# Odds and stuff



## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I've been at Cyndi's for a couple days.....the Homesteading Weekend, yuh know.........

I've come to realize that three out of four ain't bad. :shrug:

I can shear, card and knit with high production ferver, so to speak.

All I've been able to manage thus far in my spinning attempts is to memorize the three key steps....and that for the rest of my life, no problem. :indif:

Step one is to make the attempt.
Step two is to fail miserably, every time.
Step three is to storm off in a huff. :grit:






















































:sob:


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Oh you poor thing. 

What part of it is getting the better of you?

The treadling, the drafting, or the letting of twist into the fiber?

I have a hard time believing that you are incapable of learning this. :hrm:

KEEP TRYING!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

The part that really has me in a shambles is where I select a nice batt that I've carded up and turn it into an unrecognizable tangle that ain't even fit for pillow stuffin' when I'm done. :huh:
















































:sob:


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

So you are saying you are getting too much twist and making a spaghetti tangle?


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Spaghetti would be nice. These are industrial grade, high carbon alloy steel mill turnings. 








































:sob:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

.........and what's worse..... Cyndi has this huge willow out in her west yard....and she keeps referring to the high quality of whipping switch that it produces, as if to insinuate that unproductive students are fair game. 






























:run:


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Okay, you are getting too much twist.

I hypothesize that you are drafting too THICK.
You are trying to make yarn that is as big around as a pencil.

If that is the case, you need almost NO twist to acchieve that.

It may go against your very NATURE, but try spinning a skinnier yarn.
Fewer fibers need more twist to hold them all together. 

Just try it, then work your way up to thicker yarn once you have a good feel for the process.

I know you can do this thing.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

*takes a deep breath*

Honest, I'm just trying to spin as the wool comes....nothing fancy or outlandish.
I've quite come to grips with the reality that stranding several yarns together in a garment works fine, usually even better than pencil roving.

I just wanna spin a nice, sport weight or worsted weight yarn, yuh know, fer starters and all.

Coming to the realization that about 83 points of necessity need to come together in absolute harmonic perfection to get yarn out of a batt of wool has me on the verge of a nervous breakdown.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I will tell you my secret.
HOMEBREW.


Yeah. Of course now everyone knows. 

That Cyndi is being a meanie if she wont let you have a drink to calm your nerves.
You just need to RELAX.
<and treadle a lot slower>


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

ReLAX?!!

Uhoh.... I think she's on to me....she's glancing over here from her cooking and socializing. 

No..... she's getting a knife out of the cutlery drawer and........

*EGADDS!!!*

She's headed out to the willow tree ! 





















:run:


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Well what did you DO to get her so riled up?


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

... and remember, you can't treadle your way outta trouble.

Treadle at your resting heartrate (or slower). Just enough to keep the wheel going around, no more.

Then draft.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Did you suffer your willow switch lashing?
Did you deserve it? 

BE HONEST. :angel::


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

FR you can do it! Maybe the teacher isn't the right teacher for you. Nothing against Cyndi, she's a great person and knows what she is doing, but......

Lighten up on yourself too. You should know from reading all the other posts about beginning spinners, you can't expect perfect for awhile yet. It can take hours and hours and day and sometimes weeks and months before some people can produce something they feel is usable. Like everyone else has said SLOW DOWN THE TREADLING, speed just makes it more difficult to control the twist and what you are trying to do. You gotta crawl before you can run. Take all fibers off your wheel and just sit while you knit and practice your treadling. Practice a slow easy pace, one one-thousand (as you press down on the treadle), two one-thousand (as the treadle is coming up), three one-thousand (as the treadle goes down again). You shouldn't have to press or force the treadle. Are you using Cyndi's Traveller?


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

OH my goodness... (wipes tears of laughter from face)... big breath... settle down ...
How I wish we could have gotten out to Cyndi and Paul's this weekend. That would have been a lot of fun to watch... and might have been able to help ... maybe...But let me try now....

Did you try doing only one step at a time? I think you're getting frustrated and it's coming out in your treddling. Try one of these:
1) Treddle one time around and stop. Then draft and let the twist go up the thread. Draft out until it's got the right twist and then wind it onto your bobbin. Repeat. This will give you time to concentrate on each step one at a time.
2) Have someone else sit behind the wheel and turn it at a slow rate while you concentrate on what your hands are doing. Then, when you're comfortable with how to draft, you can just sit at the wheel and treadle without any fiber. Get the feel for what your feet have to do, just where to place your feet and just how much pressure you need to get the wheel to turn very slowly. Then, when you're comfortable with both, put them together.

Ok, now back to the other posts....


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

*in hushed tones*

I spun two bobbins........ one on my Kiwi and one on Cyndi's Traveler. 

I feel, so........weird. :huh:

It has all been wound onto the kniddy knoddy, tied off with little pink bows and is waiting to be washed. 














I feel, so..... weird. :huh:


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Oh my gosh. 
Congratulations. 

Yes, you will need to get used to that weird feeling.
It never really goes a way. :teehee:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Well, in Murphy's defense......the yarn is ever so slightly overspun.....but it will be serviceable.

I love the way it felt when the drafting started coming together. :huh:




























This all feels, so.....weird.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

:sob:





















I just wunna give ya'll ever' one of yuh a big hug.


*blows nose loudly*



































:sob:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Hehehehehe! You feel weird, hehehehehe, you ARE weird FR :teehee: But, you're the kind of weird we LOVE :kiss: Just wait until you knit with it and really start producing your own yarn. You are going to have some hard questions to ask yourself when you go buying yarn after you start making your own stuff.

We'll wait while you wash the skeins and then take pictures to post :bored:

It's a GOOD weird right?


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

*in hushed tones* is right... something downright holy about spinning wool.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Proud of ya, FR.


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Congratulations! Wonderful news that you are now One with the fleece! :rock:

Enjoy your new-found feeling, it just keeps getting better!

Please show us pics!!!!!


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

YAY !! YOU DID IT !!! now WHERES the pictures ?!?!!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

:lookout:


































All y'all don't _really _know FR








ound:













:hysterical: 


























:rotfl: <-- me after reading this thread ... three times now!! 





I tried to teach FR how to spin 3 years ago. :nono: 



:hair:


:catfight:

So I taught him how to knit (left handed no less) 2 years ago. 

Carding lesson was last year's lesson.

Ernie gave him sheep and never looked back ... I think Ernie left tire tracks that can still be seen to this day by leaving so quickly after the sheep were in FR's pasture. :whistlin:

I did what any older sister would do ... I ignored FR & his wheel that he brought with him all  weekend (and he equally ignored his wheel until today). I taught a few people (young children included) how to drop spindle and how to operate a wheel. No better motivator than to see a 13 year old spin yarn and then an older lady take to the wheel like she was born to spin (we only got to the 'spinning' a whole bobbin of acrylic yarn onto the Traveler Jumbo bobbin).

FR was still busy with carding a whole Lincoln Longwool fleece while all these lessons were going on. 

Oh yes, I spoke of the 'Whomping Willow' to scare children and flashed my wonderfully sharp large kitchen knife many a time while I was cooking ..... sheesh ... this is almost as bad as FR hijacking his wife's or daughter's FB page when they forget to logout!!! 

What worked was ignoring my brother. I _gave up_ teaching him to spin 3 years ago. :frypan: Ya gotta want to spin to be able to learn how to spin

When FR took to his wheel (Kiwi, scotch tension) today, I didn't even notice until he had almost half a bobbin filled, then I made a suggestion. When that bobbin was full, I took out the Traveler with Jumbo bobbin on it, set it up in double drive and put it in front of him ... showed him the 'trick' of putting the beginning of the roving through a loop on the leader, then left him alone until the bobbin was about half full and he needed to adjust the DD tension.

I tied the pretty pink bows (Lily would like that, wouldn't she??) and made him wash it. I showed him how Friday after I spun a bobbin to show him that his Kiwi did work ... spun worsted about baby weight, bloomed to a wonderful bulky weight.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

:thumb:


I think it is beautiful!!! 




















All y'all have this big sister's blessings to whomp on him!! :heh: 
































:icecream:


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Despite my 'abuse', FR gifted me with the most gorgeous hooded sweater!! 

love, Love, LOVE!!! Any time someone asked to see it on, I happily obliged them!! A wonderful mixture of a caramel & cream with itty bitty threads of blues and green and sparkles!! Depending on how far away or how close you are standing and how absorbant (observant) you are, the sweater never looks the same way twice. 

Outstanding and I will wear it with pride! 


I don't have any pics of it, but my friend (who I hope registers here soon) did take pics of both FR & I in our sweaters


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

YAY!!!!!! Now FR THAT's what I call yarn. Well done man!


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

Nicely done FR!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I think it all started when MW "reminded" me that sometimes it takes months of making the attempt before serviceable yarn could be realized. 

I just don't have enough sheep for that !! :sob:





So, trembling in great fear and apprehension, I tied a little end of finger spun wool onto the leader and, in tears and a cold sweat, did my level best to make the rest of the batt into yarn.

It was grueling, and I thought I was going to pass out, but then that first real good draft manifested itself, and _then_ the wheel just spun that perfect little draft and pulled it in gently, wrapping it appropriately around the bobbin where it could never get away.

*is overcome with emotion*













:run:


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## jd4020 (Feb 24, 2005)

I'm so sorry to have missed going to Cyndi's get together. I wasn't feeling to good, but dh & I did get an old cattle trailer varmint proofed and the turkeys moved into it.
FR, you do tell a fine tale. I'm happy to see you ventured a bit further. Along with the relaxation techniques offered here, I'd keep a cold cloth to wipe the sweat. I'm confident that it won't be any time at all and you'll be spinning faster than you knit those beautiful sweaters.
Cyndi, those pictures you posted of that yarn are just drippy with softness, I can almost feel how fluffy they probably are. Hope your weekend was filled with laughter & learning. 
jd


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## scholtefamily (Feb 25, 2010)

You all are a hoot! Congrats FR on spinning on your wheel. That's some mighty fine yarn ya got there. 

I did hear Cyndi mention the willow tree............we rushed out of there shortly after! IF FR got a whooping we were not witness to it. 

Thank you Cyndi for gently teaching me to use the hand carders. My kids had to help me a few times......


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

Um.... ok ...... it's SO MUCH FUNNIER ....now that I realize y'all are family !!!!!


ound:


The yarn is REALLY beautiful !!! Would make a beautiful hat ....


Id like to see this sweater too,sounds amazing !


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Sometimes it is necessary to lower people's expectations of themselves. FR I always knew you could do it. I also knew if I held all that out in front of you that stubborn side in you would come out and you would dig your heels in and prove me wrong  Hehehe! I'm glad I was right and you DID do it, and with gusto :buds:


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I just figured that if Cyndi was threatening the switch, she probably had a very good reason. 

Forerunner, I am super proud of you.
You could have been spinning yarn a long time ago, but whatever. 
I never doubted your ability for a moment. :angel:


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Aw, shucks, ya'll......

*kicks toe in dirt and stuff*

You just wait 'til I get in the mood.

There won't be enough wool to, well....... I might just get obsessed with it. 

That's all. :ashamed:






















:grin:


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

The sweater is amazing!

Paul named my weeping willow "Cyndi's Whomping Willow" when we first planted it. The tree even has a soft 'bracelet' with that engraved into it. It has never been used to switch anyone .... hmmm .... except one time when the children were honestly curious about how much it would sting. Its branches have been used to make beautiful crowns. My granddaughter has renamed it the "Princess Tree".


Oh, and FR & I aren't related by blood. He's my brother from another mother. We first met in 2005


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Justice would not be served lest Scholtefamily (and several daughters who aspire to be expert fiber enthusiasts in the very near future) be duly thanked for their combined efforts in carding up a respectable pile of Lincoln Longwool fleece on that fateful day......

:grouphug:


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

Congratulations FR for your determination to make a loverly yarn. Once you get to spinning, I wonder if you'll still have time for knitting....  Actually, I'm looking forward to seeing that first sweater that you made from your own sheep, all by your own hands!! Kinda like a sheet to shawl, but a sheep to sweater instead.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Oh, it's comin', trust me. 

I like the creamy gray-brown collage of the fleece I've been working with.

Of course, my ram and his auburn-tipped jet-blackness is going to be positively sinful. 


















:heh:


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

YEEHAW - FR's spinning! I knew it was only a matter of time... before we know it, he'll be knitting with his handspun, using a pattern eep:  :runforhills:



MullersLaneFarm said:


> ... spun worsted about baby weight, bloomed to a wonderful bulky weight.


Cyndi - how did this happen? Was it the type of wool? The way you spun it? I knew yarn could 'bloom', but yikes - that's a huge difference in weight!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

PKBoo said:


> Cyndi - how did this happen? Was it the type of wool? The way you spun it? I knew yarn could 'bloom', but yikes - that's a huge difference in weight!



This is a question I have as well. 
I have heard it said a few times in this forum that yarns change weight based on 'bloom' and I dont see how. :shrug:

Granted, I am very bad at using a WPI (wraps per inch) gauge.
It just seems like you cant really make a yarn 'thicker' that way.
I just dont get it I guess.

I have experienced the blossoming of yarns, sure. 
But does that mean when you wrap the yarn on the gauge you are only supposed to put them 
as close together as the very outer edge of the fuzziness?

I have had better success 'guessing' my yarn weight by the weight of the skein and yardage together. 
Plus how it 'feels'. You know what I mean.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

The wool was a longwool, carded, then spun supported long draw with very few twists per inch.

I don't thwack my yarn, but when washing after spinning, I'm not too gentle with it. I spin the skein around a few times (outside) to remove excess water, which also seems to even out the twist.

Let it dry and it's like corn growing on a hot & muggy day ... if you're patient, you can watch it bloom (yarn)/grow (corn).


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Speaking of corn and stuff.......did Cyndi and Paul get rain tonight ? :huh:


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

I don't know about Cyndi and Paul, but we got hit with 2.7 inches of rain and that doesn't include the hail!! It came down in bucket loads. Some of the corn around here is either shreaded or down flat. Most is going to pull through, but some is history. So much for a 20% chance of rain!!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Yeah.......:huh:

It's those silly little 20% chances that get _us_ every time.

Now those 30/40 even 50% of late have amounted to a countable number of drops per square foot.

Me an' the boys just spent the morning weeding, mulching and watering the quarter acre west of the drive. Gunna have us some melons, eggplant, sweet corn, jalapenos and maters if it kills us. :grit:

Now the east garden, our oldest.....was planted earlier.....and is 2-3 feet of compost, and you can't tell by looking at it that there is a drought going on. :huh:


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

We didn't get near that amount. No hail and maybe a bit over an inch here from Fri morning, Fri evening and this morning. I may just have to mow the front yard for the first time in 7 weeks now!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I would be willing to mow the lawn. 
The wilty walnut trees are starting to get on my nerves here.
They are throwing off their nuts too.
First time I have seen that in 7 years here.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Sounds like our 2005 drought.

.....which may yet turn into our 2012 drought.

Washing fleeces sure makes a good source of irrigation water.

Incidentally, I frogged the second sweater that I ever made, yesterday.
It was time......and it was painless.

It's already re-knitting up much softer. :shrug:


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

GAM my walnut trees are throwing off their nuts too. I haven't noticed if they are wilted though. But I sure am sick of stepping on little green walnuts. I'm sure if I ever have to mow again this year I'll have to rake first.

Sure wish we would get some rain soon. It is so hot and crunchy around here. I'm a bit worried with all the fire works too.


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## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

This is starting to look as bad as 1988. And I don't wanna think about that...


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## stef (Sep 14, 2002)

What's with the weird spacing?


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I moved here from NM to leave the bad drought behind.
This is nowhere near what they have there, but it triggers those same feelings for me.

I have spent enough time thinking about drought to last me.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

weever said:


> This is starting to look as bad as 1988. And I don't wanna think about that...



That is my feeling also. The years of '87 & '88 were bad years in our area. I remember to day when the drought broke in '88 ... 08-27-88 ... the day my 2nd child was born. It rained hard all day long that day!

The children's father put in a room AC when his folks came to visit in '87 (when DD was 5 weeks old) and in '88 when he broke his foot a month before DS arrived.

I remember those 2 summers well!!!!

If I remember correctly, the winter of 88-89 was a bad one. Super cold and when it 'warmed up', we had a lot of snow (measured in feet and now inches)


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## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

I'm just extremely glad that the neighbor decided NOT to do his fireworks!! It's so dry around here, I'm afraid that anything that hits the ground will ignite a fire. We're going to head to the river and watch the fireworks there instead this year. 

Not fleece related, but my garlic is pittiful. It's already browning and the cloves are tiny... and hot!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Garlic should be brown by now. I usually harvest garlic mid-June


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