Snowballing Ideas

Yes, 'snowballing' is really a word! Sometimes I'm not sure if some words I use are ones I made up or someone else made up and use as *real* words. I looked it up in Websters and it IS a word.

In my last post I wrote about spinning. I'm not referring to exercise classes. I'm referring to the kind of spinning that I will need new clothes for. According to my friend Jamie, she says, and I quote directly from e-mail, "Now you will have to knit yourself a black shawl and wear a big long grey skirt to fit the image of women who spin".

People, feel free to go over to her blog and let her know how hip and cool spinners are, ok? We need to let this poor girl know how far *out of it* she is! :)

Here is my story about my "Little Vicki".

I started reading reviews about the Louet Victoria all over the internet. Then I started going to different websites checking prices. So I figured if I'm going to take the plunge, just do it. I've been pondering this spinning thing for at least a few years.

Norma at Ferals just made one comment and that's all it took. She basically just said buy a wheel and you'll be happy with it for the most part nowdays. As a side note: Any Ferals out there...I was really out of it on Monday night. I was in a bad mood and was not feeling well(sore throat). I was not in the most social mood. Sorry!

This wheel came out late 2006 at least from what I've read. They had an introductory price and now that the initial response has been very, very good, the price is going up quite a bit and most vendors will not get more inventory until March 2007.

Once I decide I'm going to do something....Get Out of My Way!

My *ideal* situation would be to buy one without tax and free shipping. I looked around and that deal just doesn't exist. Once 2007 hit, the price on Little Vicki went way up. I call her Little Vicki because her name is Victoria, but she is so small! So her nickname shall be Little Vicki.

(I can tell this is going to be a long post. Feel free to skim because its fun for me do tell about my little adventure about the planets coming into alignment, just for me).

I found a place in Washington called Paradise Fibers in Spokane. Their website didn't specify if it came with the carrying case/backpack, 2 extra bobbins and lazy kate. So I called them yesterday at lunch-time. Their website had it at the introductory price and had free shipping. I knew I would have to pay tax but I decided that would be ok.

I talked to a really nice guy Travis. I told him the website didn't have enough information and he said he was the one that does the posting. He appreciated my feedback. I asked if they had any in stock. He said he thought they were all out. He took the phone with him while he went in back to check. They had ONE. I was hoping it was in Oak. IT WAS!!!

So I got off the phone and went on-line to make my order. About a half hour after I got my confirmation e-mail on the purchase, I got an email saying my package had shipped. The other added bonus was Pacific Fibers does like a craft dollar thing. I earned $40 in fiber dollars so in essense I didn't have to pay for sales tax after all. All of the planets converged and the universe said to me "this was the right thing to do".

Before I called Pacific Fibers I checked around for beginning spinning classes. Lo and behold the LYS that I take weekly classes from has a class beginning Feb 7. When I talked to Travis he said I should have it by the end of the week which is in plenty of time for the class.

After hitting "purchase" button, I called Village Yarn and Tea to sign up for the class. I talked to one of the owners, Victoria, and she asked if I had a wheel. I said I would by the time classes started. She asked which one. I told her and its the one she wants, too(and not just because its name is also Victoria! smile). She informed me that Village Yarn and Tea will start carrying Louet wheels. In fact she's meeting with the distributer next week to firm things up. Too bad they didn't carry them sooner. I would rather buy from my LYS.

I was working from home today. At around 11:00am I'm in the kitchen getting more tea. I hear a UPS truck. I knew Greg's birthday gift was scheduled to arrive today. I answer the door and there are two packages. What? Greg says "What is this other package?". I said "I don't know!".

The box has all these little Louet markings. One end says "Victoria". No freaking way!

It got to me within 24 hours and I didn't pay for shipping. What service!

Although I know very little about spinning I was able to figure out how to get her setup. She sure is cute and So VERY portable. How cool is THAT? I also don't need a lot of space to store her. Another added bonus.

I treadled her and I can tell I'm going to love this-so far so good!

Here she is with the boys.

One of the good things I can about my job? I'm well compensated. It is the golden hand-cuffs. It affords me luxuries such as this. I'm grateful I can afford to fund and expand my hobbies.

My other news. I'm knitting my first short row heel on a sock. Not good. Need to frog. I call it the poochy heel. Yuk. I like the short row heel overall but I'll increase the center number of stiches before wrapping and turning.

As I close for the evening, talk about snowballing...

In the past hour a good amount of snow has accumulated at our home. I might be working from home again tomorrow.

Be safe out there on the roads. Traffic is a big mess around the Puget Sound area.