bonnie’s flyer

arrived registered mail from estonia today

i had taken the entire MOA apart to try to get the stripping started and what’s left of the leathers out, but it was easy enough to quickly fit it back together to check if the flyer might work; it looks like it will.  and it seems, to my eye, to be in very nice shape.  i will clean it and oil it,  of course, when i do bonnie, but i think i may keep it its natural wood finish and not blue it up to match.  i rather like the contrast.

Flickr Tags: spinning wheel en restauro

bonnie: difficulty one

getting what’s left of the leathers out of the maidens.

the front one is “held” in by a modern screw (!).  it can’t be very old as it turns easily.

too easily. it strips on whatever it is that it’s holding-- i guess the remaining leather?—and just goes round and round, once i finally managed to get a paring knife edge in the slot  head.

the other one has a tack, or nail, not a screw, but it is painted in and the leather itself is embedded into the slot in the maiden.  there is wiggle room between the leather and the slot, but no  purchase. and the wood’s pretty soft.

the first task will be to get them out.

Flickr Tags: spinning wheel en restauro

the refinishing supplies

for bonnie came yesterday but, as upsman doesn't ring doorbells, i didn't find it on the porch until this morning. now with only two days--just a regular weekend--left of spring break, i don't know how much i will get done right away. so much to do, so many little chores and errands!

some diversion

two yarnz

 

the white made some weeks ago on tobey's louet. she swears i spun it, but i have no idea how; she plied it.
the smurgle-colored one made today by me, on ash; i plied it, too! all by me! lousy, of course, but at least i was aware of what i was doing!

first yarnz!

 

it worked! it did just what it was supposed to do, easy peasy, and produced this: genuine beginner yarn, all by myself!! thank you, thank you, ash!!!:)

meanwhile…

the ladies are together in purdah,

awaiting their spa experience.

Flickr Tags: spinning wheel

in for a penny…

meet ash.

ash is a modern wheel, an ashford traditional, who was being deaccessioned by a nice lady in clearwater, who is moving to be near her children in vermnont and wanted very little money for him (along with a louet,with winder, and a 45” loom so, you see, i was being conservative.)

ash is going to teach me to spin.
yes, three wheels. and i do not yet know how to spin. rabbit hole. :)

Flickr Tags: spinning wheel

fity-buck estonian flyer?

Flickr Tags: spinning wheel

enter bonnie

a norwegian blue (!) slanty i bought from the bradenton craigslist for $70 and gas money:)

obviously, while a great color, the horrible cobalt paint has got to go: i’ll be spending spring break getting it gone.  finnsheep has almost her twin, painted in proper blue.

i can use it for a guide, although i may change up the shade a bit… (that's her floor, not mine. we have the same floor, too.:)

but most importantly. it has forced me to take mystery back down, so i can replace bonnie on the perch.  maybe i can bring myself to try again.

Flickr Tags: spinning wheel

total frustration

lost a whole saturday trying to solve this mess, to no avail.  still tempted to buy a new kromski, but unable to make myself push the button on the last of my tax return…:(

i’m putting mystery back up on her plinth in the living room for awhile.  before i throw something through the window...

Flickr Tags: learning to spin

first yarn

 

i spun this last week on tobey’s louet.  i have no idea how, and she plied it for me so it would look better, but i did.  first yarnz.  and, so far, last yarnz…

Flickr Tags: learning to spin

post the first

after two good lessons from experienced spinners, both of whom showed me but did not tell me, saying it’s in my hands, not my brain (as if i already didn’t know--that!)--and when i ask a question tell me to relax, as if a simple question was a sign of agitation!  i need answers to them in order to proceed,  is all, so i’m going to have to find a book and teach myself, i guess.  my hands do not know what to do unless initially told by my brain, and i don’t understand what it is that i’m supposed to be seeing.  so? book.  traditional learning method for me.

i can’t even tell if i’m overtwisting because of too little take up, or for some other reason.  i keep spinning and spinning again the same two feet of yarn.  i can’t tell when, or even if, it’s winding on, or how it should, or anything else.  book.  and this new place to keep track.

i wonder what book?

Flickr Tags: learning to spin