My professional life has been taking up a lot of my time lately so all I’ve been able to work on craft-wise is spinning. It’s been easy to just pick up my spindle and meditatively add fluff until a cop of yarn appears; spinning is one of the ultimate stress relievers, believe you me!
I have had quite a few projects on my wheels and spindles lately. I started a #casualcraftalong (#casualcraftalong2021) with my instagram crafty buddies with the goal of finishing our WIPs without the pressure a typical knitalong or crochetalong or spinalong brings. The goal from May to June 30th is to finish what we started — even if it’s only one project. My last YOP post showed you two projects I’ve completed the spinning for and I have three more. The current one is from Inglenook Fibers Armchair Traveling series and it’s from the 3rd month’s “trip” to Japan. For that installment I received the Cherry Blossoms At Night batt. The batt came with a note that the fiber contained lanolin so it is advisable to spin it sooner rather than later. As an aside, while lanolin has skin nourishing benefits, the greasy consistency of it makes spinning fiber hard the longer the lanolin stays in the fiber. The lanolin content in this batt did not warrant washing the fiber beforehand (plus that would have been insanity to try to wash it out of a prepared batt before spinning) but spinning it sooner rather than later is optimal and I’m glad the seller made a note of advising that course of action for the benefit of spinners who don’t know how lanolin reacts.
So far, I split the batt into the obvious colorways making up the batt and am spinning one color per spindle. To finish the individual spins, I’m going to join the spindle cops then chain ply them into 1 skein. So far, I’m done 4 spindles worth:
I’m a big fan of Inglenook Fibers products and this has been a joy to spin so far. I keep spinning so I can get to the next color so this project is going faster than I expected it to go. I have one color left (which I’ve already started) then that’s it. The next time you see this project, it’s going to be in a finished skein — I can’t wait to check my yardage. My default skein is usually between sport and DK weight, I’m aiming for fingering on this one.
Tour De Fleece 2021 is scheduled to start on June 26th 2021 and since it coincides with the end of the #casualcraftalong, my goal is to finish all the spins, then add plying the 5 skeins as part of my TDF 2021 goals. In addition to plying and finishing these projects for TDF 2021, I’m also spinning the below with the Inglenook Fibers team:
The set is a beauty ain’t it?!!! Right now, I just need to focus and not let this beauty distract me. I MUST finish the spins on my outstanding projects then get ready for Tour De Fleece! My TDF plans is another post in itself! š
Happy Sunday to each of you and cheers for a great week ahead! ā¤
D'NALI 
What gorgeous colours. So interesting to learn about the lanolin.
Iām off to check out your hashtag on Instagram.
Your spinning has really inspired me as I gear up for Tour de Fleece. The colours are beautiful.
Every picture was EYE CANDY!!! The Cherry Blossom colors? I’m in LOVE!
Thanks for sharing about the lanolin needing to be spun sooner than later, I wasn’t aware of this!
And finally, I CANNOT WAIT to see your TDF spins!!!
Ooh so pretty! I’m doing TDF again this year and have been trying to finish some WIPs ahead of it and will be concentrating on finishing off other WIPs during it, so no pretty new fibres for me but I’ll enjoy seeing yours and other people’s spinning.
Both sets are gorgeous – what amazing colours!
Wow that set for the TDF is absolutely amazing!! Will those each be 9 separate skeins or will you ply some of them together?
Your spinning is so lovely and all on drop spindles – wow! I have done some spinning on the spindle but found it slower than I would like. I did love the meditation of spinning but really want to try a wheel. But I think I’m going to have to wait until I have a dedicated craft room (or at least that’s what I’m telling myself haha!)
Your spinning is beautiful and that yarn looks like fingering weight to me! Such great colors. The bats at the bottom below that beautiful photo of a castle. Are those colors taken from the photo? It looks like it. I love it when colors or creations of any type are taken from a real life inspiration. Have a great week spinning!
So far I’ve resisted spinning but who knows. I do appreciate it would be very satisfying the spin the yarn I need for a sweater. Who knows, maybe someday. I certainly would not have known about the lanolin issues. Is it also better to knit it up soon as well or can it be stored for a long period of time?
Ohmygosh- glorious spinning and that set waiting in the wings! šššÆšÆšš