Big wheels keep on turning

When you hang out with fiber folks, they are likely to shed on you. I started meeting with a group of knitters, crocheters, spinners, dyers, weavers. quilters...basically "do all the damn crafts" folks.  And their creative tendencies rubbed off.

My main enabler Lisa (you can check her out her blog at Old Dog, New Tricks), is a menace to the innocent crafter. There I was just trying to knit and crochet and BAM...she introduces me to spinning.  I did try a drop spindle at first. I quickly found out that drop spindles were not my friend.  Pretty soon, I started to look at spinning wheels and came across the Kromski Fantasia.  This little beauty captured my interest and soon a box was being delivered from the Woolery with my newest tenant.

I went with the unfinished one because it was a bit cheaper and I had oodles of stain and varnish already. Finishing it would be no problem.

It really didn't take long to get her put together to test her out.  While she was lovely unfinished and would look great with just a clear stain, she did not yell "I belong to KRAPHTI!""

Sooooo.....I pimped her out....Kraphti style. A few years ago a did a Christmas tree with what I call a Divialicious theme. It's....well instead of describing it, I'll just show you.

 
I knew my wheel was a DIVA and this would mark her as a KRAPHTI wheel for sure.  So I disassembled her, tossed on some Diana Ross (the Diva of Divas) and went to work.

 

I even tossed in some polymer clay work for the orifice hook. 

After a few hours of sanding and painting and dancing....she was ready.  

Meet Diana, the Diva of wheels!

I would add  a youtube video of "I'm Coming Out" by Diana Ross, but I couldn't find a legal one and any others would likely get stripped out anyway.

I am pleased and to this day still love my wheel.  She travels these days and has been to a couple of retreats.  She also likes accessories.

Whoot, a new post. And in less than 2 years to boot.

*peeks head in and waves*

When I said I suck at blogging, it was the 100% truth.  But I am proud that I didn't let a full 2 years go by before making a new post. *pats self on the back as if self deserves accolades*

In the last post, you know the one...not quite 2 years ago, I was going to update you on ALL of my new fiber hobbies.  There's knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving, dyeing and felting. I'm still not doing the raw fiber thing...ick. Just ick,ick, ick....ICK!  And while it is not yarn, I have fallen down the rabbit hole of quilting. Don't ask. Those that know me know sewing is my least favorite activity. And the idea of cutting big pieces of fabric into smaller pieces of fabric only to sew them back into a big piece of fabric held no appeal for me for a long time.  Well things have changed and I am working on my first quilt thanks to some troublesome enabling friends.  I really need fewer creative friends.

 I would say, I'm going to blog consistently, but you all knew there is no truth in that statement.  I will try to get back before the end of the year....hopefully.

Later fiber folks!