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Another Hobby

Do you ever wonder . . how much more stuff can she bring into that little house or how much time can she waste on things that just don’t matter? That’s ok . . I wonder the same thing daily and Vince probably wonders hourly!

One of the Eat, Sleep, Knit badges disclosed this quarter is “Spin Sister” and in order get 10 measly points, which I’m not even sure what I’m working towards . . we have to spin fiber into yarn. 

Spinning Shuttle

Spinning Shuttle

I ordered this drop spinning shuttle. I have no idea how it works. There are lots of videos and instructions online. I figured I had two choices:  (1) tell Vince I needed a $3,000 or $4,000 (or maybe more . . I don’t know) spinning wheel, which would mean we needed to add a room onto the house. The current sewing room would never work because you know trying to spin yarn with a cat’s help would be impossible. Second choice would be to buy a less than $20 drop spindle so, being the smart girl that I am, I chose the $20 spinning shuttle. Vince thinks I’m nuts because I am even trying this and he doesn’t have a clue that I probably just saved us $40,000 or more . . by the time you add a room to the house, which would need a bathroom and an air conditioner! I wish he would learn to think like I think!  🙂  Or, maybe for the sake of our financial security, I should be thankful that he doesn’t think like I think.

Fiber

Fiber

Of course, if you’re going to spin, you need fiber to spin. Eat, Sleep, Knit only carries Malabrigo Nube so I ordered one two skeins of that.

Fiber

Fiber

But, who wants to waste the good stuff til you figure out how to do it? I ordered the spindle from Paradise Fibers and their customer service is really nice . . the lady helping me suggested a bag of discounted fiber for practicing so this will be my practice fiber and if it turns out, I can always play with dying and dye it. 

The more I think about all this . . the more I think instead of adding a new room, I should just get rid of the kitchen and turn that into a craft room because I’ll never have time to cook once I take up spinning!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Funny post, Judy!!! Interesting, too. Cannot wait to see what comes of this spindle and white fibers!!!!

  3. Spinning is a giant rabbit hole for me. I started with a drop spindle too. I didn’t do super well with it, so I decided to go on and get a wheel…I love the wheel. Now I’m wanting to go back and work harder with the drop spindle. My drop-spinning friends always told me to practice 10 minutes a day. It still takes time to develop your skill, though. Have fun! (and expect some really wonky looking yarn at first!)

  4. I agree with Joyce it is a deep hole. I have a Hansen wheel, then I had to get a willy winder then I had to start dyeing my fiber. Now I think I need to start processing my fleece. Soon I know I will need sheep. Lol My hubby just shakes his head and walks away laughing. Enjoy your new hobby!!

    • I love the Hansen wheel. I think Judy will need a room to hold her fibers after she gets her fencing for her sheep

      • I don’t know much about anything but specifically, I don’t know anything about sheep but I’m thinking in this Texas heat, it would be pure torture for sheep to live here. We see lots of goats but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen sheep in this area. I’d be a whole lot more likely to get a new room and a spinning wheel than I’d ever be to convince my dear husband that we need more mouths to feed.

  5. ROTFLOL, ok Judy, you just made my day with this post.
    The very best of wishes with your new project.

  6. Remember way back when you were house hunting and you passed on the 3000 sf house because it was too big? If you ever move again, 3000 sf should be your minimum size.. But it is nice to know, you single handedly, are keeping UPS and FEDEX afloat..

  7. Vicki Welsh does fabulous dyeing, as you well know, but I’m not sure she’s ever done yarn. You can always ask her for tips on the process.

  9. I have the drop spindle and the spinning wheel. It’s a good thing I have friends who have sheep and will give me their fleece! It’s actually pretty fun once you get the hang of it. And my 4 cats don’t bother the wheel when I’m working but it is fair game when I’m not.

  11. funny you should ppst this, while I am in the midst of trying to convince myself I really DON’T need one of those spindle things. What I want to do with it is to spin newspaper into yarn……..yep.

    • Newspaper?? Girl I need to move next door to you. Kick that crazy lady out already so there is room for me.

  12. Too funny but I totally understand your perspective. My DH does want me to “save” anymore money either!

  13. You cracked me up, Judy. I have a friend who spins on a wheel, and I have a wheel … in storage in Phoenix. It’s an antique and I love it. I inherited it from my MIL. I told her that was one thing she better leave me and she did. It needs a small repair, though, and I’ll probably never use it anyway. The drop spindles are actually not hard, once you get the hang of it. The Navajo spin that way all the time and I’ve watched many of them. A girl has to be able to do that to become Miss Navajo Nation – or used to, at least. You’ll get it, and I think if you explain it just like that to Vince … He’ll get it, too! But you could have gotten a lovely one for way less than you thought. Kromski Spinning Wheels

  14. Judy, I look forward to your posts everyday. They come about 8 in the evening and they keep me smiling until my head hits the pillow!

  15. Should I send you some alpaca? 🙂 You might as well learn to card it while you’re learning the skill.

    Seriously, I have a drop spindle that I’m not much good at. I’ve also got an Ashford Traditional that I couldn’t spin with until after I dropped the bucks for a Hansen e-spinner with a Wooly Winder. Now I can spin with the Ashford too but I’m not great with any of them.

    You should look into the Tour de Fleece which is in progress right now but you could still play along. You don’t have to join a team to play along. You can do it by yourself. I’ve tried to keep up for the last 2 years and failed miserably. I planned out my daily work and got so far behind.

    Here’s a link to the page about it: http://www.spinfoolish.com/tour-de-fleece/

  16. Remember way back when you used to quilt? I sure miss those posts and patterns and I bet all that fabric is so lonely and wonders what it has done to be put in a closet…in the dark…just waiting to shine in a pretty quilt keeping someone warm and comforting someone who loves it……….just saying.

    Thanks for another funny post.

  17. Judy – you are so funny!!! No time for cooking – since I started patchwork – my trips interstate to see the kids have dwindled to …… maybe once a year – when it used to be four times a year!!!

  18. You go girl!! You can do it! For spinning fiber, perhaps you could get an alpaca or two! Because I love fabric & to sew & quilt your post has inspired me to enter The Spoonflower & Moda design fabric contest! The winner will get to design & have their own line of fabric with Moda! Fun! Fun! Fun! Just think of all the fabric I could design to add to my stash which I really prefer to call my collection!!

  19. It is good to know I’m not the only one with this same problem. I have a room (22×24)full of every kind of craft there is. Back in the late 70’s my mother(bless her heart) decided to put in a art and craft store for her retirement project. Only problem she was still working for Exxon. So I became the store runner. I’d not done much in the line of crafting. She had always done them when I was growing up. Well business was slow at first. So every book in the store I read, yep. I taught myself how to do everything. After 10 years she decided(when Micheal’s came in) that it was just to expensive to keep open. SO she closed it. Well guess where all that stuff went. Her house and mine. So when she passed away 3 years ago I found even more she had kept( hidden all those years. She had not gotten rid of a thing. Finally gave 3 truck loads to High school art dept. But I’ve still got all mine. I’ve got 5 sewing machine and 2 sergers and material well about as much as you have.Not to mention every kind of craft from back then( now coming around again). Did I say room full………..

    Well Judy I understand craft and projects. I never have understood when someone tells me they are board. Lordy there isn’t even time in a day for me to do the things I want to do. Probally isn’t enough years really. But do enjoy all craft things. Enjoy your blog and tell everyone about you. My daughter want to come to Brownwood just to meet you some day. She feels like she knows you like family due to me talking about you and your stuff.
    Thanks for the fun and help as always you make my day.

  20. When I started spinning I thought I’d only buy prepared fiber. I’ve only been really spinning about a year, and so far I’ve already purchased a raw alpaca fleece (about 3 lovely pounds), and a raw sheep fleece (which I haven’t weighed). I can now say I’ve washed fleece… There are still steps to be done to get it to the point of spinning, but it has been a mostly fun learning experience. I’m also thinking I don’t really need to do it again. 🙂 Prepared fiber is absolutely wonderful and well worth the money! I am more than willing to dye fiber, though. That is great fun.

  21. Well it has finally happened, I ‘beat you ‘ to this one. After years of following your activities and deciding that I really must give a try to meat smoking, dehydrating, knitting socks, the pressure cooker, and really wanting to have a chicken or two, there is something that I tried before you.

    You know there is a place on Ravelry where you can find spinning wheels that need new homes and they cost a lot less then 3000! Ask how I know?? lol.

    Of course, that raises the question my son asked when he came home after I purchased said wheel to find me spinning merrily (if poorly) away…”so, Mom, when I come home tomorrow, will there be sheep in the back yard?” Now that was not a problem for me, we can’t even have chickens, but for you that could be quite problematic. You have the space, Vince could fence off an acre or three, but you are in TEXAS, and those beef raising Texans don’t take kindly to sheepherders. You could start a range war, and I can hear you being interviewed by the national media explaining how it all started. Gotta love some Judy logic! lol

  22. I just ordered my drop spindle yesterday. Now you want to dye and spin yarn? You’re on your own there. I don’t need any more hobbies. LOL

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