Monday, February 6, 2023

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming...

 When I sat down last week and planned my posts for February, I had originally set today to talk about knitting with Handspun yarn.  But, I never got around to winding my handspun into a ball and casting on a project, so I have no idea what I want to say on the subject.  I've only ever knit with my own handspun one other time - a failed scarf project - so I really need to do some knitting with my latest handspun before I try to talk about it.  

What I can talk about is perseverating on Spinning Wheels.  I really want a new one quite badly.  So far I've resisted checking out my cart at several sites, but I don't know how long I will hold out, honestly.  I wish there was a local store to see them before I commit, but from the online ads, I've been drooling over the Ashford Kiwi 3.  


For contrast, the wheel I have now is a Babe Production wheel.



What gave me the most pause is the fact that searching for the amount I paid for the wheel back in 2010, I saw the receipt for the upgrades I purchased at the end of 2021.  I replaced the flyer unit and bought new bobbins, including lace bobbins I haven't even tried using yet.  

The whole reason I was looking at spinning wheels in the first place was that the Erlbacher website wasn't working when I tried pulling it up on my phone so I couldn't see the prices of the circular sock knitting machines I'd originally planned to spend my bonus on when they announced we were getting it last summer.  That would have been the only way I'd be able to justify the splurge.  But when I priced the machine when I was able to get into the site later at night, I came to the conclusion that I'm much better off paying my LYS to use theirs to knit my sock yarn for me.  They have both sizes I would want (64 & 72 stitches) and I would have to pay for more than 79 pairs of socks for the machine to pay for itself!  See, good choice, Shannon.

But, looking at the wooden wheels is giving me serious FOMO.  I also considered getting a better/bigger/stronger e-spinner as the Nano isn't really thrilling me. The biggest problem I have with it is that it's fiddly about taking up the yarn.  The yarn gets overspun.  It works intermittently just fine, and then there are times it's a total hassle. I was looking at the EEW 6, but people are reporting problems with the motors burning out and I don't want to deal with that either.  Commercially produced e-spinners are $900 or more and I can't justify that expense.  And I would probably still feel anxious about the runaway feeling I get because you can't just slow down your treadling like you naturally do when you're struggling on a traditional spinning wheel.  

I think I'm going to set a 1 week deadline on the decision to upgrade, after spending a few hours using my Babe wheel with my lace bobbins.  If I wait too long I won't have money left to get it.  If I buy too quickly I might regret wasting the money.  A week is just the right amount of time.  Plus it's my birthday a week from today, so I will be deciding on a very expensive gift to myself either way.  

In other news, I downloaded the pattern I planned to work next and WOW, am I overwhelmed!  The pattern is Emerald Isle Cable Sweater by Noelle Stiles.  I've never worked crocheted cables before, and this might have been biting off more than I can chew.  I was looking for something a little more complicated, so that I could really dig in and concentrate on what I'm doing.  Well, I'll definitely be paying attention to this one.


Hopefully my Knitpicks order comes this week so that I can start it next week while I'm on vacation.  I will have plenty of time to frog and curse at home as I learn.  

Have you ever bitten off more than you can chew in regards to crafting?  I'd love to hear from you!

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