Rebel, Rebel

So I had a heck of a time deciding what I was going to spin for the Tour de Fleece. I bought some beautiful fiber in February at Stitches West. I was given some gorgeous Alpaca last week. I have what I consider a lot of stash already - and a nice variety of potential projects, each with its own tempting reason to bring to to the front of the queue.

Of course I can't find it to link to now, but somewhere I read that one of the rules for the Tour is that you don't start your project until Day 1 (yesterday).

I am a rebel, I tell you - a rebel with a capital Reb. Once I confess this I'd better go into hiding because I will have the spinning and the Tour police after me. Doping, schmoping - they'll ignore all that in favor of busting me for my Tour transgressions.

First, my goal is to finish some things I already started, long ago. I know! Already started=rule broken. Some of this I probably started before last year's TdeF - I am that much of a badass. Second, I actually didn't start my Tour until today. Yep, I skipped Day 1. Who knows - I might even skip another, then end up at the finish line looking fresh and energized, with my hands relaxed instead of my fingers contorted into crone-like claws. Call me Rosie, people, I don't care.

So here are my projects:

I'm starting with a beautiful batt (Corriedale?) from Grafton Fibers. I bought this at my first Stitches West (2007) before I bought my wheel (but I knew I'd own one soon). I'm about 1/3 the way through this project. It'll be a 3-ply - probably a sport or DK weight.


Next is some Quiviut that I'm spinning for Alison. I'm going for a 2-ply laceweight. As with the last Quiviut I spun, it's kind of like playing with dryer lint (fortunately with a slightly longer staple) but the end result is worth it.

Next is some yarn I'm making with Addison 'Real Vermonter' Roving from A Piece of Vermont. It's about 6 ounces of Romney/Corriedale, Mohair and a touch of Alpaca, all from farms in Vermont. This is the Petunias color way.

Last is a project using some Merino I dyed myself, and some silk - I plan on 2 plies (is that a word?) of the merino and one of the silk. Who knows what it'll be, I just like the thought of plying different fibers together.

I'm hoping to get 3 out of these 4 WIPs completed - I'm not sure which yet, but I'll figure that out as I go along.

Another rule (or guideline) for the TdeF is that this is an opportunity to challenge oneself (again, I can't find where I read that but I read it. I swear). Each of these projects varies from my spinning norm. I'm spinning my Grafton batt from the fold (I know how to do it but haven't completed a project using that method). The Quiviut is tough by nature of the short staple, and it needs to be spun really fine. I'm going to Navajo-ply the Real Vermonter fiber - that'll be a challenge to A) keep it even and B) keep the single from breaking during the plying. And I've never plied 2 different fibers together - I have no idea what to expect and if the difference in texture will make working with both at the same time trickier than usual.

Crap. I just followed a rule.