Batt-y Spinning

Last week we had some chilly, rainy days that were perfect for setting up my Louet carder on the kitchen counter.  I shipped it up here along with a wild assortment of fibers for carding crazy artsy batts.  Well six batts later, it was time to start spinning.
Each summer I get reacquainted with my trusty Ashford Tradional wheel with it's single treadle.  I thought I would miss double treadling since my Dallas wheels are all outfitted as double, but years of spinning my grand Rio Grande wheel stands me in good stead with the Traddy.  I put on the jumbo flyer and began spinning two purple-ish artsy batts.  What fun!

 Now I am waiting for some shimmery Sulky rayon thread I ordered from a little shop on Etsy to ply this whimsically  crazy yarn.

I'm hoping that thread shows up at my door this morning.  I will have two big skeins of purple/pink/ you-name-it art yarn!
P.S. Oh, and can you see my shiny new cup holder on my wheel?  I love FBN Plastics on Etsy.

Back in the Blogasphere, Finally

I have seriously neglected this space.  I love blogging, so I am at a loss as to why I have avoided writing and posting here.  I have had an exciting and full spring with lots of fiber fun, family and some travel.

Two weeks ago I flew to Baltimore for the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, which is purported to be the largest of it's kind in the country.  What a blast!  Hard to see the whole thing in a day.  I went with two fiber friends so it was a party.  I loved seeing Lexi Boerger of Pluckyfluff fame.  She was there selling the new Majacraft wheel, Aura, and just generally being here warm, welcoming self.

The Aura

One of these came to my house in March.  What a wheel.   I love all the possibilities for art yarn.

the RoadBug

Sunday, my friend, Terri, and I were sorely tempted by the Merlintree RoadBug spinning wheel.  Such a cute, functional, truly portable wheel, that will truly fit in the overhead bin of an airplane.  I am now lurking in their Ravelry group.  I mean, I had to walk away for a minute, or I would have handed the man my credit card and run with my new little wheel.  But, since I have a gorgeous new Aura wheel,  I don't think I can justify it right now.   Maybe next month!  I am so bad.  You can get it with a colored wheel; pink, purple or teal.

Back here at home, I have been dyeing scads of roving to have in my inventory this summer along with mohair locks, mulberry silk, Firestar.  I have introduced Art Yarn Spinning-with-locks kits to the shop.  These have been a hit.  I love spinning art yarns so it seemed natural to share the fun.

Tide Pool Art Yarn Spinning-with-locks Kit

I also am carding art batts with new ease on my Big Tom electric carder.   Friend Mary enabled this acquisition by saying I was going to have shoulder problems with my manual carders.  Well, we can't have that!  So I sold my Fancy Kitty carder to friend Terri.  Saved her having to buy one off of Ravelry.

The Blues Artsy Batt

Toast and Marmalade Artsy Batt

The Louet Classic carder is packed up to ship to my summer address so I can feed my fiber frenzies while I am there.  An Ashford Traditional wheel already lives there along with a bulky flyer for art yarns.  I am set.

Writing again feels good.  Now I need to get that sketching journal cranked up again.  The fun never ends.  Life is good.