23 July 10

Tour de Fleece

mostly yellowyarn As you might have guessed from the photos, below, I’ve been spinning a lot lately. I’m participating in the Tour de Fleece, which is a (fiber) spinning event that coincides in time with the Tour de France. Different categories separate different spinners, and you can join teams. I’m in Team Rookies since it really is less than a year since I got my wheel, hard to believe. I’m also in Team JulieSpins because the fiber I’m spinning — a soft-as-butter Blue-faced Leicester — was dyed by the hugely talented Julie Sandell of Massachusetts, whose work can be found here and here.

nectarinada bobbins The Tour de France ends on Sunday, and I find myself gathering my wits, cats, and early hours to try and get all the fiber spun. I separated all 30 ounces out into vague color likenesses, and decided on a traditional 3-ply (versus Navajo, or chain, ply, which would have preserved longer color repeats but which is inherently less stable and uneven than the teutonic solidity of a 3-ply). I could have made this a lot easier for myself and gotten a lot more yarn if I’d chosen a 2-ply, but 3-ply blends the colors better and the yarn is more rounded.

I’m going to use this stuff to make a side-to-side jacket, inspired by kimono construction but tapered at the waist by means of short rows. Designing as you go results in some ripping out. I don’t mind this, I’ve discovered. Maybe in my old age i really am becoming more patient. I just hope I have enough yarn…

Yellow, pinky yellow, pinky magenta, magenta plum: I’m calling this yarn Nectarinada.

Added July 26, 2010: I finished the whole 2.5 lbs. It’s dense!!
nectarinada yarn

Posted by at 06:13 AM in Spinning | Link |
  1. It’s beautiful – and indeed like a nectarine.


    Rana    23. July 2010, 13:15    Link
  2. It’s gorgeous! And to think you just started spinning a little while ago!


    beth    26. July 2010, 10:36    Link

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