Adventures in handspinning, Part 2

So I went to my first handspinners guild meeting yesterday. What a wonderful group of folks. It was a very large and informal meeting. Everyone was sitting around in this great big circle with their wheels. There were a few announcements, and a raffle, but other than that, it was just sit and spin and mingle. There was also beautiful hand dyed roving, and natural colored alpaca to purchase. (I did resist. You would have been proud.)

I did get to try a few wheels. First I tried Katey's new Schacht Ladybug. If you can get past the cutesy name, it's a really nice wheel. It doesn't fold, but it has three handles, located at different points, to pick it up. It was very lightweight, and the treadling was SO smooth. The treadles were well spaced, so it was fairly comfortable to use. The wheel is actually a child's bicycle wheel. (really, it even has the hole where the air valve would come through!) I liked all the extra added attachments you can buy for it too.

Then I tried Jane's Ashford Joy. I found it not as easy to treadle, but I'm thinking it may have been the fact that it was a single treadle, and I had just been spinning on a double. I clumped up a couple of yards of beautiful pencil roving that she had been spinning beautifully, and passed the wheel back.

There was a single treadle Lendrum that a couple of the first time spinners were using, but I did not get a chance to try it. I noticed a double treadle Lendrum across the room, and Katey "suggested" I go over and ask the owner if I could try it. She was very nice, and let me sit and treadle it for a few minutes. What a great wheel! I was very impressed. I did not think I would like the way it was angled, but I think it's tall enough that it shouldn't matter.

All in all, it was a great time, and I will be joining next month. I left the meeting thinking LENDRUM. It's a really nice wheel. It folds. It's solid MAPLE for cryin' out loud. It has some weight to it, which is a plus in my book. It has lots of accessories INCLUDED. I think the price is VERY reasonable for what you get.
So I'm thinking, "Lendrum, yes, Lendrum, that's it."

But THIS keeps popping into my head.

It won't leave me alone.

Call me crazy, but I really want this wheel, and I haven't even seen one in person yet. I haven't touched it, treadled it, or SPUN on it, and yet I must have it! To me it looks like a real "guy's wheel". Nothing ornate or frilly here, just 22 lbs of solid, spinnin', madness!

And the name?
Is it a Ladybug? ....no.
A Babe? ....no.
A Little Gem? ....no.
A Julia, Victoria, Millie, Suzie, or Rose? ....no.
It's a freakin' MACH 1 !
I mean hell, it may as well be a car, or a jet! It costs a little more than the Lendrum, but not much. It doesn't have a WooLee Winder that fits it. (yet) It's 22 lbs, but I'm a big guy. I can lift 22 lbs. The Dyson vacuum cleaner at Knitch weighs 18! (yes, I weighed it today)
I'm not ordering it tonight, and probably not tomorrow. I'm still doing my homework, and I'd like to talk to a few folks that actually have one, and see what they think. I'd also like to come up with the bucks before I buy it, rather than tacking it onto my already overused credit card. Keep an eye on my blog. In the next few days I'm planning a stash reduction/wheel acquisition sale. I promise there's going to be some really good deals.

It's gonna be hard to let some of it go, but I'm gonna need lots of room for all that roving I'll have to buy.

Adventures in handspinning

I couldn't wait 'til the clock hit 4:00 today so I could zoom over to Knitch. Melissa brought her Kromski Sonata for me to to play with. This wheel is very easy to set up, and I was spinning in no time at all. (not well, but spinning none the less) I can see that this is going to be much like knitting in the fact that the more you practice, the better you get, and if I'm going to practice, I need a wheel. I think I'm going to have to have someone hold my credit cards for me because I'm pretty much sold on the Sonata. It's taking every ounce of self-control I have, (which ain't much), not to just go ahead and order one tonight. The only thing keeping me from it is the anticipation of going to my first handspinners guild meeting tomorrow! (I'm so excited! I hope I'm not too big a pest! I'll try to behave.)

In the mean time, to satisfy my lust for handspun yarn, I ordered two skeins from baba black sheep yarns on Etsy. Here's a photo of it next to the yarn I spun tonight. See if you can guess which is which.



(I know it's hard to tell, but the ones on the left are mine.)

I want to spin yarn like the skeins on the right!!!!!

It is so soft and luscious and plump and EVEN and (did I say soft?), and beautiful! I am determined that some day, in the not too distant future, I too will be spinning yarn like baba black sheep!

Which wheel?

I had no idea there would be so many choices in spinning wheels! I've been doing a lot of reading, and I've pretty much decided I want a folding wheel. It would be fun to be able to take it with me when I want spin, and the compact size would be convenient for storage. I found a great side by side comparison on four different models at The Woolery. I've seen the Ashford Joy, and Melissa's Kromski Sonata in action, and I think I've narrowed it down to these two. They both weigh about the same, despite the taller height of the Kromski. (which I find attractive, since I'm a tall guy) Aesthetically, I like the look of the Kromski. I noticed the Kromski has bigger bobbins. I'm assuming this means you can spin more yarn before you have to change bobbins? (in this case, does size matter?) I also like the fact that it is made of real wood, and not plywood and laminated MDF.

Sounds like I've made up my mind, doesn't it? OK, here's the one thing I think I don't like. I really think I want a single treadle wheel. I took a day long spinning class once a couple of years ago, and I couldn't tell you now if the wheel I used was a single or double treadle. At the risk of sounding vulgar, I can't imagine myself sitting for any length of time with my legs that close together. (oh dear, have I said too much..... again) I'm sorry, but I just don't sit that way. (at least not comfortably for any length of time)

I guess it all boils down to a test drive. I'm sure Melissa would let me take her wheel out for a spin, and we have a single treadle Joy at Knitch that I can try. Also, if I do buy the Joy, I can buy it at Knitch. If I buy a Sonata, I'll have to send away for it. Decisions, decisions. At this point I would welcome any feedback at all.


Despite all the spinning wheel shopping, I have been doing some knitting. I finally frogged back the sleeves of my Cobblestone sweater, (I made them too long), and reattached them to the body. see......


So it's back to knitting garter stitch in the round. And what's more fun than holding two pounds of wool in your lap when the temperature is 80-something outside. Now I understand why y'all knit socks!

To spin or not to spin?

Yes, I have gone completely mad, but y'all drove me to it. How can I sit idly by and watch you spin such incredible colors and fibers, and then ply them together into something altogether different. I saw the beautiful yarns that Jared spun and must admit I lusted after them. I watch the spinners the second Sunday of each month at Knitch and think, "I wish I could do that." I've started putting color combinations together in my head, and thinking about different ways of blending fibers to create the exact yarns I want. I actually registered at Etsy just so I could buy a couple of skeins of handspun.

OK, here's the really crazy part;

Do I know how to spin?
NO

Do I have a wheel?
NO

Do I have time to spin?
NO

Do I NEED MORE YARN?!
NO!

Am I gonna do it anyway?
(yeah, I think so)

I figure I can learn how to spin. I've managed to learn everything I know how to do now. I know plenty of spinners who could offer helpful hints. I'm SURE I can find someplace to buy a wheel. I don't really have time to knit either, but you make time to do the things you love. And I figure Andrew will be turning 18 next year and moving out, so what am I gonna do with all that extra space?


P.S. Y'all did pretty good on the movie quote meme. The only one I was able to stump you on was #8. It's Billy Crystal as Mitch in City Slickers. Not exactly my most favorite movie, but a damn funny line.

Movie quote meme hints

OK, there are four movie quotes that no one seems to know, so I'll give you a hint. I'll tell you the name of the actor or actress that said them. You still have to guess the movie.


#4 Tim Robbins
#8 Billy Crystal
#9 Ruth Gordon
#10 Steve Martin

Sorry, no knitting content today. Working crazy hours for the upcoming Mother's Day holiday. I need to change the title of my blog to "Famous Steve wishes he had time to knit!" I am knitting the scarf from the cover of Knitting New Scarves, by Lynne Barr. (the book ia a lovely birthday gift from my friend Nell) I'm using the Manos Silk Blend. What a wonderful yarn to work with! Come to Knitch and get you some! The scarf will be a shop sample, so come by and see it when I'm done. I have SO MANY things I want to knit! Especially some new sweaters for moi, but next Wednesday, I will be attending my first, (in many, many years), Weight Watcher's meeting! And, of all the places this meeting could be taking place, it will be in one of my favorite places of all! Knitch! So I really dont want to start knitting XXL sweaters, since I plan on being more of an XL next winter. Of course, I do have many other things to work on.... finish the lace shawl for Nancy, start the lace shawl for Beth, start that second pair of socks, start some baby stuff for Shirley to take to Berea, knit some scarves for John to sell in his shop this winter, not to mention the pile of stuff that has fallen into the dreaded pit of UFOs, that I have almost completely forgotten about! (almost....)

Movie quote meme

OK, all my blogging friends are doing the movie quote meme, and it looked like fun. I don't know how difficult mine are, but here goes.........

The rules:

1. Pick 10 of your favorite movies.

2. Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie.

3. Post them on your blog for everyone to guess.

4. Strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie. (someone is going to have to show me how to strike it out) Thanks Doug!

5. Looking them up is cheating, please don’t.

Ready?

1. "My job consists of basically masking my contempt for the assholes in charge, and, at least once a day, retiring to the men's room so I can jerk off while I fantasize about a life that doesn't so closely resemble Hell." Identified by katey on April 20th, 11:26 am as American Beauty

2."I like to watch." Identified by Mydadknits on April 22, 6:14 pm as Being There

3."I think you are just an evil, bitter OLD, alcoholic sex FIEND who needs therapy yourself!"Identified by knits4bears on April 20, 8:29 pm as Sordid Lives

4. "Remember Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies." Identified by katey on May 7, 8:37 pm as The Shawshank Redemption

5. "What do you mean he don't eat no meat? Oh, that's okay. I make lamb."Identified by oliviaknits on April 19th, 11:51 pm as My Big Fat Greek Wedding

6."Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries."Identified by oliviaknits on April 19th, 11:52 pm as Mony Python and The Holy Grail

7. "The perfect blossom is a rare thing. You could spend your life looking for one, and it would not be a wasted life." Identified by the chickengoddess on April 24, 8:13 am as The Last Samurai

8. "Women need a reason for having sex, men just need a place."

9. "Vice, Virtue. It's best not to be too moral. You cheat yourself out of too much life. Aim above morality. If you apply that to life, then you're bound to live life fully." Identified by jane on May 7, 10:24 pm as Harold and Maude

10. "My plan was to kiss her with every lip on my face." Identified by Stuart on May 14, 12:52 pm as Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

Good luck!

In like a lion brand, out like a lamb's wool.

Oh look, it's March, and I haven't blogged in nearly a month!

So what has been going on you ask? (yeah, I heard you)

Well, let's see.....

I've started and nearly finished Cobblestone from the Fall 2007 Interweave Knits. (pretty much the ONLY thing I've been knitting) I promise I'll post a pic as soon as it's finished. I'm just being lazy today.

I had some BEAUTIFUL sock yarn named after me in a colorway I inspired! You can read all about it, and buy it here on Etsy. It's called FAMOUS Chocolate Fondue. OMG!!! Ain't it purdy!!!



I wanted something that was the color of chocolate covered cherries, but this line of yarn is called "Saucy", so we had to come up with something that could be considered a sauce. I think fondue works quite well, and you can dip cherries in it, or strawberries, or chunks of bananas, or chunks of pound cake, or....... (I wonder what we have in the kitchen?)

I sold some of my yarn stash, (and bought even more)

SOLD:

• One bag of orange Rowan Cork to a nice lady in Ireland. She discovered my stash on Ravelry.


• One 1 lb skein of cotton that was dyed by the lovely folks at Prism, because I was going to use it for a sweater, but decided it had too much pink in it for me.

BOUGHT:

• Three 1 lb skeins of cotton that was dyed by the lovely folks at Prism. (yeah, I still have 2 lbs left. probably will become a baby blanket.)



• 3 bags of natural cream colored, worsted weight Alpaca from a new find of mine. They have insanely cheap yarn here, and SO wonderful. I may try my hand at dyeing this stuff.



• 2 bags of a 100% Tweedy Silk from elann.com. You know how I am about tweed, and I think I've found a great pattern in the new Guy Knits book. Won't this be nice?

I got to meet Janet Szabo at the March guild meeting, and she signed my Aran Sweater Design book. What a super interesting person. I wish I had not been working so I could have taken some of her classes.


Well, that's all for now, but since Easter is just a few days away, I wondered, what's your favorite and least favorite Easter candy?

My favorite would have to be Cadbury Caramel Eggs.
And my least.... Marshmallow Peeps. They're fun to put in the microwave though.




And now ...... some interesting facts about Easter. The earliest possible date that Easter can fall on is March 22nd. The last time Easter fell on this date was in 1818, and it won't happen again until 2285. The latest possible date Easter can be is my birthday! (April 25th) The last time it fell on this date was in 1943 (I wasn't born yet) and will next fall on this date in 2038. (I will be 77 years old!)
The cycle of Easter dates repeats after exactly 5,700,000 years, with April 19th being the most common date, happening 220,400 times, or 3.9% compared to a mean for all dates of 162,857 times, or 2.9%. (what did we do before Wikipedia?)

Now then, wasn't that interesting?