Wheel number 69

Had you, didn't I?
For a minute there you did wonder if i had 69 wheels ... just for a minute, no I don't have 69 wheels, but I do have Wheel 69.

But first, a warning, this post contains explicit consumerism which may offend some people, I suggest if the content of the post upsets you knit or spin something useful and calming - like socks and return next weekend when as usual project process details will be discussed.

This post was to be about me waiting for a large box to be delivered, confirmation came it had been sent on Monday, and came from the other end of the island .. some 650 km away. J had a similar box delivered last year and it took over a week - so I was resigned to waiting, waiting, and I had mentally written a blog post about waiting. Technically I've been waiting (and saving) for a little over 6 months, that is how long the waiting list is, but the last few days is always the hardest.
Tuesday I came home to find a large box at the back door. So much for having to sign for it - if I wasn't so excited to have it I'd raise a fuss that the courier left a package that specifically required signing for on my back door - still it was to big to cart away.

The box had 8 or 9 courier tickets on it, it was a big box. But ... you know, adrenaline kicked in and I was able to move it to the lounge. Honestly - we are talking 5:05pm, and Bear and the cubs were due home after art class finished at 5:30, time was in short supply.




I unpicked the stapled and taped top, and saw .... a booklet and lots of little parcels all wrapped old-school style in newsprint.






I carefully unwrapped each of the newspaper wrapped items and found, bobbins (pre tested), a flier, a lazy kate base, and many various little turned and shaped metal and wooden bits. But what was that underneath?




A top, a rimu top ... exciting. At this stage I realised that I couldn't go on ... I had to at least txt Bear to bring home takeaways ... or sort dinner. Texting to say 'sorry I'm busy with a box' seemed so shallow, and some times shallow feels wrong. I'll admit there are times when shallow feels right - but lets not go there now. A quick rummage in the fridge and pantry, produced what might be the quickest dinner in Dunedin, sliced smoked chicken (a tin of fish for Toby), a large pot of water so I could put pasta on to cook, a tub of stir thru pesto, and a lettuce torn into chunks and flung thru the salad spinner with some chopped things. Oh that bit hurt, spinning lettuce when ....


I could have been spinning on Grace, or more formally The Grace. Beautiful, Poppy came home, and noticed the hearts ... she would. I did to.


And out of the box, this is the public side of the Grace.



The Grace is a big wheel, Mike Keeves (her maker) describes her as a Studio wheel. I like that, the hint that I might have a studio. This is a big wheel, Mike made me promise not to take her out in my car. Don't worry Mike, she wouldn't fit, the wheel is 19.5"/50cm across, and there are 5 ratios, from a slow 5.5 to lacy 25.

The cross arms mounted in font of the wheel are an 'on-board skeiner', an attachment that replaces a ninny noddy and is treadle driven.

Mike has thought of everything, there are 3 various orifice attachments, and a cleaner to clear the bobbins when they gunk up, and the skeiner and a cute little clip to guide the yarn into place .. and a cap to hold the bobbin in place when skeining and you take the flier off ... every thing, even down to little tab of Velcro to secure the yarn end when you skein. I might just add one to my ninny noddy. And all those little tools, all store on a little shelf on the top, just under a neat carry handle.
And it has hearts on it - did I mention that, carved hearts?




and maybe the best bit, its the 69th Grace wheel built, and its mine.




In keeping with the wanton consumer theme of this post, there was other mail this week.
The last installment of the Vintage Purls Summer Sock Club 2009 arrived: Daphne. The prettiest pale grey green soft sock yarn ever ... with another exquisite lace sock pattern - these just seem to get better and better. There may or may not have been edible treats ... and if there were they were long gone by the time the photo was made.


Receiving this sock club kit produced a dilemma ... I now had 3 Vintage Purls sock club kits un-knit. Garnet , the last sock in the Winter Warm up club, Theodora the 2nd sock in the Summer sock club .. and now Daphne. Such choice - what to choose.




Garnet won .. I feel like cables (and spinning).
take care
na stella