7/5/2005
We recieved news this morning that DH’s grandmother passed on this morning. So far, no news on if we will be traveling to Iowa or not.
It’s kind of freaky. Only ten days ago or so the SO of another SnB gal, Ashely, lost his grandfather as well. So, everyone, take some time out to remind any living grandparents that you love them!
DH worked all weekend. Not full days, but he had to drive all the way to the south end of Loveland and back everyday and that left me with some time to myself each day.
Late last week my wheel started clicking some so I stopped spinning on Thursday afternoon and tried to find the proper screwdriver bit at my local hardware store but didn’t have any luck. So, Saturday morning I did a hardware store hop working my way farther and farther from home until I found it (at Target rather than a hardware store - go figure). While doing this I also made some purchases to aid my organization of my fibers and other related spinning accoutrements as well as a few things I was missing to make my own tensioned lazy kate.
The best purchase I think was that of a lined willow laundry basket…
This basket holds a good bit of fiber, my niddy noddys, the documentation for my wheel (at least for now), the oil for the hinges etc., the storage rods (I’m awaiting a replacement base as the one right now was damaged in the shipping), my extra bobbins (1 have 5 so far, as they sent an extra one for being slow on sending my documentation and extra parts) etc. This is not holding all of my fiber (though there isn’t a ton that isn’t in the basket at the moment and I could probably squeeze it al in). But, it keeps the important things at hand, as it sits on the platform for the rear futon of our studio seating in the A/V room in the basement. I sit at that end of the futon to spin, so it’s all right there.
Oh, and Amanda has mentioned coming across a tip somewhere to keep a binder clip handy to cip your fiber to the orfice on the Majacraft wheels. I had been doing that, but finding the surface area on those clips to be a bit small for actually making a good grasp of the fiber. So, I picked up some mini clamps from the hardware section of target. That is what is clipped on the edge of the basket.
Here is one clip in use…
It’s there on the far left of the photo, slightly cut off. What’s on the bobbin is more Bountiful EPWM grab bag fiber. This time though, I’m going through three orange/gold groupings and blending them into each other slightly and I think I’ll be trying my hand at Navajo plying on it. If you have any favorite references in books or at websties for Navajo plying, please send them my way! :-)
Lastly, but certainly not least, the new Knitty is up! I personally like a couple of the men’s patterns, but I’m thinking DH won’t like them. But, I might have to make Caryn‘s Baseball for my dad at some point as I know he would wear it and it would be fun with the cables down the arms but not too demanding. I’m going to have to make one or two Satchels too I think. That one DH might appreciate and I know I would as I can’t seem to ever have too many bags :-)
