Rooted in Mississippi

I am going to get some pictures posted tonight if I can keep a connection. There is still no power, phone or potable water at my home. Luckily for me, the contractors were dragging their feet on my old house, because the power and phone were restored there today and we all moved over tonight after work! I am so tired from all the work hours and the stress, but I know that I am one of the few very, very lucky people.

They reported today that 97% of Jackson lost power when hurricane force winds came through on Monday and that has only gone down in 75% as of the last report. They are talking in terms of weeks, not days right now. Ordinarily, people from Jackson would be rushing to the aide of people in Hattiesburg and on the Gulf Coast. This time they can’t. All of out utilities and workers are tied up. This is so crazy and surreal. People are pulling knives on one another at gas stations here in Jackson. I feel so guilty for having so much. I know that sounds funny, but I sitting in an empty house with the A/C on and a tiny TV that gets one channel and a computer/phone access….and that is the absolute lap of luxury right now. I hope and pray that Cynthia is okay.

My husband went over to the mall and they were open. He bought me a spinach pizza. It was my second hot meal since Sunday and tasted so good. I am almost ashamed to admit how easy I have it and how lucky I am.

I will do my best to download and get some photos posted before too long.

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Not a single luxury…like Robinson Cursoe… as primitve as can be…..:-)

We are on a boil water advisory, but with no power, well…you get the picture. Jackson Public Schools will be closed until after Labor Day.

If you are wondering how I made this post, it is because I worked through the hurricane until 7 PM and reported back at 7 AM. It will be some time before power and phone are restored at my house, or so I hear. I have not seen my other house in Ridgeland, the one that is going on the market soon. At least we are all alive and well.

I am most worried about Cyn and her family, they were right in the path of the eye of the storm. I am just hoping that they can’t get through for the same reasons that I can’t get through. I sure wish she had come up here to ride out the storm. I won’t be settled until I hear from her.

I promise to have photos soon if I can.

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Lisa came over to try needlework stands for EGA National Seminar and she decided on the Rocky Giraffe. I have it by the stairs and I plan to pack it in my car for her before we head out next Saturday. We also went through what we needed for classes and I gave her some ideas about what I take with me…in the infamous purple tackle box. I never even placed a single stitch on to my name tag today. I was going nuts running around the studio trying to find my CQ name tag holder for the regular seminar and I never found it. Now there’s a surprise. NOT.

Anyway, then I brought her downstairs to show her all of my fiber and spindles and what I had on the wheel. She was very impressed with my spindle collection and the fiber I have amassed. LOL We are thinking of trying to go up to a fiber farm north of Atlanta while we are over there. I am really looking forward to the trip. I just can’t wait until I can get her as addicted to fiber as I am!

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I am doing just fine on the wheel.

I did not get much spinning done tonight, but I just decided to post anyway. I am spinning some more of Kae’s blue and green Falkland, but I plan to start some in a new colorway for my partner in the Wrist Distaff Exchange on Spindlers. I need to find my Spinner’s Choice Deep Cup Spindle…the last time I used it was when I plied the fine yarn last week. I thought it was upstairs between my swift and my ball winder, but it wasn’t. The maid came yesterday, so it could be any where. Sometimes I think she just moves things around so we know she was here.

Anyway, I can’t do so much as check my email at work, so my computer time is really cutting into my crafting time. Lisa is coming over this weekend so that she can try out embroidery stands. Just over a week until we leave for Atlanta. I am so excited. I really better find some time to finish my name tag!

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Well, since Delia asked I thought I should let everyone know, I am getting more comfortable with the wheel. I watched the “Spinning and Weaving the Ashford Way” video and figured out why I was having trouble with the wheel. The wheel was out of whack, the e-clip was missing, and the wheel was way out of alignment. I went to Ace Hardware and got an e-clip and got my allen wrench to tighten up the frame. Then I adjusted the screws on the mother of all and aligned the wheel with the pulleys.

Needless to say, it was spinning much better after all of that. I have an almost full spindle of Muppet Guts. I am debating filling another one and trying regular plying or try Navajo plying! LOL

I really need to get back to working on my name tag for EGA National Seminar. I am so excited that it is less than two weeks away. Lisa is planning to come over this weekend to try out some of my portable frames, because she needs one for her class. I have not even gotten my supplies together! Talk about procrastination. Ugh.

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First, here is the wool I dyed with Wilton’s Black and spun on my tiny little spindle. I am thinking I might use this for a beaded wrist distaff, but I am not sure. It is very soft and very pretty…and very, very fine.

I took a photo of the three spindles I used today…the Briar Rose Spindle, the Deep Cup Spindle from Spinner’s Choice and my Bubinga Quantum Spindle. That is Summer Sherbert (dyed with Wilton’s orange and burgundy) on the Quantum. It is on the swift drying right now and I will post a photo tomorrow.

But here is what I actually spent most of the day doing…

Yes, that is Kae’s infamous “Muppet Guts” on a borrowed Ashford Traditional Double Drive wheel. I think I am getting it all figured out, but I just don’t think I will be giving up my spindles any time soon. To be honest, after a few hours, my back was aching. I did not have a flesh and blood person to show me, but I did have a copy of “Spinning Wool – Basics and Beyond” video. It is very different from spindling. I am not in a place where I can just enjoy the rhythm of the spinning wheel, but I plan to apply myself for at least a week to see if I can be as comfortable with it as I am with a spindle.

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I am really enjoying using this ultra tiny spindle. The yarn is so fine, I would hate to knit it, but it really is very pretty. And spinning this thin on that tiny little spindle is absolutely addictive. Way to go Jeanne…now I want one with a notch!

This is the picture I promised of the Falkland from Kae that I spun and plied yesterday…the skein and a good close-up, using a quarter for perspective.

This picture is of the Briar Rose Spindle and my wrist distaff, all loaded and ready to pick back up again. Again, I added the quarter for perspective.

Sometimes it is really hard for me to realize I had one informal less than three months ago. I have really taken to the drip spindle and the whole spinning experience. I truly enjoy the process. I would never have guessed how much I would enjoy spinning with a drop spindle, but I take one with me everywhere.

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I learned a valuable lesson last night…it turned out okay, but I had a near disaster with some yarn I had just washed. Here’s the lesson, when you wind fine yarn off a spindle, wind it onto a swift or chair back, so that it is all neat BEFORE you wash it. I guess I have just been lucky in the past. The beautiful periwinkle/purple yarn spun from some of Kae’s hand-dyed wool roving was almost a loss and it surely was a mess. I was able to get it all unknotted and wound onto the swift to dry overnight….but I was really suffering last night around 10:00 PM.

Here is a photo of it all set and neatly wound into a pretty skein. I used the quarter for perspective.

I plied and wound and am currently washing/setting the twist on the even thinner blue/green Falkland from Kae, that I spun on the tiny little Briar Rose and plied on the Deep Cup Spinner’s Choice spindle. I’ll post a picture tomorrow. I have to say it was harder to keep the wound ball under control when the yarn was so thin. I’ll post a photo tomorrow.

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Okay, I am repeating myself here, but I just can’t get over how tiny and perfect this little spindle is. After all that whining, I have spun the absolutely finest yarn on this thing, it really is more like wool thread. I’ll post another photo with a coin for perspective after I have plied it. I really have enjoyed spinning this, but I am not sure how exactly I will use it, maybe for another beaded wrist distaff!

I also said I wasn’t buying anymore wool, but I am in love with Falkland and saw some in a colorway I just could not resist. I’ll post a picture when it arrives.

The addiction is strong with this one.

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What Kind of Dog Are You?

There is just no way…I saw this, did it and the result told me I was a Dachshund! Now considering how I feel about my canine children, that makes complete sense. I *really* am their mother, the quiz even told me so!

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