Seabreeze Spinners

Photos of newly acquired Franz & Pope Sock Machine originally manufactured in the late 1800’s in Ohio. These are the “before” pictures. My goal is to clean him up and get him knitting. My first task was to remove the partial sock and bathe the entire machine in Ballistol. The “Sportsman’s Oil” “feeds the metal”, lubricates and protects but doesn’t lift paint. I’ve ordered needles from Pat@AngoraValley so I shouldn’t run in to the problems I’m having with the Twombly.

Tropical Twister

In Search Of (ISO) needles for Twombly Sock Machine. Photo below shows dimensions needed. From “heel” (bottom tip) to “butt” (protrusion), 1/2″; overall length needed 1 7/8″. Could actually be a bit longer. Any suggestions?

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I spun this beautiful silver grey Gotland sheep fiber into yarn to create a birthday shrug for my daughter, Jo. The yarn is natural and undyed so it has lovely low lights from the occassional black hair as well as a range of greys.

UPDATE: I added a photo of the birthday girl with her shrug! Happy B Day Jo!

Whether knitting, beading, or weaving when I use a pattern it is important to keep my place. I made an inexpensive “pattern place keeper” from an inexpensive refrigerator calendar.

I bought a magnetic white board calendar from Dollar General. I attached the magnets provided for mounting the calendar on a refrigerator to a ruler. (An opaque ruler would work best but a transparent ruler is what I had.)

I used the magnets provided to attach notes to the calendar to secure the pattern so that it doesn’t move.

I move the “magnetic ruler” along the pattern as I go to keep my place.

A handy idea from the Tropical Twister

I originally planned to use “natural” colored warp but after consideration, I decided to use double stands of thread for the warp. I only had enough natural for 1/2 the warp. I combined yellow & khaki for additional warp stands with additional warp of double brown and others with double orange. The best idea is to change colors while creating the warp. I however, didn’t plan out the color distribution until after I warped the various colors, so I had to address each color individually. As a friend said recently, “I like to do everything the hard and long way”. LOL, I think that’s me too. Today, I began dressing the loom. I completed about half of the warp. More tomorrow…

Tropical Twister

When I was exploring a junk/”antique” barn I drug out a number of chairs before I spotted the small chair and table that I wanted. The owner offered me the other chairs I’d dug out for $5 total if he didn’t have to stack them back. A deal was struck! To the left is one of the chairs that now lives on the deck. Three others have been painted and are ready to “plant”. I originally planned to use wire mesh then the shredded bark and to plant real flowers/bulbs. We’re not up here enough and they wouldn’t be tended, watered and such, so…they’ll be planted with silk flowers.

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We drove up from our tropical paradise to the Great Smoky Mountains and our “tin cabin”. We have a trailer pulled up in a park on the edge of the Smoky Mountains. I knitted the microwave dyed socks on the way up.

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We’ve had a cold snap, in the 40s over night. For those of you in the northern parts, thought I’d let you see how my tomatoes are coming this morning.

Am I mean?

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The SpinOlution Mach 1 Spinning Wheel is SOLD. Two days left on the Clemes & Clemes Drum Carder. The “reserve price” has been met on the carder, so it will be sold. If you are looking for a drum carder, click here for details.

The Louet Kombo 70 (70cm/28 inch) table loom with stand is still for sale. The reserve has not been met. The replacement value around $1000 and the auction right now is at $ 76. Click here to go to auction.

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I’ve just been given a heads up, thank you Jennifer, that Herrschners is having an on-line yarn sale. The yarn is heavily discounted but is apparently available in bags of 6 skeins only. But, if you’re hankering to start a large project, check it out.

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