Smatterings

  • spindle sleeve

    I posted my drinking straw on the spindle idea on the Weekend Whirls blog.  Rose came back with something she had seen at Nancy’s Knit Knacks.  So much for original thought.   I had tried to slide the yarn off the spindle shaft and onto a straw at some point, but found that the fine singles caught and pulled on the edge of the straw.  Winding directly onto the straw eliminates this problem and also the additional step.  Try both.  See what you think.  This video, although a sales pitch for the Spindler’s Kate, is interesting.  Check it out.

    http://www.nancysknitknacks.com/videos/Spindler%20Kate%202.asf

    2 responses to “spindle sleeve”

    1. That’s a well known problem in anesthesia when using a tube changer to swap out tubes in tracheas. If the tube changer (the spindle post) is smaller than the tube (the straw), there is a certain percentage of tubes that will hang up and not pass easily or at all. It becomes something upon which one does not depend on working, so we don’t do it if it is mission critical. I like your method better.

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  • spindle sleeves and beading

    I am crazy wild for spindling, can’t seem to get enough of it.  I love the way the fiber moves through my fingers, the whirling spindle, the satisfaction of winding it on.  Most of all, I love handling all the different the beautiful woods.  Not much down side.  Not much.  There is one thing that I continue to struggle over, the removal of the yarn from the spindle.  I’ve tried a number of things.  I’ve wound it from the spindle onto toilet paper rolls, bobbins, and into center pull balls.  I’ve Andean plied.   Finally, I think I have hit onto something that works for me.  I posted that I was sliding a bright red plastic straw onto my Hardy, then winding the yarn directly onto it.  Works great.  When I was ready to remove the yarn, I slid the straw from the spindle onto an old metal knitting needle and into my lazy kate.  The other ply on my kate was wound onto a toilet paper roll.  Easy.  Yesterday, when I stopped at Dunkin Donuts for an iced coffee, I replenished my straw supply.  Aside from the fact that they are not a beautiful compliment to my spindle, I can’t find much of a down side.

    P1030770  P1030760

    My Spring Things Shawl seemed a bit small, so following Susan’s suggestions in the pattern, I have added a couple pattern repeats.  Two more rows and I begin my first beaded edge pattern.  I’m going for the nupps.  And for the beads.

    P1030769

    16 responses to “spindle sleeves and beading”

    1. The beads and nupps will be well worth it.

    2. Must get some bigger straws! Great idea…I’ve been mulling over if it would work and you prove it would!! I love spindling, too.
      Your shawl is going to be fabulous!

    3. Have you seen the arrangement Peter Teal made for his wife (recent SpinOff)? That’s what I’m holding out for! And, I must do some beaded yarn…I sure have the beads!

    4. My goodness that shawl is going to be gorgeous!

    5. Manise

      Wow- nupps and beads? That’ll be very nice! Yay for DD straws- love the new color.

    6. What a fantastic idea to use straws – so simple and such an easy way to transfer it to the lazy kate! I love the colour of the beaded yarn – that shalw is going to look great!

    7. The beaded yarn looks so cool!

    8. I particularly like the fact that you can slide the straw right onto a knitting needle when the cop is full, and ply directly from it. That’s brilliant!
      And I’m so happy that your spindles and knitting found their way home to you. 🙂 It would have been tragic to lose that lovely beaded yarn!

    9. Just love those beads ! And the color of the yarn, just beautiful 🙂

    10. Can’t wait to see nupps and beads together.
      The straw idea is genius.

    11. The straws look like they fit your spindle perfectly! Great idea!
      The beads and yarn are a beautiful match!
      Looks like a great project~

    12. Those beads are eye candy for sure!

    13. That’s a great idea and your yarn is beautiful!

    14. Beautiful combination of yarn and beads. That is going to make a stunning shawl!

    15. My local DD has clear straws. Want some?
      Do you secure the straw in some way to keep it from slipping around? (I typo-ed “sipping” heh)

  • lost and found

    Last Saturday I flew out to western PA for a family visit.  I packed the usual, plus three spindles, roving and some knitting (a shawl in progress and the Embossed Leaves socks).  Just to be safe, I checked everything but the socks.  There wasn’t a problem, I knitted as usual.  A friend of the family went to Maryland this year for the first time and bought herself a lovely Golding Tsunami spindle.  She needed a lesson.  I packed mine. I took the olive wood Hardy that is spinning the llama & silk and I took Ed Jensen’s Osage Orange Turkish spindle, just to show off.  The Friday night before I left, I threaded 600 beads onto the next skein of my own Alpaca & Silk hand-dyed yarn that I am using for the Spring Things Shawl.  These were the things that were in my checked bag, the important things.  Things I did not want airport security, the TSA people, to take away from me.  Things to keep safe.  When, at 2:30 am on my return trip, I reported my bag missing, these were the things I pictured my head.  I sweated it out for two days.  Early in the morning, first cup of coffee in hand,  I saw the bag sitting just outside my back door   Things I hold dear.  You can’t knit with crossed fingers.  600 beads.  A shawl half finished.  A spindle full of singles but most importantly a spindle out of several already completed for a project.  Hours.  Dreams.  But the thought that kept coming back was that really, in spite of how very much I wanted them returned, I was home.  Safely.  I would have more dreams, and projects, and that what was lost were things.  Easy to say now that they are home again too.  Easy to say on a bright sunny day.  Easy to say, hard to remember. 

    Have a beautiful day.  Remember what you have.  Pictures tomorrow.

    12 responses to “lost and found”

    1. You must have had a horrible feeling in the pit of your stomach. I’m glad everything – especially YOU – is home safe.

    2. I’m glad you got your bag back. It’s such a dilemma now. You used to could put your valuables in your carryon, but now some of our valuables look dangerous. I had my “two socks on two circs” project questioned, but luckily not confiscated, when I flew back from Portland a couple of weeks ago.

    3. I shipped stuff back from Montana rather than put it in checked luggage. Then I realized I had entrusted my treasures to UPS! You can’t win! (I’ve never had a problem carrying a spindle on the plane with me.)

    4. Even still, I’m glad you can be philosophical and have your handiwork safe and sound.

    5. Gulp. I wouldn’t have been knitting while waiting, either…I’m so glad you got everything back, and that you’re okay, too, albeit a bit rattled from the experience.

    6. It is sometimes hard to remember what you have and not focus on what could be lost, but at least all is well. And those were all dreams, which if they were lost, would not have been the end of the world. There would be new dreams to dream!

    7. oh my, I am glad you and the treasures made it back, safe and sound. makes one think about those things that are impossible to replace….

    8. Oh my…..that must have given you quite a scare…yikes!

    9. Wow, what a relief to have it all back !!!
      Some things just can’t be replaced !

    10. Nothing more stressful than traveling – except maybe losing your bags while traveling. Glad you are home safe (and your projects too!).

    11. I’ve stopped packing anything I would mourn over in checked baggage. I’m more concerned about theft than about loss. I’m glad it all turned up safe and sound. Whew.

Our lives are dyed the colors of our imagination.” ~ Marcus Aurelius

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