The KnitObsessed: Getting my hopes up

It's been quite some time since I have gotten really excited about my birthday. The past few years have been quiet birthdays, mellow and chill, where I didn't really want much of anything except to relax. Is this what we call getting jaded by life? Enter my knitting fixation, which logically lead to a spinning fixation. So this year my head is buzzing with anticipation because I blatantly asked for a spinning wheel, some accessories, and some roving. The request was submitted via email to Mom and Dad, Mr. Rich, and my siblings sometime last week. I received confirmation today that the said wheel (an Ashford Kiwi) will in fact be gifted to moi much to my mother's disappointment that the gift would not be a surprise. It would have been a nice surprise, but I have an agenda and needed to ensure that if I was to receive the wheel that I would have all the neccessary accoutrements available as well as the time.

So here's the plan before I can even start spinning...the wheel that was ordered is unfinished therefore I need time to finish it to my liking along with a Kromski stool I just ordered. So if said gift is received 2 weekends from now, I have one entire week to go to Home Depot to purchase sand paper, wood stain, and finish, apply finishing touches, and assemble the wheel before labor day weekend. So, with that said, the wheel should be ready to go well before labor day weekend, then I can brush up on some spinning reading (orderd from Amazon.com today). I also plan to take a day off from work during Labor Day so that I can hermit myself for four days in my yarn corner and spin my little heart out.

Ze Ashford Kiwi

Ze Kromski Spinning Stool

I am hoping that this situation does'nt complicate the fact that I am working and also starting my first semester as a PhD student in a couple of weeks. I'm sure I'll be able to master the art of spinning and studying simultaneously.

Here's The Plan:
sometime before: hit Home Depot and get sealer, sand paper, stain, and finish. Read up on wood finishing here
8/26: Prepare garage for staining activities.
8/27 : Welcome Ashford Kiwi!
8/28: (evening) stain Kiwi and Kromski Stool 2x
8/29: First class on Fungi and Ecosystems; (after class) finish Kiwi and Kromski Stool)
8/30: First class on Land-Use Modelling Techniques; also should have received roving by now, read up on spinning techniques
8/31: Do homework; assemble Kiwi and stool (whichever comes first)
9/1: Day Off; fumble around trying to learn how to spin, maybe regretting that I embarked on this; rejoice that it's Labor Day Weekend.
9/2: Spin, spin, spin. House Party in the evening.
9/3: Happy Birthday to me! Spin, spin, spin. Neighborhood Crab Feast.
9/4: Labor Day; Spin, spin, spin. Oh and Knit, knit, knit too.

Enough of my giggly raving...On the knitting front, it's socks, socks, and more socks.

Here's what's going on in the sock world.