Valeri and Brian in Tazzie

Tour de Fleece during Tour de France
Tour de fleece was great fun, I managed to learn a new skill, and improve on art yarn spinning. It has been fantastic sharing news and knowledge with the Team of Wonder. I am in awe of the yarns and garments produced. My efforts will probably be in the stash for years to come.

Uh oh, another Aussie casualty - Majacraft Suzie takes a tumble and is currently convalescing. She is a trooper tho', still managing to spin a yarn from our alpacas.

Week 1 wrap up:

	I am joining the Team of Wonder to participate in the Tour de Fleece. Yep, they spin those wheels in the Tour de France, and we spin our wheels alongside them. July 3rd - 25th, who will wear the yellow jersey! We all will of course, we are all winners in the Tour de Fleece. Team of Wonder will spin alpaca, mostly American alpaca, but I shall spin Aussie alpaca and provide an international element in 2010.

	Stage 8 of the tour de fleece and I had to indulge in colour for the mountains. Some pumpkin and violet over white huacaya fleece and violet over grey fleece. I am navaho plying to get solid runs of colour rather than a barber-pole look. We thank Rivervale Ivory, Rivervale Elvis and Liberty Patterson for the fleece. In between this spinning I have put 18" of fabric on the loom. My colour threads are on loose spools, and finally I have perfected those weight-wise. I have foam hair curlers weighted with 1/2" galvanised nuts, I love improvisation when it works. Those curlers and nuts are now a permanent part of my weaving tools.
	Stage 4 of the tour de fleece and I am spinning Rivervale Ivory, an alpaca of outstanding attitude and beautiful fleece. Also in this pic - the Team of Wonder logo, and another of my favourite things, my felt slippers - mix of alpacas Chester and Elvis, and some wooly brown sheep. Stage 4, Cambrai --> Reims, how I would LOVE to take a walk thru Reims today. I can taste that Campari & Soda.
	Stage 3 of the 2010 Tour de Fleece and I have 100m (41gm) of lace weight alpaca/nylon filament. The nylon component honours the men in lycra! Spin those wheels...
	Warped loom ready and waiting for pale fawn alpaca weft, in which I am going to make crazy colour shots by pulling the warp colours horizontally at random intervals. The colour threads are on loose hanging spools to facilitate this manipulation. Will it work, I'll keep you posted. Should realise about 5m of cloth.