Meet Miss Muffet

I've been beset with a raging case of spring fever. Why? Of course, there's the bright sunlight, and the longer daytime hours, and the balmy breezes. Those do their share in setting off plenty of cases of spring fever, that's for certain. But I'm talking about my spring fever, and that's spring spinning fever. For that, there just might have been one more factor that came into play.

Look, over there -- what's that twirling daintily in front of my ankles? It isn't Rastro, my trusty and beloved Lendrum spinning wheel. It's something a bit smaller. Positively petite, in fact. Yes, it's an adorable little Louet Victoria, my wonderful Christmas present this year from world's-most-patient-husband. I feel like the most spoiled girl on earth. :)

Much as I've always enjoyed spinning on my Rastro, I had started daydreaming about also having a second wheel that would be a little easier to cart around, to take outside, to carry off to spinning events. Maybe even to take on a plane, if my spinning mania ever comes to that. :)

I saw the Victoria at a fiber festival back when the model first came out. I was fascinated by how small and light it was. At the same time, it had a decent range of ratios, and the woman showing it off assured me that it spun like a serious wheel, not some little plaything. At the time, I really didn't imagine having a second wheel for myself. But as time wore on, the thought slowly seeped into the back of my mind, eventually taking shape and filling out and becoming a full-fledged wish. Finally I started hinting and hinting to world's-most-patient-husband who -- while he still no doubt thinks it's nuts to have one spinning wheel, let alone two -- loves to do things that make me happy.

And when Christmas rolled around, there she was, Rastro's new little sister, Miss Muffet. She came with the greatest little case, too. She folds up and fits in there like a puzzle, and then I can throw the strap over my shoulder, and off I go.

Miss Muffet is actually only the second wheel I have ever spun on. I've heard all the good advice, of course, about trying out different wheels before you buy. I'm just not very good at following it. :) Both times, I've made up my mind on the wheel I want without ever having sat down to give it a try. So it's been very interesting for me to note how different Miss Muffet feels to spin on. All the skeins I showed in the March 31 post were spun on Muffet. While Rastro feels solid, comfortable, and smooth, Miss Muffet is a tricksome little thing, with the jittery, jouncy feel of a fast dune buggy. Now that I've got the hang of it, it's great fun.

So the spring fever is a little aggravated this year. Rastro sits in the prime spot, right next to my giant supply of spinning fiber, and gets plenty of action. Miss Muffet perches here and there around the house and gets popped in the car for an outing when I come up with any excuse. Rastro does the yeoman's work on big projects, while Miss Muffet spins frivolous little braids of fiber for fun. Did I mention that I must be the most spoiled girl on earth?