Fiber Frenzy

January 30, 2008 at 9:55 pm | In Spinning projects, crochet, wool | Leave a Comment

So much fiber, so little time. I have had one of those few weeks that I can’t keep up with all the ideas I have for projects…

  • Finished the moss green merino/silk – it ended up about 2120 yards of fingering weight yarn.
  • Started an afghan for a student who was in a bad accident. I have two more rows to crochet and then a border before it’s finished.
  • I dyed some merino, spun it, then crocheted it into a scarf as a gift to a secret pal – thought the 3 degree temps called for something warm and soft.
  • The merino/silk/firestar yarn is now waiting for KnitMichigan to arrive on Saturday. I have been reading how to knit cables and have a purse pattern I want to start.
  • I finished combing about a pound of shetland into roving. I now want to dye it. I have a really cool turquoise dye I want to try. It will probably end up as a hat.

Adjusting the Wheel

January 11, 2008 at 9:47 am | In spinning | Leave a Comment

I started spinning from a batt I picked up that is 50/50 merino & tussuh.  It is a deep moss green.  It is turning out to be the best yarn I’ve ever spun. 

The DH has been watching the wheel spin and keeps shaking his head.  He said the band is going around wrong.  He’s checked out where the band crosses.  He got out the level to make sure the Mother of All is quite level. 

 The other day, while I was spinning he asked me to show him how I make adjustments to the wheel.  He asked how often I oil the wheel parts, and what I do to keep the band in good condition.  He’s become obsessed with it working at 100%.  After showing him all the adjustments, where I put the oil, how I can take off and re-align the wheel.  He asked me to start spinning and then asked if he could make some adjustments while I spun.  Sure.

Wouldn’t you know it, where before, I always had the double drive hugging the inside of the wheel closest to the Mother-of-All, after he made his adjustments, one side of the band was on the right and one was tracking on the left.  He said that he really didn’t think the band would wear a groove in the wheel, but it bothered him that the band was not adjusting evenly to both sides.  Now he is happy.  So am I.

I don’t see a difference in the uptake of the roving or a difference in the spin, but it just feels better to see that the bands are moving evenly.  I guess it didn’t bother me because I never looked directly onto the flat of the wheel as I spun.  The view from his recliner showed him something was not right, and he wouldn’t rest until he fixed it!

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