Succumbing to Obsession

I hate the three words, "Some assembly required'. It brings to mind frustrating hours spent with furniture with weird names and pieces that never quite fit together. Therefore, it was with some trepidation that I cut open the box containing my new Ladybug and took out the instruction booklet. Turns out, my premonitions of dread were unwarranted and, in fact, the half hour spent with my screwdriver and wrench taught me a lot about how the machine works. As suggested, I placed a padded covering over our coffee table and placed the wheel onto it for the assembly process.

I practised treadling for a few minutes. Then, I pulled out the alpaca/wool blend in a sort of ugly pink and grey that I'd bought just for practice. (Yes, my American readers, in Canada the noun is spelled with a "c" while the verb takes an "s".) I attached a leader and in shockingly little time I was actually spinning! It's a little different from spindle spinning. I feel I have more control with the latter, at least for now, but the speed of the wheel is so addictive. Dangerously so! By dinner time, I'd spun the entire 100g.

 

Today, I ought to be doing other things, but instead I've spent a huge chunk of time spinning up some dyed merino from Fleece Artist. Much more difficult than the alpaca due to a certain amount of compression and matting in the fleece. I read this article from Knitty about what to do, then split the roving down the middle and fluffed it out horizontally. Much better. 

 

Yeah, I know my bobbin looks a little uneven and lumpy. More practice needed. Really, I should probably go outside for a walk, or maybe do the dishes, or mow the lawn, or ANYTHING, but I can't seem to make myself stop. 

Tomorrow, on to plying. I may as well get this thing out of my system.