As I am known to do on the occasional Thursday, yesterday I traveled to GR to visit with friends and former co-workers. Part of my plan while in GR was to hunt a list of a few items-including roving (fiber that has been cleaned, carded and prepared so that one can spin it), a drop spindle (to turn said fiber into yarn), a few books, and some canning supplies. It has become apparent that this is not the time of year to purchase canning supplies. I was not able to find all I desired, but plan to look at the flea market this weekend. As for the books, I found one I was looking for, but decided against that purchase just now.
However, on the fiber front I found much. I wanted to stop by a shop I had heard about but never visited fairly near my former place of employment. I cannot find it, I am not sure it exists on a plane of reality similar to my own, so I did not visit it. I do know where City Knitting is and have purchased odds and ends there before. I am not sure that Lorilee is ever not at the store, but that is to my benefit. She asked if she could help me/us to which I replied, “Roving and a drop spindle please.” Both were in short supply due to the Michigan Fiber Festival, but I managed to find a purply-blue pencil roving to take home. As I understand it (from Lorilee) pencil roving is pre-drafted, so that it is already in a thinner state making it easier to spin. I looked at the larger ones and found a gorgeous color, but it was a still large amount of roving. If I try it and decide it’s not for me, I’ll be stuck with too much and have to try to sell what’s left. I didn’t purchase the smallest amount either (the color didn’t speak to me). Hopefully I have given myself enough fiber to make a mistake or two, but still produce enough yarn to make something. There was only one drop spindle, a bit out of the price range I was hoping to spend. If I decide I like it, I will gladly spend a bit more for quality, well carved drop spindles. I opted to attempt to make my own.
We were off to a local craft store to purchase a dowel rod and several wooden wheels. I was sorely tempted to cheat a little and pick up the 10-pack of precut 12″ dowels, but that seemed a bit extravagant seeing that one long stick was $0.49 or the bag of shorter sticks for $2.99. I knew I had hooks at home. The only downside, which I knew about, was that the wheels were not symmetrical. The inside of the wheel is flat while the outside is beveled. From what I’ve read the more symmetrical the more evenly balanced, the more evenly balanced, the more even the yarn. I’ll see how that works. I’ve asked for some guidance in altering the wheel. The package came with four and I only really need two, so there are two to mess up before scrapping the alterations. I will attempt to make both a top and bottom whorl drop spindle, knowing that it won’t be perfect.
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Tags: drop spindle, roving, spinning