July 05, 2009

Tour de ...

I think I might have mentioned that I agreed to participate in Ravelry's Tour de Fleece which is the spinner's version of the Tour de France. Like the cyclists, we're supposed to spin every day for the next 3 weeks until the race is over. We get a day off when the cyclists get one.

What's so amazing about the Tour de Fleece is that I've actually been watching the Tour de France. I do not like watching sports at all, but when I saw the uniforms those men were wearing, I couldn't tear my eyes away! Zoiks!

Anyway ...

Day 1 came and went, I spun some Romney (white) and Falkland in Geode:


Not too bad to look at. So, here's what happened. I plied the Falkland and the Romney together. There was a lot of the Falkland left over so I Navajo plied that. Then I plied the two fibers together and got this:


The color is good, but honestly, the yarn feels exactly like gravel. Bullets would bounce off this yarn. If I bit it, my teeth would crack. It's as hard as a chain on a Harley Davidson motorcycle. Oy moy!

My goal is to spin 20 ounces of fiber. Doesn't sound like much, but normally it takes me a day to prep the fiber, 2 days to spin 4 ounces, it has to sit a day, then ply it and let it sit a day. Then I wash it, whip it and hang it to dry, which takes at least a day. That's 6 days! How'm I supposed to do 20 ounces in 3 weeks?

I haven't weighed the yarn I have yet, but if "Day 1" feels like rocks maybe it'll weigh a ton and I'll have met my goal.

Day 2 - I spun 2 ounces of merino top:



It's very soft and shiny and pretty.


I'm still working on the fair isle sweater. I finally found the needle I needed to work on it. I'll try to get you a picture tomorrow.

Time for bed - I need my rest if I have to spin again tomorrow.

4 comments:

  1. Romney and Falkland would do that I think. Ronmey is not my favorite. I would only use it in a blend if possible, with mohair for instance. I wanted to spin 2oz today, but I don't think I can do it. I think it takes so long because I spin so thin. My fingers hurt, and my eyes are cross. But usually I too can spin and finishe 4oz yarn. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you reach your goal!

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  2. I meant of course I can spin and finish 4oz in a week. :o)

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  3. ohhhh... the colors of the merino top are yummy! and you can do this! this is your second attempt at tour de fleece and you've come such a long way from the first one. better to have a goal and come as close as you can then not try at all.

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  4. i love the blue one you spun. so pretty!

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