Monday 22 March 2010

Shopping Surprise

Shopping with Best Beloved is a rare and unusual event. There is a party on the horizon -a retirement party for one of his colleagues, with a '60s/70's theme. Well, of course, neither of us has anything (that fits) left from those dim and distant days. So shopping we went. I will continue that theme when I can upload some photos. Anyway, just after parking, we passed a charity shop...with this in the window....->


I couldn't believe my eyes. We rushed in, and it really was for sale. There was a small problem- the little thing that joins the treadle bar to the wheel drive was broken. B.B shook his head, and said ' No problem'. So, I quickly paid, and we bore it away. We continued our shopping, and were very successful, both of us getting more or less what we had in mind.
Once home, B.B. did a little magic, and got the wheel working. It is an Ashford traditional spinning wheel, with a leather joint, which is what had broken. All of this was a week ago. Saturday, I went to a meeting of the Somerset Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers, at Hatch Beachamp. This amazing, friendly and knowledgeable group of people, were very quick to offer help and advice. I was shown the details which help to date this wheel to about 1970. Apparently, it is in excellent condition for it's age. I now have to do a service on it, to get it up and running. One of the ladies ( I really can't remember everyone's names -there were about forty people there) showed Jacquie and me how to do a little spinning. Another kindly lent me a 'how to' video.
Back in the late 1970s, I had intended to learn to spin, but I never got around to it. Well, here I am, with a wheel, and lots of help and advice. I may get there in the end.

Lovely Jacquie has fitted me up with an Apple i-pod shuffle. Not only that, she has shown me how to download pod-casts, and how to fill, and change the content of the shuffle. What could be better than knitting? Well, how about Knitting, AND listening to someone talking about knitting! Thanks, Jac!

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