Happy 2009!

Happy New Year! May it be filled with health and happiness for everyone!

New year, I'll show my new wheels..
I love it. It's a Lendrum DT Complete ( DT = double treadle = able to use both feet to make the wheel spin, Complete = it came with everything I'll need, except for extra bobbins, but I won't need those for a while).
This was my first yarn spun on the wheel, just some random wool ordered from Smoky Mountain Fibers on Etsy. It was spun using my wheel as a single treadle (only using the right foot). Why you ask?
Not so good. Here's the problem:
That should have looked like this:
Yeah, a nice little screw was missing. So, Friday, the day after Christmas, Mom called the place it was ordered from and a replacement was sent, and received on Monday, so the wheel now works as intended. Did I mention that I love it? It's so much fun. I've been busy.
I spun up more of the random wool that came in 4 different natural colors and plied it with the original white, ending up with about 120 yds with 118 yds of the multi-colored singles left over.
Then I moved onto some BFL from Sereknity in the colorway "Violas".
I ended up with about 110 yds once it was plied up. I have to admit that this roving was really difficult to work with. I had a hard time drafting it while spinning, even after I had pre-drafted it. Oh well. It's still very nice.

And then, I started spinning some superwash BFL from theytoldmesew also on Etsy, colorway "Brave Woodsman". And I actually have the full progression in photos, the roving:

The singles:
The plied yarn, 183 yds of a sportish weight yarn (I won't do the WPI until after I've washed the yarn and let it bloom).

This is my favorite so far, although, this might replace it...
That's the two bobbins of single of "Rockin Around" from dkKnits on Etsy in superwash merino. Seriously so cool looking. Can't wait to see it how it plies up.
In case you wanted a closer look. I didn't want this roving to end, it was so smooth and soft and spun so well. Can't wait until I have money again so I can order some more... which brings me to my other new wheels...

Yeah, no picture, sorry about that, but Monday night I drove a brand new 2008 Saturn Astra in Black Sapphire off of the lot. The Taurus era came to an end after it wouldn't start most of last week and then cost a whole heck of a lot to fix on Saturday. I love my new car. It's awesome. I will try to get some photos soon, I meant to take some, but didn't and then I had to drive to work yesterday in the snow so it now is not looking as shiny and pretty as it did, so I can't photograph like that.

Anyway, I started a new knitting project yesterday, the Druid Mittens from the Fall '08 Vogue Knitting.
Very cool and pretty. Need to switch to the 2 circs method, by last night I had to stop knitting due to the tingling sensation in my pinky and ring finger of my left hand - I only get this when I have to knit too tight with metal DPN's - the cabled goodness is causing me to grip the needles kinda tightly. So tomorrow I'll make the switch and knit on.

So I will leave you with a video taken of my first attempts at spinning on the wheel, Christmas morning.

Note the video game sounds in the background - Tommy and I spent Christmas day in each other's company, spinning and gaming. A big huge THANK YOU to my wonderful family and friends who consented to get me the wheel for Christmas - love you all.

P.S - Just had to share, at my WW weigh in this week I am officially down 9.8 lbs since Dec 1! Can't tell you how proud I am of myself. Will admit that I didn't count points at all today though.