My Ashford Traditional!

I've got an e-mail from Gemini Fibers that my spinning wheel has arrived, and would I like them to ship it to me, or would I come and pick it up? Would you wait for a few days more, and pay for shipping as well, when they are a half hour drive away? Not me! Well, this is Gemini Fibers ( picture below). It's mainly an online store, you can see why. But I like it. Through the right door you come to the office, so that's the wrong door to enter. Well, excuse me, didn't say , DO NOT Enter, did it?! To the left is the one room store room. Same as before, this time the Lady knew me by name, I still don't know hers.

Big sigh! Here it is - my Ashford Traditional from New Zealand! There was a Kiwi Bird on the box.
Thanks to my DS David it's assembled now. He asked to show you the next picture and ask, if he got the cable around the big wheel right. So, did he?

At least I touched it. I carried it outside to take pictures, and then I carried it inside. It's in the living room now (it's more like my fiber room now), looking at me looking at it. I keep respectfully my distance. What am I going to do with it now? Where do I begin??? Oh, and there was a lazy kate as well. "Why lazy kate?" asked David. "Don't know", said I. "What's that for?" asked David. "Don't know", said I.

Well, it's new, it's shiny and has movable pieces. Naturally I've ordered the Lace flyer kit as well. Haven't seen it yet, David is still assembling it. There was a little bag full of Merino Top (said so on the label), with a lace scarf pattern as well. How nice! From that little heap I'm supposed to make enough for a scarf (or handkerchief for that matter)??? I'm sure someone could.

Aaah! But look at this beautiful roving! I'm so in Love with this. It's merino/silk blend in the colores lichen and glacier. It's sooo soft and the darker (lichen) color is my absolute favorite ever! Even better than orange! I want to sleep on it! I want to wind it around me, but wait! I'm supposed to spin this into lace weight yarn or something, so I can knit a shawl. I could wrap myself in it! I'm afraid to spin it. I don't want to mess it up, or loose even a Gram of it. Have to wait until I get better at spinning, but having this before my eyes it spurns me on to get going. Not tonight though! Having the wheel in the house is close enough for now. Maybe tomorrow we'll have a chat, one on one.

Stay tuned for the painted shawl revelation! It's still blocking, hope it will be dry and ready for a photo shoot later today.

Is there an equivalent to Knit Picks for purchasing spinning fiber?

Also, hi to Dina in KC, MO! I guess I'm going to respond to people who can't be reached, because I don't know their e-mail or blog, in my posts from now on. Thanks for your comment, Dina, and you are lucky to have a spinning wheel from your grandfather! Go oil it and have a go at it! I know my great grandmother used to spin, she let me try it once, I can remember that, but after that I never saw her or anybody else in the family spin. There was a time where a spinning wheel in the corner of the living room, was all the rage. My parents had one too. I liked to push the treadle as a child and let the wheel go faster and faster. They had flax hanging on it, for decoration. Wow, the memories!