Tour de Fleece

First week.

Louet North America

Karaoke Tiger Shrimp

50% wool/50% soysilk

225 grams

Made in China

I'm going to be frank here.... 

The colours were very nice, but it's been a real pain in the ....

the fibers were impossible to draft like regular tops, It was like felt and the only way I could start to do anything with it was to open the roll separate the fibers in 4 length wise and then it was the tug war to loose up the fibers... this is time consuming as one tug nothing happens and I really do tug fast and hard few times before a small part started to move.

Spinning the fiber wasn't really enjoyable part of it is rough and still couldn't draft as fine as I would like.

Now it is a 2 plies and when I washed it in cold water to set the twist it bleeds..............

At the moment I'm spinning the same fiber in the Angelfish colorway

The colours are nice but I'm finding the same problems as the previous I got to do the same steps to get to spin this one too.

Believe me this got nothing of the silk softness, it got some luster but it's about all it got.

I will finish spinning what I got and I won't recommend this to anyone ever.

I can say it's not only one batch problem as it was two different colors = two different batches.

It's not worth the pain and aggravation, I won't buy this fiber ever again.

This is my opinion from my experience with this fiber.

It's not the quality of fibers I'm used to from Louet, very disappointing.

I'll be happy to start something else next.

Getting ready for The Tour de Fleece...

This year I'm a participant in The Tour de Fleece, my first year so I'm a rookie at this I decided to buy some prepared fibers as I didn't received any Pickwick fleece yet.

I have pick the June Spinzilla Fibre Packs from Louet at the  Boutique Fibre Detours  it's a very nice assortment of fibers.

Merino/silk

Karaoke... wool/soysilk

wool/mohair

Tencel

Llama

and of course some silk

plus 4 packs of 100g of  colourful merino this should keep me spinning this July.

I'm cleaning the wheel wiping all oil residues and getting it all clean and ready for more oil.

Gail... aka Nightsongs

This was my first attempt at a shawl without a spine...

Here is my project bag and the pickwick yarn I used for the main body.

A very entertaining knitting and reading...

I really enjoyed how the yarn luster keeps giving with this design.

It is completed but the weather is not cooperating today and probably for few more days...so no blocking yet.

For the border I have been using a skein of my "unloved" handspun merino.

The garden fabulous poppies will be taken down by the rain too...

Wishing the sunshine and some quite warmer weather soon, because it's been cold even the tomatoes and cucumbers are refusing to grow much.

A partially sunny day...

At last

The sun dared showing briefly...

I rushed to wash and block finish the blanket/shawl, it's been waiting for over 10 days.

Here it is, the sun barely shining but it's the best day I could find as more rain is on the way tonight.

I have used some of my hand spun merino superwash and knitted until it was all used up.

I started for the larger version and did only the lace chart once, I love this pattern Dangan by Carol Feller.

Soft cables and lace .... cozy and comfortable.

I'm already sorting for another project... more pictures soon.

Pickwick locks in progress...

Back to last fall...

One upon a time there was some raw and dusty locks.

I did washed them.

Then I got really busy and couldn't work them for awhile.

I have decided to dye the locks turquoise.

They are so pretty...but life got in the way again, the weather was so gray I couldn't take a decent picture either.

Now here are the pretty locks sunbathing ;)

And a super carded batt.....

Ain't this lovely to see fluffy wool ready to spin?

Unloved...

I have this superwash merino discards blobs from a mill, It was unloved.

I used the carder and made bats trying to save this fiber.

The spinning wheel been singing.

The fibers were really short and it is imperfect, still it is 100% wool.

I have decided to make it Navajo 3 plies as it is superwash to avoid pilling.

Of course I did over spin it a bit too so it could be use as warp or knitting/crochet.

Not bad for a rescue and unloved fiber. 

I still have another skein to ply and finish set twist/wash.

Knitted Washcloth

I have knitted two washcloth to match the woven towels.

They have a small loop to hang them to dry.

It's like knitting socks without the heels it's fast and easy and no sewing.

Knitted bottom up on a circular needle using the magic loop technique and Judy's magic cast-on.