Friday, November 24, 2017

The Work of Our Hands

First I must report the sad news that Adam's roof repairs did not eliminate of our ceiling leak. This is very discouraging. He did such a thorough job on the eaves that he's now wondering if somehow (inexplicably) the leak is coming from elsewhere in the attic.

I finished the red bird. It's a cardinal, obviously, but this is Red Robin Farm. He looks pretty cute up on his post!
Adam was gifted, amazingly, with a gorgeous, nearly-new lawn tractor (riding mower). We are so grateful and excited, and overwhelmed to have this new machine! He's now building a little trailer to pull behind it. He ordered wheels first.


Philip and Kara are here for Thanksgiving and the weather's been grand.
Adam planned to use pallets for the side walls, but all our old pallets are termite-eaten. For now, it only has a bottom.
I mentioned on my other blog that I scored some lovely alpaca fleece in a swap. I'm now looking for inexpensive ways to process it. I tried some fine-tooth nit combs for combing it.

 


I had fun combing away with them, but in the end their tines are too close together. I need a larger comb. So I went to WalMart and found the comb (above) for 98 cents.
I also need a hackle. It looks like this google image:
 Image result for hackle
Hackles, like all devices connected with spinning, are expensive. However, it's possible to make your own. I bought a handful of 3.5" finish nails at the hardware store.
 We'll drill holes into a long board and embed the nails in them, and seal them with epoxy. This should work fine.
I also need a diz -- a small hand-held device for pulling the fiber through, forming it into a long piece of roving. I enjoyed strolling through the hardware store, searching for something that might suffice. I found this pipe clamp. The holes are 3/16", which is just about right.
I'll get Adam to pound it flat for me.
In the end, I'll get there -- the spinning process. Oh, I forgot to show you what else Adam made me today -- a spindle!
 I wanted a bottom whorl drop spindle. The disc is the "whorl." He did a fine job shaping and sanding that whorl from a block of wood.

Spindles are fun for spinning a small amount of fiber, but in the end it's good to have a spinning wheel. A friend in Massachusetts has offered me her antique spinning wheel ... if we can find a way to get it from there to here. Someday I'll have all the things I need to turn alpaca fleece into yarn. (Sigh) It looks like so much fun on youtube!
That's it from the farm -- roof leaks, hand-built trailer, and spinning wishes.

6 comments:

  1. Wow! I'm always amazed at all the projects you two take on! I know the feeling of having that roof leak. They can drive you nuts. I'm praying that Adam finds the source soon! The gift of a riding mower is awesome and, even without the sides, that trailer will be so useful. I love how you're making your own spinning equipment! The drop spindle looks very nice! What is the cardinal made of? It reminds me of Dori and her outdoor animal creations! :)

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  2. Old house. Leaky house. I so identify. We have aluminum siding, put on by previous owners. The horizontal trim at the roofline wasn't tucked under the shingles in the back of the house and awhile back came crashing down during a spring rain. Rotten wood underneath, needing a completely new roof, and patching as we go. It's a process. :) Bless you for having a clever husband who tries. Me too.

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  3. Sorry about the leaky roof.
    I'm sure Adam will love new machine. : )

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  4. So sorry to hear about the roof leak still happening. I pray that Adam will be able to find the source and able to fix it without too much of a hassle. It is so GOOD that he can do so many different things.

    Enjoy the new mower.

    Lovely 'whorl' he created for you. Enjoy your various spinning wool endeavors.

    Have a wonderful Sunday ~ FlowerLady

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  5. Is your rainy season up-coming? I hope Adam figures out your roof problems soon. Bummer. The new mower will be SO nice! You two are busy do-ers.

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  6. Making your own trailer....I'm impressed. I don't know what to suggest for your roof. I know someone who was nearly driven to distraction trying to trace where a leak was coming from. I think he eventually had to get in a roofer. But the roofer blamed a previous roofer and the saga went on for months.

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