I’ve had an amazing two days bonding with the new wheel. I’m really and truly in love with my new Vermont Wheel. I do find it somewhat amusing that when I announced to a few people that I bought a new one that they questioned which I was going to sell. Y’all know me so well. Yes, the pattern has been that for each one in, one has to leave. Who am I to break with tradition. I put the Saxony on the Housecleaning Pages this morning and by this afternoon, I have a tentative buyer who is putting a deposit check in the mail tomorrow. I love how this works.
So between work, physical therapy (which I now attend 3x a week for 4 weeks) and the monkeys, I’ve been spending some quality time with the Vermont. I think she needs a name, not that I’ve named any other wheels, but somehow this one is different. Okay, time for a contest. Leave suggestions for names for the wheel in the comments to this post by Friday at 6pm EDT and if I pick it, you’ll get a prize.
What have I been working on? I started with the Grafton corrie cross batt that I bought Saturday. It ranges from a deep green –> magenta –> light blue –> dark blue –>black. The single is super fine. Now I’m not sure about the plying thing. I only bought one batt and I didn’t split it before starting to spin. I’ve been spinning each color separately, with a section of overlap between the two (green/magenta, magenta/blue, etc) color changes. Really pretty.
Sorry, no pictures of the green. I done plumb forgot. I claim camnesia as that was spun in MD when I seriously suffered from it.
I just took this one..
Super fine.
Now back to the plying. My gut impression, and I trust y’all will let me know if this is a bad idea, is to ply with a plain silk. I bought some gorgeous bombyx way back at a prior trip to MD from Little Barn when it was cheaper to buy the full pound (show special) than only a few ounces. I’ve never touched the stuff and its hidden somewhere around here, but I suspect it would be gorgeous. While the white of the silk might dull the colors, I think it might work in the same way that the latest STR Club kit works. It would work color bands in a shawl, which right now I’m thinking the FBS.
Or, there’s the ply it with a solid that matches one of the colors. I did get some blue merino at MD that might just match…
Or, the third option is to andean ply it and skip the whole lace and go for fingering weight. Resulting socks would be interesting as the colors would not repeat. Seriously fraternal twin socks, but again, not a problem for me.
Choices, choices, choices. I need to decide somewhat soon as the first bobbin is getting close to full. I only have 3 bobbins for this wheel and no way am I winding off this 40+wpi single to free up a bobbin. Hmm, might have to go stash diving to see if I can find that silk..
On the knitting front, I finished another pair of socks. Sadly, these never made the blog as a pair on the needles. They’re making their premier as a FO.
The yarn is Lornas Laces Shepherd Sock in the Vera colorway. I started them on 4/29/07 and finished this evening on the train home. I did my standard 56 stitch socks on a US0. I used the turkish cast on with 10 loops. For variety, I used the lace from Hedera on the cuff for 9 repeats. Thank goodness for my small feet as I managed to get the pair from one 50g skein.
I need to go do my stretching exercises as PT is tomorrow and settle down on a yarn for the next pair of socks. There are a couple of contenders including the socks from Rowan 40, Anna. The Louet in a pretty blue I ordered from Loopy Ewe arrived over the weekend. Also contending are the latest socks from the STR Club, the German Stockings from Cookie A. and a host of other handpainted wonders. Choices choices choices.
I’m leaning towards Anna at present.
Craft on!
13 responses so far ↓
1 Sue // May 9, 2007 at 12:32 am
I think we need a picture of your flock of spinning wheels! After the Schacht arrives, of course…
2 Eva // May 9, 2007 at 4:33 am
While reading this post the radio played The Sweetest Thing by U2… I think that would be a perfect name for this wheel… The Sweetest Thing or Sweetie
I’m doing my best not to say ‘Sweetpea’ though hehehe.
Cheers Eva
3 Juno // May 9, 2007 at 9:18 am
You need an electric bobbin winder….i wind my singles off onto one of the dozen other bobbins in the house. Only take a few minutes and it evens out the distribution of the singles for plying – especially useful since there isn’t likely to be a woolee winder going for this wheel.
Isn’t it great?
http://myworld.ebay.com/hollyhockhillfarm/
I’ve had one fore a couple of years – just make sure to tell him the size range your bobbins are – the majacraft ones need a bit more clearance.
4 Marcia Cooke // May 9, 2007 at 9:23 am
My, you have been busy! All I’ve managed since returning from Maryland is knitting a lousy little lace soap bag! Maybe tomorrow…today I have to babysit for MY two monkeys!
5 Kim // May 9, 2007 at 10:17 am
How about you call the new wheel “The Juno.” The Vera socks look great. I think you should knit the Anna socks first. Those are very cool!
6 Christy // May 9, 2007 at 12:41 pm
I haven’t succombed to purchasing a wheel yet, but Im glad to see that you are enjoying yours. So, let see, I have a couple of names for you…
Vivi, Verona, or Veronica.
7 Jessica // May 9, 2007 at 4:09 pm
Looks like you two are getting along quite well.
What about navajo plying to keep the colors together? Although I think the silk would be really cool. I think Sue is right, a pic of the flock of wheels is totally in order (once the Schact arrives of course). I like Kim’s idea for a name too. 
8 --Deb // May 9, 2007 at 6:25 pm
I like the idea of plying it with a solid color . . . but then, you know me, I love to do that anyway!
Names. Um … Red Clover is Vermont’s state flower, so . . . Clover? Maple Sugar?
Though, “Juno” sounds pretty appropriate, really….
9 Shanidy // May 9, 2007 at 6:37 pm
I like Juno, but I also like Gloria. The wheel just seems so feminine and fragile. Gorgeous gloria!
10 Barbp // May 9, 2007 at 10:01 pm
Thanks for stopping by and saying hi. It was my pleasure meeting you three. I couldn’t find your email addy here to send you the picture I took of you four. It turned out really nice. I signed up for the SOS so I think you can get to it from there or send me an email and I’ll send it off to you.
Wish I knew something about spinning. But I have to say, it looks gorgeous.
11 Christine // May 10, 2007 at 10:07 am
Beautiful colors! Plying with silk sounds nice… but so does navajo plying.
A name for the wheel? How about Mary, since you got it in Maryland?
12 elsie // May 10, 2007 at 7:06 pm
It looks like you and Kat had a great time last weekend, I did see you at the festival but since you were in a conversation with a group I did not say hello. I think since this is your first named wheel you should call it Genesis, or Geni for short. Love the fiber you chose.
13 Nancy N. // May 11, 2007 at 8:53 am
Congratulations on your new wheel! I think her name should be LOLA.