Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Friday, August 15, 2008

Tools of the Trade Blog Carnival

I could not make my yarn without this tool. I could use a drop spindle, but I can make better yarn faster using my spinning wheel and its a fantastic wheel. My spinning wheel is a Lendrum and a modern castle style wheel. Some of the parts have funny names.

It is a single treadle, which means there is one, I think of it as a peddle, to push with your foot and make the wheel turn. It is single drive, which means that the drive band wraps around the wheel once. Scotch tension controls how fast the yarn wants to be wrapped on the bobbin, it slows down the bobbin. The whorls are like different gears, they control the ratio to the wheel. If you want to spin tiny yarn with a lot of twist, put it on the smallest whorl. The flyer will turn faster. If I want to spin really bulky yarn, I will switch to a larger flyer that has even bigger whorls and a bigger orifice to accommodate a thicker yarn. If you look closely you can see a second drive band hanging behind the wheel, that is for my bulky flyer which is taller and needs a bigger driveband. To switch them you have to take off a C clip, so it is easier to keep them both on and just tie the unused one at the back. The bobbin is where the yarn collects. The mother of all is the whole top assembly and the maidens are the arms holding the flyer up.

This wheel has a sealed bearing which doesn't need oil added to it. All wheels need some oil, but they vary greatly in how often they need to be oiled and how much they need. Compared to some wheels, this one has fewer places that need oil. I like that feature. This wheel also folds down and fits in the car easily.

It is a versatile wheel that can spin a variety of yarns. If you're looking for a wheel consider what types of yarn you will be spinning and try out as many different styles as you can so you know what your preferences are.

Any questions? :)

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Something to Blog About Treasury

I had some good timing checking out T west, and got another treasury! This time I featured some EtsyBloggers! It can be hard to find so here's a link http://www.etsy.com/treasury_west.php

Friday, August 8, 2008

A Day at the Beach Treasury

Treasuries are even harder to snag now and when the time comes there are often over 600 lists! I hope the beach theme shows through in the items. The idea was sunny things at the top, blue/watery things in the middle, and sandy/beachy things at the bottom, based on color and description.


The Results Are In: EtsyBloggers August 4th, 2008 Blog Carnival

http://spottedcowsoaps.blogspot.com/2008/08/etsybloggers-blog-carnival-august-4.html

Check out the rest of the blogs in this carnival here.

Friday, August 1, 2008

Book Review Blog Carnival

Choosing a book to write about was the hardest part of this blog carnival!
I decided to write about The Knitting Answer Book by Margaret Radcliffe. It's a pretty small book that might be easy to overlook in a store, but it has some excellent information.

The Knitting Answer Book has a question and answer format, starting with the basics and progressing to a wide variety of techniques. I still find this book very useful as an experienced knitter.

There are 13 chapters: Casting On, The Basics, Binding Off, Tools, Yarn, Reading Patterns, Pattern Stitches, Circular Knitting, Color, Shaping, Fitting, Finishing, and Embellishments, followed by a very handy index.

There is just so much useful information in this book. I like to use it for looking at different ways of doing things, such as if I want a different type of cast on or button hole.

If you want to know how to use a nostepinne, cable without a cable needle, how to do Kitchener stitch in garter or stockinette, its in here. If you have a knitting related question, this book is likely to have the answer.

Etsy Mini - See Items in My Shop