Tour de Fleece begins on the 4th

As I had previously announced, I am in training for the Tour de Fleece to coincide with the Tour de France bike race starting on the 4th of July, and I have set a goal of a sweater's worth of spun yarn.

A goal like that needs some training rides, so here are the first two skeins of yarn, still unwashed, but plyed.

I don't know why even in the natural light, the color is way off. The color of the fiber is much truer. If it fluffs more than it is now, it will be bulky, even though it is only 2 ply. A couple of years ago, I took a Knit-to-Fit Class taught by Kristi at A Knitted Peace, so if I cannot find the perfect pattern to make gauge, I will knit a simple pullover using her techniques. I will have plenty of yarn, having started with 32 oz, so I can even throw in some texture/cables. Still in the planning stages, however, since I have to get all the fiber spun up first.

Captured on film, one of the culprits which have been plaguing my garden and lawn for several years. It is still pretty young and small, but in no time, with plenty of nibbles, it will produce another generation this summer. There are only two of these guys right now as far as I can tell, but their appetite is hearty.

So far this year, they have only gone after the lawn and have left these tell-tell signs. I guess that is better than eating all my flowers. I hope they are not listening.

Last year I planted this second clematis plant to grown on the same trellis as the first one. Here is its first bloom of the year, and it looks like there will only be two. I was told that it would bloom all summer, so I hope that is true. The other plant blooms wildly through late spring, then is done. I am hoping this plant will fill the trellis for the rest of the summer.