Drop Spinning

I treated myself to a new toy a few weeks ago and bought a drop spindle kit from mainewoodsyarn on etsy. I've never spinned at all but I love the idea of making my own products from beginning to end one day. I watched some videos on youtube to get an idea of how to spin using a drop spindle but the directions that came with the kit were simple and easy to understand.

The kit came with four rolls of roving. The first was an undyed bit of practice roving. By the time I finished that one I was hooked. It's going to take a lot of practice to get better, but then, doesn't everything?

Experimenting with Gloves

I'm experimenting with fingerless mittens this week. I've never made mittens before though I once attempted gloves. The gloves, however, were a fiasco and I swore off crocheting gloves forever. Fingerless mittens sounded like it would be a breeze because you get to leave the most complicated part out: the fingers. And it is a breeze. The problem is, I love this yarn so much I don't want to list the mittens on my etsy page! And while it's still a work in progress, I'm almost certain I will be wearing these this spring and I'll just have to make another pair to list for sale later!

I am an Amtrak employee

I'm really not an Amtrak employee but I must look like one because every time I buy a ticket at their automated machine I get questions from strangers like how do I buy a ticket or how do I use this automatic ticket machine? But today I was asked the best question from a stranger I have ever heard: Which train do I get on to go to BWI?

Mind you, I am standing in line in the middle of the terminal with a purse, two duffel bags and wearing my winter coat, hat and scarf waiting to purchase a ticket. I am not wearing the little red vest the Amtrak employees wear nor am I standing by a sign that says Ask Me for Directions.

Okay. I do NOT work for Amtrak. This is what I do:

I make hats and I sell them on Etsy. I have no idea how to get to Baltimore Washington International Airport on an Amtrak train from Washington DC's Union Station. I am more than willing to show anyone that asks how to use the ticket machines to purchase a ticket regardless of the fact that the machine walks you right through the process, but I really can't help you if you can't even get it together enough to know which train line you need to board to get to the airport!

I mean really? You bought a plane ticket, left your house, got yourself to the train station and your next step is to ask a complete and total stranger, where to now?