My Very First Handspun Yarn!

While I am working on figuring out the settings on my spinning wheel to get it to wind onto the bobbin, I continued to spin on my drop spindle.  I had separated my Coopworth roving and was using about ¼ of it, so when I got to the end of that, I decided to quit and ply it.

my spindle full of singles yarn

I used this to unwind the spindle so I could ply it back onto the spindle

my spindle full of plied yarn

Rolled into a center pull ball

Yarn stats:

• spun on a bottom whorl drop spindle out of Coopworth roving
• Andean plied on 5/30/11
• ~26 yds
• ~1.75 oz
• ~9 wpi

Decoration Day

Getting the vase out

Sarah decorating the gravestone with flowers (her idea)

Putting flowers in the vase

more flowers

The decorated grave

Dan and the kids at the gravesite.  We were glad to see that Bill had a flag this year.

The kids in their patriotic clothes

The kids in a little pool for them to cool off

At first, Andy wouldn't get in, but would just play in the water at the edge

Andy checking out his siblings playing.  I love how curly his hair is!

Andrew finally decided to venture into the pool

I Got a SPINNING WHEEL!!

I looked on Craigslist and found a listing for a "Great Antique Large Wood Spinning Wheel".  I tried e-mailing them and calling them all weekend and didn't get a response.  I called again this morning and they answered!  It turns out it was at a business (estate buyers) so they were gone on the weekend!  



I paid $150 for it!  It seems to be a double drive wheel (missing the drive band!)




The treadle isn't attached to the footman, but that is an easy fix (they had it wired together)




The flyer is held to the maidens with leather pieces. I can't get the bobbin off the flyer (I'm assuming it should come off!) and the bobbin spins "gummy"




The bobbin has a notch in the whorl and I'm not sure if that will affect the drve band postitioning 




There is a crack along the underside which doesn't seem to affect the stability/soundness of the wheel




The crack runs up the front to the Mother-of-all



There is one minor crack on the wheel



and part of the decoration is missing on the drive wheel support



There is a slight crack in the drive wheel support.  There is also a plugged hole.



another plugged hole in the base




This is what was in the hole to keep the wheel from coming off.   I don't think it is what was used originally and there is only one.




Andy saw me trying out the treadle and he went over, gave the wheel a spin and put his little foot on the treadle! 

 Can any spinners out there give me any more information about my wheel or how to figure the bobbin/flyer disassembly?   UPDATE:  I found out that the whorl screws on opposite of how we're used to, so I was able to get it off ☺ 

I'm a Spinner!

Okay, so I'm not very good (yet), but I managed to get some singles yarn!  It was a little more difficult since Andrew liked my spindle hanging and kept touching it, which would throw off the spin!  I have some lovely colored roving, but I wanted to start with white so that I didn't waste the color!  This is Coopworth wool which I found this information about:

Fiber characteristics: The wool is silky with a "high spiral-type" crimp, a bright luster, and pointed at the tips. Staples may be round or flat.

Average fleece weight: Fleece weights average 10-13 lbs.

Average fiber length: The staple length is 6-8 inches.

Micron diameter: 35-39 (coarse)



My hours' worth of yarn



close up of the yarn

Happy Birthday to Dan

We don't really do much for adult birthdays, but I took a few pictures of Dan this morning when we sang Happy Birthday to him before Sarah went to school.  Afterwards, Will went to look out the window to "watch for people".  He was expecting the aunts and uncles and cousins to come for a party!  Dan is in his 2nd year of his 4th decade ☺

More Flowers



Emily decorated my hair with dandelions



School Carnival

The school had their Carnival the end of April.  The 4 kids and I went (Dan was sleeping since he works 3rd shift).  I didn't seem to get any pictures of Andy, although he was there, too!

Trunk Show and Fiber Fiesta

This past week was both the annual Kathy Kirchner trunk show hosted by the West Michigan Lace Group and the Michigan Fiber Fiesta.  Last year, I remembered about the trunk show the day after the show (even though I'd been telling Dan about it the whole week before!) and I didn't know about the Fiber Fiesta until after it took place. So I wanted to be sure to get to both ☺ I ended up being the lucky recipient of the door prize of a $25 gift certificate to Kathy Kirchner's store/show, so I got more than I'd planned!



My treasures from the trunk show! 
Venus thread in sizes #40 and #80, another shuttle, and more shuttle bobbins.




My purchases from the Fiber Fiesta.  
Rectangle looms that I've been wanting and some Coopworth roving (white) and merino roving (purple). 
Unfortunately, I can't find my drop spindle so I can finally teach myself to do it.



My mom and dad were watching my sister's 3 kids so we met them at the Fiesta and the kids liked looking at the fiber animals.

I took the picture right after Andy took his hand away!



Another picture of after Andy finished petting the animal!