In other news, my Kromski sold, and I hear that my SpinOlution Mach II is shipping tomorrow! You cannot even begin to fathom my excitement! Apparently, I’m getting an upgraded wheel with some treadle modifications, etc. I still have Don Cherry, but he only has one 3oz bobbin, making spinning a little, uh, difficult. Right now, he’s all filled with some absolutely stunning chocolate brown baby alpaca. I’m afraid to wind it off, as it’s a lace weight single!

You better believe pictures will be posted when my new wheel comes!

Long time, no post! Erin and I were at the Tennessee Fiber Festival 2 weekends ago, and I met the new spinning wheel love of my life. The Spinoluti0n Mach II. Yes! As you well know, I’m a lover of antique wheels, and I find it endless amusing that I now want to get a wheel that looks like a spaceship! Anyway, to afford such a wheel, I have to thin the herd a little. Don’t worry: Don Cherry isn’t going anywhere. It’s my Kromski! The first wheel I ever had! I’m a little sentimental about all of this, but people grow and want new things. Oh man, I feel like we’re breaking up! We kind of are! Sad!

Anyway, here’s the ad which I posted on Ravelry:

I am selling a Kromski Symphony which I purchased in 2007. The wheel spins beautifully. I’m just smitten with another wheel, is all.

I’m going to start by offering it up as local pick up only. I live in Nashville, TN and am asking $475. However, I will probably go out and get a box this weekend along with packing supplies in case someone outside of driving range is interested.

Here are the details:

1 Kromski Symphony with a custom finish

Includes:

5 bobbins (one of them is unfinished, and coincidentally not pictured)
2 whorls
1 orifice hook
1 tensioned lazy kate (the springs have gone a bit loose on them, but this can probably be fixed easily. I can still ply without a problem)

Please let me know if you have any questions, would like more pictures, etc. I’d prefer payment by Paypal. Thanks so much!

**

How does that sound? I love this wheel, but I already have 1 saxony and want to find one that is a bit more portable.  Wish me luck!

If  any of you know me personally, you are probably aware that I become insanely excited and passionate about random things that cross my path, usually in the craft world (also, ABBA – I am always passionately dedicated to ABBA). My current obsession is: LACE

You guys, why didn’t you tell me how awesome it is?!? I will admit, I have dabbled in the past, but something didn’t click. Above, on the decapitated picture of me, is Ishbel, a perfect pattern for a perfect shawl. I can’t tell you how much fun I had knitting this, and I did the bulk of it on painkillers! (I sprained my back spinning in a bad chair – truth!)

As soon as it was off the needles and blocking, The Traveling Woman shawl was next. I’m almost done, and it’s only been 2 days! OBSESSED, I TELL YOU!
Of course, my little brain started jumping all over the place, in an excited fury, “What else can I do!? Oh! Spin lace yarn!” So, after talking to some lovely folks all over the internet, I’ve realized that the next thing I need are COMBS. I’ve got my eyes on these beauties, as they seem like good beginner combs. But, I concluded today, after much frantic deliberation, that I should probably wait until post-fiber fest (The Tennessee Fiber Fest, y’all!) to get my combs, and use what money I have in the fiber fund for more fiber. No one wants to see a sad table with no fiber on it, right? Right. Or, at least that’s what I’ve told myself.

So, in the meantime, I’ll be dyeing wool and spinning some Rambouillet from the fold for some lace. LACE!! <3

I’ve decided not to keep this beauty, but put it up in the shop instead.

South African Fine Wool

3-ply

445 yards

Dyed by moi with acid dyes.

Somehow, I managed to throw my back out and will now hobble back to the couch and resume knitting the socks out of the yarn from the last post while watching costume dramas. I’m knitting them on size 0s!

I think part of the allure of spinning 3ply is that it’s not easy. It takes practice. Lots of practice. Now I’m not slagging off your bulky or worsted weights. Those too, are supremely awesome. I’m a sock knitter through and through, so it just makes sense that I would want to spin sock yarn, right?

I’ve been wearing my Victory Socks a lot lately, and I really have the best time telling people “I made them from scratch!” There’s something so wholly satisfying about taking a lump of undyed wool and ending up with delightfully soft and brightly colored socks.

That said, I shall show you my latest sock yarn:

I was going to put it up in the shop, but I love it too much.

Details:

4.2 oz. of Superwash Merino, dyed by me

3 -ply fingering weight

510 yards.

It’s already being knit up into socks as we speak!

I’m living in the now!

On the spinning front: I spun 4.2 oz of some hand dyed superwash merino AND GOT 510 YARDS!!!!!!

I love my Canadian Production Wheel. We’re total BFFs.

Pictures coming soon!

In knitting news, I’ve started a sweater for myself! The February Lady Sweater! Also, have I mention that I’m going to be an aunt?! Let the baby knitting commence! My sister and her husband are going to wait to find out if it’ll be a boy or girl, which makes knitting a bit of a challenge. Whoo boy, if I ever get knocked up, you better believe I’m going to find out. All that knitting time to knit gender-specific items! I will not waste it!

That said, the baby knitting has started at Casa Yarnadoodledoo. Patterns and ideas appreciated! I still haven’t found THE baby blanket to knit (or crochet). Nothing is calling to me. Yet.

Today, I’m happy to say that’s been accomplished!

Details:

4 oz South African Fine wool, dyed by yours truly.

3 ply

417 yds.

US 1 needles

As we all know, I have giant lady feet. I didn’t need anywhere near the 417 yds, which was a delight to find out.

Here’s the Rav link.

I wore these socks yesterday, and it was like having tiny Carebears, hugging my feet!

I hope this year finds you healthy and your wool supplies plentiful.

It’s time for a shop update! And there may be a few things in the sale section too! We’ve got sock yarn (handspun and hand-dyed) and some roving too!

I would be dyeing right now, but a pipe apparently froze and burst in this Nashville cold spell so the basement will be colder than normal!

Here’s a sneak peek

Some of this may be heading my way. Via Denmark (they took paypal and ship internationally!). I bought 3 skeins, and with shipping it was $45!? It seems a bargain, doesn’t it? I have never purchased anything in krone before. It was fun. I could see it becoming a habit. Ahem.

Oh, and these too: