There is this thing about knitters and spinners that I find amusing. For both the Olympics and the TDF, there are simultaneous crafting activities. No medals, no yellow jerseys, just a goal set and met (or not) during the time period of the event. The TDF, in spinning parlance, is the Tour de Fleece. The goals can be ambitious or not, and this year is my first attempt, so for me “not” is the byword.
I’m attempting to spin, ply and finish 3 braids (about 12 oz of roving). These come from Fossil Fibers and are dyer Kori’s special offering for this year’s TDF. They are meant to blend, so my approach is to divide each braid into 4 strips, spin and ply 2 from each braid together, and then spin and ply each with one strip of each of the other colorways. I started with the center braid and have completed 2 strips in the first 2 days of the event.
The braids are a silk/Polwarth blend, so a dream spin. The fleece literally flys through my fingers.
I include this shot of the real TDF because I’m guessing it is going to be more challenging to keep up the pace once I get closer to the ply and finish segments of the race.
I spent yesterday afternoon at Maplewood Farm just over the border of Connecticut, with a group of ladies kicking off the TDF. It was delightful with many opportunities to scratch the heads of sheep and lambs in the barn. I was particularly excited to be able to get up close and personal with her herd of Racka sheep. These unusual sheep hail from Hungary where they have been bred for centuries. Shepherdess Heather is developing two starter flocks from the lambs that were born this year, helping to preserve and expand this breed in the US. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to spin a bit of their very soft wool.
On the Needles
I was on the last few rows of my second beret from my fractal spin when a needle slipped out of the stitches and about 6 stitches ran away. It won’t take long to get back to where I had to stop, but I’ve placed the offending garment in temporary time out until I feel like looking at it again.
I’ve shown it the hats before, but here they are again. I had just changed from the circular needle to DPNs when it happened, so at least it’s close to the finish when I pick it up again.
This is a photo from a museum collection in Sweden and a swatch from my friend Katarina Segerbrand. We are working together on a small project to design garments inspired by museum collections. Her swatch has inspired me to think about using a fringed cuff at the top of a boot sock where the fringe and design above it will fold over the top of the boot. Instead of knitting in the design, however, I’ve chosen to make the cuff with eyelets so that I can thread through an inkle band (this is a nod to the Sami designs of the lacings used on their boots and around the bottom of their trousers to keep the snow from falling into the shoe).
I have chosen the band and fringe colors, and now just have to get on with it. My cuff will only have a single band, but I think it’s a fun way to use the inkle bands and something just a little different in the sock department.
I’m currently waiting for some photo permissions to write about my next segment of the trip to Scotland, so this is just a short interim until I can finish that other post. Thank you for dropping by, and knit (or spin) on!
Good luck with the TDF! You’re a better person than I. Actually will be in Arizona for a week so not participating this year.
Miss you my friend. We move to AZ in late August.
wait, what? I must get to see you before then. I miss you too!