There has been a lot of spinning lately. I spun enough that I actually bought more fiber when there was a sale on CMF.
A lot of the recent spinning has been three-ply. Overall this makes for a much nicer yarn, but since it is from my standard size single, it is a fatter yarn.
Recently I listed all my current projects and was embarrassed by my inability to focus. There are more than 10.
I have all this great yarn and a bunch of ideas how it could be used, but I cannot keep up. So I am considering buying a loom. I was able to try the Schacht Cricket at the Oakland Fiber Festival, it was horrible. It is one of the cheapest options for RH looms, but that is because you would be better off beating yourself with a hammer than weaving with it. (In my opinion, obviously, those of you who are Cricket lovers, well, suit yourselves.) I also tried a tabletop something with 4 levers (apparently called harnesses). Which was vastly superior in terms of action and ergonomics. Having read some reviews, I believe not all RH looms are as obnoxious as the Cricket. Which is important as soon as you upgrade from RH to tabletop, you are looking at prices 3 to 4 times higher. I looked to see which stores might carry looms near me and the answer is, “Don’t you want to move to Minnesota?” I know they are expensive, but you might think stores would catch on just a bit. The stores around here did not get spinning supplies until I had had my wheel for more than a year. You would think yarn stores would want to sell at least the Ashford Knitters Loom.
I also considered taking a weaving class at the Richmond Art Center. It costs $225 for 9 3-hour classes, allows extensive open studio time, and says at the top all classes share a single loom for demonstration purposes. I plan to visit the RAC at some point and investigate. If they have looms that are assigned to each student for the term and everyone works on their own projects, then it could really be a good experience. If it really is that all classes share a single loom and there is lecture and demonstration, but no hands-on time, it would be a complete waste of money.
I had almost settled on a LeClerc Bergere RH loom, but only 3 places sell it. Any other kind of loom has a ton of places selling it. All the other RH looms have a number of vendors, and all the other LeClerc looms have a number of vendors, only this one is unpopular. No idea if that means there is something really wrong with it, but it is a much better product for a similar price to the Ashford Knitters Loom. I should call the Yarn Barn KS people and ask them why it is not available on their website.
So far my loom buying has been to set up a feed for Craigslist. There have been some real bargains but only on things that cannot fit into my apartment.
Taking pictures of all the things going on is on my list of things to do. It feels like I could set up an automatic post with one item per day because I am that far behind on my photography. I would apologize, but I would not mean it.
UndyedYarnpire's Fiber Opera 