My New Spinning Wheel

Here's a picture of my new spinning wheel. It's an Ashford Traditional Double Drive. Usually cost about $565 new. Got this one for $150(!) and it's in excellent condition. I just need to figure out if I rigged it up right. I also need to learn how to spin on it hahaha I never mastered my kick wheel that I used to have and this goes way faster than it, but the yarn doesn't feed when I spin which causes me to  over twist the fiber , and, sometimes, it will stop me from treadling and spin the opposite way.

The lady that sold the wheel to me will be coming over around noon to show me how to work it. I am very excited! I really want to learn how to spin, and it's been something I've been wanting to do for a while now. I remember when I heard about spinning yarn, I tried to make my own spindles from pencils, CDs, found hooks and little o-ring gasket things, but couldn't source local fiber at the time. So, I put spinning on the back burner until I decided to get an English Angora after my rabbit passed away while my husband was deployed. I ended up getting a kick wheel, but as I said before, I never mastered it, so again I had to push spinning out of my mind for a while, until I came across the ads for the wheel, the drum carder, and the other supplies. The fact that I was able to afford it at the time made it seem too good to be true, but here they all are, and free lessons to boot!

Did I mention that I'm super excited? :3

Clean Slate Clean

For like, the billionth time, I am starting this blog over :P

Hey there! I'm Jess! I'm 26 at the time of this post. I am married to my best friend, and he's in the Army. We have 2 boys, ages 4 and 1 year. We also have a beagle named Buster. We currently live in Germany, which is where the Army has sent us. It's pretty amazing. Before this, we were stationed in Fort Polk, LA. We had a farm before we moved and I raised Nigerian Dwarf goats and Buff Orpington chickens. 

I love crafting. I started sewing during my senior year of high school because I wanted to make pouches for my sugar gliders. My mom had a sewing machine already, but never thought to teach me before, and so she taught me the basics. Then I started selling pet accessories online and to pet stores and was pretty good at it, but I was still in high school at this point, so my business skills and etiquette was something to be desired. 

Then I started picking up other crafts like knitting, which I never was good at, making earrings (just earrings haha), felt mascots, and crochet. I also love growing herbs and veggies, especially mint, can't live without my mint :3 

While my husband was deployed in Iraq and I was pregnant, I decided to get a rabbit. I didn't want to get a regular rabbit, I wanted a rabbit that could provide. Of course I didn't want to eat it, at least I didn't want to raise meat rabbits yet, but I found one that provide wool. English Angora Rabbits. I loved her so much. I have no clue why I ever sold her, but she changed me, and her wool inspired me to want to learn how to spin.

I bought a  kick wheel, but.. I couldn't exactly figure it out. I ended up selling it 3 years later, so someone else could enjoy it, but mostly because I didn't want it to break during the move. I ended up finding something else better here very recently anyway...

I was looking through a online yard sale type website, and found that someone was selling a spinning wheel, wool combs, hand carders, and a drum carder and the prices were unbelievable. Not like expensive, but super super super cheap and these came with lots of extras. Over $1000 (probably) worth of equipment for $250, plus I even got books and equipment to dye wool. I was sure someone else had jumped on this, but nope! and now they're sitting here, LOL but it's only been a few days and I did try it out. The person I bought the wheel from is coming on Wednesday to help me out and show me how to work this and get my rhythm. I just don't want to mess up any more wool! haha 

I'll be posting pictures in a bit of the loot and show want I have been TRYING to spin up.