Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Tour de Fleece Progress and Making Time

I'm still plugging along with this challenge and getting some spinning done. I finished spinning the entire pound of roving and now I'm plying the two together. It's coming along better than expected. I have quite a bit to go, but the journey is fun and revealing. My increased concentration on getting this done also means I pay better attention to quality of what I'm spinning. I'm getting better consistency than usual. I have so many interests, including multiple businesses and blogs, Facebook pages, etc.,  that I tend to start things without any clear time limits, except for the ones, like my Etsy orders that have to be done right away.

I have thought before that I need to narrow these down and give up some crafting. The problem is that I love everything I do and would regret this. Scheduling helps, with setting aside times for each or at least days of the week. This is harder than it sounds, as stuff always happens, as they say. As soon as I pull out my warping board for a new set of towels I plan to weave, I get three explosion box orders on my Tangled Moons Etsy site. The warping board gets put aside. I signed up for Nano Wrimo Camp to finish one of my unfinished novels this July. So far, I've managed to work on my writing on two occasions. I'm not complaining; this is usually my slow time of the year for the explosion boxes, so an increase in demand is welcome. My husband, Henry, has started writing again and is encouraging me to find time to do my own.

I have started to grab periods of down time to pick up neglected projects as well as my spinning. My elderly cat has increased her demands for attention in the past few weeks. Since she's working through a recent illness, we've been trying to accommodate her. We moved her litter box and food and water bowls into the bathroom off of our bedroom, so that she doesn't have to move around as much. She has responded very positively to this, but is now requesting in her own way (following us around and wailing) unless we're keeping her company or assisting her under an old blanket on our bed for a nap. I carried my spinning wheel into the bedroom with a chair last night and sat there with her while I spun and watched tv. She settled down and seemed very content. This appears to be my new spinning area while she's awake. I can return to my studio to do other projects onces she's asleep under the blanket. At 17 3/4 years old, she's getting some added attention while she's still with us. I'd hate to think back that I could have done something so simple as to change locations in order to make her last year (s) happier.

I'd love to hear how my readers manage multiple crafts or interests. I'm always amazed with crafters who are also parents of young children who manage all of it. I think I need to interview one of my neices-in-law. She manages to schedule everything months in advance. I'm lucky to hold to a schedule for a week. Thanks for reading today. Happy crafting!

Monday, July 9, 2018

Day 3 Tour de Fleece

Day 3 of the Tour de Fleece. I'm so happy that I've managed to get half of a pound of Red Colonial Top on one bobbin on my Louet 76. I weighed this full bobbin and then my empty bobbin. It's reading at 8.2 oz of spin right now. I have a partial done and will concentrate on this wheel until I can ply. What a great way to start using up the many batches of roving. I've also enjoyed connecting to others with similar interests. I don't know of anyone in my town that spins. If there is anyone in Goldsboro, NC or nearby, please let me know. I've joined a group, Weaver Street Knitters. It's encouraging to have other people help you to keep the momentum going. I spun for about an hour and a half this morning, so off to lunch, then writing with Nano Wrimo. I need to catch up there. Have a great day and happy spinning!

Friday, July 6, 2018

Tour de Fleece 2018

If you're a spinner and would like a challenge, Ravelry is hosting the annual Tour de Fleece. This is a yearly challenge to spin every day, July 7-29, during the annual Tour de France. It started in 2006 by spinner, Star Athena, who also happened to be a fan of the annual Tour de France race. She posted a call out on her blog to get other spinners to join in as virtual spinning friends. Since that first year, membership has grown from 26 to more than 8,000. You can sign up with an already established group or start your own. Directions are on Ravelry. Guidelines are:
  • Spin every day the Tour rides, if possible. Saturday July 7 through Sunday July 29th. Days of rest: Monday, July 16th and Monday, July 23rd. (Just like the actual tour.)
  • Spin something challenging on the challenge days (usually the toughest high mountain stage, usually the toughest high mountain stage: this year, the first one is Stage 10, on Tuesday July 17, when the riders will take the first mountain stage of the race – includes a section of dirt road on the Plateau des Glières. It is 100km from the finish but comes after a 6km climb at 11 per cent. The second is stage 17, on Wednesday, July 25th, when they will ride to the summit of the Col de Portet is only 65km long but half of the stage is uphill. It is the shortest road stage of the 2018 Tour but could be one of the hardest.
  • Wear yellow on Sunday July 29th to announce victory. Why not wear yellow on any day you feel particularly successful? (Yellow is the color of the race leader in the Tour - but here we are all ‘race leaders’) Other colors if desired: Green (sprinter - think FAST), Polka-dot (climber - as in uphill), and white (rookie).
It's all in fun, no pressure. There are established groups, some dedicated to not miss a day, others have an understanding that not everyone can do this, but will do their best to participate when they can. This is my first year and I'm really excited to meet new spinners and to get my wheels turning.