Kaiserslautern SnB Group
We met, we ate, we knit. I left Rock and Nugget with Outback Jack’s satellite installers for this meetup (his name is actually Joe and he’s from the UK, but he’s been here for 20+ years and sounds like he’s from Australia or New Zealand). I admit it. I like to watch TV and movies. If we had a PAL version of TiVo, I’d never leave the house. Fortunately, Rock and Nugget don’t care for it, so I usually get the TV and couch to myself. Hey, what about the meetup?
Spurred to meet by one of the organizers of the Kaiserslautern SnB Group, we finally decided on a place and time and met each other. We had lunch at the Hacienda in Einsiedlerhof and brought our knitting. I enjoy knitting with others and it’s not often I get the chance to do this, so if you’re in the area, come and join us. You know you want to :)
The Package
Spindle: Bosworth Mini by Jonathan Bosworth of Journey Wheel from The Bellwether
Whorl: Purpleheart (2 in.) with hand-bent, swan’s-neck, steel hook
Shaft: Birch (6 in. below whorl)
Weight: .77 oz. / 22 gms
A lovely sampler of New Zealand Corriedale for more practice from Mielke’s Fiber Arts, a mini niddy noddy, and a Mini Bosworth spindle (yes, another one). The beautiful spindle is more purple than photographed and much lighter than my Golding — I couldn’t wait to spin some roving. It’s definitely a fast spinner and it hums! The shaft finish is too smooth for my hands, so I need to make it a bit more grippy. I love watching this spindle go when I ply with a thigh-roll and so do the cats. I haven’t tried lace with it, but it’s perfect for fingering or sock-weight. Its mini-size is great for packing in your handbag.
What’s the plan for all this? Socks and flowers for Nugget. She’ll dig it.
The Mini was a joy to spin but … I got tired of the interruptions. Nothing to do with Rock or Nugget. I got tired of constantly having to spin the spindle. Now I understand why so many go from spindle to wheel. Isn’t that the path I wanted to avoid?
Q&A
Belinda asked:
The thing I have the most trouble with is trying to accurately guesstimate the yardage per gram.
I’m trying to figure this out as well. Do spinners split and weigh their roving before spinning? Do they use one of those yarn meters after spinning a single? I can’t imagine a “go with the flow” kind of technique, but I bet there’s a spinning book out there that explains all this in greater detail. I’ll have to go hunt down a good resource and add that baby to the library!
Knitting Thoughts
What’s left to do with Greta? A right front, a bit of blocking, a seaming, and some smart buttons. Hopefully I get to wear her next week.
Lately, I’ve thought about what to knit after I finish Greta. For me, knitting is more than therapy, it’s personal. So, I decided to knit items that are meaningful only to me. Be forewarned. There won’t be anything extraordinary, nothing that generates “shock and awe.” Just knitting.
Have a great weekend :)
