It's July so it must be Tour De Fleece 2023

Team Spindler 2023

 

Where did the year go? We are here again at the start of the Tour de Fleece, the spinning event based on the famous Tour de France cycle race.

This year I am joining in with Team Spindler again as I enjoyed their company very much last time.  I plan to spin every day the riders race and rest on the days they do too.

My goals for this year's Tour de Fleece are to:

• improve my spindling technique by using both research and practice
• finish any fibre started last Tour
• follow Team Spindler fellow spinners and cheer as we go
• look at what worked and didn't in my organisation last Tour and improve where I can
• spin every race day
• learn something new 

So I am starting with a beautiful British fibre, Norfolk Horn from The Fibre Workshop:

The other fibres I hope to spin are a set of rolags from Sarah's Texture Crafts (sadly no longer trading) in "St Martin's Summer" (renamed by me) which is a Merino and sparkle:

And this lovely fibre from Gone Woolly in the colour "Atlantic Waves" which is an American wool top/roving:

The Grand Départ is from the beautiful City of Bilbao which is home to the stunning Guggenheim Museum.

image courtesy of pixabay.com

1 July 2023

Stage one - Grand Départ Bilbao

I had a choice of three spindles and for the Norfolk Horn I have chosen my mid-weight spindle - I don't know the make but the remaining are an Ashford and Spin City spindle.

I am very motivated to get the 100g of Norfolk Horn spun as I have the Binham Mitts pattern also from The Fibre Workshop. The pattern calls for a 4ply yarn and I think that is achievable from the fibre I am spinning - hopefully!

The beautiful Binham Mitts by The Fibre Workshop

The design is based on Binham Priory in Norfolk. The Priory has both Norman and medieval English carvings which is reflected in the geometrical patterns in the mitts. The Priory is in North Norfolk and was founded in 1091 by a Norman Baron Peter des Valoines who was a nephew of William the Conqueror. It housed an order of Benedictine monks until the dissolution in 1539 when it was partially destroyed. 

So here is my first stage finished spinning - 50g of the Norfolk Horn and I am more than happy:

Many congratulations to the winner of today's Yellow Jersey, British rider Adam Yates for UAE Team Emirates, who gave us a terrific end to the day's racing beating his twin brother Simon Yates of Team Jayco Alula.

I'll be back with more soon,