My very own refurbished spindle spinning wheel!

Squee!!  Guess what I have!

My very own refurbished spindle spinning wheel!

Isn't it cool! It has a few little things that still need a little tweaking, but it's quite nice! 

Here is the before.  My parents found the wheel at a swap meet locally, but it did not have the mother of all, whorl or spindle.  

Loading up the new find from the swap meet.

We looked it up, and it looks like it very well could be a tradition Ashford wheel.  After buying just a few supplies, my dad was awesome and turned a brand new whorl and mother of all.  (The two tall posts that hold the spindle and whorl.)

How pretty did he make those?  I love them!

Newly custom hand turned whorl and mother of all posts...beauties!

We decided to start with a spindle spinning wheel.  It is a great way for us to modify this wheel to get something up and running and I am loving it.

Playing with the new wheel. Excuse the mess....

I am still getting the hang of it a little, but as soon as I jump off this computer, I am carding a bunch of fiber and getting to it!  Can't wait!  Thanks, Dad and Mom!

And I just have to add....this is how we roll.  There are ways to do things outside the box.  I didn't feel I could afford a brand new wheel, but I really wanted to have one.  Initially we were going to make this cute Thrifty Fox spindle wheel from these plans we bought on Etsy, but then happened upon this wheel in need of love.  So here is my little soapbox speech - If you want it bad enough, you make it happen.  It is okay to not have THE in-thing.  What matter is you are trying.  No regrets. Oh yeah, and it also helps to have awesome supportive people in your life. (In this case, the hubby and parents!)  So surround yourself with supportive people as often as you can. (Okay, stepping off the box now...thanks for listening.)

Stay tuned for some yummy yarn from my new toy!

Ash

Bringing the family into the business

When I was first wanting to start this business, I thought about the things we'd love to offer.  But many of the things were either outside our wheel house or wishful thinking that we could even try to accomplish it all.  But when we moved to little San Miguel, we also moved closer to my parents, who are very talented artists as well.  They are also very supportive, and when I asked (or maybe sort of begged) them to get involved, they were willing to learn about the fiber world and jump in!

My dad is quite skilled at turning wood.  And needless to say, that comes in quite handy in the fiber arts world.  My mind was thinking about all the possibilities right away.  Drop spindles, knitting needles, yarn bowls... so many pretty wood accessories to making wonderful projects.  And I spewed all my ideas (and still am) at my dad, who also has a full time job.  But low and behold, the first of the drop spindles were made...

This one may be coming off the sales shelf to live with
me full time...I am in love with how it spins!

Oh the colors!

Then other goodies showed up.... stitch markers, knitting needles (which sold at our table right away), and this crazy gorgeous yarn bowl made of locust wood with turquoise inlays....

The golden wood and turquoise are almost enough to
make my yarn crafting brain explode!

  

And that is some of our handspun yarn in there...more on that later!

And I hear I have other goodies waiting to land in my anxiously awaiting hands....

And then I asked mom about helping with a few things.  First, this is the woman that taught me how to sew, therefore of course I was going to ask her to help with some sewn goodies.  I know she also loves upcycling, the thrill of figuring out a new use for neglected or no longer usable items.  So first she made us some wonderful project bags from denim...

Even equipped with spots for needles or hooks!

And I know what you are thinking.  How do I also get my hands on some hand carved crochet hooks like those pictured in the bag?  Well, turns out my mom is also quite talented with her little pocket knife. 

Yup, she just uses that little knife to make these wonderful little Lance wood hooks with tons of character.  They are super smooth, but have that nice quality that wood brings to yarn crafting where it doesn't make the yarn slide too much like metal or plastic. 

And guess what!?  They are on sale this week!  Just enter the coupon code 'crochethookspecial' and you will get 30% off any hook of your choosing! Click to go to our shop!

I am working on getting some of my mom's weavings.  She is coming around I think....

And soon I hope to have other family members joining in the fun, such as my sister and maybe even one of my cousins.  Because how cool is it to not only have a family so very supportive, but one that is excited to join in the fun?

See you soon!

Ash