Spinning links

http://www.craftsmanspace.com/free-projects/spinning-wheel-plan.html
Link on spinning wheel plans. AWESOME! I wish I knew a carpenter!

http://www.babesfibergarden.com/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=6&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1&vmcchk=1&Itemid=1
I still like babes double threadle

http://www.glacialwanderer.com/hobbyrobotics/?p=79
HMMM I like this!

http://www.tricotin.com/cours_filage_eng.htm
This site has some awesome tutes on a wheel or spindle! Some of it is in French but you get the jist with the pictures.

Spinning on a drop spindle...

So I thought I'd give spinning a try. I finally made a 2nd etsy sale to fund this. LOL. I bought a spindle I saw this girl using on youtube. You can move it to be a bottom or top. I was wanting to make more bulky yarn because it knits up faster. I can't find any tutorials online about bulkier yarn or thick and thin on a spindle. I did see this site that said when you start out spinning, you might make some mistake and cause your yarn to become thick and thin. I guess I won't really find out until I get my supplies in. Researching spinning online sucks. Not too many reference guides. Youtube was pretty sparse too. I will keep up with my helpful links on here for other spinning NOOBS. I really wish there was somewhere around here for spinning classes. I would love to get a spinning wheel and I've found some under $200 on etsy. I figured I should try out the spindle first. I geared up with a babe spindle from the same seller I have saved that sells a cheap double threadle? DT wheel.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_1&listing_id=41830967

 

This hand spindle comes with two, four-inch, red whorls and a 12" long, 3/8" thick birch shaft with a hook at one end. Total weight is 2.2 ounces. Use one whorl alone for spinning singles, then add the second for plying. Or use both together for thicker yarns. This spindle is very versatile and can be used as a top or bottom-whorl hand spindle. 

 I plan on using for thicker yarn. I want some super bulky merino for some hats for my store. I can hand dye at home, which I love! This is the wool I bought to spin...

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35901456

 

Superfine Merino Top from Peace of Yarn is beautifully prepared, soft, so luxurious...truly amazing. It dyes like a dream, spins like a dream and because it's natural fiber, you can even felt it for a super soft felted result.

I read so many freakin sites today it's not even funny. One said you should use a bottom spindle with a "low" whirl for thicker yarns. I also read that your spindle should weigh around 2 oz if you are trying to spin a bulky yarn. Different spindle weights for different yarn sizes. Yes, that makes sense to me! Apparently BFF, Romney, and Lorridale are good starting fibers. Merino is said to be a little more difficult for beginners, along with Bamboo and silk being a little harder to spin for NOOBS. I did read that you COULD learn on merino so that's what I got. I guess I'll see how it goes when I get the stuff in.

A couple of spinning books I found online, too cheap to buy any now. Youtube only for the time being.
Spin it:
http://www.amazon.com/Spin-Making-Scratch-Lee-Raven/dp/1931499365/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1Y3OID5J1NR7I&colid=283O872XK0YUV

Respect the spindle
http://www.amazon.com/Respect-Spindle-Infinite-Yarns-Amazing/dp/1596681551/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I32MBF1RDXYBHM&colid=283O872XK0YUV
Cool YOUTUBE links:


I think this is the same spindle I bought. I like this girl, she is too cute and very helpful.
http://www.theartofmegan.com/
She has several videos pertaining to spinning


Here's another video I found helpful

Helpful websites I've found....
http://www.knittersreview.com/article_how_to.asp?article=/review/profile/050707_a.asp
http://www.mielkesfarm.com/spndl_inst.htm
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATKSgotspin.html


SO now I guess I will do a little more research and wait for my supplies to come in....

Kasey and Erica's surprise hat

I've decided to finally work on a mohawk hat. I bought the yarn on knitpicks before xmas and was going to make Dallas Cowboy Mohawk hats for the kids. Never got around to that. Mike's cousin is having a baby with his gf. He's in a heavy metal band, so I thought it would be cool to try it out and make one for their baby. I started on blue and then thought, wait what if it's a girl. Had to text a friend to find out the sex of the baby. It was a boy, dang I'm good!! I wrote up a pattern last night on some graph paper. Going to put the name of his band on the sides of the hat with a skull on the top! Hawk is going to be mostly white with some blue splashes in it. I think she'll be due sometime in April or May. A couple of months till Fall and he'll be able to wear it. I'm going to felt the hat and it's my 2nd time with intarsia in the round. Not too familiar with color. I'm carrying over the yarn. I'm sure there's a better and easier way but I couldnt find any information or videos about this online. OH WELL. I figured it wouldn't be that noticeable since I'll be felting it. I hope it really shrinks ALOT! I used another pattern made for felting and it used 60 co sts. I co 70 tho because my design is 29 sts long...so far so good. I'm almost done with half of the name. Hopefully can finish this up tonight....

Here froggy froggy! and apt stuff

HA so I frogged my crochet hat. DANG it! I mean I just want to use this malabrigo yarn! It so soft! I wish it was thicker...I splurged and ordered some new yarn this weekend. Pretty cheap on ebay.

Oatmeal is a boulce homespun. THe seller has a bunch of other pretty colors also but I limited myself! 164 yards for $2.60! I got 2 plus $5 something shipping. A total of $10...not that bad!

The purple is a mill end, looks like lionbrand homespun?? 495 yards for $17, not too shabby...

I've bought so much stuff for our apt. HOpefully we'll be moving in this weekend or early next week. Most of our stuff is black, white, red and silver. Went with Damask theme. Got a bunch of cool stuff. I'll post pics of our place once we're fully in and decorated.

It's been a while!

GEEZE it's been awhile! Just got pics in from our last photo shoot with MISS LENA PAIGE! I updated pics on here. TOO MANY to add so check out my flickr page or my etsy. I'm working on a couple new things right now. Just been pressed for my spare time lately. I've been working on a crochet hat. Maybe make it a newsboy or visor baby hat. I was thinking of adding gerbra daisy's to the sides of some hats. I found some zebra print flowers on ebay that already have a jewel in the middle. Just dont see the point of ordering 12! Maybe I can find a deal somewhere else.

Lena's Zebra Themed baby shower

This is the first baby shower I've ever decorated. Most of the decor is from my room. Although it has nothing to do with knitting, I'm still proud of the way everything came out!



I did decorate the chucks!



Lisa's diaper cake



Gift and sign in table

Headband