Necessity and Invention

I'm sure you've heard the expression "necessity is the mother of invention" right? Well, this week I experienced both. 

I decided to make something in the most scientific way (not even close). I started with a cardboard box I had to wrestle away from my cats. They were trying to jump in it as I was taking it.

I also used some very old aluminum knitting needles that I never use anymore. (Why are these still in my house?) 

Here it is about halfway through. Any ideas yet? 

Very hopeful! I think it will work.

See, what I didn't tell you and probably should have, is about my new tool. 

I've been thinking for some time about an electronic spinning wheel or e-spinner. Not for any reason other than I like to sit with my feet up either in bed (my favorite snuggly spot) or on our couch which reclines. Especially in the winter when our floor is cold, I find myself not spinning much at all and I miss it so much! So I started doing some looking around and found some very nice but spendy e-spinners. That slowed me down quite a bit, imagining trying to save up for one for ages. Well, then my husband mentioned that he would like to get me a "really nice" birthday gift to make up for the lean years when I barely got any gifts. He mentioned jewelry which, don't get me wrong, I love jewelry but I don't need anything too fancy. I still have nightmares about losing my wedding ring! Just about that time I found a reasonably priced e-spinner that seemed like it would be perfect. 

With a little persuasion (and ordering it myself) I ended up with a lovely new tool for my fiber crafting.

Isn't she beautiful? This is the Heavenly Handspinning Vespera with the hand control. 

Well, to keep the cost down and also thinking I could make something else work, I decided to order just the spinner and not the lazy Kate. The trouble was, once the e-spinner arrived I realized just how big the bobbins are and just how much they would not fit on my Schacht Lazy Kate. 

So I resolved to work out some sort of makeshift Kate until I can purchase a nicer one. (I think I would like to get an Akerworks Kate, they seem really nice and would be so portable and work with my Schacht bobbins too.) 

Well, time passed, as it's been known to do and I hadn't set anything up. Which means I was kind of stuck. It came with 3 bobbins which is a good amount but I spun up some quick fiber just to get a feel for it, intending to do one of my quick and dirty 2-ply yarns with it but then I started a new spin on the third bobbin. The first two just sat there. It was high time to at least wind them off so they could be plied right? But I still hadn't set up a Kate. 

That leads me to today.

Hooray! A very unscientific and temporary solution. But a very good example of necessity being the mother of invention! Now I'm off to wind these singles off and get these bobbins back.