Tour de Fleece round up

My Scottish tour de fleece has been very successful. For the final score board I made my goals of spinning every day for two weeks and managed a total of 1.5 kilos of fibre which was converted into yarn.

One of my favourites
the highland tartan

This one is my absolute favourite but I dont have enough to make a cardi for me out of it. I think I will just have to keep it in a skein so I can pet it. I learn somethings about colour mixes and made some discoveries about the colours I like.

First Navajo plying (200gms)

I learnt to Navajo ply, and I worked on my travelling wheel.

Gorse yellow  (400gms)

The cows in the next field like listening to the squeak in the wheel as I was working to get wheel in better shape.

Bracken  (100gms)

It was funny to realise that my fibre selections actually match the surroundings so well.

I have 400gms of this
Bramble sock weight.

The new pipy has some querks but  she is lovely to work with and she is starting to look very beautiful. I am still working on her squeak and it may mean a new leather from saddler but it is not as bad as it was.

the Wendy

I also have some Jacob greys which was great for learning that I am not that keen about the texture of these types of fibres.

400 grams of Jacob that I think
is destined to be felted.

I have created some lovely yarns I am now trying to work out what the smick and I going to knit with these. I have more fibre as a result of the trip thanks to my collection of 4 Shetland fleeces which I plan to process within 12 months.

If you take the high road and I take the low road ....

Yesterday was the madcap nightmare of last minute tasks that had to be done before setting off on the drive to Glasgow.  We made it to our Farm cottage this afternoon after reconnoitring the local services and getting some essentials in for our wildlife (food).  The Cottage is about 7.5 miles from UK Knit camp.  Fields surround us.  The downside is the poor Internet connectivity so I will only be on intermittently over the next couple of days.  Hey it is the family holidays.

The Dreaded Clapotis

Here is the Clapotis with daughter modelling it for me.  It was finished last Thursday and no I have not blocked it yet. You can see our cottage part of the long barn and our holiday front garden deck. We had a lovely dinner out there tonight.

 A Pipy Wendy

The plus side is I actually got some spinning done this afternoon on my new Wendy. As part of this trip I am planning to spin a little each day as a belated Tour de Fleece to ensure that I am getting some spinning practice done each day and learn the quirks of my new wheel.

50 more grams to go

50 grams of Merino with 3% Silk in Purple with gold single on a bobbin,  I have another 50 grams left to do which I hope to Navaho Ply to try and keep the colour changes.

Fields of Gold

As part of my fibre increase for the Tour de Fleece I have purchased some more batts this time it was a fibre that reminded me of the daughter and our shared fascination for bees and bugs. So I have now got 200gms of the lovely Marino/ Bamboo and sparkly bits batt from Shunklies and her etsy shop.   It can also be remarked that these batts are the same colour as the winners jacket on the tour.

Love the honey coloured yellowness

I am still knitting on the clapotis but it is starting to bore me to tears sorry make that to sleep.  I really have to sort out the boredom factor by starting an alternative project to spice up my life a bit.

Tour de Fleece review

Unfortunately for me life got in the way of my tour de fleece spinning.  I did spin but not enough to meet my personal goals.  Life and a lack of supplies were my two reasons why I did not spin as much as I wanted.  I will be doing a mini tour myself when I go up to Scotland in a couple of weeks time to knit camp.

I have been working on the supplies issue much to my posties horror.  So I have some gratuitous shots of my latest acquisitions. Top is a Merino /Tussah silk mix from Devon by the lovely Sarah of SarasTexture Crafts.  The next image of a Merino silk combo from Helke  who is Steinkreis-Naturseifen on Dawanda.  Are you starting to notice a pattern yet???

The third parcel was from Stephanie or aka kreativsucht on dawanda.  This batt is 100% Merino but there is also something else in common, have you spotted it yet???  Bingo they are all purple variations.

Starting position spinners, Un, Deux and Trois!

Today is an important day in the Kotaatok household as it is a two for one day.  By two for one - I mean we had two big events on at the same time.  Today is our wedding anniversary and we should be out on our second parole thanks to good behaviour.   We were cooing away this morning and girl child's comment was "Get a room or I will get a bucket of water".  Isn't karma a witch when she comes back to bite you on your arse.  I have said this phrase so often that I did a double take as it was my mother talking except it was out of my daughter's mouth. Since I could not be a young hip loved up person I chose to focus instead on the other event that starts today.

Today is the start of the Tour de France and in the fibre world it is also the start of the Tour de Fleece for spinners. So this morning I have carded some fibre and cleaned up a bobbin and I am about to head off to spin like mad.   I have some fibre to get spinning with so adieu as I must take my place at the start of the Tour de Fleece.

Just a little feel for France.