It's Coming! It's Coming!

Tour de Fleece is coming (TOMORROW!) and I am excited. This will be my third year participating. Every year I see my skills jump from daily spinning, something I normally find hard to do but for Tour de Fleece, I just do it. My fiber picks for this year are:

That includes Southern Cross Fibre (20 oz), Spunky Eclectic 12 oz), Hello Yarn (4 oz), then 4 oz each from Bitsy, Gilead Farm,and the ball in the middle is from Handspun by Stefania who uses all natural dyes. Isn't it a lovely, colorful group of fibers! More information as I spin each fiber during the TdF.
I checked back and found that in 2009 I did 2 pounds 10 oz. - 3,035 yards. Year 2, 2010, was 2 pounds 9 oz. - 2317 yards. I think the reduction in wt and yards was due to the fact that 2 pounds of my spinning went into a 2 ply. This year I was again aiming for 3 pounds but I think I will change that to spinning for a minimum of an hour a day. I am also hoping my new travel wheel - a Pocket Wheel - comes during the TdF so I can spin on it for the first time but I am still "in production" with that. haven't moved to the finishing booth then there is "final testing". I plan on spinning my first 4 oz. of Hello Fiber, my first CVM, I think my first Mohair.Cooperworth mix. Since last weekend my treat has been to pick out the fiber to spinning during TdF. Nothing like a good stash dive!

I was lucky enough to score another 4 oz. of Tendrils (pictured last post) from a destash so I will in fact end up with enough fiber for socks! That spin will have to wait until after the TdF unless I power my way through the 3 pounds early.

Spinning for Socks!

Here is one socks worth of Southern Cross Fiber April Club, mixed Jacob "Tendrils" colorway. It is a 3 ply and the colors are pretty accurate.

I actually finished the second sock's worth tonight - they are both soaking - but I think the second is a little lighter weight. I am thinking the foot out of the finer yarn and the cuffs out of the heavier. Still need to decide what to use for the toes and heels. Here is another in process picture, colors not so accurate:
Single on bobbin, fiber ready to spin for a single, and one sock's worth plied but not washed.
Still knitting on the October Socks, first toe up - slow, slow slow.
Then there is weaving! Warped up and started my sister's birthday scarf. Warp is commercial Bamboo, the weft is handspun from Southern Cross Fiber Paua, Faukland wool spun single.

And I got my June Spunky Eclectic Weaving Club which will go on the loom next:

June speeding by

After many hurdles, Haruni is finished!


A picture of the Spunky Eclectic Weaving Club May 2011 project which was a fast weave. Has been finished since June 3rd.

June has included a 5 day trip to Toronto for a conference, a weekend at my cousin Susan's with a day at the Mannings for their annual Spinning Seminar and a Wedding Shower for a niece today. A busy month so far! However, there is in progress the toe up 2 at a time on one circular needle socks, spinning Southern Cross Fiber "Tendrils" in 3 ply for socks and still carding my corriedale fleece. Last picture is some lovely Norwegian Long Wool, Spunky Eclectic May 2011 Club.

Tomorrow will be a day at home, YEA!, knitting, spinning, and starting to pick out this year's Tour de Fleece fibers.