And relax…

Sadly I had to give up the Tour de Fleece towards the end due to a very, very painful shoulder. I most probably over did it a bit on the spinning, but that’s me, go at it ‘hell for leather’ and suffer the consequences after!

I did manage to produce some yarns I am very proud of and once this shoulder heals or I find a way to work with it, I will go back and finish the yarns I started.

The one above is a merino and embroidery thread art yarn, only about 20g as it took some time. Inspired by the final day of The Tour, coming down the Champs Elysees at night and the wonderful display on the Arc de Triomphe.

Th yarn below is another Limegreenjelly hand dyed merino. This is the finest I have ever spun, so producing a 2 ply DK yarn, which belonged to me for all of 20 mins. A friend saw it hanging on the line drying and bought it!

There is another I am half way through spinning, a grey Gotland fleece, I haven’t got photos of it yet, but it has the most wonderful curls that I didn’t want to loose, so I haven’t carded the fleece, but spun it as it is, it’s producing a slubby art yarn, silver grey and black. I can’t wait to show it off.

One thing I did learn during The Tour, is the existence of Spindolyns. It’s a drop spindle that spins in a base, so you can prep the fleece with two hands.

I’ve ordered one for my birthday!! Woohoo!!

So until then, I have a little relaxing time now, making clocks, and hats for various people….

Tour de Fleece.

And so it begins…

I have joined as usual Team Jellylegs for those fans of Limegreenjelly rovings, Team Spindlers for those spinning on Drop Spindles, Team Climbers for those who have set thmselves a challenge and Team Breakaway for those spinning Art Yarns.

The challenge originally was to spin 600g I have 2 Limegreenjelly plaits, 100g each, a Yummy Yarns UK art batt 100g, Some undyed Blue-Faced Leicester 100g and some undyed Merino 100g, but I have also got quite a lot of sheep fleeces that have been given to me so I thought I’d do a bit of that too, and then there’s the Russian Merino tops….

Think I should have joined Team Hopelessly Committed too!

Well so far so good,

Day 1 was spent sorting out which fibre would be spun on which spindles.

Day 2,

50g of the Limegreenjelly Merino. 

As soon as I saw this yarn I knew what I was going to do with it. The Yellow, Green and Red are colours of the Tour’s shirts so I went on a search for little bike charms.

Day 3, whilst waiting for the charms to arrive,

 

50g I began spinning the Toffee Twist Russian Merino Tops.

Day 4 the charms arrived.

My first skein of TdF 2013. “Tete de la Course” Merino and silver plated bicycle charms.

Day 5,

My 2nd skein  100g “Marsaille” the Yummy Yarns UK Art Batt. So called because Cavendish won this stage. And 3rd skein 50g “Erik” the Russian Merino Tops. 

 

Day 6,

This day was spent washing, carding and spinning some sheep fleece. 50g done.

Day 7 was spent at the local craft market. I did get some spinning done, but not a great deal. Day’s 8/9 were written off. I was aching like mad so had a rest.

Day 10 should have been a rest day but as I’d already had 2 days off, I thought I’d catch up.

I’m working on my 2nd Limegreenjelly fibre, Merino again. The first 50g is done  and I’ve washed more sheep fleece.

Today is day 11. I’m at work so all my spinning will be done this evening. I’m hoping to get the other 50g done so that can be plied.

The most wonderful thing about Tour de Fleece is seeing everyone’s spinning projects, there’s some really clever people out there, I am mesmerized and in awe of it all!

So far 350g of my target of 600g is done, not bad for the first week.

Time to get back in the saddle.