So Disappointing...

I've got lots of things to post about, most of which deserve pictures. Since I don't have any ready, I'll skip those for now and get on with the disappointing stuff. Long ago (a little after Christmas), I wrote about receiving an old spinning wheel for Christmas. I was very excited at the time, and I was actually able to (with the help of a handy hubby) make it spin some reasonably decent yarn. The problem came when my sister-in-law sent me some amazingly inspirational fiber to spin up. It's got lovely colors (for which we'll be needing a picture) and gave me an instant itch to spin it up.

There was other fiber already on the wheel waiting to be dealt with, and since I've only got one bobbin, I had to think on it for a while before finally deciding to wind it into a ball and attempt to ply it. While trying to do a Navajo ply with it, I was quite happy to know that this was just practice fiber that was given to me because of its lack of softness and beauty. Why? Because it made hideous yarn. And, it's not the fiber's fault, I'm sad to admit. I did start to finally get the hang of the Navajo plying technique, but in getting a decent rhythm going, I realized something else. My wheel is warped enough that it spins alright in one direct (the way I spun the yarn in the first place) but badly in the other (the way I need to spin in order to ply). So, I've decided that my wheel will be for the purpose of spinning only in one direction. When it comes to plying, I guess I'll just have to get out the drop spindle. I can handle that, really. I like the thickness I'm able to get from the wheel and the fact that it doesn't tire my arms out as much as with the drop spindle. The plying will be less work, I think (since I've plied with the drop spindle before, and somehow it seemed easier than the initial process of spinning up the fibers to make a single ply).

Still a bit disappointed about all that, but at least I've come up with a solution of sorts. Now, I just need to locate that drop spindle. It fell out of my knitting cabinet the other day while I was reorganizing. I noticed that it slipped under the cabinet and told myself I'd pick it up later (the belly causes procrastination with that sort of thing). Before I got a chance to remember to do so, my husband did it for me. The problem with that is that he can't remember where he put it. Anybody out there giggling with the knitting gods right now (because we know they are)?