New To Me Spinning Wheel

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I present to you a HitchHiker single treadle spinning wheel by The Merlin Tree. I was gifted this wheel by mother after she procured it in a trade with her quilt shop coworker. I have been doing my best to research this wheel as it’s a little different than most. It’s a direct drive wheel which means the flyer is turned directly by the wheel as you treadle. Honestly, its kind of an obscure wheel and it doesn’t have a lot resources either from the manufacturer or on YouTube. It has been a little frustrating but I shall persevere.

I have been practicing just treadling on the empty wheel because it is going to take some learned muscle movement to keep the wheel going in the same direction as I start and stop. That is just the ups and down of a direct drive wheel. Just putting your foot on the treadle can move the wheel in a direction you didn’t intend. The brake band also needs some TLC to be snugged up which I am hoping my woodworking father can assist with. I think I may also have to try to fall upon the mercy of the local spinners group for assistance/lessons. Time will tell…

With the wheel I also inherited the spinner fiber stash. In the bin in addition to a knitty knoddy and spare wheel parts was a TON of fiber. I dig through and found llama blends, alpaca blends, romney wool, merino blends and several unidentified fibers. This spinner clearly had good taste.

This all came from a rural farm, so right now it’s living my sub zero garage just in case it has anything other than fiber in there. I’m hoping to zap this with some heat somehow before bringing into the house with my other stash.

I’m interested to if I can become a spinner?

Stopped Mid Row

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Safely back home and back to my regular schedule. I had the itch to pick up my Chromatic Yarns Chevron blanket. When I pulled it from the bag, I realized I had stopped mid row….rookie mistake. But it does make it lie very nicely for photos.

I am solidly in the third color and really liking my color progression choices. This will definitely be a long term WIP. It is relatively puppy safe as it is contained in a single bag. But I only get so much knitting time in between puppy playing and sleepy snuggles. I mean, he’s only super tiny for a little while!

Happy Knitting!!

Let’s Go Home Knitting

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My brain is full and I’m ready to head home tomorrow from my work conference. My travel socks didn’t get as much work as I had hoped at the conference. A lot of the days I chose not to carry my backpack and just a small clutch so I could move around the conference better. Which means less knitting but a healthier back and less foot pain.

I have seven hours of travel tomorrow so my goal is to double this progress and at least get through the full rainbow. Do you think I can make it?

Happy Knitting!!

Airport Art

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I snagged some cool photos on my airport adventures yesterday! Portland, OR had some art installations on the wall and my head snapped around when I realized it was crochet!! (Oh and the sun was shining…it was a great PNW day!)

I know the PNW is all about the fibery goodness. But this takes the cake. I was was one of many admiring the handiwork. From a distance you can barely tell this is crochet!

I snapped a photo of the artist information in case anyone else wanted to check her out!

Happy Crafting!!

A New Travel Sock

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I have a quick work conference this week so of course none of my current knitting would work. I DEFINITELY needed to cast on something new!

I pulled some vintage KirbyWirby sock yarn from my stash. This one is her Rose Apothecary Remix color. I hand wound this into a big ball and I had a wee little toe for my flight halfway across the country.

I strategically got an aisle seat so I could knit comfortably on the first flight leg, but was not so lucky on leg number two. So I read my book for the last two hours. I am reading the latest Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum book. Yeah, I know they are all the same but I find that comforting!

Now I’m off to learn a whole bunch! Happy Knitting!!

Purple Floof

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The spinning wheel and pretty floof is just WAY to attractive to puppies for me to have much spinning time. But I have made a little progress on my latest spinning project.

I have given up all plans on this. I am spinning all four ounces on to a single bobbin and will just wing it from there. This is Hipstrings fiber blend of Merino and Rambouillet so I am not sure I have any other braids that would blend content or color wise.

I am spinning for the pure zen of it….when I have time and the puppy won’t chew on my wheel, lol.

Happy Spinning!!

New Addition

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I have been a little absent here lately. Work continues at a frenetic pace. I went a little cuckoo and we got a puppy mostly on a whim. I saw a local FB post about a family with a litter of yellow labs and there was ONE left. I was hooked and two days later we have a tiny tornado!

His name is Duke and incredibly intelligent. He is working being potty trained and learning basic commands. And he is very active and playful so my crafting time is non-existent. But he is the sweetest and already bonded with both PB and Jellybean. The kids have been asked to step up and help with puppy chores.

Don’t you just love his smooshy face?!?

Just The Heel

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My Punch Bug Vanilla Socks are inching to the finish line. I find it intriguing that some socks practically fall off my needles where others take MONTHS. It’s not that I don’t love these socks, they just languished, lol.

The second full tube is done and almost perfectly matched the first sock. All I need now is to measure and cut in for the last afterthought heel. I have plenty of yarn left so that is a great feeling. The matching hat for this is languishing and I need to rip it out and start on better needles. #summerplans

Happy Knitting!!

All Wound Up

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I finished plying, washing and skeining my sock yarn spinning project before I realized I had ZERO pictures of it. So here it is in cake form!

I think I am not going to have enough for socks and I’m a little bummed. I have over 100 grams here but only 130-140 yards of heavy sport weight yarn. I think I will pull out my size 4 needles and start a toe of a sock. This will show me gauge and how far this yarn goes.

If it doesn’t work then I can rip it back and make something else. This also taught me that I need more fiber for a sock spin at my current skill level and singles size. So not a complete loss but did dampen my excitement.

Happy Spinning!!

Full Protection Mode

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My Ashford Kiwi 3 lives permanently in the our main living area. Which means it is VERY tempting for little fingers to poke, prod or peddle. So late last year I found an Ashford case on Ebay sale and I bought it. Now, I get what I paid for and it took months to get here but I’m over that now, lol.

It is lightly padded, has a nice carrying strap and zips up completely. No more tempting little fingers! It is less convenient to take out and put away when I get the whim to spin. But I feel like the reduced wear and tear will, over time, overtake that frustration.

So my wheel still lives in the main area but it is a lot more protected and contained. I guess I like containers for my stuff!! Happy Spinning!!

Easing Back In

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I have hit the wall of spring slog and busy season at work. I have had ZERO energy to do anything crafty. But yesterday was sunshine and breezy where outdoors beckoned to me. I pulled some of the fiber I got from a destash sale.

This batt comes from Hipstrings and its a mix of Merino and Rambouillet fiber. It’s spinning very nicely. I didn’t get much on to the wheel before life interrupted. So I am counting this as easing back in.

Happy Spinning!!