Meet Betsy

Wonderful Guy and I had a great day yesterday. We planned to meet our Alpaca Friend at the Longmont 'Extravangaza' for further review and education for our mutual venture. I suggested, if Wonderful Guy wasn't opposed, that we might venture to Boulder for a visit to Shuttles, Spindles and Skeins. I have heard great things about the place, and thought since we would be in the neighborhood, I would see what kind of offerings they had in wheels.

What I found really surprised me. Terrific customer service, a variety of wheels which I was encouraged to try...I was treated like there were no other customers in the place. I was treated like an intelligent person (and even told I spun nicely..) and given information with which to make a decision, with no pressure at all. In looking around the shop, I could see that the prices were incredibly competive. If I lived closer, I might....live there. (Dearest Sister, we have to go there when next you visit...have to!) While there I test drove a Matchless (love it!), a new Ashford Traditional (double treadle), and compared those to a Lendrum. Looked at a Louet, but, those visually those don't appeal to me.

We ate bite, then traveled back to Longmont (and I figured out we were 'in the neighborhood' only relatively). The alpacas were fun to see again, and I am excited to think we are getting closer and closer to having our own. Alpaca people are very kind and willing to shar their knowledge. I had the inspiration this past week that instead of purchasing our boys to go with Alpaca Friends breeding herd, we might wait and purchase ours from her firstborn. When approached with this idea, she was very amenable. Her kids will bond to babies born on their place even better. So probably this summer... And...Baby Alpaca!! So soft....

One of the vendors offered Kromski wheels and offered them for test drives. I hadn't seen that make, so took the opportunity. Very nice wheels indeed, and nice pieces of furniture, too. I was very taken by the Symphony, and it was in the 'seriously considered' running. The women from A Simple Piece of String were very helpful in their time and information, too. I will try to make it out to Livermore to see them this spring. I bought an ounce of cashmere from them just to try.

I was really only out to check out wheels yesterday and see what I could see, compare, and gather more knowledge. Wonderful Guy is....a wonderful and generous guy. Over lunch, he talked about the pros and cons and costs and possibilities. He encourages me to look at what I deserve, where I tend to think of where I can go without. He suggested that while the Matchless was a fine piece of work, that perhaps going with the Lendrum now, and getting the more expensive one later, might be the way to go.

What? Get one TODAY? And then consider a second later on?

After trying the Kromski, I decided to get the Lendrum. Shuttles offer 10% of the purchase price in fiber, which is a LOT of fiber. If I want the Kromski or Matchless, that can come later. I can continue to check craigslist and ebay, and who knows what may come my way. The Lendrum is a good wheel, and I got a boatload of fiber to keep me busy through spring. (Or until the Estes Park wool market!) Just look.

There's some Corriedale, an ounce of cotton just to try, and a pile of merino, a variety of colors to blend!

By the way, I named her Betsy.