Spinning Along and Convocation Report

Two new spinning projects to occupy my time in the next little while.

Doing the Ravelympics last year was really fun, so I decided this year I’m signing up for the Tour de Fleece. I’ve been reading about the Tour de Fleece for a couple of years, but never got around to taking part. It runs concurrent with the Tour de France (naturally), and essentially, the idea is They spin, You spin. In other words, we have to spin yarn every day that the athletes in the Tour are biking. Like the Ravelympics, it’s a good time to challenge yourself, and set goals. I plan to use the time to try to finish the fawn cria and the peacock yarns I’ve been spinning.

The second spinning project will be the Guild challenge I mentioned a little while back. We finally received our fiber at the last Guild meeting, and have now to identify the 2 fiber types, and turn it into an FO. I had thought the fibers were to come separately, so we could choose how to blend them, but it is an already blended roving. I’m a little disappointed in that – it’s that much less variety possible in the making, so less appealing to show off to the public in the projected exhibition of the finished work. But it seems to be a nice blend, crisp but soft with the possibility of drape. I’m sure of the fact I want to do lace, but I’m debating color and pattern. So many possibilities, but once I commit, I might not be able to change, so this will take thinking.

Notes on last night's convocation:
a) We get lined up in 'chutes' and have individual barcoded tags. Efficient but makes you feel like a herd of cattle. Thankfully no cattle prods.
b) As compensation for having to sit on the stage for 2 hours, Ph.Ds get their photos free, and get to keep their hoods. Mine looks like nothing so much as Christmas, red with a green stripe.
c) I didn't fall asleep, even without knitting. I watched people's shoes as they came on stage. Everything from glittery flip-flops to 5 inch heels were represented.
d) The parents made it up in plenty of time, and we went for dessert at Oh So Good afterwards. Mom, being a darling, brought me a huge bouquet of everything in the garden that smells good right now, peonies and roses and black dianthus and irises, and a sweet, tiny, vintage opal ring.