Tour de Fleece Spinning

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Originally uploaded by kelly.pratt42

I participated in the Tour de Fleece. It is a spinning group where a lot of participants spin during the Tour de France. It was a blast, everyone sets personal goals. My goal was to spin daily and to try different fibers. I did accomplish this, the only day I did not spin on the tour was when I worked Saturday and came home and left for the U.P. I ended up spinning two pounds two ounces of fiber. I can't wait for next year, the whole family had fun and we watched the bike race more than we normally would have. The posted picture is of a batt from Enchanted Knoll Farm called One Fish, Two Fish. It is very fitting considering....

I made this!

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Originally uploaded by kelly.pratt42

It is hard to believe that someone shears a sheep, prepares the fleece, someone buys that, dyes it and resells it to someone like me. I do not want to even think about the long process before I got the roving or batt as it does not inpsire me at al. I am glad that process does bring joy to some and it brings me joy that I am not one of them. :-) Once I purchase the prepared fiber I then strip it down into a bunch of manageable pieces to spin. I spin & spin & spin until they are all spun into similar thickness and then they rest for a day and then I ply. This either entails two or three different strands being twisted together in an opposite direction as originally spun to make yarn. Then you skein it up, soak it in warm water, rinse, whack it (to even out the twist you put into it) and let it dry outside. The part I participated in is a process I love and the best part I end up with yarn! YAY ME! So here is a skein of yarn I spun up. I was in a spin-a-long and the fiber color & content would be a suprise. This is what was sent, a beautiful blue/green with pops of cream and a bit of orangey yellow. There was a lot of us in the SAL and we had until the end of June to spin and post a picture. A random number generator chose someone in the group to win a prize--fun, fun, stuff! I had a good time and it was by far the thinnest yarn I had spun. I am not sure if I will knit socks or maybe some sort of wrap? Got a bit of time and I am off to spin!

A Rose Is A Rose Is A Rose Is A Rose!

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Originally uploaded by kelly.pratt42

I ordered a Majacraft Rose the end of May. It shipped from New Zealand to Michigan and arrived on Monday June 15th. I could not be happier, well I could if I had never spun on this wheel. I would not have known what I was missing. I had my Majacraft Little Gem and was content with it. It just seemed to take me longer to spin than everyone else on Ravelry. I just chalked it up to beginner spinner, well that is not so. Rob & I assembled the Rose after the kids went to bed and I spun up 2 ozs. in no time at all. I finished all 8 ozs last night just spinning while watching t.v. It would have taken me much longer on my little wheel. I am finishing my spin-a-long fiber for June on the Little Gem as that is what I started spinning the fiber on. Then I will play more of my Rose. The Little Gem will be going to Lake Superior with me for spinning lakeside in July! I am looking forward to that. The kids are at swimming lessons so I am off to spin for a quick minute.

School is almost over!

We just had a long Memorial Day weekend. I worked Friday thru Monday at the restaurant. I am not complaining at all as we are getting new vinyl replacement windows throughout the house tomorrow. We can definitely use the extra money for that big job. I am looking forward to the windows but not the: "moving anything within two feet in front or beside any window". Yuck- that is a lot of things to move...beds, pianos, dressers, and all window furnishings.

I knit Delaney one sock during ball games last week. I will try to knit a mate this week. I knit a chevron cuff and a stockinette foot out of self striping yarn. I used the Yarn Pirate's BFL in the colorway Cupcake. I knit a ton of socks and this is really thin fingering weight. I did not enjoy the yarn that much but do like the color.

I have been spinning nightly. I am currently spinning some superwash merino from AllSpunUp. It is for a spinalong, we are aiming for sock weight yarn. I shall see it is taking so long as I ordered 8 ounces. I keep looking at the pile of roving stripped down and it is overwhelming. :-)

I must get busy with the bedrooms so the window guys can start there in the a.m. I must not knit/spin I must not knit/spin I must not knit/spin I must not knit/spin no spin/knit!

Here is sock #1

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Originally uploaded by kelly.pratt42

Here is Cooper's first sock finished. I love children's socks and ones knitted on size 4 needles. Usually it takes so much time for socks knitted on size 1, and a leg that is 6 1/2 inches long! This was a piece of cake and done in one day. I might add kids also need that immediate gratification and they love trying the work in progress on.

This is what I have been up to

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Originally uploaded by kelly.pratt42

Here is my fiber from the Spunky Eclectic fiber club. The colorway is Myrtle and it is dark blue face leicester. I am making socks for my 9 year old Cooper. I did a twisted rib cuff and stockinette leg and it fits him perfectly. Of course all of the other kids want socks now. It is 73 degrees here and we are talking wool socks! I spun my 8ozs onto 3 bobbins, there was apporximately 34 wpi. I then plied the singles into a 3 ply at 17 wpi. I am happy with my first sock weight yarn. I would say this is a heavy fingering weight. I was hoping for more yardage but love the finished yarn and I am completely smitten. I am sure as I get to be a more seasoned spinner my plying will be not be so overly twisted? I hope and maybe that will give me more yardage.

Better Late Than Never

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Originally uploaded by kelly.pratt42

I finished these earlier this week they are Breathe Deep Mittens by Kirsten Kapur. I decided to join a knit-a-long on Ravelry for this pattern in March. Needless to say I got sidetracked with spinning and never casted on. They are done now, the yarn is Malabrigo and the colorway is Frank Ochre. I will be gifting these to my 17 year old niece Whitney. She wanted a hat for her birthday and we never decided on a pattern so the hat never came to be. I think she will love these. By the way--- her birthday was December 22. Yikes!