The Particpants

Registration for Le Tour de Fleece 2006 is now closed, and all participants should now be listed in the sidebar.

The list will be double-checked over the next couple of days against all of the emails received and comments posted by spinners asking to join -- if your entry was received by the deadline but somehow got overlooked, rest assured it will be added to the sidebar.

If you sent your entry by email, it's possible that I didn't receive it due to email glitches -- please let me know by forwarding the original message again from your email program's "sent items" folder.

Comments

[sadia]

I commented on the other blog page, but will do so again. I'd love to be in.. an excuse to start spinning again after a 7 year absence. I'll be spinning up a couple bags of Alaskan Malamute fur that was gifted to me and mixing it with wool to then regift as a couple of skeins to the doggie's owner, and keep the rest.

The challenge? Given that I haven't spun in 7 years, AND it's dog hair, AND it's summer... well that should challenge me well in July. ;-)

[Sarah in DC]

I'm definitely in. My goal is to spin at least 200 yards of three ply alpaca. I've never three plied, and never spun alpaca, so this will be a good challenge for me!

[Marianne]

I commented on the other entry, but here I go again, just to confirm it.

My blog, for purposes of this, is http://fiberfetish.wordpress.com and I'll be doing my updates on the mainpage there.

My challenge.... I'll have to think about that! I'll definitely post about it there.

[Janice in GA]

I think I'd like to be in on this one! I want to spin up 2 bobbins of 3-ply yarn from the Southdown Babydoll sheep sheared at the park where I demonstrate. That'll be a challenge for me!

[Janice in GA]

Oops, I'll need to change my goal, since I have actually already started spinning the Southdown. :( Lemme think on it a bit.

[Beth]

Count me in too! I want to spin the singles for one of the Zig Zag scarves in the Spring Spin-Off. I'd also like to knit the scarf, but I'll save that for another challenge. ;)

[katherine]

Great! Welcome everyone. We'll get you in the sidebar soon -- probably by/on the weekend. Janice, no problems changing the goal before we start -- I'd been wavering myself until I finally got my box ordered.

Of course, if it's late arriving, I'll be changing plans, too!

[Carrie]

Saw this on livejournal and thought it looked like a fun idea. I will be trying to finish enough yarn to make my Tudor-era stockings. (I have one ball finished right now, I probably have enough roving for six. Which is hopefully enough for the stockings...) I'll be using a drop spindle.

[Clare]

Ok, I will post again. My challenge will be to spin enough yarn to knit my bloke another jumper. He is size 3xl.

[Tj]

Read about this on livejournal, sounds like fun (and work!). For my unrealistic goal I'd like to spin and navajo-ply 88 ounces of chocolate Border Leicester at the fingering weight. LOL. For my realistic goal: spin 32 ounces of chocolate Border Leicester singles. Guess I better get that lemon Merino finished and off the wheel.

[Sandy]

I'm in. My challenge is to spin up the 8 ounces of Blue Face Leicester I have and make it fine enough for a shawl. Hmmm. Better get the Merino off the wheel. (Sounds like a common comment there.)

[Carolyn]

Count me in. I will be spinning a box of batts from Grafton Fibers.

[Mary]

I'm in! I have over a pound of Romney lamb that's all carded and ready to go. I would like to challenge myself to spin and ply it in the time allowed to about a DK weight 2-ply.

[beverly]

I want to spin enough sock-weight yarn for a pair of socks. Which means I'll finally use my Lendrum!

[beverly]

Oops. My blog is: www.wbnm.typepad.com
Thanks for organizing this!

[ClareAB]

I would love to challenge myself to spin enough yarn to knit my bloke another jumper. He is a 3xl. I just have to deceide what ply I need and how many meters.
this is a great challenge!

http://benbahblacksheep.blogspot.com/

clareAB

[CJ]

I'm in. As a huge Tour fan, I hate wasting time by just sitting and watching the race. I usually have some project going anyway. I'll have a look at my stash and post what my goal will be later this week. Very exciting!

[Ellen]

I'm in! I need to finish spinning some corriedale for a blanket. I'll have to go home & see how much I have already, but I think I'll need to spin 2 lbs or so.

[Annie]

Count me in for the Tour de Fleece...I have a 16 oz. bag of a beautifully dyed blue-faced leicester, mohair, and angora blend from my mother-in-law, and since I've just finished repairing and waxing my wheel after not touching it for nearly a year, I think it's high time. Goal is enough two-ply laceweight to make a flower basket shawl.

[Wendy]

I'm in. My goal is to spin enough to knit the 8 hats that I have to deliver in August. I have the wool and will start drum carding it today or tomorrow.

[Colleen]

I need a spinning challenge - I've gotten lazy. My goal is to spin something every day of the challenge and secondary goals are to attempt plying and try dyeing. I'm excited! I enjoy spinning (spindle only as I have no wheel yet) but sometimes it's too easy to set it aside "for awhile" and then realize months have gone by....

[Kim]

Count me in. I think my challenge will be to spin 8oz of pima cotton on my drop spindle. Not a good spindler & never spun cotton before, so this will be testing me! :)

http://knitwhimsies.blogspot.com

[Martheme]

Please sign me up! I'd love to join "Le Tour" what a great idea!

My challenge is going to be to spin up some of my handdyed fiber samples and navajo ply them (which I've never done) into a "self-striping" yarn to be used for the winter hat box (I keep a box of hats to be given to a bunch of kids, neighbors and cousins with the remainder sent to charities after they have chosen). I'm going to try to start the carding today so I can get ready in time!

Thanks! Martheme (www.martheme.blogspot.com)

[Suzette]

Sign me up!
I dont know what my challenge will be yet. Probably just to spin at all! With my son home from school that well may be enough.
I love this idea.
Do you have art work for the Tour de Fleece button that I can use on a T-shirt? I would wear it proudly :D
If you will email me the art work perhaps I can also donate a t-shirt for one of your prizes?
Thanks for the fun project!

[Elisa]

I'm in! Not sure what my goal will be; have to think about that. I'd love to spend more time spinning; this will give me the excuse I need.

[anj]

I commented as well.. but I want to make sure I'm in. Got the button up on my page and everything. SO excited!!! I really have wanted to get alot of spinning done lately.

[Rob]

Count me in! My goal is to dye, card and spin all the white Coopworth I bought at MDSW this year. That's a fleece and a half! The goal is to produce similar yarns in many different colors, to kick off a lot of creative multicolor knitting.

[Elisa]

My goal will be to get my new-to-me Ashford Traveler (flea market find - $60!!) in spinning order (needs a new drive band & some adjusting) and then spin 8oz of a gorgeous roving from my stash into sport-weight yarn for a shawl. I've ordered the drive band and will install that on the first day of the Tour. Can't wait!!

[Rose]

I'd like to participate. Finding time to spin is my biggest challenge, so my goal is to spend at least 15 minutes every day spinning, either on the wheel or the drop spindle. I'll be spinning some silk caps, some gift rovings, and going through my stash a bit. Updates will be on my blog.

[Helen]

My challenge may be varying- I have some gorgeous merino/silk fibre from hipknits that I just want to pet, and cosset, and adore.

Oh, my blog has moved from http://sweetandcrunchy.livejournal.com to http://blogspot.com, by the way. I got frustrated with trying to get pictures into livejournal.

[Lynne]

Count me in! Not sure what to spin yet - probably a slate blue merino/tencel blend, enough for a shawl for my mother.

[KatyaR]

Sign me up! I'm definitely a beginning spinner, and many times I just get lazy and don't touch my wheel for days. My goal is to spin at least 30 minutes each day. Surely I can do that!

Katya R - Plains Girl (www.plainsgirl.blogspot.com)

[Mortaine]

Sign me up. I'm going to spin silk for the first time. My goal will be to (evenly) spin the 1 ounce of worm silk I have, but I will probably practice with the 1 ounce of soy silk that I have first. I don't know yet if I will ply it or, if so, how (navajo, andean, 2-ply, 3-ply, cabled etc).

[Janice in GA]

I've decided on my goal and my fiber in hand. I've got 4 natural colors (8 oz. total) of Shetland roving that I'll endeavor to spin into a 2-ply laceweight yarn in the time allotted.

I am insane.

[Emma]

Hello :)

I signed up on the other page.

I'm going to have a go at spinning stuff straight from the sheep. It needs to be washed, carded and spun. (I've only ever spun commercial tops.)

My journal is http://emmasee100.livejournal.com/

Oh, and I'll be doing this while preparing for a half-marathon. Please excuse the slightly muddled nature of my blog.

[Lily]

Brand new spinner here. Everything is a challenge. So, at this point I'll say that I'll spin a minimum of 1 hour a day. Trust me that will be a challenge on work days. If my dye gets here then I'll also dye my own roving.

[Ina]

Thank you for organizing this - please add me to the participants' list!

I've been spindling about a month now (advice and encouragement welcome). My challenge is to spin my first laceweight from a 4 oz. braid of hand dyed Blue Face Leicester from Cloverleaf Farms. My blog is http://jerseyknitter151.blogspot.com

This is so exciting! Good luck to everyone!!

[Stephanie K]

So cool! I missed the Olympics, was completley jazzed to see this event! thanks so much for organizing this! I'm going to spin 1,600 yards of light worsted weight/dk weight Alpaca/cotswold lamb blend that will eventually become a long awaited much deserved sweater for my DH. My blog is http://whorledpeace.blogspot.com

[Kimberly]

Count me in to spin chocolate brown corriedale to be woven into a scarf for my daddy this Christmas

[laurie]

count me in please--i've been trying to convince myself to spin daily without much success (i keep getting lost in knitting lol), so this may just be the excuse to get me to start and keep on.

i don't know at the moment what i'll be spinning...i'm sure it'll vary. the goal is to simply spin (either on spindle or wheel) daily...that'll be tough enough! ;-) i'll try for at least a half hour daily.

blog is: http://abitsheepish.blogspot.com/

thanks for organizing this :-)

[Jeanne]

I'm so glad I saw this on Jersey Knitters blog - please add me to the participants list.

My challenge will be to card and spin a fleece that I bought at MDS&W and hand dyed...and that has been sitting there ever since!

My blog is: http://jeanneknits.blogspot.com/

[Lisa]

Sign me up! I'm spinning a 80/20 Merino/Silk blend for the first time. I've stripped it down the middle to give me 2 identical tops to be spun and Navajo plyed individually for matching socks. I'll need to spin every day (or quit my day job) to complete this project in time.
My blog is: http://handoverthewool.typepad.com/

[Jennifer]

My goal is to spindle enough merino/tencel to knit Clapotis. Since I'm a new spindler and the fiber is yet to be dyed this will be a big challenge.

[Melanie]

I'd love to join! I'm going to spin 30 minutes every day - hopefully more, but at least 30 minutes a day. I'll be spinning things from my stash - maybe I can get that cleaned out a bit too! Thanks for letting me join.

my blog is: http://pinklemontwist.blogspot.com

[Heidi]

Ok I'm game. After all this seems like a much more civilized challenge than actually powering the "pedal" variety wheel for a month straight! Since I am in the throws of picking and washing fleece at the moment my goal will be to card (blending with mohair) and spin "Lolly's" fleece (in it's entirety). The end product - super soft sock yarn. Oh, who's Lolly? She's a founding member of the London-Wul family flock. An adventurer, member of the homestead jet set, a marvel in mixed company, at ease with sheep and goats alike. Undeniably attractive, of prestigious Lincoln, Romney and Shetland heritage, she remains always a lady.
...let the games begin!

[Lillian]

Can I join even though I don't have a blog? My goal will be to spin 2oz of grey wensleydale as laceweight.

[Leah Cope]

Ooooh..what a fabulous idea! I have several big bags of roving hiding in shame in my closet :) I would like to spin up one of the bags of 3 pounders for a sweater to start knitting this fall BUT that might be a bit lofty for the time period :) I'll have to give it a think :) The 2 big bags I'm thinking of are a delicious natural BFL from Copper Moose for an aran sweater OR some yummy charcoal Merino, Silk, Alpaca & Mohair for another sweater (maybe a cabled hoodie I saw somewhere recently). On a more realistic note, I have a pound of Llama, Polwarth and Kid Mohair in the Truffles colorway from Linden Lane that would be very doable but looking at it, it seems like not enough for the challenge...hmmm...

Really looking forward to this!

Leah

[Leah Cope]

Just finished reading through the comments and Mortaine...if you're insane, I may have to join you! I have 8 oz of very fine Shetland in 3 colors and since I just learned the long draw method of spinning, I may choose that and shoot for lace weight 2-ply for a shawl. Wanna race?

I don't have a blog yet but I do believe that will be my after work goal tonight so THANK YOU for this challenge since it looks like it'll get me off my tush to spin for ME for a change and also to FINALLY start my blog :)

Leah

[Leah Cope]

Oops...sorry for the multiple posts but I just went into my fiber cupboard to pull out the Shetland and see that it's a full pound :) Better get busy and finish up that butternut yellow coopworth :)

Leah

[jeanie townsend]

Sign me up!! I can't wait to get started. I love to spin.

[Jann]

Please sign me up. I am a new spinner and I have a ton of amazing pencil roving from Crown Mountain. My goal is to spin and ply two of the 8 oz packages and ply them together. Thanks for putting this all together.

[Chelsea]

This sounds like a great challenge- I've got a few here (I've got a full week on the 4th where I'll be away from everything and have lots of spinning time!) I just spun silk for the first time and have 2 2oz packages of new colors that I want to spin and ply with a merino of a coordinating color. Since they're small packages I will also try to do a boucle yarn for the first time. Whew- have to try hard!!! I may not be able to update progree while I'm away for the 4th, but will keep a log and pictures to update my blog when I can. Thanks!!!!

[Stacey]

I'm in! I'd like to try to card up and at least spin (if not ply) 24 oz of merino silk in a steel colorway that I've barely started even carding (one 1.2 oz. done so far). I want to spin it to a DK or sport weight.

[april]

I am in! What a great idea. I will confirm my challege by the end of the day. I think I would like to card and spin enought fiber to make a knit a sweater for myself... I think this will require the daily spinning as well so it is really two goals.

Hooray!
http://woolyvine.blogspot.com

[april]

Sorry,
It is http://woolyvines.blogspot.com

[Julie]

Thanks for organizing this! My challenge is to spin the multi-colored rovings and batts that I've bought this year but an hesitant to spin, because then I won't have these beautiful rovings and batts anymore. (The have your cake and eat it too dilemma). As I recently purchased the Ashford Knitter's Loom I will spin for the intention of using the finished products on the loom.

[Sue S.]

Count me in. I will be aiming to blend welsh terrier and tunis with a goal of hand spindling enough for a stole or shawl. Participation in several other KAL's will limit my spindling time, but hoping to spin at least one hour each day toward my goal.
No blog, but I will post progress at http://www.flickr.com/photos/sues/

[Anita]

Le Tour de Fleece: I have an storage tub of wool rovings sitting in my living room that I want to spin up -- sock weight or worsted weight. I may even dye the white stuff that's in there, in the fleece (I have only dyed spun fiber, so far). Instead of reading two newspapers in the a.m. and starting the day with world's Dreck, I'll start it spinning. No blog yet, but this might be a good time to start one...!

[Elle]

I have a great border leicester fleece that is so beautiful that I've been holding off spinning it...It's also summertime...lots of marigolds blooming...lots of grasses. I'm thinking about naturally dyeing a great variety of colors of spindle spun B.L. I also have many pounds of roving that I picked up 3000 miles away 25 years ago. It's so soft and yummy, I want to spin enough for a big sweater. This will be great motivation!

[Lisa]

OHHHH count me in please. I have 4 ounces of baby alpaca that I'd like to spin up in lace weight just calling my name. My blog is at http://bubblesandpurls.blogspot.com