Just received three Bosworth spindles! I am officially a frequent buyer. There is a maple 44g Maxi, a Copper Beech 20g Mini, and a Bird’s Eye Maple 17g Featherweight. This was to fill in some gaps and to gove me at least two of everything (except featherweights).

Spindles

I wanted to have what I think of as a journeyman’s set, working spindles made from local woods. And I think I have it, spindles from cherry, walnut, butternut and maple. They all spin well and I do a little spinning every day. I’m not really working on a project, other than that the grey Suffolk is sock yarn. I should get the wheels set up. I meed to tweak the drive band on two. It’s just more satisfying to pick up a spindle and spin for 15 minutes.

And I got the one yard niddy noddy! I have two, one from Hatchtown and a rustic one from Alden Amos. The new one is perfect for samples. It’s beautiful and works well.

I am washing fleece too. Am trying one today that I think I will pitch. It was a Shetland “mystery” fleece. I could deal with poor skirting and the felted tips. But it has scruff. It doesn’t wash out or comb out. It’s just not worth the effort. I haven’t been impressed with some of the fleeces I got through Etsy. I don’t know why they sell poorly skirted fleeces. I’ve gotten some good ones and have tried to leave good reviews. I have a Southdown fleece on the way from Ebay and a Romney I need to look at. And I ordered some natural dyestuff today.

I hope you’ve watched Tania Barley’s You Tube channel. She’s an Irish designer and tends to work in handspun and then convert to commercial alternatives. She’s doing a series now on a new design from start to finish.

If the weather will settle a bit, I will be busy in the garden. I have fruit trees coming. I am getting the fence fixed and the garden extended a bit. Jake and the cats have been fine. That’s it for today!

I love pin looms. I bought the two square ones when they first came out. Always wished I’d gotten the rectangular ones. When they came up on Ebay, they seemed expensive. Just checked Enay and didn’t find anything. Went to weavettes.com and found they are having a closeout sale. No square ones but they have the rectangular ones and the book! Half price, so if you’ve ever wanted these, now is the time!

Still doing samples but has been busy lately. Friends came out and moved stuff from the converted garage to my new storage shed. I can finally start to get rid of the clutter. And it’s time to begin work on the garden. More on this later.