Category: yarn

  • tour de fleece – the final wrap-up

    So! I accomplished my goal of spinning every day, and got quite a bit done.

    tour de fleece skeins

    These four skeins are the only ones I spun in their entirety during the Tour – I also plied some silver merino/silk and spun and plied the rest of some tussah silk.

    So how about some glamour shots and stats?

    DSC_9890

    Ashland Bay Merino Silk in Cranberry – 300 yards/100g of 2ply, worsted weight.

    3ply silk/camel

    Spirit Trail silk/camel – 320 yds/4oz of 3ply (chain ply), DK weight.

    95% cormo, 5% silk

    Foxfire 95% cormo, 5% silk – 350 yds/4oz of 2ply, sport weight.

    and one that I snuck in the last few days of the Tour – a skein of 100% cormo that I am absolutely in love with!

    100% cormo

    100% cormo

    100% cormo, 300 yds/100g of 3ply (chain ply), sport weight.

    I’m not sure what my grand total is, because of the aforementioned finishing stuff up that was already on the bobbin. But I do know that I’m feeling really re-inspired to get back to the wheel, and I’ve already started some awesome wool/angora. I’m gonna keep spinning down the stash until Rhinebeck!

  • tour de fleece! day 5

    I’ve been spinning!

    crazy colours

    Okay, so these two skeins were spun up ages ago. Months ago. But I only just wound them off the bobbin, so here’s the photo! These from from a Blue Moon Sheep 2 Shoe kit that I got at *last* year’s Maryland Sheep and Wool. Crazy colours. Superwash merino, chain plied into a DK/sport ish yarn. There should be plenty of yardage, though I haven’t actually counted.

    TdF day five

    And what I’ve done since starting the Tour on the 3rd. The silver merino/silk singles were already done (8oz of Ashland Bay stuff) so I plied those up into a couple of big skeins. On the right is a big skein, about 100g and 300 yards, of cranberry Ashland Bay merino.

    I don’t have a lot of goals for this Tour, but the main one is to spin every day. So far I’ve done it, although last night I only did 5 minutes at 11:55! I’m also teaching a wheel spinning class this month so I guess I’m in more of a spinning mood. I’m also trying to vary my technique a bit – as with a lot of spinners, I get stuck in a rut and produce a “default” yarn style and weight.

    I’ve currently got some cormo/silk on the wheel, and it’s a bit challenging because it’s a woollen prep that’s a little bit neppy. So it doesn’t really want to spin up into my usual smooth type of yarn. I’m trying to go with it and spin it a bit thicker and with lots of air and more thick-and-thin than I usually do.

    Of course the other reason I’m doing the Tour de Fleece is so I can spin down the stash a little before Rhinebeck! Just three months away and I already can’t wait.

  • I love yarn

    Because it’s sooooo pretty!

    Merino Fingering from local dyer Viola, in Sea Storm:
    sea storm

    Sliver Moon Farm merino fingering in Smoky Plum:
    so pretty

    Colinette Jitterbug in Oyster Blush:
    jitterbug in oyster blush

    I’m madly in love with all these yarns at the moment. Good thing they don’t expect me to be faithful!