OK, I've had my lovely Fricke 160-F (the folding single treadle) for a few weeks now.  I've been spinning up some wool blends and merino.  When spinning (which I do clock-wise), I've had no troubles at all - everything is smooth and lovely.

But, when I go to ply (counterclockwise), the problems set in.  My treadling is a little rough (but I'm practicing), but the big problem is that the drive band keeps jumping out of its groove in the pulley.  I've been doing it on some of the larger gears (smaller ratios), so I think the drive band is taut enough. 

Has anyone else had this problem?  Does anybody have any advice?

Handdyed roving goodness has been entrusted to the Postal Service!  Can't wait to see all of the beautiful results!

Swap thread here:
https://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=150130.0

On Saturday I visited A Tangled Skein, which is a new yarn store that just opened up (January 20th I believe) in Hyattsville, MD (Prince Georges County, just south of College Park).  I'm excited about this store because it's the closest to me by far, and they seem to be getting off to a great start.  They stock Noro, Debbie Bliss, Berrocco, Brown Sheep, Ella Rae, etc.

Info:
A Tangled Skein
5200 Baltimore Ave.
Suite 101
Hyattsville, MD 20781
301-779-3399

Edited to add:  Their website is now up!
http://www.atangledskein.com/

[Feedback Left]

Swap name: Handdyed Roving Swap
Craftster member who is organizing this swap: tenrec
Sign-up date range: 2/3-2/16/07
Date to send item by: 3/10/07

Limited to a certain number of people? (optional): no

Restricted to people who all live in the same country? NO

All ages allowed? Or 18+? All ages

Swap Organizer himself/herself meets these conditions:
- Has fully read the Swap Info Guide: YES
- Has successfully completed two swaps as a participant: YES
- Is not organizing more than three swaps right now: YES
- Will recruit a co-organizer or give all details to a Swap Moderator if this swap has more than 25 participants: YES

Swap Organizer will check each participant to make sure they meet these conditions:
- Has been a member for at least one month: YES
- Has posted at least 15 times: YES
- Has completed one swap successfully before signing up for multiple swaps at a time: YES
- Is not currently signed up for more than five swaps: YES
- Does not have any negative feedback: YES

Details of swap:
You will be dyeing and sending to your partner a minimum of 4 oz of fiber, plus a small extra goody (see questionnaire).  You can use any kind of dye (Kool-Aid, Wilton's, or professional dyes), but you should do the dyeing yourself. 
You and your partner can agree on further details - if you want to swap more than 4 oz, etc.


If you want to participate, information to send to organizer:

QUESTIONNAIRE TO ANSWER:
Name of swap: Handdyed Roving Swap
Craftster username:
Email address:
Your real name:
Mailing address including the country:
Would you be willing to ship to an address outside your own country?
What sort of fiber would you prefer to send?
What sort of fiber would you prefer to receive?
What are your favorite colors/what colors would you like to recieve?
Would you rather have all 4 oz be the same color/colorway, or would you like smaller amounts of different colors (totaling 4 oz)?

Please indicate which of the following options you would like to receive as your extra goody - you can put them in order of preference if you'd like.  (If there's anything on this list you wouldn't want to recieve, please delete it.)
- extra roving (at least 2 oz)
- handdyed yarn
- handspun yarn
- spinning "extras" - plying thread, beads, sparklies, additional fibers, etc.
- small handcrafted item

For the extra goody that you will send, which of the following list can you send?  (If there's anything on the list that you wouldn't be able to send, please delete it.)
- extra roving (at least 2 oz)
- small skein of handdyed yarn
- small skein of handspun yarn
- spinning "extras" - plying thread, beads, sparklies, additional fibers, etc.
- small handcrafted item

IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE, REMEMBER TO SEND YOUR INFO TO ORGANIZER VIA PRIVATE MESSAGE AND NOT TO REPLY WITH IT HERE.

Also remember to read the Swap Info Guide to find out how to ship your item and other details about participating in a swap.

PARTNERS:
sent partner received  received  sent and received Sending late but communicating
Feedback Left

sewknitter <-> chipper
dressedinsun <-> honeyd
mayerlove <-> bitibits
Ginamonster <-> javede
glittergirl94 <-> inle_rah
girlbotgoods <-> fyberduck
inhope <-> maziemama
hoxierice <-> pharmgirl147
tenrec <-> snowberrylime
yarn_mafia -> FroggyFibers -> tristitia -> yarn_mafia

In the Winter Handspun yarn thread (here), there's been some interest in swap for handdyed roving!  I love the idea (just got a few pounds of natural colored roving last week), and offered to organize.

Who's in?

When should we have sign-ups?  Let me know of any conflicts - waiting for feedback, or need to order some roving in order to dye it, etc.

What would you like the swap to look like?  Just roving?  Some roving and a small skein of handspun?  Roving and a small crafted item?

let's hear it!

It took me 3 years, but it's worth it!  OK, and I wasn't knitting solely on this sweater for all of that time; in fact not for most of that time.  I would knit a piece (the back), then put it down for over a year, then knit the sleeves, then put it back down, etc.  But I always picked it back up again, and now it's done!

It's the Bed & Breakfast Pullover, pattern by Kathy Zimmerman, from the Fall 2003 Interweave Knits.  I knit it in Austermann Rubino, a 100% superwash merino (the best of both worlds!).  I love the fit, and the color, and just about everything.

There's more info on my blog...

Post your CDs and tracklists here!

[Details of swap:]

Swap name: Around the World CD Swap Round 2
Craftster member who is organizing this swap: tenrec
Sign-up date range: 10/23-10/29/06
Date to send item by: 11/10/06 extended to 11/13/06

Limited to a certain number of people? (optional): No limit

Restricted to people who all live in the same country? NO

All ages allowed? Or 18+? All ages

Swap Organizer herself meets these conditions:
- Has fully read the Swap Info Guide: YES
- Has successfully completed two swaps as a participant: YES
- Is not organizing more than three swaps right now: YES
- Will recruit a co-organizer or give all details to a Swap Moderator if this swap has more than 25 participants: YES

Swap Organizer will check each participant to make sure they meet these conditions:
- Has been a member for at least one month: YES
- Has posted at least 15 times: YES
- Has completed one swap successfully before signing up for multiple swaps at a time: YES
- Is not currently signed up for more than five swaps: YES
- Does not have any negative feedback: YES

Details of swap:
Make and send:
- 1 Mix CD with only songs that are not in English, as a music CD
- a decorated CD case

You may choose to have one or two partners.  If you choose two partners, you can send them the same CD (no need to make two different ones).

For ideas and inspiration, check out Round One of this swap:
Round One Thread
Round One Gallery

Communication is key - please make sure you're communicating with your partner and me, particularly if there is a problem!  Let me know if you have any questions!

If you want to participate, PM this information to organizer:

QUESTIONNAIRE TO ANSWER:
Name of swap
Craftster username
Email address
Your real name
Mailing address
Would you be willing to ship to an address outside of the US?
Would you like 1 or 2 partners?
What's your favorite type of music?
Any kind of music you cannot stand?
Anything that would offend you to receive (religious songs, swear words in other languages, etc.)?
Any allergies or sensitivities to smell or materials (smoke, perfume, etc. that your partner should know about?
Anything else you'd like your partner to know?

IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE, REMEMBER TO SEND YOUR INFO TO THE ORGANIZER VIA PRIVATE MESSAGE AND NOT TO REPLY WITH IT HERE.


Also remember to read the Swap Info Guide to find out how to ship your item and other details about participating in a swap.


Partners:
Green = sent, Purple = Sent and Received

LaFemmeDIY --> swaantje --> Alexandra --> tenrec --> moazogotl --> SoonFamo-Artiste --> macaulkv --> indigokat --> LaFemmeDIY --> macaulkv --> swaantje --> tenrec --> LaFemmeDIY

The Gallery: https://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=131884.0

Anyone interested in a Round 2 of the Around-the-World CD swap?  The basic idea is a CD full of music in any language other than English.  We could also do a decorated CD holder and/or crafts/items from your hometown, etc (similar to the first round), or any other small goodies that people are interested in!

The Round 1 discussion is here:
https://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=89959.0

and the Round 1 gallery is here:
https://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=94225.0

I've never been an organizer before, but I'd be willing to give it a go if no one else wants to!

OK, I've actually been working on this for a few months now, but I'm still on the first sleeve (the first piece I knit), and I could use a little motivation from sharing the knitting progress it with others.

It's from the book "Inspired Cable Knits" by Fiona Ellis (Amazon link here; the Yarn Harlot's review of the book here).

Anybody else tempted?