One Crazy Fiber Lady

Phases

Risa — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:53:55 +0000

I’ve always seemed to do my hobbies in phases. In the past, I would route through the hobbies, doing one for somewhere in 3-6 month bursts and then onto something else, eventually looping back around. This changed in 1999 when I started spinning.

While I still go in phases on some things (weaving, beading, etc), there are two main constants that if not both done every day, they both appear over the course of a week. Neither one disappears for very long, no more than a day or two, from active rotation. They are spinning and knitting. They are balanced in my repertoire like Yin and Yang, forming my fiber-y life.

On the spinning side, I’ve been actively working on a number of different things and different spinning devices. On Sunday, I finished that bobbin on the Journey Wheel of the never-ending-1lb-left CVM and started a second one last night. I’ve show enough of that fiber over the years that I won’t bore you with it until it is all spun up and I can show off the mountain of singles in their ball-winder cakes all ready for another 4 years worth of plying

The other spinning has been on spindles (also not to display yet another half spindle full of silk) with probably more of that to come as my Tibetan Support Spindle is showing as out for delivery today so I’ll be obsessively trying to figure that out tonight.

Finally, I’ve been working on some targhee that I bought from Jessica in the Redwood Colorway. I might have mentioned it when I first started spinning it a while ago. Well, I pulled out the Matchless on Monday night and finished up the first bobbin’s worth. Started the second half last night.

I’m most pleased with the first half.

There isn’t quite as much going on on the knitting side. I finished the collar on Featherweight but when I put it on, found that the sweater was too short. I have a choice to make at this point before I start knitting the sleeves. Do I rip out the 4″ of 1×1 rib collar, remove the bottom 2″ of 1×1 ribbing and lengthen the sweater, OR do I see how it fits Kathryn Other than the length it fits fine. I think I’ll pull out the collar, lengthen and then just do a new stockinette collar later. At this rate, my nice spring/summer sweater will be done for next year’s cruise

The other knitting has been limited to socks on the train.

This is the sock I started right before going to Boston to catch the game at Fenway (which was AWESOME!!!!). I started the top ribbing this morning. The yarn is from Cris in her monthly yarn club. This was the April installment and is just gorgeous. I love how it is striping!

All right, back to work. Have to fight with the system that I’ve come late to and try to shoehorn new functionality into it. Thanks for the break!

Craft on!

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Perfect

Risa — Sun, 20 May 2012 17:33:39 +0000

Kids are at a friends house. The folks are at a wedding. I’m enjoying the perfect afternoon on this beautiful day.

Craft on!

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Woo

Risa — Sun, 13 May 2012 00:05:03 +0000

My new favorite knitting spot.

Sitting in the bleachers with the monkeys and loving it.

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Location:Lansdowne St,Boston,United States

Excited

Risa — Sat, 12 May 2012 00:37:57 +0000

Edited 5/14: this was stupidly posted by my phone to a page rather than a post. It was meant to post Friday night and I discovered that the default on the phone had switched to page from blog. Doh. Please pretend that this post came before the one AT Fenway .

———-

I’m super excited. Tomorrow the twins and I hit the road for Boston and a game at Fenway Park! Since it is a night game we will be staying over and heading home on Sunday. Can’t wait. I’ve never been to Fenway!

I’ve got the important things ready:

my custom Jessalu bag and ITW sock yarn. Now hopefully the Sox will shake whatever is ailing them and we can see a win.

Craft on!

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Really?

Risa — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:45:28 +0000

Is it possible that what with all the buying and selling of portable spinning wheels that I had the answer right under my nose all the time? Could this be my portable spinning solution?

It is portable! I have this little bossie (I think this is my first ever, a spalted bubinga weighing in at 20g) tucked into my bag and it accompanies me everywhere. I had it this weekend in MD and spun on at during free moments. Managed to fill the spindle. I offloaded it onto a skewer Monday night. I find it is a restful way of waiting for mass transit. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll finish off that tussah silk.

Oh and yeah, Miss Kathryn has picked up the hobby as well.

She came with me to MDSW this weekend while Alexander stayed home with the folks. Sunday morning, before heading back home, we stopped into the festival for a look-see. While I was testing the sole remaining orphan Moosie, Kat came over to me with a spindle and some sample fiber, requesting that I attach it for her. I looked at her, she’s never used a spindle before, and I didn’t think the Bosworth’s booth at MD was the best place to start. Sheila encouraged me, pointing out the cushy floor tiles they install to protect their backs and their spindles. I got the fiber started, handed her the spindle and she was off to the races. Both Sheila and I were gobsmacked by how quickly she took to it. Not sure if you can tell from the picture, but she’s spinning a mighty fine, even single. What you can tell from the picture is that she’s now the owner of her very own spindle, a bubinga in the 20g range too.

That’s my girl. Now to get the boy going

Craft on!

Waffling

Risa — Thu, 03 May 2012 00:53:07 +0000

I’ve made a great deal of progress on Evenstar and while I like the pattern, I’m just not sure about the yarn. The gradient is far more variegated than I expected.

I’m just not feeling it. Spreadsheet says 31% complete and I think I should stop now and restart with a different yarn. Now. Rather than layer. Yes?

On other news I saw a rather unusual sight this morning on my way to work. Driving down the block on the way to the station I spotted something on the neighbor’s lawn that I initially took for a lawn ornament. Which moved. I backed the car up. This is what I saw:

Sorry for the crappy photo but the regular camera was in my purse in the back seat. My iPhone was in my pocket. Internet research leads me to believe s/he is a red tailed hawk. I interrupted breakfast. Shortly after I snapped this the bird flew with the catch to a nearby tree and I headed for the train.

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Circling

Risa — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:04:37 +0000

I made some serious progress on Evenstar this weekend. I finished the first chart and am well into the second. I finished the transition to the second yarn this morning on the train. Might be time to go hunting up some beads very soon. The progress spreadsheet reads 20% completed. Yay me.

Craft on!

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Bigger

Risa — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:55:54 +0000

I’ve forgotten how much I like pi shawls.

Particularly once you get off the dpn’s. I was able to move to the 24″ circs last night after SnB. Should be able to make some progress this weekend.

Craft on!

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Oooooo pretty

Risa — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:08:24 +0000

I cast on for another project last night. Evenstar Shawl. The yarn is Eos from Unique Sheep in Tequila Sunrise gradients.

Always fun to start 9 lace weight stitches on three slippery dpns.

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Looking

Risa — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:33:58 +0000

Sigh. That habit was easy to break. So much for the once a week on a Sunday rundown posting. It was nice while it lasted I do have progress on a number of fronts to post, but not this post. I’m going to be doing something familiar to anyone who reads this blog. I’m getting a new wheel. I’ll be picking her up in (wait for it) MDSW. She’s a Schacht-Reeves 24” double treadle in Cherry. I lurve cherry and the observant will have noticed a recent trend around here from single to double treadles. With the bum right ankle and the bad left foot, a single treadle no longer cuts it. Neither foot is worse than the other, so a single isn’t really an option. While both the Reeves and the old Matchless were large single treadles that I could put both feet on, it just isn’t the same. The two footed treadle motion is different than a double treadle. So there you have it, my rationale for swapping wheels.

What does this mean for the herd? Well, the Reeves 24” is looking for a new home.

As you can see, beyond the light layer of dust, she’s in excellent shape. 24” in Oak, large single treadle with the flyer on the left. There are three different whorls for the wheel, the extras screw onto storage on the underside of the bench. There is also the orifice hook stowed in the bench just in front of the wheel support.

One of the differences between the Reeves and the S-R version is the finishing details that Rick used. Instead of exposed screw holes, he plugged them with beautiful wood plugs throughout, this includes the drive wheel and where the treadle attaches to the treadle bar.

There are 5 large bobbins, two original Reeves and three that were recently made, as well as the bug style lazy kate. They all work beautifully. One of the originals has a notch missing from the edge, which you can see clearer here.

You can still cram a lot of fiber onto the thing. No, the pink singles don’t come with the wheel. I’ve since wound them off after being embarrassed at how very long they’ve been waiting to ply. I actually spun the first bobbin on the Reeves Frame wheel that I sold in August of ‘09. That explains the level of dust, n’est-ce pas?

Now the details. This wheel would be a pain to ship, so I’m looking for a local buyer (wheel is in NJ). I can deliver to a number of locations including the ~~Clermont festival this week or the~~ big one, MDSW. I’m asking $~~1,100~~ $1,050 for her. If you’re interested, please leave a comment or email me at risa AT crazyfiberlady DOT com (for some reason, gmail is now treating my comment email as spam).

Craft on!