Yep. After a LOT of thought and a little saving, look what should be on its way--A SPINNING WHEEL! It didn't take a year for me to jump in with both feet, it took 2 months. (At least I didn't fall for the $2000 supercarder, or that's what I tell my husband.)
It's a Kromski Minstrel with mahogany finish, and I can't wait until it gets here! I'm buying it used from someone on Ravelry, and she said it would be mailed by/on today. I've already ordered a couple of pounds of some different fiber to learn what I'm doing. In the meantime, I'm spinning like mad on my spindles so I can finish some ounces of fiber I've been working on.
I enjoy spinning on my spindles, but I'd like to go further, so I'm happy to know it's on its way. I went to the library and checked out 3 books on how to spin. I've already read one, and it was helpful, and now I'm reading The Alden Amos Big Book of Handspinning. I have haven't enjoyed nonfiction so much since I stopped teaching. Amos has an amazing voice that comes through his writing, not to mention that he has information about everything in that book. I learned more in 30 minutes of reading than days of searching and watching youtube videos.
I almost bought an entire fleece today. There's an amazing farm in Marion that sells Romeldale and Romney fleeces. (see Peeper Hollow Farms) I was all set to go and select a smallish (3-4 pound) fleece when I realized that I had gone completely insane. There's jumping in with both feet, and then there's bellyflopping. I'm going to wait until the next shearing, and then buy a fleece. In the meantime, I'll focus on spinning, and what I like in a fiber. I can focus on prepping fibers after a little, at least 6 months. Patience. Sigh.
3 comments:
I can't WAIT until your wheel gets there !! I think I'm almost as excited as you are.I'm sooo proud of you.You go girl.
Fleece prep is hard at first, but once you get the hang of it, its not bad at all.
I like to wash fleece in small batches. I used to wash about half a fleece at a time and had no clue about prepping it before hand.
But now a year or so later, I've got it down.
There are a lot of good how to sites online.
My favorite wool washing/dying instrument? My washing machine. I can't tell you how long it took me to figure out that I can spin much more water out of a fleece than I can squeeze out.
It will dry 10 times faster too.
It's beautiful! I can't wait to see what you do with it.
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