Curiouser and curiouser . . . .

Ok, for starts, I didn't make it to the KATU "Meet the Bloggers" shindig. It proved to be just too hard to get there from where I work on a weeknight on short notice. I know several knit bloggers did make it and some have posted about it, although no is sure what the whole thing was about, anyway.

Then, I woke up on Thursday morning with a raging headache, so I called in sick and went back to sleep. As it turned out, I'm glad I didn't go to work that day. One of the girls from my old office called to say our boss was intending to leave the next day. So Tool Man and I went over to see her and her SO one last time before they leave the country. She asked me to tie up a few loose ends for her, and I reminded them both to email and send pictures frequently. It was very sad seeing her this time; she's no longer the person I knew and loved. Oh, she knows who I am and who she is, but it's like someone took the core of her out. Her personality is subdued; as if the "thing", whatever it is, that made her who she is, has been removed. But I'm very glad I saw her one last time and gave her some big hugs to take with her.

I had intentions of getting this pile of fabric straightened out, inventoried, and photographed. Tool Man has been grousing about how the guest room looks. And I told Kathy and Chrispy that they were welcome to whatever is in here they can use. This is wonderful fabric from the boss, as she was cleaning out her house. I'll use some of it, but there's so much here and it's such nice stuff, I hate to have it sitting in boxes unused. There are wools, silks, linens, challis, suit weights, lining fabric, etc. in there. Enough to keep us all busy for quite a while.

I told Kathy and Chris there was a lot of fabric! We'll have to plan a day to get together and split this stuff up. Like I said, I intended to get this inventoried But, then . . . .

On Saturday morning, Tool Man suggested we go out to breakfast and drive to Carlton. You know what's in Carlton, don't you? That's right, Woodland Woolworks. Or as Duffy calls it, "Medina for fiber addicts." What could I say? It was his idea!

Tool Man wanted to look at the vertical reels.



He's plotting how to make one for me. I, of course, went straight to the stash room.



Then, I went to the weaving room to look at more yarn.



This place requires a strategy when visiting. Do not go directly to the yearn (er, yarn) sales room; it can cause sensory overload and lightheadedness. Instead, you must approach it cautiously and carefully, lest you become delirious from the fabulousness that is WWW.



So much yarn, so little time and money!



Hmmm, these drop spindles are really interesting.



Ahhh, look at the pretty colors of roving! Red and blue and purple and green, oh my!



Uh oh; I am almost overcome by fiber fumes! This is when one must depend upon their trusted companion to rescue them from certain destruction of the ol' credit card.

I retreated to the spinning room.



Which turned out to be not such a good idea. Because I found this little one that seemed really "cute." Then, I took my shoe off an tried the treadle. Bad, bad mistake.



It was as if my body had been invaded by some evil entity. I said, Look, it's scotch tension, and has several ratios. And a built-in lazy kate." Honestly, I don't know where that came from!

Tool Man looked at the price tag; then he looked at me like I had three heads. He gently suggested I might want to start with learning how to use the drop spindle and roving that I had been carrying around for the last 30 minutes. Later, he could probably build one of these for half of the retail.



Then, if I liked spinning (and was a very good girl) Santa might bring me a bigger one for Christmas. So, these came home with us:



A Schacht Hi-Lo Spindle with a 4 inch wheel, weighing 3 ounces; an ounce of purple merino top, combed 64s; and 3 ounces of navy heather top, combed 56s. Not that I understand what ANY of that means. I just bought these things because they spoke to me. Now, I just had to figure out what to do with them.

I did manage to restrain myself until I got the laundry done, some chores taken care of, and some resumes sent out. So, on Sunday afternoon, I read some stuff on the Internet and decided to try the spindle out.



Andy Rooney wondered, "What the heck is Mom up to now?"

People don't believe it, but I tell you, that dog talks up a blue streak when no one's around.



"Hmm, it seems to not be going very well."



"It looks like this might take a while. Better just settle in with a cold drink and a snack."

After several fits and starts, I made yarn! And even figured out how to ply it!

Cost: approximately $25.00

Product: approximately 10 feet of very uneven 2-ply yarn

Time spent: 2 days

Satisfaction: priceless