Tour de Fleece (or don't talk to me I'm spinning)

When my lovely friend and über expert spinner Porpoisefur asked for folk to join her Tour de Fleece team I hesitated.  I became aware of this world wide spinning event where spinners form teams to spin during The Tour de France and tot up the spinning miles (watching the cycling while spinning is optional) from chat on Ravelry last year but felt far too much of a newbie spinner to think of joining in

After being reassured that entry to the team is at all levels, that everyone will improve by joining in and all we had to do was commit to two things,

• to spin every day the cyclists are racing
• to decide on a set of personal goals 

and

• share experiences on Ravelry... 

Oh, that's three.

I joined in.  My goal is simply to spin a consistently fine thread that when plyed is knitable, I wanted to make something particularly lovely with this fibre that I bought at WonderWool.

BFL in Alma Tadema colour-way

But there are always un intended consequences.  For the first few days I persevered with my vintage Lendrum.  Despite greasing every moving part I could get access to (as advised by a very helpful lady I met in a yarn store one day). The yarn I produced was very lumpy

Mixed and unknown (to me) fibres

Perhaps it's the fibre and I'm not yet ready for mixed fibres, so I bought this from Porpoisefur, our lovely leader 

Falkland (lower left) Romney (top) Shetland (lower right)

Then I went away for a few days and drop spindling was the only option.  I got on a lot better, this is more fibre from Porpoisefur, baby alpaca in Leaf Peepers colour-way

But there was still the cranky old Lendrum skulking in the corner of my studio that simply would not be mastered.  So I bought a new wheel.  And not just any wheel but a Schacht Matchless.   A rather big investment but it is beautiful.  I nearly said she is beautiful despite not liking anthropomorphism, it almost felt right to give my wonderful new wheel a human personality

I would love to say I am now spinning a fine thread but that will still take time and the yarn is still rather organic.

corriedale

But by the end of July I have high hopes I shall be producing some very respectable knit-worthy yarn

xx

c

The Spinning Wanties (no this is not a euphemism)

Last weekend I went west with a bunch of lovely knitters who despite being VERY serious about their knitting were also a lot of fun.  Our destination? WonderWool Wales!

Alli (Champagne and Qiviut, Rachel (Porpoise Fur) And Danni (Lioness Arts and who had the idea for Unwind Brighton and then made it happen).  We wandered we ooh'd and aah'd and stroked the yarn and then I saw it...

the Schacht Matchless.

 If you read this blog regularly you will know I knit and sew seriously but also dabble in other woolly activities.  I want to spin properly, I really do, I have grand ideas for big arty projects with my own hand spun, and a growing stash of spinning fibre.  I even show off with a drop spindle if given the opportunity.

But when I begin treading a real wheel, the reality is a little different.

My (practically antique) Lendrum is kind of special.  It was my mother's, she must have bought it 30 years ago.  But it is temperamental, like an old car that needs every action to be carried out just so or it will flood, stall and just sit with its brakes stuck on.  My Lendrum in expert hands (and foot?) is fine.  A lady in my knitting group even demonstrated the most amazing long draw with it, while I remain at the very short, thick and lumpy stage.

this is Rachel spinning, not me!

So when we saw the Matchless at WonderWool and Rachel (of Porpoise Fur) put it through its paces, I just thought it was down to her expertise, untill she and Alli made me have a go.  So I sat down, all the time protesting that i had given my wheel a good ignoring for more than six months.

And then I saw the light,  the Matchless and it's smoothly running double treadle turned me into a spinner

I'm in love and have begun to save my pennies.

Of course I didn't ignore  the other sweetie shops all around me, here is a sample

From fibre to finished object in the colours of the rainbow

and some of the generous creatures who grow the fibre for us

I did not neglect to augment my fibre stash

from the top and right, teesdale, BFL, alpaca and silk

Or  yarn

Whistlebear, Eden Cottage, Kettle and BaaRamEwe

Lots of treats but I'm very proud to say each skein of yarn is destined for an actual project, all the deets next week...

Xx

C

PS - lots of progress in the studio, it's my reason for being a little tardy in the blogging department at the moment.  The building work is done and it's over to me now to do the painting and (the fun bit) moving my entire stash out there!

coming along nicely (remember the before blog?)