Wheel Worries

As you can tell from all the fiber pictures, I'm addicted to spinning and was in love with my wheel in a matter of days. Soon I was spinning non-stop and reading about spinning when I wasn't spinning. Suddenly one night while trying to get beads into my yarn, I realized I needed a jumbo flyer (for you non-spinners, this holds the yarn bobbins. The opening if larger so you can use bulkier fibers and add more stuff to your yarn). I couldn't wait for Christmas (this was my original thought when I got my wheel). So, I logged into "The Woolery" and with credit card in hand was about to hit the purchase now button when I realized, there is no jumbo flyer for my wheel. What! This had to be a mistake. Nope, after more clicking and a quick email I was told they don't make a jumbo blyer for the Fantasia. Oh no, this wasn't going to work. There are just to many great beads and tiny treasures tempting me. I dream of the yarn these little things can be a part of. Nope, this isn't going to work.

I'm sure I had mentioned wanting a jumbo flyer when I was choosing wheels, I'm sure I was told there would be one when Christmas rolled around. So I called the shop where I'd purchased my wheel and lucky for me, the owners are wonderful. They agreed to let me exchange if the other wheel and pay the difference (of course, the other one is a little more money, aren't they always). Yep, no questions asked they said they would, but I'd have to wait a week until they got back from a trade show in Indiana. Now, for most people this probably wouldn't be a big deal, but I'm known for not being the most patient person in the world and the thought of not being able to spin for a week with my wheel in the corner of the dining room sort of looking at me was something I didn't know if I could do. I had to do it, I had to spin. So with extra care and a lot more gently then normal I spun through the week and kept trying to decide if trading in my wheel for the other one was the best choice. After all, Kromski said they were working on making a flyer for the Fantasia, but when would it be out and what if they didn't come out with one (remember the patient thing). My wheel treadles so nice, am I making the right decision, what if the other one is even more persnickety. I went on line to read which wheel was better, which one did Kromski wheel owners prefer. No help there, everyone seemed to love their wheel and pros and cons were pretty much equal for both wheels.

Finally, it was time to decide. I cleaned off my wheel loaded it the car (belting it in even) and headed to the "Wool, Warp and Wheel." They were great and let me treadle the other wheel while they listened to me go on and on about how I love my wheel, but I'm basically nuts and need a bigger flyer now instead of when and if it comes out. While sitting there, the decision seemed easier, I had liked the way this wheel looked more than mine when I'd first looked at them, I'd thought it treadled really nicely, but I remember thinking, it's more money, I'll be good and get the less expensive one. If I would have gotten the one I'd loved more that first day I could have saved myself this little bit of worry and you wouldn't be reading all this.

So in it's travel bag (an added bonus). I brought home my new wheel and planned on having to go through that "getting to know my wheel" stage all over again. Guess what...loved it right away, love that I switched and love that this decision making process is over and I can just spin.

Hand Dyed Tequila Sunrise

I was thrilled when I got my hand dyed roving to match the fun novelty ribbon I wanted to use. I think it matches pretty well, what do you think?

Spin, Spun, Done

Tiny Beads Everywhere

I thought, ok I'm ready to tackle adding beads to my yarn. Love that...not so easy.

I strung the beads on yards and yards of beautiful silk thread. Carefully placed them in a bowl next to my wheel on the floor and began to treadle ever so slowly so that each bead would be exactly where I wanted it. Slowly, slowly I began to treadle and move the beads. About a yard done, looks great. Slowly, slowly I treadled. Snap, thread broke beads went flying, words loudly escaped, dogs went running.

Maybe I'll try beads another day.

Persnickety

What a fun word. Persnickety. When Toni from The Fold said, "Kromski's can be a little persnickety." I couldn't get that word out of my head. I have a Kromski wheel by the way. I don't think I ever heard that word used in a sentence until that day. So I looked it up and made sure I knew what she was saying. Definition= Requiring a particularly precise or careful approach. Fussy. Yep, I can be a little persnickety when it comes to creating and maybe my wheel is too. I'm not really sure if it is or not since its my first and only wheel, but either way, I love that word so it seems like the perfect name for my hand spun yarn. Persnickety it is.

Spin, Spinning, Spun

I've been spinning so much, I think I treadle in my sleep. Loving every minute, wishing there were more hours in the day (time definitely flies while the wheel spins).

Have quickly discovered that I barely have enough patience to let my yarn rest on the bobbin before I can move it to the niddy nobby.

Practiced my coils and bobbles this week. Thought these were boo boos before I knew what they were.


Discovered beautiful hand dyed Roving from Sheepish Creations. Have to get some more of this.

Hand dying and painting yarn

Anyone who knows me, knows I have more than enough to keep me busy. Especially now with a new wheel, but I had to try something else. Hand dying yarn. So fun, so messy, so cool. A few steps and magic happens.


A few picture steps missing, but you get the idea.

I've got ants

I never thought I'd be saying that I need ants, but that's exactly what I said. Last year, I planted a peony bush by the back of my fence. It was full of buds, but never opened. My friend told me I needed ants to eat the wax off the buds so that they could open. Wow, learn something everyday. So I poured a little sugar water on it and waited. Nothing, not an ant in sight. I tried again, no ants. What the heck, there were ant hills all over the other side of the fence, ants are always there when you don't want them, but when you do...no luck. So, my poor little peony bush never did open and by the end of Fall it was looking like it just wasn't going to make it. When Spring finally (and I mean finally) arrived, my poor peony bush looked like it had passed in the Winter, so I pulled it out, sighed and gave in to the fact that I was (and am) a pretty bad gardener.

About a month ago, I looked over and realized, it was back it had grown while I wasn't looking and it looked better than ever. This week it was filled with buds and I immediately remembered. Oh, no I need ants, so, I grabbed a bottle of left over (flat in fact) orange soda, added a little water and went to work, pouring it slowly over every bud.

It worked! I have ants and blooms. Who would have thought I'd be wanting ants.

Practice makes...perfect

That's how the saying goes doesn't it? "Practice makes perfect." So I practice and practice. Started thinking maybe...I'm trying to hard to make that perfect yarn. Shouldn't this be relaxing, enjoyable and just plan fun. So, I loosened the tension (on my wheel and my hands), started over and had some fun with a little test skein of two ply merino. Time will tell if perfect happens , but for now I think I'll try to enjoy my wheel more and make something different and fun.