Mr.Bliss....

It seems that at this phase in my life things have changed. Things I loved to do before Bram passed away suddenly don't work anymore for me..

Not much enjoyment in cooking anymore....

And...

I used to knit for years everyday, but I haven't knit now seriously for months. Guess it is because of the importancy knitting had in that difficult period we both had. Knitting always brought me into a relaxing mood. Sitting and knitting  next to him while he watched tv. Knitting is connected to him in a way, and that is why it is so difficult to start again...might not make sense to you, but it does to me.

I have to block a finished scarf..

And finish off an Icelandic cardi for myself..
Just a buttonband and ordering buttons....not that much work..

Than there is a simple Ishbel on the needles..waiting to be picked up..

Really should work on all of them....
And, I bought some Beautiful Shilasdair yarn while on the Isle of Skye, for an upcoming Winter sweater..

I did do some crochet. Simple granny squares (1 each day for a while) in Shetland yarn, for a blanket..
Haven't worked on them after I came back from holiday. But, at least there is a little pile already.. I am sure one day my blanket will be ready.

But...

Suddenly out of the blue spinning appeared.
All because I went to a spinning meeting a few weeks ago. 
I drove to Nordhorn with the lovely Tien and met up with Agnes and more lovely women who taught me the first tricks..
And I did spin...and plied..and..it was very uneven for the start...(but they told me that Merino is not that easy to spin..so I call it my own ArtYarn..)

But I was Very Very proud of my first little ball of homespun.. (probably will always keep it as a trophee..or is this a silly idea??)

And I found out that it was lovely to do.
Calming and relaxing..
And that there aredifferent types of wool and some of them are really easy to spin..
Pimmie gave me a big home made batt..(forgot the type) but it was so much easier to make a nice thread out of it..
And out came this..

Already much better..still uneven, but rather country looking I would say..

At that meeting I...well not me..to be honest..the chairlady of the Dutch Landelijke Spingroep sold my old Louet for €125,- to a fellow spinster spinner..Thanks again Elske!!

All because BLISS has arrived... MissBliss I met on that meeting and it was Love at first sight..and Elske offered me kindly to borrow MissBliss to experiment.. 
So..I went home without my Louet, but with a Bliss in the back of the car.

And than I was hooked...even more after more spinning goodies had arrived..
A beautiful Ashford Turkish Drop Spindle..Thanks Judith..

Beautiful coloured roven from Feikje..check out her website HERE.

And from Meta... check her site HERE.

Guess you can call them both Dutch Color Queens..

A few years ago I had bought some Ashford Silk Merino fibre to start spinning again. But I kept it in a bag, till it came out last week..

Not easy, but love to spin with this smooth and silky-soft fibre..
Still uneven, but it will be plied and than waiting to become something else..

As said before...
I seriously did fall in Love with MissBliss...Made by Louët and sold by Woolmakers

But..being attracted to Men, I wanted a MrBliss here at my home..
One for myself..one to cherish and love forever..
So I ordered one...
And it arrived yesterday...

It is a DIY spinningwheel...to assemble yourself..

I am not very good in DIY...(IKEA..HMM...why is that screw coming out there??)

After opening I found this rather intimidating pile of elements..
And a screwdriver...so clever to add that..

It even has a magnetic point...if you look very close you can see that is was heavenly used...

There is a Manual...(I am not good in manuals..hmm....)

With lovely words...

Yes, I love spinning..No..I don't love assembling...

I was hoping for a Handy Man to jump in at that point..having images in my head from screws coming out on various places where they shouldn't be...but No One rang the doorbell...

So I started...

All is cleverly packed in little seperated plactic bags..

The manual has clear instructions..and next to that MissBliss was there too. Nothing could go wrong I thought..
But at some point..almost at the end..
Why is something different than the pictures..the hinges....
O dear...the front part is...

Yes.. placed it the opposite as it should be...
Said some really rude words...
But at that time my Screwdriver and Me had become Very VERY close friends..
Step by step back..and step by step onwards....
It came together..I kept thinking:

Keep calm and Assemble a Bliss.

And PROUDLY PRESENT.....MRBLISS or should it be Mr.Bliss?

So now I have two at home...see if you can find differences in them..

But MissBliss will leave the house... 
Probably in October when I go to a Dutch Spinning day..

I am sure I will miss her, but Mr.Bliss will give me so much pleasure..I am sure of that..