Jenkins

Look what showed up in my mailbox today:

Jenkins Lark

Isn't she pretty?

I had tried a Jenkins spindle at Rhinebeck, but felt as though I could wait and would order one online in the future. And then I came home and found out they're not the most readily available thing online (that whole handmade thing, you know.) Last Thursday I had a pretty rough day and happened upon a shop update. A little bit of retail therapy can be good, so I ordered.

The package came quickly and it was packed with such care! The spindle came with some fiber already attached and a nice little cotton project bag.

I made the whole family watch it spin before they could eat dinner.

I've been doing a fair amount of spinning and knitting. I had started a post about all the hurricane knitting I did (there was quite a bit of casting on that day), but haven't gotten around to pictures. There might be finished objects by the time I get to them! Or, my house might actually get clean. It's never ending - the battle between the cleaning and the crafts!

Which one wins in your house?

Drop Spindling

I've been trying to spin 10-20 minutes a day. Here's my progress so far. (I couldn't get the camera to focus any closer. We need a better camera.)


The spindle is getting heavy, so I think it's almost time to take the yarn off the spindle. I've looked into Andean plying, but I think for my first time plying I'd rather have two separate yarns. I have to decide if I'm going to put the singles on dowels and use a shoe box as a lazy kate, or if I should wind up two balls and use upside-down flower pots to keep the yarns from getting tangled. (I'm leaning towards the flower pots. It's more work, but feels safer.) Any opinions?

I've started a new job. I'm home training 10 hours a week. (I've actually been doing home training work since last summer, but the regular hours and the number of hours a week is new). The new schedule works out really well in terms of child care - I work after school and most days start late enough that my husband can be home. One day a week the kids will go to a neighbor's house. But, it means I miss dinner three nights and two nights I won't even be home to tuck the kids into bed. This is an adjustment, but DH and I have decided that we can handle it for the few months left of school, and it's a less of a big deal during the summer when everyone is home all day anyway. We're hoping it will lead to something better in the fall. And in the meantime, I'm focusing on being thankful to have a job that still allows the kids to do their activities and keep a normal schedule.

AND, the extra income means that I can take Abby Franquemont's Drop Spindling class the Friday before Rhinebeck! I'm super-excited to learn from such a renowned expert! I'm anxiously keeping an eye out for sign-ups to open.

I hope you all have a blessed Holy Week!

Happy knitting!