Dream Knitting Bag

On Ravelry, there is a challenge going. The Challenge is to choose your dream knitting bag, and fill it with all the accessories you'd love to have. it is just a fantasy challenge, so you don't need to actually buy anything, just think it up.

So, Searching, I found this:

Which is a Namaste Cali Collection Buddy Notions Case, and retails for $15. I really like the idea of it, and I really love the Pink. The inside walls are magnetized, allowing metallic objects to stay nice and neat inside, and it has an interior divider (removable), to keep things that move separate from the smaller stuff.

I also have a small round felt case that nicely holds the cords and tips for my knitpicks options needles. In my dream knitting bag, it would still be there. it just serves its purpose too well to not keep it.

Of course, all knitters need a good pair of scissors:

And some Yarn Needles, a tape measure, and at least one small cable needle. I like to keep a small crochet hook in my knitting bag too.

I also have been looking at the Debra's Garden Gauge Pendants for quite a while. I love how cute and little and round they are, and I think they'd work as a cool Diz, too, for fiber stuff. I have been wanting a new needle gauge for a while, but keep holding off, and this is the one I really want. probably in any color, but I think I like the red, teal, or lavendar best.

Of course, for me, there is no question that the needles in my knitting bag would all be knitpicks nickel plated Options set. Ideally, I'd have the full set, and have a small arrangement in my knitting bag. in reality, I have a small arrangement, and they are always in my knitting bag.

Of course, stitch markers should be in every knitter's bag. I make my own, and have been given quite a few, but I still found recently I needed to buy a small pack of the cheap plastic ring ones, for some fine lace knitting. The little box they came in is the right size to hold other nicer stitch markers, and I think that would be included in my list of contents.

I don't do Row counters for the most part. I might include, though, some row markers with the stitch markers.

For the bag itself... well, My readers will have seen already my new purse? I think it is already my dream knitting bag, for smaller projects. I can fit 2 small projects in it at once, still leaving space for a diaper (for my Beeba 2), my wallet, and other personal items.

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Reminiscing...

Yup, that's me, the old fogey at all of 27.

No, but really, I was looking at some old photos, and since I was at it, I thought I could put a couple up on the blog. You wanna know more about me, right?

Of course, I knew it! (really, I just like to share, but don't mind that these are just pictures of pictures, and the originals are in the bad kind of album. I can't help it. I'm afraid to remove them for fear of damaging them.)

without further ado, Me at 6 months old:

and at 6 years old:

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The Bug made it home!

That's right, ladies and gentlefolk, My new wheel is here.

The UPS man came to my door yesterday afternoon and brought with him a great big box of loveliness. And I can surely tell you, this will now and always be the only bug ever allowed in my home.

The Box itself is stated as being the best and safest way to ship or pack the wheel, and it is highly recommended that you do not lose or dispose of it. Schacht sells replacement boxes for $25 each. Definitely not the cheapest Box I've ever seen.

When I opened it, I was not surprised at the small amount of padding in the box... but only because of reviews I have read prior to buying. The wheel is in pristine condition, though.

And The cute little mascot is in a very cool spot. It is visible when I am spinning, right between the treadles on the back leg of the wheel.



I started spinning on it right away. well, as soon as Beeba 2 let me. I decided to start off in Scotch tension, since the wheel came set up that way, and its easiest to just leave it that way for now.

I have some lovely batts from The Good Sheep to spin, but I was afraid that the first time spinning with a new wheel I might mess it up, and I really want to do these justice, so I ent stash diving for something small to play with.

Despite knowing that Alpaca can be tricky (especially when it is the first time spinning alpaca) I found some small alpaca batts (lovely soft stuff, but less than an ounce) in my stash and chose that for my practice fiber.



I have to say, the singles aren't perfect, but they are really pretty... and the wheel spins like butter. I haven't measured WPI, but they are pretty fine.


Interestingly enough, with the same effort of treadling, I am spinning as swiftly and finely on the 9:1 ration of the medium whorl as I did on the 13:1 ration on my old wheel. That gives me a lot more space to grow, with 2 whorls faster (4 higher ratios) and 1 whorl lower (3 lower ratios).


I think eventually, I will want additional accessories. I can see myself wanting the new Bulky Flyer and bobbins when they are released, if only for plying. I think I might only buy 1 or 2 of those bobbins, though. I do see myself wanting more regular high speed bobbins down the line, especially if, as I anticipate, I wind up preferring Double drive. I also think that despite mixed reviews, I will be wanting the built in lazy kate eventually. it would be great for storing bobbins and traveling with them, whether it is great for plying from or not.


For those with young kids, I also find this is a breeze to spin on even with some "help" treadling. I have much more control, even if I relinquish control of one treadle to my almost 3 year old big boy.


And I found out today that on this wheel, I can spin with a sleeping baby in lap. I could ot do that with the old wheel. It was too loud and distracting, and the treadle is not at a great angle for me to have her on my lap... she would slide off. The Ladybug treadles are a little higher, making for a more comfortable spinning position overall. I even spun reclined in a chair!

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Waiting... and Sleep Issues

Yes, Waiting... My Ladybug wheel is due to arrive home today. Knowing UPS, it probably won't get here till late afternoon, but it doesn't stop me from being all antsy about it... I just can't be patient, this close to it being here.

And the DH is completely "fibered out" he doesn't want to hear anything fiber related... at all. Oh well.

On other fronts, we are shifting out of co-sleeping mode. For many reasons, we choose to co-sleep with our children when they are infants. they sleep better, we sleep better, and we feel it protects them. I know it does, because I have seen both my children stop breathing at night, and a light breath from me immediately gets them going again. For that reason alone I will never put a newborn in a crib.

But, as they get older, well.... we moved Beeba 1 to a twin mattress on the floor at about 1 year. it took 2-3 weeks, and he was fine. within 2 months, he slept through the night. We moved him because he was kicking us at night too much, and I was having terrible back pains.

Beeba 2 is not a year yet, but we are also working slightly differently with her. She has recently gotten into standing in the middle of the night and dive-bombing herself to sleep on us. and them sleeping anyway she falls. That isn't comfortable for us (I wound up sleeping halfway in her sidecar-ed crib multiple times), and we don't feel its safe for her, especially with the winter blankets still on the bed.

So, we are trying something new. we didn't move the crib, it is still right next to the bed. But we put the 4th side up. after a reasonable nursing session (which ends when she starts crawling on me), I put her in her crib, complete with a couple little animals (they are small, and though stuffed are not super soft, so not a hazard as far as I can see) and she must rest.

I am less than 6 inches from her right now. I can stick my hands into the crib through the bars and hold her hand, or rub her belly.

Right now, she is getting mad about it though. she cries, but not the, "I'm hurt" or "I'm scared" cries, its the, "I'm not getting my way" cry. Yes, at almost 11 months old, she most certainly has a very distinct sound to this particular cry.

Saturday was the first night. I think neither of us slept much. at 2 or 3 in the morning, after she had slept some in the crib, I was too tired to keep fighting. she came into the bed with me.

Last night, at 2-3 am again, she came into the bed.

But, we are making progress. It was easier to get her to sleep in the first place last night. and when she does better with going down, I will try to be more consistent with the late night coming into the bed. Eventually, we'll move the crib a few inches away, then a few more... and eventually, though not probably for a few months yet, right into her own room.

And I know we will all sleep better. I know that her brother did not start to take regular naps till after he was in his own bed. and she has started fighting sleep during the day, instead of falling asleep often as she did for so long. Her need for naps was another big push that led us to do this.

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There is a bug comimg to my house...

... a Schacht LadyBug, that is. It was ordered a little while ago, and as I type, it is on its way here. The last update was a departure scan from UPS in New Stanton, PA.

At risk of sounding Unprofessional here, WOOT!

Ok. So why should that be so exciting, you ask? I mean, after all, I do have a spinning wheel i love already... it does make yarn...

But The Ladybug has several features that appeal to my ever questing self. First and formost, Speed! My current beloved wheel has a high Ratio of 13:1. That is, for every 1 time the big wheel turns, the bobbin turns 13 times. (for my irish tensioned, bobbin led wheel) The Ladybug, with the High Speed whorl that is packed inside the box (an add on, not a standard item) has a high ratio of 22:1. What does that mean? It means that I can spin almost twice as fast at the high ratio in long draw, or create much much finer yarns in general.

Another reason I am excited, well, its the Learning, of course. My current wheel is an Irish Tensioned wheel, or Bobbin led. I love it. but there are 2 other types of tensioning (that I know of). The Ladybug has both, Scotch tension, and Double Drive. After reading on various forums and ravelry groups all about both types of tensioning, I have been dying to try them for myself. From what I read, I have a feeling I may enjoy double drive best... but I will hold off on judging till after I try it.

I am also looking forward to the larger treadles, and the fact that this is a double treadle (the foot peddles, yo). My current wheel is a single treadle wheel, and sometimes I feel like I need to hold down the wheel as I treadle like mad to reach speed. with a double treadle wheel, I should have a better balance, less effort required to keep the wheel turning, and more speed. and treadle size? well... I have size 10 feet. I didn't think so at first, but if I spin for a few hours on my wheel, my heel starts to feel bruised. the Ladybug, I am told by another Large-footed friend, resolves that issue completely.

And then there is the noise. My current wheel, though I love it dearly, makes a fair amount of noise. I don't usually mind it (though my poor husband does), but when I want to spin, and my poor Beeba 2 wants to sleep, we have a sore conflict of interests. As the responsible mom, I have relegated my spinning time to when she is not sleeping... which leaves only when her daddy will hold her for me to spin... not much time.

The Ladybug, as I understand it, is nearly silent. I can spin with a sleeping baby on my lap if I choose. Ah, the novelty!

So, it will be here sometime Monday, and you can be sure there will be assembly pics, and spinning pics, promptly on Tuesday. Becasue as we all know, I am just a little bit addicted to blogging. And I can't bear to miss a phot opportunity... maybe, if the wheel comes during naptime, I'll assemble out on the porch... then I'd get some really nice pictures.

For now, a Stock photo will have to do:

Th-Th-That's all Folks!