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