AKA Holy Hell I'm Almost Out Of Time!
Apparently one lesson I did not learn well enough last year is how quickly the time goes. As of today, we are 2/3 of the way though which means just one week from the end of the Tour de Fleece. Eep!!
Getting the Brisk Autumn Corriedale from Edgewood Garden Studio all spun and plied is one goal I know I'll be able to finish in time. I already had the first ply done last week, and I'm less than 1/2 oz from finishing the second.
I'm hoping to have that finished, the yarn wound off and the plying done by tomorrow night. Or at least most of the plying done. I even have very nearly almost decided on a pattern. I'm not saying which one yet, for fear of jinxing it. It is in my Ravelry queue though.
Like I said last post, this is my first go with fractal spinning and I can't wait to see how it looks when I'm done. Really quick explanation for any curious non-spinners -
Fractal spinning doesn't actually change the way you spin, but the way you prep the fiber before you start.
First you split the roving in half lengthwise. One half you set aside, this will be spun as is for your first ply. Because of the thickness of the roving you preserve the slower color changes. The other half you split again, either 2 or 3 times (I chose three), and then spin these pieces end to end. The thinner the roving the faster the colors change.
I wanted to be sure I get a good barberpole effect in the finished yarn, and this basically guarantees your color changes in each ply don't line up.
Aaaaaand now for my main goal. The one I'm starting to worry I might not be able to reach. That 8oz Potluck Roving from Ferndale Fiber.
Here's what I do have done -
The first set of singles are spun and plied. I still have to wash and dry them to set the twist, but my preferred hanging spot over the kitchen counter is currently occupied by the food dehydrator. I'll sneak the yarn in after BF finishes his jerky, and before I try out drying some fruits now that we have some extra trays.
I ended up with two skeins (smaller bobbin means I couldn't ply it all in one go) totaling about 463 yards, weighing in around 117 grams. It's a fingering weight, which has me over the moon happy, but now back to the planning stages of what to do with it. I didn't think I was able to spin that finely, so all my ideas before we're running in the sport-worsted range. Still, this is not a bad problem to have, and so I'm not really complaining.
It does relate to why I'm worrying a bit though. Spinning so finely means it takes longer to run through the weight of fiber, and so I'm going to have to push to get through what I have left before the Tour ends!
I did sneak in a little bit of knitting between all the spinning this past week. My fingerless gloves are now almost done. Just the thumbs (and end weaving) left to go -
Currently two weeks past the official KAL end, but at least I should finish before a full month over...
Hoping these aren't famous last words!
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