn't figure I would get a lot of yardage with a batt woolen spun.  So I was thrilled with the 180 yards.  I anticipate making a long cowl out of it similar to the one I made from a Loop Bullseye Bump.  

It was the Icordion Cowl.  

http://ravel.me/akasha/ic 

But looking at my projects, I think I was actually thinking of the Honey Cowl which I knit out of another ITW batt!  

http://ravel.me/akasha/hc

The First Draft Polwarth/Silk in the Thomas Waith Is in Love colorway seems to be spinning up super fine.  But I am not taking any bets on yardage after 221B!  It is the same fiber makeup.  And I really thought the 221B was going to get me 600-700 yards.... Ah well.

Happy with my spinning for the TdF.  As always, it is good to have something driving me to spin every day.

I did miss on day.  My bus took 3 hours to get home.  And I just couldn't deal with anything at all.  But other than that, I spun daily.  So I am a happy camper.

I will try to post pics I took of the The First Draft Polwarth/Silk that I took during the TdF.  But I want to get this posted.  Then hopefully out for lunch & ice cream!

Look What Happens When You Ask Your Daughter to Get Some Fiber for You...

SHOCKER!  IT'S PINK!!

*laugh*

My fiber stash is in my bedroom which is upstairs.  I was being lazy and couldn't decide on what to put on the wheel next.  So I decided to ask my daughter to grab something from my fiber stash to start spinning.  There was a box of fiber with lots of stuff I got at MD S&W.  And the various fiber I was considering for the TdF was on top of the fiber bins.  All colorways I loved...

Yah.

She pulled this from one of my fiber bins.  Which means she went digging!  *laugh*

I love The First Draft fibers. And one of the ones on the top was the SSK 2016 fiber colorway.  But pink....?!  Really?!!

But the fiber is beautiful.  No....not my colors.  But so Elder Munchkin!

So very pink...

A reminder for me to set parameters!  *laugh* Or to not be so indecisive & lazy.  *grin*

It is spinning very fine.  I am hoping to get some decent yardage from it.  But I haven't been lucky this TdF with any major yardage!  So only time will tell...

I don't think as thin as this is that I will complete it by the end of the TdF on Sunday  But we shall see!

 

I think I may have messed up some of the numbering on the photos...

TdF Days 12-15

I confess, I didn't spin a thing on Day 12...  Due to bus issues, it took me over three hours to get home.  And I was sore after being cramped for that long on the bus.  So I did nada.

Days 13-15, I finished plying the Into The Whirled Polwarth Falkland Wool Carded Batt in Cattywumpus colorway.  I really like the way it looks.  Since I was spinning it woolen to keep the air in it, I suspect it will plump even more after its bath.  I need to skein & soak it!

I have to admit, I am kinda disappointed in the yardage after the bath for the ITW Polwarth/Silk Blended Top in 221b colorway.  I really hoped to get at least 600 yards or possibly more out of 8 oz..  No such luck.  I only got about 435 yards!  Out of EIGHT OUNCES!  *sigh*

I really thought I would get more.  Not sure why.  I know it puffed up some.  But I checked while spinning the singles. Most of the time, it was about 28 WPI.  Really figured I would get a fingering weight with a 2 ply.  Alas, not the case.

Tour de Fleece 2018 Day 11 - Into The Whirled Polwarth Falkland Wool Carded Batt in Cattywumpus Colorway Plying Started

I know yesterday was a Challenge Day, but alas, it was a challenge enough to get any spinning done.  So I am happy with that.

I got home late yesterday due to rain.  So much fun...  But I did get some done.  I decided to start plying.  Looking good.

Tour de Fleece 2018 Day 10 - Into The Whirled Polwarth Falkland Wool Carded Batt in Cattywumpus Colorway 2nd Single Started & Completed!

Yesterday was a whole lot more productive than I thought it would be!  I completed the second singles of the Into the Whirled Polwarth Falkland wool carded batt in Cattywumpus colorway.  It went surprisingly quickly.  Think it looks good.  Hoping it plies well with the first singles.  *fingers crossed*

I decide to watch a Babylon 5 episode with lunch.  I went with "Grey 17 Is Missing."  I have been going through the Marcus episodes in chronological order.  Next was actually the two parter War Without End. I didn't have time for two episodes. And I feel like I was getting stalled on those episodes.  I recall they were the Shadow Wars and not my favs.  So I decided to move ahead.

It was a good episode.  It was fun to see Robert Englund not playing Freddie.  *smile*  And Garibaldi had some wonderful bits in the episode.  After Marcus & Ivanovna, he is next in my top B5 characters.

Marcus has to fight to delay a Minbari from the warrior cast who disagrees with Delenn becoming the head of the Rangers since she is the religious cast.  And as always, Marcus wins out though takes a severe beating to make that happen.  A very good episode.

I spun some more in the evening while my hubby & I watched Wynonna Earp.  I am so thrilled that I got the second singles spun in a day.  Hooray for that.

Since it is only 4 oz., I will stick with the smaller bobbins.  After attempting to ply on the bulky flyer, I am thinking more and more that I don't care for it much. 

All in all, I am thrilled.

Today is a challenge day.  But the real challenge will be spinning at all.  I commute 2 hours each way to the city.  And working 8 hours.  So it is a lot of time away from home.  So honestly, my goal is to spin 15 minutes.  That will be a challenge.  Especially because that means starting on some plying or starting on new fiber.  And I have no idea what is going on the wheel next!

I may do a separate post with the pics of the ItW Polwarth/Silk that I plied.   I skeined it yesterday & gave it a bath.  But I may wait until I have finished pics & all the details (like total yardage, WPI, etc.)

Tour de Fleece Days 7 to 9 - Into The Whirled Polwarth Falkland Wool Carded Batt in Cattywumpus Colorway Creating First Single

On happy news, my brandy new Akerworks bobbin arrived on Saturday.  Isn't she lovely?!

 

I had company on Saturday & Sunday.  So I didn't get anywhere near the amount of spinning done as last weekend.  But I enjoyed having company. 

I split the Into The Whirled Polwarth Falkland Wool Carded Batt in half to make a 2 ply.  I am mostly spinning it woolen as it is a batt.  Trying to keep the loft in it.  Though I don't know how successful I am.  I guess I will see when it plied & gets it bath.

Tour de Fleece Day 6 - Into The Whirled Polwarth Silk Blended Top in 221b Colorway - Plying DONE!!!

I finished plying the Into The Whirled Polwarth/Silk Blended Top in 221b Colorway.  Super thrilled it is done.  I always feel like plying takes longer. I know it doesn't, but it feels that way.

There was a lot of trying to match up the plies.  It didn't go as smoothly as I hoped.  But I think the finished project is good.  I will let it rest before I skein & soak it.

It is thicker than I thought it would be.  But since I was hoping to make a shawl, the yardage is adjustable.