July 09, 2006
Surprise, Surprise!
The Spouse and I recently celebrated the Big 25, and I got the surprise of my life. He brought this up from the garage the day before the actual Big Day:
Could it possibly be? I pulled the nifty little pegs at the sides:
and VOILA!
Wahooo! It's my coveted and lusted after Journey Wheel. I feel so very fortunate to have gotten her. Angela had mentioned that she'd seen her for sale at Woodland Woolworks. The Spouse took note and managed to snag the beauty. He told me that when the shop called back about his inquiry, they told him the wheel had already been sold. What he didn't tell me was that it had been sold to him the day before. Apparently, the woman at Woodland Woolworks didn't realize she was calling back the buyer. I had to smile at the effort he went to in order to keep the surprise. It was an incredibly thoughtful gift.
The wheel was made in January of 06, as Mr. Bosworth's signature attests. I'm sorry that she didn't suit her original owner, but am thrilled to pieces to have her. I really appreciate the open orifice ("Look, Ma! No hook required!"):
and the on-board lazy kate:
Some of her other charming features are the "gate" (where the orifice is mounted) that swings open for easy bobbin change out, and the fact that she came with a Scotch tension kit already installed. Huzzah! It's an interesting mechanism, in that you actually have to adjust both the Scotch and the double drive tensioners in this system, but once it's set up, there's no fiddling. Very, very cool.
Here are the first two skeins that came off of her:
The top skein is from an Aurelia Top Knot that I broke into chunks and spun from the fold, and the bottom is a standard two ply from some Corriedale cross fiber dyed by Winderwood.
I can't express how really clever and compact this wheel is. For scale purposes, here is a photo next to my Ghana knitting basket:
She will fit easily in the overhead compartment of an airplane, meaning that I can finally travel with my wheel. She's reasonably lightweight and easy to carry, not to mention clean-lined, elegant and beautiful in her cherry wood case. I am in deep smit with this wheel.
Who says that this is the silver anniversary? Me? I think it's most definitely wood.
Posted by Sam at July 9, 2006 09:53 PMI've been waiting to see this baby! It's so adorable! And it's already all set up like you would want it. Michael did great!
Posted by: CarolineF on July 10, 2006 06:42 AMOoh, Gorgeous! I drooled over that wheel shen I was shopping for a traveling wheel but finances dictated the Gem II instead (and I do love my Gem). If I were lucky enough to have that wheel I would sew a cover to protect the wood while traveling, I think the bosworth web site has them for sale too.
Posted by: Jayme on July 10, 2006 08:57 AMWow. 25 years has taught him a little something, huh?
You have to bring it to a spinning night at WW so we can all oooo and ahhhh over it.
Hurray! It is gorgeous. Enjoy. Use it for another 25 years of marriage!
Posted by: Joanne on July 10, 2006 01:25 PMSweet! Congratulations on the wheel, the thoughtful hubby, and the 25 years!
Posted by: Janice in GA on July 10, 2006 01:44 PMCongratulations on both the wheel and the hubby, who obviously loves you to bits!
Posted by: Melanie on July 10, 2006 02:51 PMCongratulations on the new wheel! What a sweet hubby.
Posted by: Monica on July 10, 2006 04:06 PMthat is THE most thoughtful gift i have ever heard of :-)
Posted by: vanessa on July 11, 2006 12:33 AMMy husband wanted to know why you would want to take your wheel with you when you travel. I asked him why he takes his bike with him when we travel.
Oh!
He get's it now.
Amazing!The man definitely knows you after twenty five years. There are many who never get us;-)
Posted by: elizabeth on July 11, 2006 01:49 PMSo, what did you get him? :-) What a wonderful gift, kinda makes you want to keep him around for another 25 or so, huh?
Posted by: Kerry on July 11, 2006 09:41 PMYou lucky duck.
I was at a fibre festival once, and I overheard a woman tell her friend that she had just got a journey wheel. "What does your husband think of another wheel?" her friend asked.
"Nothing" she replied. "I told him it was a craft box."
Congradulations on the big #25 Sam! Love the wheel, might have to check this one out! I hope your gift to hubby was more than the obligatory tie!! lol
Posted by: June on July 12, 2006 06:59 AMWahoo!
It's gorgeous - congratulations. (Yahell keeps eating my e-mails :( )
Posted by: Angela on July 12, 2006 11:13 AMI emailed Sheila and Jonathan a link to your post and they were delighted. It's wonderful to see a wheel find its home.
Posted by: Sylvia on July 13, 2006 09:54 AMThank you, Sylvia! I've been meaning to email Jonathan myself to tell him, but work and guests have kept me hopping. It's certainly going to be the Summer of Bosworth, as I'm awaiting my Moosie, too. They really do such lovely work. :-)
Posted by: Sam on July 14, 2006 04:39 AMIt's always such a pick-me-up when the hubby gets the present exactly right! Congrats on the 25th!
Posted by: carol on July 15, 2006 06:05 PM