Thesockladyspins

Gail M came on Wednesday and picked up the free handspun I was destashing, think from the pix she was happy and so was I for moving it down the road. Nothing wrong with the yarn just stuff I no longer want to knit with. And there is still a bunch more that will be going to a local weaver, am sure before she gets here that I will find even more. Finished the 4 oz bag of vintage Merino, have another bobbin of (I don't remember what it is) white likely they will be plied together someday. Think this is the end of the Tour de Fleece spinning for me, didn't try and keep track of yardage but know that total weight was close to 48 oz. Altho just found a small braid of pink wool & silk just 3.75 oz may be able to squeeze it in before tour ride ends.

Finished the last of the RainCity fiber, first 4 oz I did was Polwarth-Silk mix 60-40, then the next (both dyed in same colorway) was Merino-Silk. Both bobbins now in the plying queue. Bobbin on the right is the Polwarth mix left is the Merino mix. Yummy stuff now wishing I had bought more. Will watch for a vendor carrying RainCity fibers while at OFFF. Found a smallish bag of Merino top, so old that 4 oz was only $8.00, its my next spinning project. Hopefully will be the last of the TdeF stuff. Heading out today for the Knitting Bee in Tatla, haven't been for the last 4 weeks so thought about time I showed. Will also hit the library and get gas, so a combination trip. Pix of the handspun fiber I'm getting rid of, waiting for GM to come by for first choice then a weaver friend will likely get the rest. Vintage stuff and I want to move it down the road, some needs a good hot bath, rest just isn't what I want to knit with anymore, not to worry still have a couple of...

Finished the Orange Creamsicle merino-nylon, if all goes well it will be fingering weight once plied. Then got out the next fibre to spin from Rain City in Snohomish, WA bought both at NwRSA conf in early June. One is Polwarth - Silk the other is Merino - Silk both dyed in the same color path. Will be my next TdeFleece project. Yesterday plied the 2 bobbins of the leftovers of the CMF's Merino, ended up with a smallish skein of 180 yards. Wasn't at all sure that the two different colours would work tog but after seeing them plied have changed my mind, think it will be OK for yarn. Had frost yesterday morning and today temps in mid 50's at 6 am, weird weather, and by Sunday supposed to be really hot again for a day or so.

Took a day off yesterday while waiting for brain to fully engage hands and feet. Feel much better today. Finally a pix of the wool & silk mix from Dicenta. Also while everything was working this morning I finished plying the 2 bobbins of wool & silk for a 2nd sock in a pair. Still not my favorite part of the job but nice to have 2 more empty bobbins. With everything continuing to work will get the gray into skeins yet today or started on it anyway.

Finished the bobbin of the unknown gray fiber last night, got out the wool & silk I will be plying it with and think that it will do nicely. The bobbin on the right is the just finished. With the gray finished got out and prepped the next bundle of superwash merino, broke off pieces 18-20 inches and laid them out carefully, ready to grab with all going in the right direction. From the pix it looks like a jumbled mess but each piece is ready to grab & spin. Am right on schedule for what I had planned for the TdeF, even took time to ply the Sherwood wool & silk mix, will be getting it into skeins this morning while still cool. With a fire now burning at Punzi (not that far as the crow flies) I'm sure my valley will fill with smoke. Today and tomorrow are the last two hot days for awhile, then back to normal temps with even a bit of rain in the forecast, and that will be most welcome.

Last night I was to hot & sweaty to think about dealing with another 8 oz of merino so grabbed the closest fiber to spin just before crashing. I'm not sure what the fiber is, but feels silky so likely either BFL or? I already have a bobbin full of light gray (waiting in the plying queue), it plied with what I am currently spinning will be perfect for the 3 pair of mens sized fingerless gloves on order from Norway. Perfectly plain no color no patterns, will be difficult for me to see the Sherwood already plied and not think just a few small peeries or stripes would go so verra nicely with the light gray. This is the other bundle of merino, it will be next after the light gray. Hopefully to look like its supposed to be plied with the first 8 oz already done. Got the 2 bobbins of Sherwood (merino-silk) plied before 7 this morning.

Still hot and going to be even hotter by Wednesday, 35°C or 95°F, most unusual for my wild mountain valley, by late afternoon it is to hot to be spending anytime in the wool room. So get up early 5 am and get what I want done before 11 ish. Finished the first bobbin of fine merino yesterday, had a little bit left so this morning that is what I've been spinning. Once its done will start in on the second bundle of 8 oz from Crown Mtn, also merino and I will be plying it with the first from yesterday. Also got the variegated denim blues into skeins, ended up with 4 skeins and a total of 884 yards, what I would call a fine dk weight. Once its washed will be even nicer. Next will be to ply 'Sherwood', merino 80% and tussah silk 20%. Must be pine pollen is in the air or something that is making my nose run like a faucet. Keeping a handful of Kleenex in my pocket.

Got the 2 bobbins of the variegated blues plied Wednesday and Thursday, was so hot that electric wheel was heating up so had to take it slow, and now I know why, big build up of grease on shaft slowing it down, used alcohol to clean it off, bobbin now moves freely. So next will ply later today the 2 bobbins of Sherwood from Dicentra. With the TdF starting tomorrow, planning on spinning 2 8 oz bundles of vintage merino from Crown Mountain Farms, alas now closed. but today's goal will be 5 oz of Orange Creamsicle, not sure if its doable with afternoon heat, so got started on it at 5:30 am. Gets hot enuff in wool room mid afternoon as to be uncomfortable to be out here and that is with all windows (6) open and both doors. I have a sneaky feeling that my WW is ill, if I had a small enuff Allen wrench to move the cap piece think it would improve performance, will take it to OFFF and see if Nathan can tweak it for me. Got to town last Tuesday (one of the few cooler days), paid prope...