TheWoolery | Woolen Diversions

Recently, Sarah of the Knitting Sarah blog wrote all about some glorious new tools she had acquired (and I now have major swift envy). The sentiments in that post must have stuck in my head because when I was getting fed up trying to card wool at the last guild needing, and realized that it was so much easier to do on the hand carders the teacher lent me, I caved and bought myself a pair of carders I knew I would like better.

Strauch wool carders from The Woolery. Click for product page.

I had a hard time justifying the purchase at first because they cost more than the pair I already owned — and I already owned a pair. But I bought my first pair on a whim, with no knowledge of what I needed or would like. Now I realize that I needed lighter weight, curved cards for my weak wrists, and a higher density of teeth (112 dpi) for smoother carding of fine fibers. And in about 10 minutes flat, I filled up a shoebox with happy, fluffy rolags that I can’t wait to spin.

Happy rolags! (Distantly related to Bob Ross’s happy trees.)

I’d been avoiding carding wool for months but now that I have tools that I like, it’s a pleasure and not a chore. For my hands, the Strauch wool cards were the way to go. For someone else, the pair I had might work just fine, so I’m putting them up for sale. These carders came from Paradise Fibers and retail for $66.95. They are the regular size (8″ x 3.25″) and they have a 72 dpi cloth, best for medium and longwools. They’re quite well reviewed on the website, they were just too heavy and flat-backed for me. Happy to sell for $50, which includes US shipping (which will likely be around $13 for priority flat-rate at this size/weight), or best offer.

For sale! E-mail alicia@woolendiversions.com with interest.

I will be listing these on Ravelry as well, email alicia at woolendiversions dot com if interested.

Have you had a tool-related ‘aha!’ moment?

You know how frustrating it is when you just can’t find something? You know you had it, but you can’t remember the last time you’ve seen it, and you desperately want it back, but you have no clue where it could possibly be? I admittedly get that feeling a lot, usually for something small that I’ve put in a very obvious place, and the Fiasco prides himself on always being able to find what I’ve lost in about 2 seconds flat. In fact, he put finding-my-lost-things in his wedding vows, that’s how often this situation occurs. But this time, this time… I had lost my brand new favorite project bag, along with a nearly finished knitting project, for EIGHT ENTIRE MONTHS.

It is found, huzzah!

The last time I saw that thing was just after my wedding in July. I had knit up a bunch of lovely jewelry frames as gifts for my even lovelier bridesmaids, and I wanted to make one for myself with the leftover yarn. I searched high and low, on and off, for the last several months to no avail. I even put out a plea on Facebook to see if I perhaps left it in a relative’s car or something… nada. This weekend, the Fiasco decided to do a bunch of laundry and rearrange his closet and this morning, I found a trash bag he had placed near the bed filled with a few things including a purse and the missing project bag! How the heck this project ended up in a trash bag in the depths of his closet for 8 months, I’ll never know, BUT OH BOY, RICHARD, YOU’RE LUCKY YOU’RE CUTE.

It Was Him All Along | Woolen Diversions

Malabrigo Nube, colorway Persia.

In other news, I attended the monthly meeting of the Rhode Island Spinner’s Guild yesterday and learned how to make proper rolags with hand cards. I’d been fumbling along with a half-assed technique I had cobbled together from articles and videos, but it was something else altogether to have some watch me card and correct my form. Which is great, because carding has always been hell on my wrists and I’d suspected I’d been doing it wrong. Part of the problem is likely my super heavy, flat-backed hand cards that I’ve hated since day one. So I caved and ordered a new set of Strauch curved wool cards from The Woolery and am anxiously waiting for them to arrive so I can continue my Malabrigo March spinning project. I’m clearly insane, as I’ve decided to both card rolags and make a 4-ply yarn using longdraw drafting for this project, which has a deadline of the end of the month. But see how thinly the Nube is spinning up? That’s the thinnest I’ve ever spun on a wheel, and the combination of fluffy rolags and rhthymic longdraw is making me happy, so I’m going for it anyway.

So tell me, where is the strangest place you’ve found a previously lost item, and how long did it take you to find it?

(P.S. Please check out the bottom of Friday’s post for details about a Sweet Sheep product survey and giveaway I’m currently running, and thanks to all who have responded so far, you should have received your coupon codes via e-mail over the weekend!)

(P.P.S. This post contains affiliate links to The Woolery, an excellent spinning shop that I am happy to support. If you make a purchase through these links, I will receive a small percentage that goes towards the running of this blog, but all opinions are honest and my own. That said, check out this crazy sale on BFL fiber they’re having… $11 for 8 oz, must resist!)