Stitch Witch

The final leg of my spinning wheel acquisition journey looked like this. Pieces scattered around the kitchen, and my up-until-now enthusiastic housemate looking worried. She has been the champion of this spinning possibility for the past several months. Encouraging me to not think of this fiber craft as something to do “one day,” but to get on it now.

Because of her I started reading about spinning and learning about wheels. I even spent an evening learning to use a spinning wheel from a friend’s mother, with my housemate looking on. She then went so far as to find the perfect store to buy a spinning wheel, The Fold, in Marengo, IL. Toni was fabulous, and her shop is a stash addict’s dream. I can’t wait to go back.

So there we were, sprawled out on the kitchen floor, pleased with ourselves each time we put another piece of the wheel together. By some miracle we actually managed (ok, so the miracle was… again… my housemate who can build just about anything). And we ended up with this:

an Ashford Traveller wheel, perfect in size and pleasing in appearance. You know I sat right down to spin. I have a sore thumb as proof. And I think I did not do too terribly badly for my first real attempt at a single. This is Potluck Roving (wool with a little mohair) from Ferndale Fiber in their Night Sky colorway.

After two days I have two bobbins full (about 6 oz. of fiber in all) and tomorrow or the next day I will try my hand at plying. This is just too fun.