The Hubby Says "A hobby"

So I love my DH.  Though Friday night, I shot daggers from my eyes.  Though not in a serious way.  *laugh*

On a tv show we were watching, they said the person should get a hobby.  He pointed out that the saying is *A* hobby.  I shot my daggers and then laughed.

He says this because I am taking up another hobby.  Fiber related of course.

An awesome lady who I had the pleasure of working with for many years is selling her two weaving looms.  And I am buying the smaller of the two.  It is a Schacht 20" Table Loom.

I confess that if she weren't selling it at such an amazing price, I wouldn't even dream of it.  But it is about the cost of a new rigid heddle loom.  And it is Schacht.  And after having my Ladybug nearly two years, I am in love with the company.  They were awesome about answering questions even *before* I bought the wheel.  And I bought a used wheel at that.  But they answered all sorts of questions.  Awesome.

And I LOVE my Ladybug.  It is an amazing wheel.  I adore spinning on it.  Though I have to confess.  It hasn't been touched since after I finished plying my MASSIVE double Bump Loop madness.  I didn't get it finished for the Tour de Fleece.  But I finished it after getting back from SSK.

Mind you, that was not about the wheel.  That was about me.  I spin tons during the TdF and then STOP for at least 2-4 months afterwards.  So it is my yearly pattern any time I do the Tour de Fleece!  *laugh*

So... I am waiting for my tax refund before I can actually get my new-to-me loom.  Being me, what does that mean?  I start learning all I can.  Researching, reading and with weaving, there are a ton of awesome videos on YouTube that are super helpful.

I started thinking about projects.  I know a simple plain/tabby weave is a great starter project.  But it is me...  So I think about doing that for eons.  In just two colors...

I watched some YouTube videos for weaving.  I am thrilled there are so many good ones available.  It is so helpful.

One guy uses a rigid heddle to weave scarves.  And he can do it relatively fast.  He says about 4 hours for a completed project.  *blink*  He uses some bulker yarns.  They look great.  He uses long color stripe yarns.  And inexpensive ones at that.  He suggested Bernat Mosaic (which is discontinued), something from Red Heart & Lion Brand Landscapes yarn. 

LB is having a sale on Scarfie which is as you would expect, a scarf length of yarn!  Mandala also has long color repeats which could be cool.  So I am thinking that an order might not be the worst idea.  *smile*

But I looked at the yarns and went..."Hey...wait a sec.  Those look like the kind of long colors you get with handspun..."  Which of course inspired me...

See the slippery slope?!  *laugh*

So I wanted something fun & funky. Something where I could just play with colors and not stress too much if all was harmonious.  And if it didn't work out, that was okay too.

I remembered I had the bag of Odds & Ends from Into the Whirled.  That could be perfect.  Lots of fun & a bit of a mystery.

I loved spinning the singles.  I just spun it all & figure I will Navajo ply to keep the colors very sharp.  The warp can work to pull it all together. 

The fibers were fun to spin.  Since it is an odds & ends bag, I don't know what fibers were in it.  But I would swear that at least a third to half had some silk in them.  And I LOVE silk blends.  Mind you, in the same order from Into the Whirled, I had several braids of fiber with silk...  *laugh*  I just checked.  ALL the spinning fiber had silk in the order.  *chuckle*  So heaven knows, given how awesome the folks at ItW are, they may have pull an Odds & Ends bag with silk for me.  I am always confused, but some spinners don't like silk in spinning.  So they may separate them.  Or maybe I just lucked out!  *laugh*

The bag has a lot of green.  But there are bits & bobs of many colors.  I think it will be really interesting to see how it ends up in weaving.  I also figured it was a good way to use the colors.

This is the first time I am using the Akerworks bobbin I got at SSK.  I know...  Embarrassing that I have had it since July, but it only just got on the wheel.  But I haven't spun singles since the end of the Tour de Fleece.  As expected, I am in LLLOOOOVVVVEEE.  I adore seeing through the end of the bobbin!  I can only imagine what that would look like for a Bullseye Bump!

The Odds & Ends say they are between 4-4.3 oz.  And there was still room on bobbin.  I really wonder if I could fit a whole Bump on it.   Not sure...  Of course, may need to try at some point.  *grin*

Here's a pic of the singles finished on the bobbin.

Of course, it makes me want *MORE* of them.  *sigh*  And I actually *have* a lot of bobbins as I got them with my wheel.  So I really don't *need* more.  But WANT!!

We will see between now & when the tax refund arrives what I decide I need.  *laugh*  I want to pick up some weaving yarns as well.  I don't own much in the way of cotton.  And I think some washable cotton placemats could be awesome place to start with weaving.  

The Yarn Barn of Kansas has some weaving kits.  I really think one of their samplers could be great.  Turns out they have one for dish towels which could be great.  Though of course, I love the sampler scarves.  My first knitting project is a scarf I still wear that is a sampler!  So it seems kinda fitting.

Sooo many choices!  The Woolery also has weaving kits.  And then there are tons of patterns & such.  So I could just get the yarn & have at it. 

SOOOO EXCITED!!  I really can't wait for the tax return to come.  Hopefully soon.  We e-filed already.  And they are saying it generally is completed within 4 weeks.  *fingers crossed it comes soon*