from the In box and other news

I woke to this in my Ravelry Inbox:
eunnyjang has added you as a friend!

And this is where I admit how lazy I am. I've entered very few of my projects, only some of my books and none of my stash. But I absolutely love the "friends" features. I can friend anyone I want (there's no obligation to friend back) and then I can see pretty much all of their activities on Ravelry AND (this is the best part) see every time they update their blogs. I'm too lazy to update the blog links in my sidebar or set up feeds (I killed bloglines because the pop-ups drove me nuts). Ravelry is the perfect set-up for a lazy knitter/spinner/blogger/knitting blog reader. Perfect.

eunnyjang has added you as a friend!

How cool is that?

Yeah, I'm a dork. It can sometimes be a little embarrassing. Susan commented on my Ravelry post and Susie and I had a "D'oh, you're famous!" discussion in Ravelry messaging.

Speaking of Susie, she invited Em and I to volunteer at the Northern Michigan Lamb and Wool Festival next weekend. We were already thinking of going since I found out Tracy/Copperpot Woolies was going to be there (I LOVE her fiber!). So Em and I talked.

Then I consulted the husband. Since we skipped Wool Gathering (oooh, I just realized I never mentioned I bought a wheel!!, that expenditure is why we skipped Wool Gathering), would it be alright if we went to NML&WF?

"Are you going to sell your spindles?" he asked.

Uh. Wow. It hadn't even really occured to me. We just really wanted a road trip in my new car to fondle fiber. Does it get any better than that? Oh yes, it does. We could finally meet up with some friends (hey, Leah/Yarn or a Tale is going to be there--I LOVE her fibers too!). And buy some stuff. Not too much stuff, since we did just buy the wheel...but we need something to spin on it. Otherwise, it's just a purty decoration, right?

Well, Peter planted a seed and Wednesday (in a fit of lunacy), I signed on to be a vendor. Even though the vendor registration deadline has long passed. And I didn't have anywhere near enough spindles, etc. to fill a whole table

(it's been ALL spindles, ALL the time

since then).

And I have no idea how to be a seller. I should have a clue, I've been to quite a few fiber festivals (even some back when I had no interest in fiber...can you even imagine a time when I had no interest?!?).

Oh, man, what the hell did I do?

finished objects

a poppy?

I am soooo not an artist, but this almost, sort of, remotely looks like a poppy, doesn't it?

It looks really pretty next to the pansy, at least.

The beach, the beach, THE BEAUTIFUL BEACH!!

We are off to Outer Banks, NC for a much needed vacation. This is an annual trip but with Peter working in Mexico last year, we weren't able to go. We weren't sure we would be able to go this year, with his job change and all. Everything worked out and we are OH. SO. READY.

I won't even bitch about the umpteen hours, spread over two days, car ride with seven of our kids and one's girlfriend. Much.

Here's the results of Abi and Kai's (left to right) adventure in dying yesterday...

I LOVE IT!

Oh, and my attempt at a purple pansy spindle for Sharon...

I listed seven new spindles in the shop today.

Click on the link over there if you're interested.

**grabbing sunscreen, knitting, spinning and books on the way out the door**

Rain--day 2, yay!

It's been so freaking dry here. The grass was toast. About the only thing thriving in my herb/flower/veggie garden are the mints and they're like weeds anyway. But it cooled off some and then it rained yesterday. And it rained and it rained and it rained. All through today. Thunderstorms even. Too much rain and I'm normally crawling out of my skin. We really needed this though.

These brightened my day...

If it doesn't rain too much tomorrow, I'll get them clear-coated (too humid, they won't dry) in the morning and listed (too overcast and the pics suck) by evening.

Crappy Spindles R Us...ebay

Back in April, I was spindle shopping on the net. I found some bundled spindles (pics are no longer there) for a very good price and sent the seller the following email...

Hello,
I was wondering if it would be possible to purchase a 2 pack of your spindles in a different combination than the ones you currently offer? My 8 yo son has been using a .6 oz top whorl spindle of mine. I would like to purchase a similar weight top whorl for him, along with a bit heavier (perhaps the lighter weight of the top whirl two packs?) top whorl.
Thanks, Shannon

The seller responded that they do, indeed take custom orders and they take about a week. My husband decided to go ahead and order a couple of the listed sets, in hopes there would be something Kai could use.

The spindles arrived a few days later (speedy shipping, at least), initiating the following email...


Hello,

My husband purchased these spindle sets through his eBay account for me and they arrived today. While the spindles are lovely (not really, they're just toy wheels on dowels with a cup hook screwed in and a gloppy gloss finish) , they are quite a bit heavier than I expected. The two lighter spindles were supposed to weigh around .7 ounce and they are both just over an ounce. The two heavier ones were supposed to be around 2 ounces each but are actually 2.75 ounces.

As I explained, I wanted the lightweight top whorl spindle for my 8 year old son to use. He has mild cerebral palsy that effects his hands but has learned to spin (beautifully!) with another spindle of mine that weighs .6 ounce. Since the spindle he was using is one of my favorites, I really wanted to give him one of his own. However, he tried the new spindle this evening and that little bit of extra weight really is too much for his hands.

I believe the set of heavier ones are going to be too heavy for my use as well, though I can possibly use the lighter ones.

Is it possible that you have more of the lighter spindles that you could weigh and find one, or two, closer to .7 ounce? If so, would it be possible for me to return the larger set in exchange for them?

Thank you for your trouble, Shannon

The seller responded that they didn't have any lighter spindles in stock but would email the following week when they expected to have some. In the end, there was never a return, the seller sent a few much lighter spindles at no charge. This was nice of them. But the spindles were still crap and did not spin.

It was this experience that I've alluded to as the start of my spindle-making adventure. I was never planning to reveal the actual seller. Until today. One of my kids happened to mention that dad got some bitchy feedback from the spindle seller. I asked my husband to show me...

#1: a neutral: Buyer wanted to argue over SIX TENTHS OF AN OUNCE in weight
our reply: the spindles weighed TWICE what they were listed and my son w/CP could not use

#2: another neutral: Sent replacement. Then no contact from buyer
our reply: thank you for the replacements but these wouldn't spin at all, we made our own

More on #1: Uh...hello? Tenths of ounces can make a HUGE difference in spinning. Especially when the spindles in question were double, and nearly double, the listed weights. I wasn't arguing, I nicely pointed out they were not as listed and, due to our special circumstances, unuseable at those weights.

More on #2: I never contacted the seller again because...really...what was I going to say? "Your service is wonderful but your spindles are utter CRAP"? True, but not very nice. I'm a nice person. Well, I try to be. Karma and all that, you know?

So. There you have it. Really, considering the price, those spindles are just fine if you like that sort. They didn't work for us. I do want to thank the seller though. Your crappy spindles were the catalyst for Spinsanity Spindles. In fact, I keep one of yours on my work table as a sort of reverse inspiration.

(wow, my table is really saw/sand dusty!)

reincarnation

Look it's another guinea fowl spindle!

I loved this one so much, I had to make another. Just for me. :-)

And Em loved the one I made for T. at Copperpot Woolies

so much that I had to make another for her.

(Actually, Em got the first version, which wasn't quite straight.

So I'm not going to post a pic of hers)

This was a custom order...

Here's what I'm working on now...

SIP

I had a doctor's appt today and took along my spindle to kill time while waiting. I was spinning in the exam room when my doc walked in, so quickly wound on to put it away.

"What is that?" She's used to seeing me with knitting, usually socks.

A drop spindle.

"What are you doing?"

Spinning wool into yarn.

We had an entire conversation about fiber and spinning, why not just buy the yarn? and how it looks--and IS--very relaxing and meditative. She suggested it might be good therapy for certain patients. I explained how my son, with mild CP/fine motor issues/intention tremor, loves spinning and is actually quite good at it. And how trying to find him a decent spindle lead to me making and selling them.

She asked me to show her how to use my spindle and to let her try. All of this before we even got to the reason I'd come to see her.

She's always so interested in whatever project I'm working on, I've often thought about knitting her something. Instead, I'm going to make her a spindle and take it in with some fiber when I go back in September.

What a great appointment! Even if she did chastise me for not rescheduling my rheumatologist appointment after I cancelled more than a year ago (due to the ass cast issue). And only refilled certain meds for 90 days so I'd HAVE TO see my rheumie for more. Wugh.

I sold the sun and the moon and stars

Why do I suddenly feel so powerful?

I also made a very cool rack for my spindles...

I crocheted some chains with double-strand kitchen cotton, attached them to the corners of a panel from one of those mesh cube systems and hung it from a ceiling hook in my workshop. I'm so happy to have a safe place to store/display my spindles!

Speaking of spindles (do I talk about anything else lately??), Dave was over to mow the lawn the other day. Hello? We haven't had rain in weeks. The "lawn" is toast. The few weeds that are enjoying my sprinkler drinks aren't even tall enough to need mowing. So. He spent a few hours in my workshop. Designing spindles. I was going to post a sneak peek at the one whorl he's finished but he just dropped in and informed me he needs at least four more blank whorls prepared and I can't post any pics until he's done. Hmmmm. Mysterious.

UFOs

I'm still--slowly (as in a few rows a week, when I remember to take it with me in the car if someone else is driving, which is the only time I seem to knit lately)--plugging away on the taupe CottonEase cardi. It should have been soooo done by now. I really need to knit.

I didn't join (either of) Tour de Fleece but I have been spinning at least a bit each day. Still working my way through the basil merino/silk birdnests from Leah. I love this stuff more than chocolate. Or sex. OK, I love it more than sex. Chocolate needs to stay on top.

The above projects can be seen on June 7 post so I won't bother reposting pics without much progress.

Here's a peek at a recent UFO that actually should be finished tomorrow...

Does it look even remotely like

the guinea fowl it was inspired by?

And these were finished last week...

How freaking cute are teeny little drop spindle key rings!?

wouldn't you know

A package of lovely fiber came in from Yarn or a Tale yesterday.

Leah included a sample of her Kid Clouds

which is an entirely different type/prep of fiber than I've used before. I can't wait to play with it. But I don't have a free spindle.

I feel like the shoemaker's child. :-(

They're popping up all over the place!

at Riverwalk Yarns

at Close to my Heart (and another...and another, since she snatched up the lily within moments of listing :~)

at Something to Knit (look, she has two!

at Sheepish Annie

at Noolie Knits

at To Knit, Perchance to Dream
("Snooze" is over the top enthusiastic, lol)

at Zan Knits

at PixieRiot

and Knitting Kryptonite is SPINNING, look at her go!

I'm all warm and fuzzy. :-)

I did it--Etsy!

After realizing my kids do not need umpteen million spindles--even though they beg and fight for every new one I create--and some encouragement from friends, I opened an Etsy store today. I'm Spinsanity over there.

Go see! Go buy!

(though I'm not quite sure of the pricing)

My husband would surely appreciate any purchase, to help offset the cost of his purchases...

every spindle-making girl needs

her own power tools

(Yeah, right.

I did figure out the drill press

won't throw off the hole saw when I use it

thus cutting holes through me

I still haven't found the need for a miter saw

I think he used it for the drying rack though)

my (very messy) work table

with the cute little drying rack

Peter made for me

In between spending much of my time making spindles,

there's been some spinning going on

I purchased 24 oz of these adorable merino/tussah silk birdsnests

in luscious basil

(pics really don't do it justice but hers is better-- scroll all the way down)

from Leah at Yarn or a Tale

,p>

Note my spindle-- it's so light (.6 oz) and purty, I heart it!

There should be one/some of this type

(the whorl is two layers--I carve out designs in the top layer, paint or stain the bottom layer and then glue them together under heavy weights)

in the shop next week.

and some plying

Note: 'nother one of my spindles

it's a bit heavier (1 oz) but doesn't feel heavy at all

also note: my yarn meter that doubles as a lazy kate

and also (I discovered) holds my spindle

when I need to stop in the midst of playing

I plan to add one/some of these soon too!

and some knitting

(pardon the crappy pic on my desk chair,

it just occurred to me that a post to my knitting blog

really ought to include some knitting

so I grabbed the project closest to my desk

and didn't feel like running back outside to take a pic)

One more thing--it's a big...no, HUGE...day in the Twinsanity household. My older daughter, Kait, graduated from high school this evening.

Kait and her friend Ashley

(Ashley finished her Cosmetology boards and became licensed today!)

CONGRADUATIONS, KAIT!!

I love you and I'm so very proud of you for hanging in and sticking with it,

even when it was very difficult for you.

.

**signing off due to teary eyes**

spindles, knitting and yarn...oh, my!

I spent yesterday making more spindles....

These



make me happy.

I worked on some knitting over the weekend...

This

is pissing me off.

I somehow reversed the row counts and the repeats for the initial decrease rows

and had to frog all. the. way. back.

Then, I was all the way finished with the increases

and the 'knit even until 14.5 inches from cast on"

and began the underarm shaping.

When I realized I was a few stitches short.

I missed an increase row.

Wugh.

Now I've frogged back to add the last increase row and have another couple inches of plain stockinette before I get back to the armhole shaping.

But I washed a bunch of handspun yarn yesterday...

this (merino/silk from my Gatlinburg trip)

is now

this

and it's very, VERY soft and yummy.

Petting it makes me very happy.

more spindles

I'm pretty sure the igniter in our gas dryer bit the dust because the dryer is no longer heating. I could have spent the day washing the mountain of laundry and lugging wet clothes to the laundromat? laundrymat? laundramat? place with commercial washers and dryers but it's too warm and sunny a day to waste like that.

I started out the morning sitting at my desk browsing email and spinning. But it was too warm and sunny (didn't I say that?) to stay down here in the dungeon. I decided to go out on the sun porch/about to become woodshop and unpack my mini wood lathe.

OK, it's unpacked.

Now what the hell do I do with it?

Leave it the hell alone rather than risk life and limb playing with something I have no idea how to operate (yet) and make a few non-lathe-requiring spindles instead.

a couple of them with the finish coat drying...

a flower, since it's Spring

a green one, as requested by Kai

Not a spindle but isn't this puuuurrrrty?

I woke from a brief nap the other day

to find this in a Diet Coke bottle on my desk

my older son Dave brought it from the florist on his street