Spinning wrap up from Tour de Fleace

I know I keep saying that I will get better about blogging about what I am working on, and that I need to update more than once a month or so, but once again, life got in the way. And spinning. I haven't knit much in the last month, but I have been spinning thanks to the Tour de Fleace

I have gotten in a large amount of practice on both my spindle and on the wheel, and feel like I am getting better, more consistent yarns on both, and I'm actually going to show ithem with you for once.

First up is a small project that I did using the purple merino I have had forever and a bit of a batt I picked up at Fiber Fest. The purple ply was wheel spun while the blue ply was spindle spun. It didn't turn out the way I was expecting it to, but I think I did come up with something that is usable. Second is the Rose Garden batt from ButterflyGirlDesigns that I picked up at Fiber Fest. Well, not the whole batt, this bit is only about a quarter of it. Spun on my smallest spindle, I'm getting more even and constant with this yarn. I worked on it while watching my friend Angela dance a few weeks ago, and she was fascinated that I could take fluff and turn it into yarn. This was my first time winding a plying ball, and I think it is so much easier to ply from a ball than to use my home made lazy kate. This was also the first time that I wound the finished yarn off on my PVC niddy noddie. Kaylee thought the finished yarn made a great pretty to wear.
And my first wheel spun! Way over twisted, this thing spins fast when it wants too with slow take up when the bobbins get full.
Ashland Bay Colonial Top, about 4 oz and maybe 175 yards. My MIL has claimed dibs on something made out of this.
Next up some more spindle spun yarn. "Midnight in the Meadows" from Chimera.Etsy. This is Falkland (drool, a new favorite yarn), and only 1/4 of what I have, about 150 yards, light fingerling to lace weight.
And last, what I neglected my family for this weekend to get it finished. More Falkland from Chimera in the "Crocus" colorway. 150 yards of a three ply. The singles were wheel spun, and I spindle plyed it to have one hank. Not as over spun as my first wheel spun yarn, but I do have my under spun bits in there. After a huge tangle less than 10 yards in, I did abandon the lazy kate for another plying ball (not pictured).

Tour de Fleace days 1-5

Look! Two posts in one day!

I'm participating in the Tour de Fleace for the first time ever this year, spinning for Team Spindle and Team Rookie.

Pardon the photos, I warned you my camera was being wonkey. Everything has developed a blueish cast.

The fist thing i'm working on for the TDF is some of the ButterflyGirl Designs batt I picked up at DFW Fiberfest in April, in the blend Rose Gardens. I've actually been working on this batt since the start of June, but have been working on the spindle above since Sunday morning on the drive to my parents.

Second up is another ButterflyGirl batt, a sample from the mixed bag I picked up, being spun on my ButterflyGirl Designs spindle. I don't have much of this fiber, but to spread out what I do have, I'm planning on plying it with the purple merino (wheel spun) on the straw.

I've also been playing with my wheel a bit this tour, trying to get used to it. I know i haven't done a big post on the wheel yet, I'm planning on it. This is the Ashland Bay Merino in English Gardens that I also picked up at Fiberfest. Going from spindle to old wheel that still needs a little bit of work does have a bit of a learning curve, but I'm getting used to it. When I was spinning the purple fiber, more than half of what I spun wound up in the trash pile, due to being over and or under spun.