Doll Can Create

Reflections on Daily Spinning: Lessons from Tour de Fleece

By Doll – July Wrap-Up

🧶 1. Consistency Counts More Than Speed

Spinning even a little each day adds up. Whether on the spindle or the wheel, showing up regularly built real momentum—and yarn!

🧵 2. Different Tools Serve Different Energy Levels

The spindle offered a peaceful pace for tired days, while the wheel let you make quick progress when you had more energy. Learning when to use which helped keep the joy in the process.

🪷 3. Grace Makes the Journey Sustainable

Read below for more:

Some days you were tired, and that was okay. You learned to listen to your body and spin gently, reminding yourself that rest and rhythm go hand in hand.

Tour de Fleece has just come to a close, and I’m pausing to reflect on what daily spinning taught me—about yarn, yes, but also about persistence, pacing, and grace.

I joined this year’s Tour with a clear intention: to spin enough yarn for a vest or sweater. A lofty but exciting goal. And while I didn’t set strict daily targets or try to hit big spinning milestones, I did commit to showing up—every single day—with spindle or wheel in hand.

The Process

Most of my spinning was done on my trusty spindles. They’re portable, calming, and surprisingly productive when used daily. But for larger quantities—and on days when I had more time and energy—I turned to my wheel. The result was a nice rhythm between the two, and a growing understanding of how each tool fits into my creative life.

On both spindle and wheel, I used a short forward draw, spinning worsted-style with the aim of achieving a DK to sock-weight yarn. It’s the weight I enjoy knitting with the most—and it’s also versatile enough for the layering pieces I want to make.

The Only Real Challenge: Energy

There weren’t many obstacles, really—no tangled messes, no broken bobbins, no spindle disasters. What I did notice was how my own energy levels played a role. Some days, especially those hot, midsummer afternoons or late evenings after long walks, I just didn’t have much to give. And that’s okay.

I learned to respect that tiredness, to spin just a few minutes if that’s all I had, and to remind myself that every meter counts.

A Memorable Moment

One of the most exciting moments came when I skeined off a large bobbin from the wheel and measured out 125 meters of yarn. That’s a big number for me—larger than usual. It felt like a real celebration. Not just for the yardage, but for the consistency, the colour, the sense of completion. A visual and tactile reminder that spinning adds up.

What I Learned

Small sessions add up – Whether five minutes or fifty, the act of returning to the spindle daily built momentum. Tools work together – The spindle and wheel don’t compete in my world. They complement each other. Each brings a different rhythm to the work. Energy is part of the equation – Spinning isn’t just physical; it requires presence. Giving myself grace on tired days made the whole journey more sustainable. Every skein tells a story – That 125-meter skein? It’s a symbol of patience, persistence, and purpose. And it’s going into something I’ll wear with pride.

What’s Next?

Now that Tour de Fleece is over, I’m planning to swatch with some of the yarn and start sketching ideas for that vest or sweater. I may even keep the daily spinning going, even if it’s just a little each morning—because it grounds me.

To those who spun alongside me this month: congratulations. Whether you spun 10 meters or 1,000, whether you spun daily or sporadically, you moved fibre through your fingers and created beauty. That’s something worth celebrating.

What did you learn from Tour de Fleece? Drop a comment below or tag me on Instagram @DollCan – I’d love to see what’s on your bobbin.