Wilma

Ok, I'm back everybody!  Sorry for the cliffhanger.  Well, maybe I'm not sorry exactly but I'm glad you're back.  :P

I left off talking about Tour de Fleece!  I had set myself up with several ideas going in:

• stash busting
• trying new things
• washing, picking out vegetable matter, and flick-combing to prepare a bunch of my raw wool for spinning
• Play with dyeing!  
• two SAPGAP trades, one again with the same person I did before, this time with a Merino/Cormo cross and if I finished that I would start up on some alpaca/silk roving from the next SAPGAP trade.

I started off on the wrong foot.  I intended to start with the Merino/Cormo fleece but the carder machine I was using broke down.  So I had to try to get back out to my local yarn store to rent the big machine.  That didn't happen until about a week into TdF.

Let me take a moment to tell you about this fleece.  It's amazing.  Its the softest that I have spun to date and oh-so-squooshy!  If that wasn't a word before, it is now.  This is the seconds (it's not even the best stuff off this sheep!) from a sheep named Wilma.  There is something special spinning from fiber from a named sheep.  I can feel the love that went into the care for the animal.  I hope Wilma is happy with how I've been spinning her fiber because I feel that she is now my animal friend.

The first skein I just went for it.  I tried spinning long-draw as finely as I could make this fleece work with me - and it took forever.  Spinning and plying all day for 3-4 days (I forget exactly now but it was the aforementioned "forever").  I knew I would never finish before my August 1 due date.  I shared  pictures (the ones below actually) with the person who owns the fleece and she liked it but felt it was too thin.  So I set it aside to add to my share and moved on.

624 yards, 100 grams; 23 wraps per inch

Next I tried spinning short-draw and making it a bit thicker and fluffier.  It worked perfectly.  I hit right in the 17 wraps per inch range which is fingering weight.  This style of drafting also allowed the yarn to be even sqooshier.  It'll make lovely baby clothes, as she said that's what she wants to do with the yarn.

Unfortunately after I finished this skein I got side tracked by life.  My kiddos and home needed tending to.  Always going on about the "I need clean clothes," and "I'm hungry," and some such.  Then my 14  year old wanted a birthday party.  Ugh.  I just want to spin!  lol

So then I got back to it and got two more 100g skeins done and two singles for another skein as Tour de Fleece came to a close.  The next day I plied the two together and washed & set all the yarn to date.  At this moment I have to finish spinning this last single, ply the fourth skein, wash, set, dry this last skein and then I can mail them home. :)  I'm cutting it close and its making me nervous.  I know she'll be okay if it's a day or two late but I like things to be on time.

Here's a purdy picture I took of her yarn modeling my yarn bands I've put up for sale.

So I probably should tell you about these yarn bands.  I made these up for my first SAPGAP order and since then I've updated them.  Two days I found out that my rent is going up so I had the brilliant idea of selling custom yarn bands & tags.  So, I fixed them up a bit more, made a second page for small skein tags and put them in my online shop.  They'll make your yarn and roving look more professional and at a measly $5 they'll pay for themselves in no time.  Take a look! 

Tour de Fleece results:

• stash busting  Got some stash spun!
• trying new things  Tried new things!  Spinning from the lock and new fiber.
• washing, picking out vegetable matter, and flick-combing to prepare a bunch of my raw wool for spinning  Eh, not nearly as much done as I wanted.
• Play with dyeing!  Nope, nothing got dyed. :(
• two SAPGAP trades, one again with the same person I did before, this time with a Merino/Cormo cross and if I finished that I would start up on some alpaca/silk roving from the next SAPGAP trade.  Didn't get the first one done but I'm okay with the progress I made.

My project Moleskin with TdF numbers

In closing today I'll flash this pretty picture at you.  This is everything I spun and plied during Tour de Fleece.  Again, the dates for those who forgot was July 4 - 26th.  

Busy Bee

I in no way meant to neglect this blog, and if you've been on any of my other social media site you can see that I've been busy!

Speaking of which, I've joined a few new ones.  Here's the list of where I'm at:

Blogger: http://rcozyknits.blogspot.com/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RCozyKnits
Google+: https://plus.google.com/108753918272315672879/posts/p/pub
Instagram: https://instagram.com/rcozyknits  NEW!
Ravelry:http://www.ravelry.com/people/Freckleface78
Ravelry Designer Page: http://www.ravelry.com/designers/rachel-sanchez
Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RCozyKnits
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RCozyKnits
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHGebKHn123t4cstnMGsh5Q  NEW! 


Whew.  Just looking at that makes me tired.  lol  Putting that list down was as much for me as it is for you.  I kept confusing myself where I posted stuff; which is one reason why I've not written for so long.  I gave an update on Facebook and not here by accident.  Hopefully as I go forward from here I'll figure out a system to keep it smooth.

So, advertising is a boring part of the business but necessary.  Moving on!

I put out my pattern and asked for test knitters.  I found a couple but I also found an error with my pattern.  While my husband requested a certain kind of closure it just didn't work with the felted fabric that he also requested.  So I thought it out, did a test run and he likes it.  So I fixed up his bag and fixed up the pattern.  I took new pictures and I'm ready to try again to ask for more test knitters.  The two are still interested but more is better.  I'm going to reach out to a test knitting group on Ravelry and see how that goes.  If anyone reading this blog wants to test knit a bag please email me!

Same great bag, better cinching closure.

Oh,  and Tour de Fleece!  I took lots of photos as I went along.   You all have seen the colorful yarns I spun but then I moved on to my SAPGAP order.  I have one more skien to spin up and then I'll be done.

The kids want dinner.  Why do they feel the need to eat everyday?  Sheesh!  :P  So I'll leave you with a teaser for now and tell you more tomorrow...

Tour de Fleece 2014, Day 9

Ok. I freely admit it. I'm addicted to spinning and I don't care who knows it!  I have no regrets!

The last time I wrote a blog wntry it was day 3.   It is now day 9. My lack of computer is holding me back, too, but Ishould  have it back in a few days.  That will be a relief!

Let's see, what exactly have I been doing?

I've washed a few pounds of fleece and started picking the vegetable matter out of it. 

Its the Ramboulett and Targhee fiber I bought recently. 

I also have been spinning a lot!  For a few days I spun a new technique for me. This wool had (suri?) locks (angelina?) and I only flicked it - no carding or eoving. It qas my first lock spinning. The tiny knots hurt my hands trying to oull it thin but it was so woth it!

Trying to decide what to pair it with took quite some time. Blue wool?  White suri?Chocolate  huacaya?   I finally decided on this lovely mystery batt if wool-alpaca-(rayon?) in black/white/purple.

The gorgeous 517 yard skein crying out to me to be a shawl!  I will oblige it!  What was left I plied back on itself (72 y). 

Next I spent an afternoon weighing out 50g piles of fiber for two SAPGAP trades.   The batts went into bags and the rovings went into small balls. 

Yesterday I spent all day spinning a fine yarn that I think will end up being a 2-ply lace weight.   This is a Merino-Coromo cross. 

 Tonight I will work more on its ply-mate. 

I cannot forget to tell you that I'm almost done writing the Luck Sack pattern!  I need to edit a bit more and get some pictures taken and it'll be ready for test knitting!  I expect to have it ready in the next day or two. :)

Tour de Fleece

Hello!  I'm sorry to have missed so many days in a row - I've been busy! My kids have had activities, I've worked on my guild newsletter, I've been working on various small housecleaning projects, and now Tour de Fleece is here!

What's that?  Never heard if Tour de Fleece?  Well allow me to enlighten you!

Every year in France there is a giant bike race (look it up if you don't believe me). Some brilliant sports fan thought; hey, they have wheels, we have wheels. Lets spin ours while they spin theirs... And TdF was born. 

This is actually my first year participating so I don't know a lot about the history but I think it started in a blog. Now the official postings are in Ravelry (a giant fiber community).  

I've joined with my guild in Team Black Sheep Guild 2015.  We are a "wildcard" team which means we can make up our own prizes and competitions for our group. 

I've donated one of my project bags and other members have donated fiber for our "most improved" category.  Members of our guild post what their goal is to accomplish and, at the end, tell how they feel they did with their goal. Other guild members will vote on the winner. 

I'm also going to make a fun mini poster for whomever spins the most yardage, poundage, and the most yardage worked up into a project. 

The pictures I'm posting today are of my work the last three days. Many of the singles I spun earlier but plying is being counted towards yardage. I made my first art yarn using up the misc bits that I spun when I first started leaning my wheel in December.   I really like how it turned out!

P.S. I finished knitting & felting the Luck Sack bags!  Pics coming soon!

External links:  

Guild newsletter:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzvzNc9wzml2VzAxRXBBcnd6OUk/view?usp=drive_web&pli=1

Tour de Fleece:  http://www.ravelry.com/groups/tour-de-fleece