I have a problem...

She says after opening a package from yarn.com (cascade 220 Heathers, worsted weight, colorways 'shire' and 'heather') and realizing that she committed to buying a loom this weekend.

"Maybe it's a little more than a problem."

She thinks as she pulls out the books she checked out of the library. "Learn to Spin" by Anne Fields and "Weaving made Easy" by Liz Gipson. (She hasn't really checked out any other literature besides spinning and knitting books in the last... oh, MONTH.)

"It might be classified as an obsession."

She muses as she twists her drop spindle clockwise, spinning a length of Miss Babs "Vixen". (It was supposed to be red and orange... where is the PINK coming from!)

"And you know... I'm okay with that..."

Spinning update

The spinning wheel and I are getting well-acquainted... I am working toward a more consistent yarn and figuring out tension and all of the little joyful things that make spinning more technical. Yes, pure love is involved, but it’s just an aspect of the situation. Moved on from delightful, fluffy roving to comb top. It’s an obnoxious change, but a necessary one and as I am getting use to the differences I am becoming a better spinner. I promise...

Also, I need to take pictures for all of you. I think maybe I’ll tackle that this weekend...

In other news, I’m still sick. Also, I need to find another part-time job. WOO! Except not really.

Spinning wheel love

Whoa! Hold the phone! I’ve posted twice in two days? Wow, I am amazingly productive right now or maybe I am just trying to keep myself busy until dinner. That is an option. You see, I could go downstairs and put my clothes away, or lay down and read, or blog. Examining the options, blogging seems like the best choice. I don’t have to move away from the computer and I don’t have to exhaust myself doing all the chores that I can think of to avoid putting my clothes away. Case in point, earlier this week I scrubbed the bathroom clean instead of putting the clothes away.

Today I got to show off my spinning wheel. It was delightful and I am so excited that my smile is a rictus of delight every time I am near it. Are other people so excited to spin? I don’t even know. Most of the other bloggers have been spinners for a while and “Oh my goodness, This is the first time” joy isn’t there. But it is possible that I am just a little too excitable.

So, I didn’t give you the stats on my wheel. It’s a Roadbug made by The Merlin Tree. Momar went ahead and got the double treadle.  It’s not painted, but eventually when I don’t have anymore money to buy fiber, I’ll put a design on it. I’m thinking a celtic tree of life... something a little more elegant.

Also, last night I partially filled two bobbins with white carded wool. Lady, the spinning wheel, and I were getting acquainted. If we get along famously I have some combed Corriedale, or painted BFL (Blue-Face Leicester) and then after that I have a date with some Merino/silk blend. I’m gradually moving it up. Or maybe not so gradually. I see beautifully painted wool and I couldn’t help myself...  Also, a really good reason why I am not allowed to work in a fiber store EVER. I would spend all my paycheck in the store.

Sorry for the lack of posting

Blogger was acting a little weird and I couldn't see any of my posts. Instead of trying to fix it I got lazy and just didn't post anything for several months. BUT! I will begin posting again soon, even if I have to move heaven and the place below to do so. Or if it means copying and pasting my post from whatever Word/ google doc that it comes from. I will be heard!

It's been a great several months though in life. Alpha was accepted into grad school. So we will e living with the family for another year or two before we move on. I realized what a bummer my life was going to school. I love school. Love learning and education, do not love the stress.  All in all life has been very kind.

You know what the last few months haven’t been good for? Not so great for knitting. Being a nanny means that I can't take my knitting with me because the little wee ones think it's a game to unravel all my hard work and I can't blame them. It is fun to frog, unless you've been working on a shawl and that was the 4th time you tried to knit it.

I went to the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival at the beginning of May. I took Momar and Mei-Mei with me. Momar decided that she wanted a spinning wheel and I didn't gainsay her in the least. We now have a little Roadbug, who will tentatively be named 'Lady' since she fits into my ladybug tesco bag from England. Pictures will be forthcoming.

I've visited an Alpaca farm. I want one... an alpaca, mayb a farm. Now I have fleece to clean and wool to spin.

P.S. Alexandria- Fibre Space will take your money and take it well. Very well.

P.P.S. Will anyone be interested in the excess yarn that will be spilling forth from the bowels of my house?

Weekend Plans- recap

Well... we went to the renaissance festival.

It was fun, but I suspect that I have reached the stage where a sheep shearing would have been more awesome. Alpha had a good time though, that’s what counts. We checked out some of the shops, overall they weren’t as enthralling as when I was younger. I kept walking around going “I can do that. Or I could learn to do it really easily.”

Also, the cigarette smoke really killed me. Only the smell of cinnamon sugar nuts abated it at all. There was a reason why I hung around those stands and was tempted to buy more than I ought.

Here is a picture of Alpha wearing a glutton sign. He’s not a glutton, really... he’s been working on losing weight and has lost a fair amount since the summer. We also saw a Gandalf playing games, a Sir Bedevere from The Holy Grail and I took a couple pictures with my phone here and there. I am trying to get better at taking pictures.

Renaissance food is expensive. Luckily, it’s pretty much all that Alpha and I spent. We like food experiences. I’ve grown to like them more than object-experiences since we are living in a tiny space.  The only thing that we bought was a 1lb. glass of pepper honey.  (Still counts as food though.) The things that really sparked my interest were things with sheep on them, a candle, a mug. The two things I would have bought were a pin with “wibbly, wobbly, timey, wimey” written on it and a knitting bowl. The knitting bowl is an awesome idea and I am tempted to make Alpha make one for me. (Of course, I could make one for myself out of polymer clays, but the glazes are so pretty.)

All in all, a pretty good time, but I certainly feel like I’ve outgrown the scene. Shearing Celebrations happen twice a year, so there’s always the spring.

Here are some other highlights: In order, Gandalf playing mind games, Sir Bedevere, 'Ye Olde Gamery', Alpha at the entrance, the towers are the entrance. It was fun.

Halloween- 13 days away!

I love Halloween. It’s my favorite holiday... though Thanksgiving and Christmas come in close. Candy and costumes kind of trumps food and gifts. (I love the meaning of the other holidays more, but for pure fun, you can’t beat Halloween.) I have a Halloween box of decorations that I have bought over time (and for sale after the event). My family was kind of surprised at my box, though Mei-Mei thought it was the coolest thing ever. Mei-Mei even conscripted me to make her an awesome-cool costume, to which I readily agreed. (We are set on Dragon right now... it will be cool.)

 

I love to dress up too. This year I tried to figure out what I wanted to do. I’ve been a cat, a Medieval Lady, a pirate... I took a make-up course and was even a man. Recently I was in the middle of rehearsals in college and couldn’t devote a great deal of time for a costume. Also, there weren’t any little trick-or-treaters to sweeten the deal of answering the door in costume. Although, it was great to costume up for no good reason. I reviewed the things that I like to do, and spinning hit the top of the list for cool factor. I could knit, but did I really want to be a Granny? Old-age make-up is cool... but why be a grandma for Halloween when I could be a Fate, or an Agent of Death or a NINJA! So I decided to be Arachne. Instead of weaving, (I am so sorry weavers, but I am not one of you just yet) I will spin. Spiders spin, Arachne can spin too. (Costumes plans and details will be posted soon.)

Maryland Renaissance Festival 2011

I need to do some research. This is the same need as needing to eat ice cream after wisdom tooth extraction, maybe not necessary, but oh, so necessary.

I have looked on the website and found a lot of woodworking, leather working and art. I did not find a single spinning booth. No spinning! I know I am a little out-there, deranged and weird, but wouldn’t it be AWESOME to have a Handspun store in the Renaissance festival? Regardless of my opinion, it would be totally awesome. I need to find out what they offer and if there is a market for that kind of thing. You know, just in case I don’t get an adult-person job and must pan-handle a living.  You could also sell spindles and wool for kids to learn. And offer lessons. It would be interesting and potentially useful, unlike some of the other things that are marketed to kids. (Please don't hurt me...)

If any spinners take this idea over, I respectfully demand a job.

Let the games begin!

Once upon a time, there was a girl who wanted to do all the cool things that her mom did.  She wanted to knit and crochet and sew and do physics... well, not really physics, but then who could blame her?  Anyway, she asked her mom to teach her to do these things... but no matter what they did, the little girl could not learn how to crochet or knit.  It was a frustrating time for all.

Then one day, the little girl found a book that explained how to crochet.  She finally learned!  Then she decided to learn to knit from a book and she learned that too.  She was very happy.  She made large afghans and small scarves.  The little girl grew up, found a wonderful alpha male and then learned the purl stitch before she got married.

The girl and her Alpha went on a trip to England, where the little girl found a yarn store in Canterbury and bought sock yarn and double pointed needles . A new page was turned.  She started making socks all the time.

Then the little girl became interested in something that she never thought she’d be interested in.  Physics.  Of course, it wasn’t the same physics her mom did, but it was kind of close.  You see, the little girl learned to spin.

So I now embark on a new obsession and quest (not for the Holy Grail) to learn to spin and teach others the talents and skills necessary to denude a sheep and clothe yourself.  On this journey, you may encounter references to family and friends, but for the purpose of not being stalked I will disguise them all!  The people you see in pictures may look like people you know, but you are being fooled by advanced picture technology!

• Alpha- my husband.  A sweet, wonderful man who agreed to marry me.  Little did he know... He would probably still agree to marry me... but his acceptance would be peppered with caveats and compromises.
• Momar- a pet name for my Mom, the physicist.
• Dad- doesn’t have a nickname... though I could call him the Gamer.  Dad is better though.
• Imp-  is my sister and she is one.
• Mei-mei- my youngest sister.  She is sweetly indulgent to my madcap adventures, often aiding and abetting them.  We may not rob a bank together (both of us value the law) but we will raid the library and engage in tickle wars. 

There you have it! You may encounter other encoded names, I am not a social hermit, despite my inclinations. Have fun unraveling the names, but not too much fun unraveling projects.