I tried to hold the line on my crafting to-do list this week, despite temptation.
I had to buy some fructose from Maiwa to replace some old stuff. I also wanted to buy a scarf. I was out for a walk the other day when the temperature was just above freezing and I thought, a scarf would be nice.
So I added fructose to my cart, and then the linen scarf I've had my eye on for dyeing with indigo, and then a white wool scarf for shibori dyeing with weld and indigo because a pattern of white, yellow, blue, and green would be interesting, and then a jar of weld because I'm out, and then a natural grey wool scarf because I'm on a synthetic dye diet and the picture looks beautiful, and then a small jar of walnut powder to qualify for free shipping, and then a stack of wool scarves on sale with bulk discount.
I've long thought that of all the knitters, weavers, handspinners, and dyers that sell their goods, dyers are the ones making sales and earning a profit. Certainly I know a couple of knitters and a weaver who sell their work but not in the same volume as dyers.
After loading up the cart online, I thought about my budget, my long to-do list, and the cold weather that prevents me from dyeing with indigo outside. Outside is the only place I'd want to dye with indigo because the dyed stuff has to be spread out to oxidize when it comes out of the vat. It's messy. With all these considerations in mind, I removed everything from the cart except the fructose and grey scarf, and went through checkout.
It is awkward to set a limit, to deny myself the joy of stash acquisition and project planning. However, I've already said yes to a lot of other things that I should get around to finishing.
I did say yes to one new thing: I backed the Electric Eel Wheel Mini 2 Kickstarter campaign. The cost of being a backer is affordable given the product category and when I receive the e-spinner, many months from now, I hope to discover whether I can get used to spinning yarn with a flyer instead of a spindle. When I spin yarn with my drop spindles, I stand up. Sitting with an e-spinner might be a nice change.
When I first looked at the campaign, I decided against participating because an e-spinner would add to my to-do list. I'd have the task of learning to use the thing, and the "spin yarn" part of my existing to-do list would become more pressing in general. When I got a second email about the campaign I took another look and discovered that a quarter of a million dollars had been raised already. My change of heart may have been tinged with FOMO.
I have been bent over bench and anvil making stuff with silver, bronze, and copper this month rather than with wool. I made a sterling silver circle shawl pin and bronze weaving shuttle earrings. I also made a pair of silver earrings that have nothing to do with fiber arts but are made with the proportions of Fibonacci numbers, which I think are quite harmonious. If you can use Fibonacci numbers in your knitting and weaving, I say do it.
