Sunday, April 07, 2013

A few weeks ago we took a ride to a yarn shop to look at spinning wheels, fiber and so much fiber goodness. The shop is called The Fold in Marengo IL. It was so much fun looking through the fiber. She has all the typical fibers and lots of exotics too. We picked up a couple pounds of goodness but there was a wheel that spoke to me when I was looking through the shop. Flash forward a few weeks and we went back to take a test spin on said wheel. Oh my is was so smooth and effortless to spin. What wheel you ask? Drum roll ............

It's a Schacht Reeves 30" Saxony in cherry. The name Celine comes to mind when I spin on her so that is what I will call her from now on.
I know I have talked a lot about an accelerated wheel but I don't see waiting for a custom wheel and this has the capability with a super high speed whorl of 38.5 to 1 spinning ratios. I think that's fast enough.
She is beautiful like fine furniture with the rich cherry wood and oiled finish. Sitting in the living room like she belongs there instead of feeling like it should be put away if company comes over.
I am learning about double drive after the Scotch tension on my other wheel and the ease to spin short staple fiber like Yak. The fiber on the bobbin is some two tone bfl that I used at the shop during the test spin.

The yak will become a caplet or shawl once I get more comfortable with the short fibers on this wheel. It spins up so soft and with more spring than I expected.

On the work front... I think I survived my first winter driving commercially. The temps are rising and the chance of snow while still exist is not expected. On Friday the temps in Memphis were in the high 70's. Here in Iowa it's not freezing overnight anymore and the dayime temps are in the mild mid 50's. It was so nice I took Wendy Jo ( the motorcycle ) to the bank today. Yes the drive through at the bank is open on Sunday here. It felt good to ride again.

I'll get into some of the fiber I bought lately and what I'm knitting in the next post. The stash is more diverse though. Polworth and yak, and others have found there way into my possession.

Life Is Good