Is this what happens when your shopping cosplays?

I was going to do up a post about how amazingly awesome my BF is for helping me celebrate my last Saturday off before tourist season by road tripping to Spokane. A long drive when the main objective was just burgers and a yarn shop. Especially when he hadn't gotten much sleep the night before.

I was going to (probably bore you with my) play by play the great shopping experience I had at Paradise Fibers. How even though their website is fun to shop on, it doesn't hold a candle to the store. Would have made sure to mention how incredibly helpful the people were too. Not in that pushy way some shops have, but genuinely helpful. I might have said I wished I could have picked out an empty corner to live in, and never left.

I was going to go on about how glad I am that I've finally started to watch Warehouse 13, but wish I had started sooner so I'd be caught up in time for the new episodes. Also, I was going to say that having just finished season 3, I'm a little bit freaked out but beg any readers I might have not to spoilerize me anyway (even if I was going to beg ask them to tell me it will be alright)

I was going to end the post with more excuses why my WIPs aren't progressing, and show some new spinning pictures by way of explanation. Probably promise to do better next week, blah blah blah yadda yadda yadda

INSTEAD you get a post with this picture -

And me wondering if maybe Doctor Who has taken over my brain. In three different shops I ended up with TARDIS colored things. Buttons are there because they have two hearts, and I instantly loved and had to buy them. How Doctory are two hearted buttons?!

 

Now I did end up with other exciting Smushy-Fluffs, and I'll probably show them off later on (or at least when I start using them) but I know how bad I am when I procrastinate posting and I just had to share the mostly accidental themed shopping.

 

One last thing to share. Charlotte guilt tripping me -

I've been spinning more and more on the wheel, and one of our dogs isn't a fan. She's taken to exaggerated sighs and sulking over the loss of her lap time. I swear she still gets plenty of attention, don't let her pouts fool you!

 

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Introducing my newest time suck

 

As hard as I resisted getting sucked into it in the beginning, it has finally completely beaten me. I admit it - I'm a spinner.

 

She doesn't have a name yet, but I'm convinced the wheel needs one (as convinced as I am that it's a she)

 

In addition to missing a name, she's also missing a few other things, which I'm already looking into

 

The drive band was an easy fix, and I made one myself with some spare dishcloth cotton. Once I found out it was one long loop wrapped in a figure eight, and not two separate loops I was good to go.

This is my first time spinning on a wheel, so I figure I'm allowed a few dumb mistakes. Right?

 

Other easy fixes were the tie to the treadle being loose, along with the legs.

I kind of wanted to put a dab of glue in the legs, but in the back of my mind I as thinking someone had said that's not good to do...I can't remember who said it or why, but it's enough to make me hold off. I just push them together if they get separated while I'm moving it around.

 

There are six flyer hooks missing, and they will stay missing until I get out of town to Home Depot or Lowes. The local hardware store only had giant hooks or those safety cup hooks that have the latch.

I've managed to spin without them, but it would be much easier to fill a bobbin evenly without those hooks missing.

 

Speaking of the bobbin, I only have one. That is a shame, because unless I want to spend big bucks having one custom made (And even if I had them to spend, I don't!) Unfortunately it's got a couple of cracks too, but luckily BF can take care of that with some wood putty if I'll just stop spinning long enough to let him at it.

I'm kind of out of luck getting more of the oddly shaped things, so I'm thinking I'll just have to make do.

Tip from a fellow Raveller was to buy some plastic weaving bobbins, and use them and a drill to get the yarn off the wheel bobbin. It'll fit a Lazy Kate, and so I'll be able to ply. They're on my list for sure.

 

I really need to finish cleaning the wheel, but that falls under the whole making myself stop using it problem. Basically I cleaned most of the top half really well, but the legs and underside are still showing the layers of dust that comes from spending a few decades in the corner.

 

I know absolutely nothing about the maker of this wheel, or the age. I've taken pictures from different angles, and I'm going to post here and on some forum boards to see if anyone can give me a clue.

 

It had been purchased in 1979 as a decoration (that is the name and date on the bottom) which is why no one has any practical info on it. Soon after that she decided to go modern instead, and from then on the wheel was stored at her friend's house. BF saw it there when he was working, and knowing that I wanted a wheel (but am soooo far from having saved enough for the new ones I like) he made a deal and came home with it for me. (He's such a good guy!)

It might not have all the bells and whistles, but it works. I'm enjoying learning how to use it and the wheel should keep me occupied for a long time.

Since I haven't managed a single picture without some wool on it, that should give a clue about how much I like it :D

I spun small amounts with the different kinds of fluff I have stashed away, but the biggest amount was the Shetland wool I had dyed with onion skins

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, not too bad on the thick and thin. Even though the color might be a little on the yellow side, it is peachy enough that I think I should be able to get a nice looking small doll out of it.

 

I'm about 3/4 of the way done with my latest Sherlock blanket square, so I'm back at that and then I'll be spinning again. Maybe by then I'll have what I need to be able to try plying on the wheel.

 

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Mrs Hudson's Not Wearing Cerise

Another square on the Sherlock blanket done, and in record time - GO ME!

Confession - I have no idea what the record time actually is for me finishing a blanket square, but since it was months and months (and months) between the two before this I figured only taking a week(ish) was cause for celebration

 

This square was Mrs Hudson themed, Not Cerise designed by Rav User Ffefryn

Mrs. Hudson "I should never wear cerise, apparently. Drains me."

 

The most amazing part about me finishing this square so quickly is that I did it even with top notch distractions. Major, big time, seriously exciting distractions.

BF managed to get his hands on a (slightly in need of TLC) vintage spinning wheel for me!! I am sooooo excited!!! He's going to do a little clearing up help for the person that was storing it for the previous owner in exchange for it. Somehow I am the one coming out ahead in the whole deal, but you won't hear me complaining!

It's already gotten some love since this picture was taken (most importantly a drive band and some cleaning) but this is what it looked like when he brought it home. I'll have another post soon with some more pictures of it, but right now I want to get back to actually using it again.

SO EXCITED YOU GUYS!

 

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"Why did Bluebell have to die, Dr. Stapleton?"

In case the post title up there didn't give it away, I'm back to working on my Sherlock blanket like I said I would (finally!)

From the Hounds of Baskerville episode of the show, this square was for the Bluebell and the lab where a little genetics tinkering made him glow.

 

I used the same grey here that I did for the background on the wallpaper square, and I think it worked well. In the light there is almost a stainless steel work table look to it. I really wish I had been able to find some glow in the dark yarn for the cables, but other than that I think the square is perfect.

I love how almost all the members of the group have stepped up designed squares, and that people keep throwing ideas out. This one was designed by Rav member Sadbhyl back in October - I am so behind, that isn't even the earliest one I'm missing! There are now so many great patterns now that my blanket would probably triple in size if I made them all.

As if all those werent enough to keep me busy, I still have a few square ideas in my head. I'm trying to work on catching up before I actually plan/write them out though. I think the current TV series is being pretty well covered, and there is at least one pattern in progress for the Granada series (yay!) but I would still like some more book related squares. Possibly add a couple of stereotypical Sherlock symbols like a pipe or magnifying glass too.

For now though, it's back to the existing patterns - next on the needles is a Mrs. Hudson inspired lace square.

 

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