Favorite Tools

I haven't told y'all about the new niddy noddy I got for Christmas!  It's a multi-size niddy made by David Reed Smith, and available from The Wool Room. 

Here's the exploded view:

If you put it together like this:

you get a one-yard skein.

Add one of the extensions (see exploded view above) and you get a 1 1/2 yard skein:

Add that second extension in and you've got a 2-yard skein (my personal favorite skein size):

Tell me that's not the coolest thing ever.  I dare you. 

I have to stop a minute and sing the praises of niddy noddies.  It takes a little while to get the hang of using them, but they're excellent skein winders.  I use mine all the time.  I have a big honkin' Reeves niddy too that I use for the big skeins and heavy winding.  It's so neat to be able to wind off your handspung, counting as you go, and you know how many yards you have a the end of the skein.  And while the yarn is on the skein, you can easily tie it in four places for washing.  It's an old tool, and when you use one, you're sharing in the history of spinners over the years.

In other news:

I actually have a whole day to myself today.  No dogs to walk, nothing else going on.  So I'm working on a dyepot, using walnut hulls that Lou, another SnB buddy, gave me.  I'm documenting as I go, so look for updates over the next week or so.  My dyepot should be just about ready to receive my skeins of yarn.  The first pot is sort of a proof-of-concept test dyepot, to see if things are going to work like I think they will.
Cross your fingers for me!

And just to show that Panda's not the only dog in the world who looks cute wearing a skein of yarn, here's Jasper:

Read Marnie's blog, if you don't already.  She's spinning some great yarns, designing nifty patterns, and generally having a good time out on the Left Coast.  She's an inspiration!

Comments

[Mouse]

Your dog looks like its saying " Do you believe the crap I put up with to live with this woman??"

What color does walnut hull dye make? It sounds interesting.. I can't wait to see the results! I've still got to figure out what color to dye my first skeins of handspun.. I'm not sure Koolaid is what I had in mind for it.

[marnie]

Awww, Panda and I are both tickled. :)
Jasper, by the way, looks great with silver white tresses. That face is surely screaming for a kiss, or a belly rub or something. I can't decide what.

And as for the "abuse" we heap upon our pups, I'm inclined to think they are plenty spoiled enough to put up with a little yarn on the head. ;)

[Karen]

Jasper looks like Washinton.

Hmmm, didn't Jasper "wear" a lot of yarn in his earlier puppy phase????? What are you teaching him Janice!

You look lovely Jasper. Now Wally will have to some up with something.

Tootles~~

[Karen]

That's WASHINGTON, GEORGE WASHINGTON.

Fingers not working so good - too close to lunch time.

Tootles~

[Beth]

Clearly, my assignment for this week is to discover what shade of "hair" would be most becoming on Pearl or Elvis. :)

[Caroline in NH]

Waiting for the results of the dye experiments... and I agree, that *is* the coolest niddy ever!