Fiber Arts Friday: Tour de Fleece, 2026 - part 4

For the fourth and final week of the Men's Tour, my progress is below:

Day 19: Friday, July 24 – 15 minutes

Day 20: Saturday, July 25 – 15 minutes

Day 21: Sunday, July 26 – 15 minutes

At this time, I have one of my original prepared rovings remaining... I plan to make more for the Women's race.

Week 4 Status -TdFH

• Spin Duration:  91 + 0 + 75 + 45 = 211 minutes (~3.5 hours)
• Spin Days:  6 of 6 + 0 of 6 + 5 of 6 + 3 of 3 = 14 of 21 days
• Bobbin/Skein Status: nothing finished yet

This is the end of the Men's race.  The women's race begins tomorrow.

I plan to continue working on the single and then to ply over the last few days of the Women's race.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Fiber Arts Friday: Tour de Fleece, 2026 - part 3

My progress slowed considerably since I was in a Silent and then Writing Retreat for all of Week Two.  Week Three progress is below:

Day 7: Friday, July 10 – Day 12: Thursday, July 16th

Was mostly off line due to retreats.  So no spinning was accomplished by me for week two.

Day 13: Friday, July 17 – 15 minutes

Its fun to be back at my wheel.

Day 14: Saturday, July 18 – 15 minutes

Day 15: Sunday, July 19 – Challenge Day

No spinning today

 

Monday, July 20 – Rest Day

I did spin today, 15 minutes.

Day 16: Tuesday, July 21 – 15 minutes

Day 17: Wednesday, July 22 –

No spinning today.

 

Day 18: Thursday, July 23 – 15 minutes

Week 3 Status -TdFH

• Spin Duration:  91 + 0 + 75 = 166 minutes thus far
• Spin Days:  6 of 6 + 0 of 6 + 5 of 6 = 11 of 18 days thus far
• Bobbin/Skein Status: nothing finished yet

I am happy with my progress thus far, given how little time I've been able to allocate.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!  

Fiber Arts Friday: Tour de Fleece, 2026 - part 2

Ok!  Spinning has begun and my Coaching/Facilitation Skills are getting a workout... Not really, the team is small and everyone is always lovely.  So it has been a joy so far.  :-)

(part one)

I did get my (ahem) stash together...

The good news is that it was clean.  The bad news is that it was not yet in roving form.... so I spent some of Friday and Saturday morning carding.  I got two batches of roving prepared.

This isn't enough to keep me busy for both Tours, but it is enough to keep me busy for a few days.

Since I already know that I will not be able to spin every day, my goal is simple this year... I plan to spin for at least 15 minutes when I do sit down to spin.

So here's my daily record...

***

TdF - Hommes

Day 1: Saturday, July 4 – 15 minutes

Day 2: Sunday, July 5 – 15 minutes

I had a special treat today, in that I got to help my spinning student check out and buy her first wheel.  She found a screaming deal on Facebook locally, and her new wheel is just lovely.

Day 3: Monday, July 6 – 16 minutes

Day 4: Tuesday, July 7 – 15 minutes

Day 5: Wednesday, July 8 – 15 minutes

I finished my first chunk of roving today.

At this slow rate, I may not need to prepare more roving.  lol

Day 6: Thursday, July 9 – 15 minutes

I covered the bobbin today.  That always makes me happy.  :-)

 

Week 1 Status -TdFH

I'm feeling good about my progress this week.  That will change next week;

• Spin Duration:  91 minutes and 6 of 6 days.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

Fiber Arts Friday: Tour de Fleece, 2026 - part 1

It's that time of year again... Tour de Fleece.

A lot has happened in my world over the last year... really the last few years, but especially the last year.

I am in a new living situation.  On my own.  Just me and my dogs.

My alpaca are staying at a friend's ranch nearby.

I am the sole owner at The Canine Learning Center now, which is keeping me exceptionally busy.

Everything else is with my ex-husband and his "best friend."

I haven't been spinning or knitting.  I missed the registration deadline for the Estes Park Wool Market.  AND, I was thinking about not participating in this year's Tour de Fleece.  BUT every time I thought about telling the group that I would not be participating, I would get sad.

So earlier this week, I finally went to Ravelry to see how the team was shaping up, and there wasn't anything posted other than a question about whether we were having a team this year.

So I volunteered.  I am leading the team this year!  Hooray!

I have been teaching a friend how to spin, and she is starting on Chiengora... so I have also been teaching her how to prepare the fiber.. and she's doing a great job!

Which means, I'm not entirely without fiber in my life.  :-)

Anyway... now I need to get my stash together (ahem) and figure out what I will be spinning and what my goals are for the next month or so.

The Tour begins tomorrow, Saturday, July 4th.

Join us, won't you?

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!