Baby Got a Bath

So my Ladybug for a bath.  *smile*

I got my wheel a year ago.  The previous owner had given her a "bath treatment" before I bought her. 

The treadles were getting a bit grimmy.  And I thought she could do with a good rub down.

Of course, being me, I did reading & watching.  Ordered supplies.  And finally did it this morning.

I watched this video:

https://youtu.be/IthA-_4SMMU

It is very useful. 

I followed it with mods of course, being me.

Schacht recommends Danish oil.  And I felt that she could use that.  It gives it a slight tougher finish.

So, here's what I did - mostly followed the video except adding the Danish oil.

- Water wipe down

Barely damp, just to get the dust & grime off

- Murphy's "wash"

I used the Clean & Shine Spray.  It is at the dilution needed for cleaning.

- Brasso for metal bits

I think next time, I would do the wash & Brasso in reverse order.  So that way it would just wash off if it got on the wood.

- Danish oil

I took a look at http://wooltherapy.blogspot.com/2011/08/my-babies.html who used Danish oil.  I followed her instructions.  Rub oil in.  Let it sit for 30 minutes.  Buff.  Repeat, but let sit for 15 minutes.  Funny part.  After doing that, I realized those are the instructions on the Danish oil.  *laugh*

- Wood Beams

I am going to let the Danish oil sit for the 8-10 hours recommended on the tin.  So either tonight or tomorrow, I will rub her down with some Wood Beams.  I have done a lot of reading on the forums.  It seems some people swear by only one or the other.  But some say they do the Danish oil every 2-3 years.  But on a more frequent basis, they use Wood Beams.

I think that is the best plan.  Especially with the treadles.  My feet aren't perfect.  I live in an urban area.  So they do get grimy sometimes.  Probably doesn't help that I have Mary Jane style shoes.  So some dirt is probably getting into them when I am out & about.

I am hoping this helps.  I confess that I was spoiled with my Babe.  It was really no maintenance.  I think I cleaned it once or twice the eight years I have had it.  It is PVC for the most part.  The treadles are wood, but not finished.  So I don't even have a guess what would help them.  So I just leave them be. 

I am hoping the Wood Beams will really make her glow.  A lot of people say that happens with the Danish oil.  But I don't really see that.  So either she was better off than I thought or I didn't buff enough...  Not sure honestly.

I should try to take pics.  Though I should have done before & after shots.

BTW, here is the link to Wood Beams:

http://www.goodiesunlimited.com/woodbeam.html

My Two Weeks with the Lady Rue

So, two whole weeks have passed with my new (to me) Ladybug.  And I am still head over heels.  I adore her.

I think the name is sticking.  She is the Lady Rue from Prudence by Gail Carriger.  Love the book & the character.  And there is an airship painted as a ladybug.  It seems to work for her.

It is so amazing to spin on her.  I really do love her.  The treadle is super smooth and sweet.  It was definitely a great choice for me.

It is interesting though.  I am trying to teach myself to modify the way I spin.  With the treadle being so easy & wide, I don't have to sit so close to the wheel.  And since the orifice is lower than the Babe & I can sit back from her, I can move back from the wheel. 

Also, I think that I can lean back as I am no longer a novice spinner.  I can relax my hold & position.  I don't feel the need to be right on top of the wheel to control it.

I have room between me and the wheel to hold the fiber.  So I can spin straight into the orifice.   But it does require thinking about things & changing where I hold my hands.  And I had my Babe since 2008!  So nearly eight years of spinning a certain way.

I was holding my hands to the left.  So I was twisting my body slightly.  With the new wheel, I am trying to remember to hold my hands in front of me, close to my lap.  I really think it is helping give me better control.  That is a huge plus.

Though I do find myself doing it still.  But after nearly eight years, it is going to take a bit of time to change. But overall, it is going well.

I am definitely glad I picked up the Drafting from Worsted to Woolen Craftsy class with Jacey Boggs. 

http://www.craftsy.com/class/drafting-from-worsted-to-woolen/4867

I watched this before getting the wheel.  So it taught me a more about control & consistency.  Some of the concepts are pretty basic. But it is so smart that consistent distance between the hands is critical to maintaining consistent thickness.  Great class.  Definitely the right class at the right time.

(On a side note about the class, the only thing I wish from it was that there was class materials with pics of the different advantages & properties of each drafting technique.  There is a pdf, but it doesn't include the info in the class like showing the different yarns side by side.  It is minor, but it would really help.)

The spinning is great.  I am finding I can spin finer, more consistent singles.  I spun some beautiful alpaca/silk that is super fine.  Though I need to work on my plying...  More on that later.

All in all, I am so thrilled with my choice.

I still think buying the used wheel with the Woolee Winder was the best move for me.

Though there is still that little voice that wishes I got a completely new wheel because I could.  But that is just a desire for new because I could afford it.  The wheel is really great.  It is in good condition.  And I couldn't have afforded the Woolee Winder & so many bobbins, that's for certain.

I did purchase a couple new poly bands & a double drive band.  I also picked up a new break & new large o-ring pieces for the Lazy Kate.  Other than the poly drive band, none were critical.  I will swap out the old o-rings on the Lazy Kate when they arrive.  But I did ply with the ones on there and it worked well.

I confess though, there is a clicking with the Woolee Winder that concerns me.  It may be completely normal.  It may not.  Some awesome folks on the WW board on Ravelry helped me.  I think there should be a little plastic piece that goes around the threading eye that moves.  There isn't one.  So either that is a design change made by the company since this one was made or it is gone.

Thing is, there are parts that should have come with the WW to enable me to take it apart to clean it.  But there aren't.  And I don't know if I can find them.  They are small & challenging to replace I have been told. 

I would be less concern if I had heard back from the WW folks.  I have been assured their customer service is outstanding.  But I would completely get if the guy told me that it is a used flyer so he doesn't service them.  But tell me if that is the case. 

I did get a response to my email before Maryland Sheep & Wool.  I asked if the WW flyer could be used in both scotch & double drive mode.  They replied the same day. 

I wrote two weeks ago about getting a manual.  Then I wrote a week ago about getting the flyer serviced.  *sigh*  Kinda frustating as I really do love the WW.  But two emails without responses...  Not great.

One of the people from the board told me to call them but I loathe calling!  *laugh*  I may break down and do it.  But we shall see...

I have to say I adore the people on the WW board.  One sent me the manual.  She offered to meet up with me at the Webs tent sale to take a look at it.  She also offered suggestions on things that it could be.  She determined the issue is probably the missing plastic piece on the eye.  Another offered to take the flyer to someone who *works* for the company!  It was super sweet of them both.

I am thrilled with my purchase.  I love the Ladybug.  And I think it was the ideal choice for me.  I have been spinning daily. 

However, it caused the crazy to come out.  I purchased fiber to work on spinning enough for the Less Is More sweater.  A WHOLE FREAKING SWEATER.  Though after shelling out a whole lot of money, I realized that probably isn't in fact enough for a sweater in my size.  *pout*  Ah well.  I will see what yardage I get.  I may have to add some more fiber.  Mind you, this is probably a 3-4 year long project!  *laugh* 

I did wind the first yarn I spun on my Bug into a skein.  See that twist?!

There are 3-4 twists in the yarn.  It is about over-plying I think. 

More pics and such are on my Ravelry page:

http://ravel.me/akasha/asr

With the Babe, I have a bulky flyer which is much larger.  Also, I don't have a tensioned Lazy Kate for the Babe.  I use a box with pieces to hold the bobbins.  So the bobbins spin easily.  I suspect in trying to ply on Rue, I added way too much twist.  I did it on my largest ratio. But the Babe Bulky is very low.  (Can't track down the bulky ratio, but it is lower than the lowest ratio bobbins which are 5 7/8:1.  I think it was either 4 or 3.?.)   The lowest ratio on the Bug is 7:1.  So between the tensioning & the ratio, I definitely over-plied it.  *sigh*

I soak & snapped it.  But there are still some curly bits here & there.  The bulk of it is okay.  But I confess that I am bit sad as I had lace dreams.  An actual lace shawl with yarn I spun.  But alas, nope.  With the overspinning, I can't do anything with a detailed pattern as it may bias in a big way.  It could do bizarre things with any pattern. 

Mind you, I lost the tag & thought it was wool & silk.  But it is alpaca & silk.  And given the lack of memory in alpaca, not a great choice for lace anyhow.  *pout*  Ah well.  Even with the overtwist, it is still a pretty yarn.  The alpaca adds a bit of a halo which is nice.  And the silk adds some nice shine.  I am tempted to add some beads to weigh it down a bit to combat the twist.  But we shall see.  *smile*

I suspect I may use my Babe for plying unless/until I get a bulky flyer.  Though it would be interesting if I use the Lazy Kate on the Ladybug. 

I keep not getting this posted because I am adding to it!  So time to post it.

Maryland Sheep & Wool Part 1: My New Wheel

I had an amazing time at Maryland Sheep & Wool.

It is my first fiber festival in years.  I went to MD S&W in 2010 when my daughter was under a year.  So five years to be exact!

I went with a mission.  I wanted a new wheel. 

I got my Babe wheel in June of 2008.  Wow.   I have been spinning for almost seven years.  Kinda hard to believe.  Some times more than others, but still. 

While I adore my Babe, I am feeling like the Irish tension is holding me back a bit.  It is hard to spin very thin.  Since the bobbin is pulling the yarn, it was really hard to get it to get super fine. 

Again, could be me & not the wheel.  But after so many years with it, I was feeling it was time for a new wheel. 

So I had been researching.  Spreadsheets.  Info about the ratio, drive type, prices, materials, you name it.

I had a list of wheels I really wanted to test drive.  Along with some that really just wouldn't work for me (too little room to grow, out of my price range, etc..)

I went to a yarn shop about an hour away to test out wheels.  Myra at Woolbearers was so sweet.  It is a terrific store.  I wish it was around the corner & not an hour away. 

They had four for sale & the owner had one of hers she was willing to let me test out.  Two of the wheels, the Ashford Traditional & Louet S17 were both single treadle.  So they were out right off the bat. 

I had been looking at the Schacht Ladybug for ages.  But I hadn't gotten to try one out.  The other double treadle was the Ashford Kiwi. 

Myra had her Matchless which she graciously offered to let me try.  But I knew it was really bad idea to test drive it!  It was soooo out of my price range.

So I tested the Ladybug first.  It sang to me.  I was IN LOVE! 

I did try the Kiwi for about 30 seconds.  But after the Ladybug, there was no way I was going to get that.  (Also, it is also kinda limited.  A good starter wheel.  But I already have my Babe...  So I needed to grow.)

I *almost* tried the Matchless as it was in double drive & the Ladybug was in Scotch.  I wanted to see the difference in the feel of the drive systems.  The Ladybug can do both. But I just knew it was a Bad Idea TM!  So I didn't do it.

It was so hard not to walk out with the Ladybug...  But I knew Maryland Sheep & Wool was the following weekend.  And I would regret it if I tested out wheels & fell in love with a different wheel.  So I waited. 

I confess that I also wasn't thrilled that the floor model was the same price as the new one from the Woolery.  It is my understanding that the Ladybug was used for beginner classes & such.  That makes me a bit nervous honestly...  Mind you, my Babe was used for spinning classes.  But it was half the price of a new model.  So it was worth it to get it.

I kept it in mind that I could go back and get it if I decided I wanted it...

So then it was off to Maryland for the weekend.

I decided to go MD S&W on Saturday.  My SIL always goes on Saturdays.  I was open to either day.  Though I was leaning towards Sunday as it is supposed to be less crowded.  However, my SIL told me a trick which I won't share on a public blog.  *grin*  So we headed off Saturday.

I spent some time walking around.  And I have to confess I was really surprised there were only four vendors at MD S&W that even had spinning wheels. 

One only had Ashfords *in their boxes.*  (They may have had a couple out to test.  But given I didn't take to the Kiwi, I wasn't very interested.)  Another had a Lendrum Original & the discontinued Kromski Mazurka.  Another had the Kiwi & a few others that weren't that appealing to me.  (I completed forgot about them until just now since none of their wheels appealed to me.)  But Susan's Fiber Shop had a whole bunch to test drive.

The Yarn Barn of Kansas was supposed to be there with a really large booth.  But they weren't.  No idea what happened.  But they might have had more wheels as their website shows a bunch & they had MD S&W deals listed.  So perhaps they normally have a bunch.  I am not sure honestly.  Then I went last time, I wasn't looking at wheels.  So I don't know if there were any. 

I plunked myself down at the wheels at Susan's booth.  They had a lot of different models, including three of the Schachts - the Ladybug, Sidekick & Matchless. 

I tried the Sidekick.  I just didn't like it.  No real reason.  But I knew it wasn't my wheel.  I avoided the Matchless again.  Just knew it was a *terrible* idea to try it.  *laugh*

They had the Kromski Fantasia.  I have been drooling over it since I first saw it.  It is gorgeous.  But I tried it.  Within seconds, I knew it wasn't my wheel.  The treadles weren't right for me.  Again, nothing bad, but not right for me. 

They had the Kromski Sonata in its bag.  The booth owner wasn't there and neither of the people working the booth knew how to set it up.  They said I could come back later & perhaps the owner could set it up.  A bit disappointing honestly.  When I returned later, I was told it hadn't been assembled.  So there was no chance of trying it.  But the treadles look very similar to the Fantasia.  So I don't think I miss anything in not trying it.

I avoided the Majacraft wheels.  Beautiful.  But out of my price range.  So best not to get attached.  Though they look like stunning wheels.

Next to the Ladybug sat the Lendrum Original.  I really liked the feel of the Lendrum as well.  So I went back & forth between for a while.

I decided to wander a bit more.  This was in hopes that I could try the Sonata later. And I wanted to check out other places.

I came across the vendor with the Lendrum & the discontinued Kromski Mazurka.  Really nice guy.  Was kind enough to take the Mazurka down to let me play.  It is *gorgeous!* 

Though since it was discontinued, I hadn't even put it on my list.  The moment he took it down, I suspected it wasn't the wheel for me.  It was a single treadle!  While testing it out, it landing in my lap *four times* within a few tries.  I knew single treadles aren't for me!  I push too hard on the treadle.  Just not what I need.

The woman at the shop came back to the stall.  She told me about how it was a rare find since the wheel was discontinued.  I told her it was stunning.  I did tell her it wasn't my wheel.  But assured her it would find a good home with someone.  I really hope it did.  I am sure it was user error & not the wheel.

I went back the Susan's booth & went back and forth between the Ladybug & the Lendrum Original again.  It was really down to those two.

It was feeling a bit torn until I heard the woman tell someone else the Lendrum was over $900!  I thought it was less.  My phone was dying or I would have checked the spreadsheet. 

But I knew it wasn't that pricey or it won't have been on the list to try.  They have it listed for $630!!  That is crazy...  In hind sight, I am really thinking I must have misheard the woman.  It can't have been nearly $300 more!  That would be crazy.  And I checked their website.  Their price is the same as the Woolery.

The woman said that was their last Ladybug.

Before heading down, I had read the Ravelry MD S&W board.  There were two people selling used Ladybugs.  One was $200 less than new.  The other was the same price as new, but it had a Woolee Winder.

So now I was debating if I should get a new one or used.  I contacted both people.  All the while praying my phone wouldn't die.

The woman with the newer one without the Woolee Winder was terrific.  She was so kind.  I met her briefly but told her I had scheduled a time to look at the one with the Woolee Winder.  She said to just let her know & she would meet up with me later if I wanted.  So awesome.

I met with the woman with the one with the Woolee Winder.  She was super sweet.  She took me to her car & let me sit on the front seat to test the wheel out.  It was a bit tough on grass & all.  But it was good.

Here she is:



Thing was that with the Woolee Winder, 6 bobbins (3 regular & 3 high speed) and the on board Lazy Kate, it was a great deal.  (Doing math on new it would be almost $500 for the add ons alone, not to mention $650 for the wheel.)  And I have been tempted by a Woolee Winder since I have heard about it way back in the days of listening to the Lime & Violet podcast, so 2009-2010 maybe...

After spinning with her for only a few days, I can say happily that I adore her.  The treadle is sweet & so easy.  She is quiet and super responsive.  I am already able to spin finer singles than I had been with a lot of effort on the Babe.  All in all, an amazing wheel. 

And the Woolee Winder is incredible!  It is so sweet not having to pause unless I need to adjust something with my spinning.  It winds so evenly and easily.  Honestly, I think it helps with the quality of my spinning.  But I could be imagining that.  That could be about the wheel.

I confess that the tiniest part of me wonders if I shouldn't have just gotten a new wheel.  But honestly, I wouldn't have gotten the Woolee Winder.  And I think I may be an addict & advocate for WW now.  And the WW bulky flyer is *cheaper* than the Schacht!  So when the time comes, I suspect I will go with the WW.  I don't *need* the bulky yet.  I have my Babe wheel.  Do you hear the "but..." at the end of that statement or is it just me?  *grin*
 
I am going to end this post here.  I am hoping to write some more about the *rest* of MD S&W.  But if I don't splice it into two, who knows when I will get done with it!  ALso, as always, I am long winded.  *grin*

Happiness Is a Long Weekend with Fiber

I am pretty happy. I took off last Thursday & Friday as well as this Tuesday. So I got a super long weekend.

Friday was my birthday. My husband bought me a POUND of black alpaca roving! He bought it from someone in Minnesota/Missouri/some M state in the middle. *chuckle* He found it through Localharvest.org. He was trying to find something close, but that is about the closest he could find. It is yummy stuff. *sigh* It has some pre-drafting done so it should be lovely to spin!

Thursday I asked Paul if he wanted to go up to the Adirondacks which is always pretty unfair as questions go. I don't know if he has ever said no! *laugh* We are still going up Columbus Day so I didn't know if it was really feasible. But we decided that if we brought groceries and didn't eat out much we should be good. So we head off Friday morning.

In the car on the way up, I finished the Argosy Scarf in Unique Designs by Kathy Handspun. I *really* need to take some pictures of it. But I want to wait until I block it. Which if I am good should be tonight. But I don't honestly know. It is already 6:30 pm and I haven't left work yet. So we shall see.

I like the pattern a lot and think it works well in Kathy's Handspun. I am hoping it will look even better after it is blocked. *crosses fingers* I will post more details when I get the pics done.

I have some Scout's Swag Superwash/Tencel Sock Yarn in Socktoberfest that I got from a trade with Silvercat. It has some orange in it which really isn't my colors. But I figured I really should do them up for Halloween. (There is also greys & purples which definitely are my colors! *smile*) So after finishing the scarf, I cast on the Zombie Socks. (Ravelry only pattern)

I wasn't sure if the pattern wouldn't be way too busy for the yarn. But I really like the way it is coming out. I got about 6 hours of knitting on the way home on these as well. I really like them.

The pattern has drop stitches which isn't as scary as I feared. I think these will be fun. Though the drop stitches do cause gaps. And I do wonder if they will indeed be warm enough for Halloween! But just have to see.

Saturday I stopped at the Adirondack Woolery in hopes of picking up some more roving. No luck. It was during their hours. But my guess is that the women who run the place were away for the long weekend. Too bad as I really want some more of the grey sliver roving and maybe some other stuff. Their prices were good so I will stop by over Columbus Day weekend.

Paul and I walked around the Newcomb Visitor Interpretive Center.

We did the Sage Jr. trail (yellow) and most of the Sucker Brook Trail (blue). There is part of the Sucker Brook trail that you skip to make a longer loop. I think we did the Peninsula Trail (green) a couple years ago. And I know we did the Rich Lake Trail (red) in the past as well. It was a beautiful day.

Though of course, fiber was still lingering in my mind. So I asked Paul if he wanted to wander off to Lake Placid. Luckily, he can be bribed with the lure of some tasty Ubu at Lake Placid Pub. (And I was smarter than to every think about yarn shopping *after* the beer... I need every bit of willpower I can get! *grin*)

On the way there, we stopped at Adirondack Yarns.

in Lake Placid. I really like the place. I stopped there last year. That is where I got hooked on Catalina yarns last year.

This years addiction may become Great Adirondack Yarn Co. *sighs lustfully*

I got this lovely Great Adirondack Yarn Co yarn. It is called Silky Sock. There were a lot of lovely colorways. I decide I wanted the Charcoal colorway.

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It is 70% wool, 20% silk, 10% nylon.

This yarn feels so yummy. The silk makes it amazing to touch. I kept rubbing it against my face. Can't wait to see how this knits up.

I also got some Schaefer Yarn Lola in different purples.

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It is 100% Superwash wool. I got some Lola at Rhinebeck last year and love it. It was th first superwash wool I purchased to see if it would irritate me. It definitely doesn't. It is super smooshy and soft.

Mind you, this is thicker so it definitely makes house socks/winter boot socks. But I love my Lola socks in the reds. So when I saw they had the Lola I had to get some more. The purple is brighter than I normally would get, but I really like it.

Sunday & Monday were a whole lot of spinning.

Most of the time was spent spinning the Adirondack Woolery natural wool carded with colored fibers into singles.

It is 6 oz. of natural colored wool carded with colored fibers. I purchased this at the Adirondack Woolery over the July 4th weekend but this is the first I have spun it.

I am spinning this for my mother-in-law for Xmas. I was going to create a 2-ply it with the same fibers. But given the random colors and the combos that could happen, I think that is a bad idea. I am going to pick up some other fiber to pair with it. But I don't know what yet.

I could use a grey easily as there it a lot of grey in the blend. But then there will be large segments that are all grey and I am not sure I want that. If it were for me, I would default to my beloved black. *laugh* I need to hold this against some reddish brown fiber. I don't know why, but I think that might really work well. I need to find the right one, but I am hoping to find something that would work.

Also, I am *very* tempted to go with something much softer. I found some of the wool in the blend is nice and soft. Some was hard with a lot of tight crimp. So I would like something else to balance that out and make a nice yarn. I am leaning towards alpaca. But I am not sure yet.

I also finished plying the Ember superwash wool from Etsy.

I got this roving from The Ranches Angoras aka theranch Etsy shop and had created the singles for the Tour de Fleece. I had already plied part of it but was glad to finish plying it.

This is my first 3-ply yarn. I am hoping to use it for socks. I will have to see if it has enough give or if I will need to do something else with the yarn.

So all in all it was a great long weekend filled with fiber. Hooray!