Progress?

Here is a skein I just finished plying. Yup! I've got a long way to go and a lot to learn. But I am pretty excited that after I plied it, it did not have any twist to the skein when I hung it. It's about 400 yards of fingering/sport weight Romney. It has the usual beginners thick and thin places and is not plied evenly but I am encouraged that there is some softness in it and some stretches that actually look like real yarn. So, in summary...I've got a long ways to go, but I'm on the right road!

BTW, that's not a deformed poodle next to the skein...that is actually a sheep! :o) That is a bath towel which I put over my lap when spinning. Now the thing I can't figure out is when/why/where sheep were a hot item in swim fashion! LOL

I've been in the process of researching types of spinning wheels. I have an Ashford Traditional which I purchased in 1993. Starting in 1995, a serious health condition kept me from spinning and knitting and a lot of other things I enjoy. I was left with chronic headaches and then life took a lot of twists and turns and I am just now getting back to these things that bring me so much joy. I initially learned to spin on a rented Louet. It was very easy to use and I liked it. However, when I went to buy a spinning wheel I was swayed partially by the Louet being kind of ugly and partially by other spinners telling me I would not be able to produce much variety of yarn on a Louet and would out grow it. I was talked into the Traditional and my Aunt Grace gave me the money for it. Well, the Traditional and I have never really bonded. I do okay with it but it always seems to take so much more effort than it did with the Louet. I call it one of my "Holly's Follies"...my Grandma Holly used that term to describe things that she did on an impulse but didn't turn out to be quite what she was thinking! I am now wanting to try some different wheels and you would think that here in northern California I could find some to try, but everyone just seems to carry Ashfords! There is a place in San Francisco that I ahve been waiting for a response from and haven't heard anything yet. A friend on the Christian Artisans list has a Kromski Minstrel for sale and I may check that out this weekend. She lives two hours from me. It's a beautiful wheel but I am concerned because it is double treadle and I have thunder thighs! I don't know if my legs can comfortably use a double treadle machine. I would love to try out a Lendrum but they are nowhere to be found and there main site is pathetic...when you click on the link for dealers it says you are denied access. I can't find a Louet dealer either. I'm feeling pretty frustrated. When I lived in Washington there were several stores to try...but it's a little far to travel to try out a wheel! :o)

So any feedback is much appreciated. I joined the Spin List at yahoo and that has been interesting so far and the gals on the Christian Artisans list are quite knowledgeable and that is helpful too.