New toys

The first new toy, one that has taken up quite a lot of time, and the reason why there’s not been much weaving, is a new and very small electric spinning wheel. 

Back in December last year I decided to back Maurice Ribble’s Kickstarter project for a very small electric spinning wheel, known as the Nano.  I looked at all the online reviews and everything was very positive.  I followed the design process, the manufacturing and even the shipping – who knew there was a website to track ships?  

Finally the package arrived, probably within a week of the estimated date, and it did have to come all the way to Australia.  Fortunately there were no problems with Australia Post or customs unlike some German backers who were summoned to the customs office, shown their new wheel and told they couldn’t have it because it didn’t quite meet all the regulations.  Other German customs offices were less rigorous and happy to hand them over.  How annoying would that be?

It worked straight out of the box but like many others I tried changing a few things to see if they improved its performance – some worked better, some didn’t.  I converted a Decor plastic bucket into a light rigid case/lazy kate for travelling and made a cover using a remnant of fabric from a window display at work and some lighter fabric from the stash.

All I know is that I haven’t done as much spinning in years, and I learned to spin in early 1976.

Here’s my new toy posing with my large Ron Blyth wheel for scale. 

They make a great team, using the Nano for spinning but the large wheel with its large bobbins for plying.  

Here it is at the craft market

And here’s all the yarn I’ve spun in the past 6 weeks,

including the cowl I knitted because the yarn was just crying out to be knitted

There hasn’t been a lot of weaving around here with all the spinning and the marathon effort for the Sheep Show.  It’s still a bit too cold to weave in the garage and I’ve had a sore shoulder.  It hasn’t improved at all with a break from weaving so I can now keep weaving without feeling guilty.

I did manage to get a warp for glasses cases on the 4 shaft loom and decided after the success with the warping valet for the bigloom, that I needed something better for warping than draping the warp over the loom bench weighted with a bottle of water.  I had a nice aluminium mop handle and bought another, unfortunately not an exact match, but it wasn’t expensive and I will get a matching one and use the odd one as the bar as they’re very smooth and the warp runs over it easily.  I slid the mop handles into my folding loom so they rested against the wood at the back. 

My loom was made here in Melbourne by the Druva family but I’ve always suspected a common ancestor with the folding Dorset and Schacht looms.  I tied the handles to the most convenient part of the loom

and suspended a rod from the ends.  I weighted the warp with a bottle of water and had it wound on in no time,

much better than draping it over the loom bench.  The warp is black cotton and gold chainette, nothing like a bit of bling, even if the bling doesn't show up well here.

I should go and get on with the weaving but there's some very nice roving tempting me from the stash

Helen