Sunday, July 20, 2008

Stole Time

After seeing the last 2 secret of the stoles, I decided it was time to get over my fear of knitting lace with lace weight yarn. Charts don't scare me its knitting lacy delicate lace that gets me. I have no clue why I have issues. Maybe its because I have a 3 yr old and have concentration issues.

I picked out Knit Picks Gloss after originally picking out Knit Picks Shadow. The more I looked at Pink Posy Heather the more I thought it was WAY too pink for my tastes. With Brian's Help we picked out Gloss in Celery. Along with the yarn I got a set of Knit Picks Harmony needles. I have a set of their 32" needles in nickel but they felt too long when I was knitting my sample.

Friday, May 02, 2008

Houston: We have a single...

You heard me right I have single on the wheel. :) Only a week later and I'm up and running. Thank you Paradise Fibers and your Lendrum How-To Videos. Here are pictures of the roving and the single on the bobbin. They roving is from Yarn Smiths in Springfield, Ohio. (THANK-YOU MOMMY!!!)

Monday, April 28, 2008

The Knitter and the Wheel

After several post on different forums I have found out the my wheel is an Ashford Traditional. It is actually a Kit Kraft versio0ns from the 60's/70's single treadle, single drive, and single speed. On a very positive note, I can get all the extras for if it where a newer traditional.

We have been going through our acquaintance period and are starting to get to know each other. I have figured out treadling and seem to have that down to a consistent motion. Now if we could get our act together and get the draft to stay with the leader to make a single.

I took off the white "leader" , for lack of a better word, that was on the one bobbin and replaced it with some Knit Picks Palette yarn. We've been able to get about 2 inches worth of roving to stay and try to put some twist into it. The attempts at spinning only last 15 minutes or so then I get frustrated and put wheel back in "time out".

Michelle is doing VERY well with the wheel. Every once in while she'll put her foot on the treadle or touch the end of the flyer by the orifice. I had to put the kate under my desk in the cubby area so she would leave it be. I guess 3 empty bobbins look like a fun thing to play with.

On another note, I've gotten creative and built a second spindle. This one is light enough that I can get some rather thin singles from to hopefully ply and make a lace weight. I do know next time I ply it will be on the wheel cause plying on a spindle was NOT very fun and it took a few days of spinning.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Wheel










Here is the wheel. Right now it is a mystery wheel. Originally I though it was an Ashford Tradtional but I see no plate or any of the normal Ashford marks.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

We have YARN!

Plying


Pre wash
Post Wash

Drying


and YARN!!!!


This is my first skein of yarn. Spun and plyed it ALL on the spindle. Measured my Niddy Noddy(which is made from PVC pipe) and counted the wraps to come up with roughly 272yrd. I'm going to guess and say I've for a sport weight yarn.