Mossy Cottage Knits: Rumpelstiltskin's Got Some Mean Competition!

January 18, 2006

Rumpelstiltskin's Got Some Mean Competition!

(Update, 1:31pm PST) Part II is up!)

Today’s posting will take a different approach, Dear Readers, in that it will arrive in two halves. First, I’ll post a picture and a question. Then there will most likely be some intense marvelling at and speculation about the picture (if I know my Dear Readers), and then I will post The Rest of the Story.

Part I, The Picture:

Part I, The Question: Who can tell me (1) who this is, and (2) exactly what about the picture tells you who it is? (Elaine, Bling, and the folks at Ferals on Monday—no fair guessing, since you already know the answer!)

Part II to come once the Mystery Spinner has been identified!

Part II, The Answer: Yes, indeed-a-rooni, that’s The Mysterious K in her telltale red Converse tennies (longtime readers will remember the tennies’ eye-searing debut), not just larking around on a spinning wheel, but actually spinning some cranberry-colored merino roving we had purchased at Weaving Works the day before. The Super Sleuth Award goes to Big Sister—who emailed me the two correct answers within seconds of my posting the entry—followed closely by Nina and Melinda.

Part II, The Rest of the Story: Despite four, almost five years, of my incessantly waving needles and yarn in front of her face, TMK continues to have not a single iota of interest in knitting. Spinning, however, has intrigued her ever since the day three years ago at the Madrona Fiber Arts Winter Retreat when we stumbled across some women from my LYS huddled in a lovely little communal group, spinning with great gusto. TMK was entranced, enthralled, hypnotized. She looked like a cat watching a bird on the other side of a window. If we hadn’t been in public, I suspect she would’ve made that strange staccato, chittery noise cats make when they see something they want desperately but can’t reach.

Fast-forward three years and TMK’s interest in spinning all of a sudden comes to a head and, about three weeks ago, her conversation starts to be littered with words like “treadle,” “roving,” “carding,” “plying” and “niddy noddy.” She seemed to be in the clutches of a weird case of ASF (Acute Spinning Fever) which, however, couldn’t be cured because, hey, guess what?, neither one of us owns a spinning wheel. Badda-bing. So, out of desperation, I asked new friend and new spinner Elaine, if she would come over with her Louet and let TMK take it for a…er…spin. As women are wont to do, we turned it into A Social Event involving spinning, much nattering, brie (without rind!) and crackers for pre-dinner noshing, pizza, salad coffee, soda, some of our famous tofu chocolate pie, and, in the middle of it all, showing Elaine’s partner Bling how to use the PlayStation II so that she wouldn’t clutch her chest and fall dead on the floor from an overdose of fibery yakkity-yak.

So, you’ve seen TMK and her Converse at the spinning wheel. Here, more proof that she was actually drafting and spinning!

The bobbinful of yarn in all of its uber-thick-and-thin glory:

Elaine’s hands as she got ready to ply the yarn for TMK. (Unlike TMK, Elaine does have a head; it just didn't make it into the picture.)

Elaine and TMK triumphantly holding up 15 yards of two-ply handspun.

The skein of yarn all twisted up like a real, grown-up one.

The yarn wound into a ball.

The skein of yarn knit into a swatch by Yours Truly.

However, Dear Readers, don’t go getting all excited about TMK’s future as a master spinner because observe: The Great Spinning Event took place on Sunday. By Monday, TMK had bought a new book on woodworking and was back to talking excitedly about routers, dadoes, joins, chamfers, tenons, mortises… Do you hear “treadle,” “roving,” “carding,” “plying” or “niddy noddy” anywhere? Nor do I. Sigh... My brightly shining vision of her spinning some sock-weight yarn, my dyeing it with coreopsis from our garden, and then knitting her some socks out of it has died an abrupt death.

Despite this, I have to ask, since TMK even went so far as to pick out the wheel she would buy if she took up spinning seriously (and confessed to me that she did spend part of this morning surfing the Web for roving): Does anyone have a used Ashford Kiwi they want to sell? Anyone? You there, in the front row?

(And to all those conspirators out there who are saying to themselves, “I knew Ryan would spin one of these days; I just knew it. It was just a matter of time,” I say, as always, “neener-neener.” I spun nary an inch. Didn’t even sit at the durn thing. Granted, I did pre-draft some of the roving but that was it. No spinning cooties on me, no sirree!)

Everybody please be sure to swing by on Friday. I will have Dulaan photos from Mongolia!!!! (Be sure to bring Kleenex. The photos are happy but they will still pull at those old heartstrings, trust me.)

Posted by Ryan at January 18, 2006 09:53 AM

Comments

Isn't it TMK spinning? It looks like her. Is it the red converse?

Posted by: Nina on January 18, 2006 10:09 AM

I'm sure Nina has the right answer. That must be TMK, based on the fab red shoes.

Posted by: Melinda on January 18, 2006 10:21 AM

Yes -- TMK, and the "shoes are the clues!"

Posted by: MaryB in Richmond on January 18, 2006 10:31 AM

Omigod - red Converse shoes - spinning wheel - yarn - does not compute - does not compute - Dave? - why do you want me to do that, Dave? . . .

Posted by: Patti on January 18, 2006 10:33 AM

Nina called it.

Posted by: jenifleur on January 18, 2006 10:35 AM

Holy Roving, Batman! It's the Marvelous TMK herself--I KNEW she wasn't going to stay an outsider to this fiber mania much longer. I hope she puts her money where her mouth is and decides to join the Knitting Olympics in the spinning category!!! Mary B

Posted by: Mary B in Seattle on January 18, 2006 10:41 AM

TMK! wow. I was going to guess b'c of her hands.. and then the converse tipped the bill over to DING DING DING!!!

this rocks. Is she hooked yet?

Posted by: anj on January 18, 2006 10:45 AM

Well, I'd already read Elaine's post...so I knew. :)

Too cool...she can spin it and you can knit it. What a nice complement of talents. :)

Posted by: Lisa in Oregon on January 18, 2006 10:46 AM

Well, it has to be TMK, not just because of the shoes, but because we can't see her face.

Posted by: Sweet Caroline on January 18, 2006 10:47 AM

It's TMK because of the Frankie paw print on her left leg. I bet that is where Frankie stood while she "helped" and "supervised".

Posted by: Beth on January 18, 2006 11:13 AM

The shoes were the giveaway. How did this come about?

Posted by: Ruth on January 18, 2006 11:13 AM

I totally agree it is TMK both because of the shoes and the lack of face.

Posted by: Mindy on January 18, 2006 11:16 AM

Unless Frankie borrowed TMK's shoes for the day...

Posted by: joan on January 18, 2006 11:43 AM

(1)TMK, (2)red Converse

Posted by: Faith on January 18, 2006 11:45 AM

I'd guess TMK because of the red shoes, too, unless it's my neighbor from college, Sarabeth, who has graduated from pink and orange to red.

Posted by: Carrie on January 18, 2006 11:58 AM

I'm thinking TMK on a Louet S10 single treadle? Based off the red converse, of course.

Posted by: perclexed on January 18, 2006 12:22 PM

I was going to guess TMK because I think I'm beginning to recognize her. If I saw her with a head on I would probably be confused.

But this is a fantastic turn of events. She can enable your yarn habit! And I'll bet she can build a mean spinning wheel too.

Alright TMK, I'll stand in line for a TMK original spinning wheel. Will the first model be the Frankie?

Posted by: Laurie on January 18, 2006 12:50 PM

THAT. IS . FREAKY. That looks EXACTLY -- same colors and everything -- like MY first bobbin of yarn. You remember? It was Sandy's yarn. I'm too tired and harried to go find it in my archives, but I'm tellin' ya. FREAKY.

I'm still so danged excited that your site is remembering me now...it's the little things, ya know?

Posted by: Norma on January 18, 2006 02:40 PM

Ah ha! TMK got the new woodworking book so she can design, and build, her own wheel!!

Spinners everywhere are giggling in glee for their newest convert.

Posted by: Kat on January 18, 2006 02:46 PM

A very late "knew it was TMK cuzzu the red high-tops" vote. Whatever you do or don't do re spinning TMK, don't decide on a wheel yet. Come to a day spinning even at the Northwest Regional Spinning Association (NWRSA). Everyone says "why don't you sit down and try MY wheel." Yowza. If you buy the first one that rings your chimes, you end up having to buy two or three more because you had NO....IDEA....there were so many wunnerful ones out there. Should you take it up seriously, even part-time, you'll be great. I know this.

Posted by: Linda "K" on January 18, 2006 03:00 PM

I think TMK should make herself a wheel. There are lots of plans "out there" on the internet. On Ebay even. I bet it would be a killer wheel too, judging by the other wood goodness that we've seen on the blog.

Posted by: Susan on January 18, 2006 03:26 PM

She's a natural. Seriously. That's some damn fine spinnin'. Mine certainly didn't look like that the first time....

Posted by: Rachael on January 18, 2006 03:41 PM

Like a duck to water - TMK spun some wonderful yarn that evening. How she did it without a face is anyone's guess. I'm thinking it could be an ABC Special Event, or Hallmark mini-series.

Posted by: Elaine on January 18, 2006 03:57 PM

Congradulations TMK! please, please bring TMK and the swatch to ferels. I want to oooh and ahh over them.

Posted by: andrea on January 18, 2006 05:06 PM

I guessed right away but the answer had already been posted. Bwahaha, TMK spinning. Very cool. We expect to hear More About This in the future.

Posted by: CarolineF on January 18, 2006 05:26 PM

hey ryan, i know somebody with an ashford kiwi that is actually thinking of disposing of it! it would be 3rd hand (she got it used, herself) but she's been making noises on ehr blog about sellingit. one problem. she's in new jersey. is that an obstacle? lemme know if you want her blog addy.

and yes, it looks yummy, tmk, good job!

Posted by: minnie on January 18, 2006 06:17 PM

Hey, TMK - I happen to have a little used Louet S-10 sitting around, just like the one you tried out. It's now the proverbial 3rd wheel, consigned to a corner and really only used for its skein winder. If you'd like to borrow it for awhile, just to see if the spinning thing continues to appeal to you, I live really close to you (remember? Up the scary Deliverance dirt road). Lemme know.

Posted by: Melinda on January 19, 2006 12:24 AM

I'm with the ladies above. The rapid spin from spinning to woodwork is a sign. TMK is meant to be a heirloom wheelmaker. The world needs more of them, do you know how long the waiting lists are?

Are you going to Madrona this year?

Posted by: Stephanie on January 19, 2006 05:32 AM

So, when TMK succumbs to the urge to combine woodworking and spinning interests - and she will. oh yes, she will - I've got about 5 different sets of instructions on spinning wheel building (so far) both requiring a lathe and not. I do recommend getting a lathe though. It's FUN! :o)

Posted by: Rachel H on January 19, 2006 05:39 AM

Spinning, woodworking ... sounds like a homemade drop spindle is not out of the question. Perhaps you can rearrange her woodworking books so the stuff on turned wood is prominently displayed?

Posted by: jpt on January 19, 2006 06:26 AM

Melinda: Thanks for your generous offer! I'd like to take you up on it. This is great! I can spend a little more time practicing and make sure spinning is something I'll do more than a couple of times before making the investment. We can figure out logistics via phone. Send me an email with your phone number and I'll give you a call. TMK

Posted by: The Mysterious K on January 19, 2006 09:06 AM

I actually just saw a KR post where someone mentioned wanting to get rid of her Kiwi. Don't know where she is, but you could certainly e-mail her. It's by Spindyrella in this thread:
http://knittersreview.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=50176

Posted by: Amie on January 19, 2006 10:28 AM

Bummer dude! I had a Kiwi that I resold just a couple of months ago. However, if she gets a jones, let me know - I have three wheels and a charkha and you both are welcome to try them out.

Posted by: perclexed on January 20, 2006 12:45 PM

Posted by: JEALqGabvh on January 27, 2006 05:52 PM