TdF end

Today I saw an exquisite spindle, beautifully crafted on the top and engineered with a metal rim. It's a Golding (about 1oz) and belongs to a friend.

Here's my work this afternoon on my wonderful Kundert spindle. Lisa Souza's "Sedona" fiber is being Navajo-plied-on-the-fly. Not much has been done but it's really not about volume, is it.

It's about doing something that brings you joy. Despite grieving about the heineous events in Oslo, being totally dismayed about the bipartisan politics and corrupt businesses in this country that are jeopardizing our quality of life and our future, and wondering just what the hell makes certain people tick, this fiber is infused with sun and music.

TdF: eve of the end

Jul 17:
"Soft Green Seas", 4 of 6 singles completed.

Jul 23: Spun, soaked and dried.
From the right, 2 skeins "Salad Days" totalling 223yds; 2 skeins "Soft Green Seas", totalling 344yds; plus a little 3-ply remnant. A dime provides scale.

Observations:
1. The progression from a tight overplied yarn to a relaxed strong yarn is evident. I think that if I run "Salad Days" back through the wheel, I might get a little more yardage from the yarn becoming less kinked.

2. "Salad Days" is closer to sock-weight than "Soft Green Seas" which is a little heavier weight, closer to worsted or dk.

I'll use the spindle tomorrow.

Early August update: "Salad Days" was run back through the wheel, soaked and dried, with a more civilized looking outcome. Final stats: "Soft Green Seas", 119g, 344yds; "Salad Days", 105g, 242yds.

Lemons four ways

What would you do with 15 pounds of lemons?

1. Chop them up to make marmalade.

2. Peel the zest and make limoncello.

3. Preserve the smallest ones in salt.

4. Freeze the juice in 4 icecube trays.

Spend 6 hours doing it.

Jul 17 update: Marmalade was jarred today. Limoncello will take several months to infuse. Salted lemons will be ready to use in another month. It's satisfying work, and I feel like I'm putting money in the bank.

Data: 12C chopped lemons + 1.5Q water soaked 24 hrs => 3batches(6+6.5+1C mixture + 5+5+.75C sugar) = 13.5C yield (3pt + 3-12oz + 3-8oz). // 2L: 16 lemons + 1.2L-80proof. 1.5L: 10 lemons + .75L-80proof. // 1L salted lemons. // 1 tray = 16 cubes = 1C juice.

Binding

The start of something new.

The cover has a little niche for a title plate.

The book lies flat. The pages are heavyweight, with little sizing, and they are soft. Deckled edges alternate with cut edges. A ribbon tie was added.

The binding is exposed. There are six sections, each with four folded sheets.

The sections are sewn together with waxed linen thread using the Coptic stitch.

This is made to be used. I promise myself not to leave these pages blank.

Progress

Ok I confess. I've skipped a day here and there. But I'm still making progress.

July 6: "Salad Days" 3-ply on the bobbin, 3-ply bathed and dried.

July 8: The bobbin yard was also bathed and dried. The first skein is definitely overspun, and will likely go back through the wheel later for corrective measures. The second skein is a little more relaxed but still overspun.

July 9: Prepped up 24x7's SW-BFL, "Soft Green Seas", 3.5 oz. I split it in half transversely, then split each half into thirds lengthwise. Spun one of the six strips into a bobbin of singles. These singles are more relaxed than those for "Salad Days". Hope these don't fall apart later when I ply.

TdF 2011

Tour de Fleece started on Saturday, July 2. My goal is to spin every day of the Tour. Another goal is to spin yarn suitable for socks. I started with 24x7's SW-BFL, "Salad Days", 3.5 oz. I split it in half transversely, then split each half into thirds lengthwise.

Hopefully I'll end up with 2 skeins of enough 3-ply for a pair of socks. Each ply is worsted long-drawn and the 3-ply will be hard spun. Given my natural tendencies, each ply and the resulting 3-ply will likely be so lively and energized that it will be unknittable. So I will need to focus and relax (those words can go together, believe it or not).

To those who say that this exercise feeds into my obsessive compulsive tendencies, my response is: no socks for you!!