This weekend, Turtlegirl,
We got to practice carding, combing, using a drop spindle, and using a wheel. I was gratified to find that yes, the wheel from the alpaca fest was crappy, and that with some practice, I was able to turn out some… well, I don’t know that I can call it “yarn” but I will say “slightly higher quality than average belly button lint.” But it’s better than I’ve done before! To the left, I card some wool. To the right, Turtlegirl76 produces some nice yarn. Spin, Turtlegirl! Spin like the wind!
The best of the three of us was
There was a marked difference among the wheels. The $75 wheel (maybe an Ashford Elizabeth II?) that someone got used for super-cheap and let their grandkids play with was awful. The double-treadle Ashford Traveller was much better. And holy moly, that Majacraft Rose was to die for. Out of curiosity, I looked up the prices. The Ashford was about $400, new. The Majacraft was $655. Yowza.
You know what? I’ve never been a Porsche kinda gal. My little used Mitsubishi gets me where I want to go just fine, thanks. I’m not plowing $700 into a new hobby when I’ve already got one that I’ve plowed thousands of dollars into which I really enjoy. And if I ever do, well, the Ashford Kiwi looks like a good beginner wheel for about $300. Maybe I can find one used. Or maybe at the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival. (Is that the one we were talking about going to,
In non-fiber news, Emily’s Brownie troop went out and sold cookies in front of a Harris Teeter grocery store on Sunday. We actually did really well – I believe we sold nearly a hundred boxes! Go us! We hadn’t been there too long when I said to the cookie manager (the only other adult there), “Boy, it’s really bright out here! I should have brought some sunscreen.” Sadly, I did not make the extra leap and think, “hey, you know, we’re right in front of a grocery store, maybe I should go inside and buy some!” Two and a half hours later, and this Germanic girl is a lobster. Ugh. Well, at least I was able to use it as a very visible demonstration to Emily of what sunburn is.
We ran out of Do-Si-Dos, but aside from that, we’ve got plenty of cookies left, if anyone’s still jonesing for some Samoas. And this is it – cookie sale 2007 is over, so it’s your last chance! They’re only $3.50 a box, and Thin Mints freeze great! We’re planning on using the money to go horseback riding and also for a day camp in April. Fun!
While Emily and I were out selling cookies, the hubby went on a computer game buying shopping spree, getting the new Sims 2 Seasons expansion pack (pictured left) for Emily, a joystick for himself for playing Microsoft Flight Simulator (although Emily also likes to crash planes), and Sid Meier’s Civilization IV for Macintosh for me. I’ve been wanting that game, so I can’t say too much about the shopping spree. He’s clever, that man of mine. So in addition to knitting the current item in line, which is NOT a Jayne hat, I’ll probably be playing a little Civ IV today. Oh, and staying out of the sun.
Knits up for: TX, WA, WV.
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