Socially Distant

I know I haven't updated anything here in a looooong time.  I'm just not that great at maintaining a blog. I'm even worse about it than listing inventory in my online shop.

That said, I wanted to provide an update on how the spring here at the Ugly Room is shaping up.

I have nothing but time as I stay home with the kids, at least until they get back to school. So I'm now working on getting my stock photographed and listed, depriving the kids of their cherished computer time. As the weather allows for drying, I'm managing to get some new things dyed as well. I just finished up five pounds of rambouillet top, if you're looking for some new fine wool to spin. I'm starting to get the lathe back up and running as well, now the basement is thawing out.

I'm now operating on the assumption that Mutton & Mead isn't happening this year. They haven't called it yet, but I just don't see them going forward with it. I'm going to miss seeing everyone that comes out. It's a fun show to watch, it has great energy, and I love the yarny projects that everyone brings to show off.

Based on that assumption, I've decided to remove all shipping costs (to the US - email or message me from Zibbet if you're international) from my Zibbet store. It'll cost you only what it would cost if you were at the faire in-person.

I'm also working on setting up custom listings for drop spindles and batts. I'm setting the listings for a $1 reserve and will contact you with anticipated shipping times. I'll email you with pictures for your approval before I request final payment. Again, being home right now, turnaround times should be pretty quick.

As always, do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or just want to share pictures of your projects. Stay safe, tell someone you love them. I'll see you on the flip side of this mess.

Cyber Monday

I managed to get just about everything left over from the faire listed (hooray!).  I do still have a few batts and scarves to get photoed and posted, but feel free to nudge me if there's something in either of those categories that you're particularly interested in.

In the meantime, I would like to offer anyone reading this a Cyber Monday week discount:  free shipping.  Use the code "CYBERMONDAY" at checkout.  My shop is linked, but in case you want to get there yourself, it's at www.zibbet.com/theuglyroom.

Without you...

... I wouldn't be able to go to the faires and share my craft.  So another big, huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone that stopped by Mischief & Mirth at this year's Connecticut Renaissance Faire.  And especially to anyone that purchased anything from us.

I was fortunate enough to be there three out of the four weekends, bringing my two antique wheels and a bunch of drop spindles, and got to demonstrate some spinning.  I showed a ton of people how it works; some even wanted to work on it themselves (remember: "pinch, pull, slide!").  I taught my not-quite 7 year-old and a 9 year old how to spin on Belle.  I hate history, but was satisfied in my ability to describe the history of spinning, even if dates were sort of generalized.

Our next planned show (me and the leatherworkers) is the spring CT Faire, and then Mutton & Mead.   I believe the leatherworkers are planning to be at the Fetish Flea again this year, among others.  Due to scheduling, we're taking a break from Arisia this year (boo).

In the meantime, next week I'm hoping to start getting things back up into my store in time for holiday needs.  If there's anything you don't see but would like, please feel free to email me, contact me through Zibbet, or pm me on Ravelry.

Thanks again to everyone that came and supported us!  We love you!

I can stop anytime I want to

After finding Belle, and bringing her to Mutton & Mead, we've been planning on my bringing her down to the fall Connecticut Ren Faire to do some demos.  They've given us a bit of extra space, so I can set something up.  In the meantime, I've been looking for good pictures depicting the history of spinning, as well as reading up on some of the high points.  My plan has been to bring some raw wool, washed wool, my hand cards, and Belle.  I've also always wanted a more period-friendly flyer wheel, as my Spinolution and HeavenlyHandspinning wheels are too modern for a faire, and it would be nice to show the progression to the more modern wheel technology.

I watch Ravelry, and Craigslist, and even Ebay.  Most days checking in, to see if there's anything good.  Imagine my delight when someone on Rav posted she had been fostering Homeless Puppy #1 and was looking for a home.  For free.  And she's only about an hour and a half away from me!

So, meet Hermione.

We're not sure where/when she's from, but best guess puts her at about 200 years old.  She has a maker's mark, "C.C", but no luck yet in finding to whom it belongs.

She looks similar to a Nova Scotian wheel someone else posted on their blog.  That one had a different mark, made by someone named McDonald, but in the same time frame.  So right now, my guess is that she could be from Nova Scotia, about 200 years ago.  But no real idea yet.

I've got her up and spinning happily.  I've managed a good two or three ounces of art batt this weekend.  You'll notice the flyer bearing has been replaced.  After throwing the driveband repeatedly, I swapped out the suede lace for some braided raffia.  It's stiffer, so holds the flyer at a better angle.  She's repeated the band-throwing a couple of times, and increasing the tension has helped.  Once the cotton band reaches its maximum stretch, it should be good and stable for a while.

So she's coming to the CT Faire with me this weekend.  Stop by and say hi if you're there!

Belle

I have purchased my first ever antique.  It's very exciting.  I kept it in check - I wasn't bouncing all over the place being obnoxious; that's just not how I roll.  But I don't think the seller was expecting an actual spinner to buy his spinning wheel, especially intending to actually spin with it.  He was impressed when I showed him where Sleeping Beauty pricked her finger.

It started a few weeks ago, when I started looking into some of the history behind wool processing.  I want to be able to talk about how yarn was made and used in the middle ages (being the primary time frame of the ren faires I go to).  My "research" (yeah, just googling stuff.  Nothing too fancy.  I hate history) suggested that drop spindles have been around forever, and sometime in the middle ages, the great wheel came about.

Hmn.  A great wheel.  I see those on Craigslist all the time!  Off to Craigslist I went.  And then more googling on what the missing pieces could be, and how to make them.  And then I was hooked on the idea.  Bringing a big-ass spinning wheel to faire?  I can only imagine it'll draw a decent crowd.  I'm still working on being able to talk about the pertinent history (yes, I know, I need to pick up a couple of actual books if I want to be fluent in it), but would love to be able to share one of my passions with a large group of people.

I went to CTRF a couple of weeks ago without one.  I had contacted someone on Craigslist, but the wheel had sold.  It's probably for the better because, even though it was cheap, it was missing pertinent parts (like a spindle) and I didn't have time that week to make replacements.  When I got back, I just kept checking everyday.

And then it appeared, Wednesday afternoon.  A listing about an hour away.  The pics showed a confusing setup.  But what was clear was that all the important parts were there:  a wheel, a table, a spindle (albeit, tucked up next to the wheel, in the hole on the axle where the cotter pin goes to hole the wheel on), and a complete miner's head.  I sent the email off right away.  It was still available.  He could meet me after work on Thursday.  Apparently three others also emailed him after me.  He took it upon himself to wait until I had had first dibs at it, as I had contacted him first.

I came home with a great wheel.  For the record, a 47" wheel fits in my 2009 CR-V.  He was shocked.  Once I got home, I managed to figure out what parts go where.  It's missing a leg, and there is some damage/wear where the back legs meet the body.

But I got it spinning this weekend.  It's not the most pretty yarn as I work on my long draw, but I've got some alpaca roving that falls apart if you look at it cross-eyed, so it's a fairly easy bundle to practice.

I've joined the Spindle Wheels group on Ravelry and they've been a lot of help!  We've been brainstorming possible fixes for the back end.  I'll work on that this weekend so it's good to go for Mutton & Mead.  They've also clued me in to the history of this particular wheel.  It has a maker's mark, "J Bell".  Apparently there's a James Bell from New York who made wheels approximately 1860s or so.

My daughter and I have decided to name her Belle, a play on the maker as well as the princesses, because we all know it wasn't Belle who pricked her finger.

A huge Thank You!

To everyone who came by Mischief & Mirth at the CT Faire at any point in the last three weeks, and especially those who bought any fluffy goodness.  I hope to see your projects, either here or on Ravelry.

Mutton & Mead is coming up next, the weekend of June 20/21.  I'll personally be there at the Mischief & Mirth booth (look for the leather masks and/or fiber goods - you can always tell who the fiber artists are, when they don't even notice the masks) on Saturday the 20th.  It's looking likely that I'll be bringing my new great wheel to do some spinning demos.  Please stop by and say hi if you're there.

I will also be helping out at my son's daycare's table that day (Girls Club of Greenfield), selling frozen "penguins".  These are chocolate-dipped cheesecake on a steeeeeeek and I hear they're amazing.  Make sure you head over there and try one out while you're there.

Ack!

Where am I?  Busy.  That's where I am.

The spring often ends up kind of busy in Pitzapooh-land.  Between getting the house ready for summer, the end of Bug's school year, a dance recital with all of its preparation and ~D off at a couple of LARPs, I often find myself with little time for much else.

This year, my faire-partners and I have been thrust into a last minute three-week run in Connecticut (the Connecticut Robin Hood Faire in North Haven), on top of our usual Mutton & Mead in Turners Falls, MA.  With most of my stock being wiped out at Arisia this year (woo hoo!), I'm busy trying to dye all the things, as well as make some new drop spindles and "Unicorn Farts" (art batts).  I'm not entirely sure yet what my booth-sitting schedule will be, but be sure to stop by the Mischief & Mirth booth and say hi if you're at either of these faires (I'll post an update when I know for sure when I'll be there).

And then, I managed to get a gig doing some test/sample knitting for a big yarn company.  (Shucks, I get paid to knit, and they even provide the yarn!)  While the turnarounds aren't terrible, it still means those projects take priority over other things.

All of this adds up to not doing a whole lot on Master Knitting right now.  But I'm putting my new skills to use with the test knitting, so it's not a complete loss.  And I've been slowly working on the questions during my lunch break, too.

So, I haven't forgotten about this blog.  Just busy doing other things to sit down and type.