For today’s post, I’m joining Ginny over at Small Things for the Yarn Along! Join us there, or leave a link in the comments below, showing off what’s on your wheel this week!
I don’t know if you realized it, but the Tour de Fleece officially kicks off in 10 DAYS!! I can hardly stand it! So, of course, the logical thing to do is to break into a 4 ounce braid and start spinning lace weight singles… At any rate, it’ll be fun (I think?) and rather impressive if I can get this off the wheel by then. I don’t know why I’m always drawn to such crazy, unprovoked, time-crunched challenges. Anyhow, the fiber is my own, in the Dance Fever colorway, on 100% Merino and I love it! There are pops of hot pink, orange, yellow, and red throughout the fiber and it’s just plain fun. I’m hoping to be able to participate in my first craft show this fall, and want to get a few of my colorways spun up so they can get knit into “shop samples”. I think this would make for an awesome shawl!
In other news on the fiber front, something a bit disappointing:
This is the raw alpaca fleece I purchased from the wool market in Estes Park (and FYI: I had 5.2 ounces, not 3.5). This was very… well packaged; I didn’t notice a speck of vm (veggie matter– hay, grass, etc.) until I pulled all of the fiber out of its bag when getting ready to wash it. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed 😦 I’m just hoping that anything I can’t directly pick out by hand will come out with a few runs through the drum carder…
A few FOs perhaps?
Handspun… This is also in the Dance Fever colorway, on my BFL base.
That’s about it for me today! I’ve got lots of spinning to do, and I better get to it while Boy is snoozing and Things 1 and 2 are occupied with their fanciful imaginings. Are you spinning up any fun these days? Either way, happy crafting!
daybreakdyeworks.wordpress.com 
I have an alpaca fleece that was given to me and I’m terrified of it. I’ve never actually prepared my own fleece before and i’m waiting for the sun to shine so I can handle it outside. Your yarn is lovely, the socks are wonderful and I wish you luck on your time crunch!
Blessings, Debbie
I hope you get to conquer your fleece soon (and I would love to see what becomes of it)! I’ve been reassured by a close friend that I should be able to get a good bit of the “junk” out of mine with a good carding. Thank you for your compliments and encouragement; hopefully the finger cramps and shoulder soreness won’t slow me down too much 🙂
Oh yum! I have just started spinning on a drop spindle and have my first fleece in a huge bag in my garden which is a little overwhelming!!! I am visiting from the Yarn Along, but I wanted to mention that I have a ‘Spinning Show & Tell’ link up which just started yesterday, if you would care to join in? I’m sure that my readers would be interested in your link. If so, you can find the post here – http://www.craftsfromthecwtch.co.uk/2013/06/spinning-show-tell-obsession.html
Wow! Feels like I’ve been visited by a celebrity! I’m definitely going to link up, thanks!
Pretty spinning ~ I’ll have to pop on over to your Etsy shop to look at your goodies. 🙂
Isn’t getting a yucky fleece the worst? I’ve had the same happen to me. Seems all good on the surface… but you get home and it seems more work that it’s worth! Maybe you could still send it off to be processed if cleaning it yourself seems too daunting?
Have fun with Tour de Fleece!
Yes, it is totally the worst! I ran it through the drum carder a few times and there was really no big difference 😦 For now , it’s in a bag, out of my sight, until I have the patience to deal with it. It’s just too SOFT to be so grassy!
Maybe it’s time to put the kiddos to work? I love love love your oranges…. and in general i love your blog! You’re a pro!
Thanks, friend! And as for the kids, I tried to get my eldest to do some hay pickin’ for me, but that lasted all of 10 seconds.
all the best! love the bright colour of your own yarn!
Thanks!