this wishlist is more potentially doable than the previous wishlist but is still "wish" not "expect"

[alexseanchai]

* a love seat, not upholstered in leather, max of five feet long because that's how much wall there is between my computer desk and the corner (yes I'm aware that makes it hard to sleep on the thing), ideally in goldenrod, pine green, or royal blue (—or black or white, but obviously I don't know what color cat(s) I'm getting and I am pretty sure cat fur the same hue as the sofa is harder to clean up than cat fur not so hued) (handled)

* Cosmos Tarot

* more Patreon patrons, on both poetry and Delphic Maxims blogging accounts

* Know Thyself poster and Nothing In Excess poster

* jewelry: right now my Etsy cart contains these, these, these, [this, this (stiletto), this (they), this,] this, and a bunch of stuff that is either far too spendy for me to ever actually buy or not available right now)

* a drop spindle kit with instructions for how to use it (something like this maybe; no, madgastronomer, it is not coincidence that the roving is purple; as for what it's not coincidence about, I need to think some more) (handled, see comments)

* Hekate and Brigid 8"x10" prints from EmilyBalivet

* icons of pretty sky things (astronomical or meteorological phenomena)

* suggestions for how to endure the fallout from when I tell my parents that oh hey I'm genderqueer and Pagan and also they're the last in the immediate family (well, bar brother) to find out, because knowing my parents (and knowing that I'm not going to stop loving them) it will be one fuck of a downer, of indefinite duration to boot

* moar bookshelf actually I think I have enough bookshelf for the nonce

* donations in my name to good causes you expect I will approve of (nb: time is a valid currency here just as much as money is; making art in support of the cause in question is also a valid currency here)

* all the Alexander James Adams (fka Heather Alexander, which I mention only because he didn't insist on changing the music credits when he transitioned) music ever (handled); also all the Damh the Bard music ever

Comments

[madgastronomer]

I'm going to look for any spare spindles I have lying around. There's a tradition, which was presented to me as very nearly a sacred trust, that spinners pass on unneeded equipment and fiber to new spinners. Even if I can't find a spindle for you, I'll send you some of my hand-dyed-by-me purple wool, and then your purple thread will match mine. And frankly, you can make a basic drop spindle for five bucks or so.* for you, with your hand problems, I'd recommend a top-whorl or mid-whorl spindle, so you can thigh-roll more easily. Save you those little flicks. And there are lots of great videos on youtube for beginning spinners.

Turtlemade does some great inexpensive 3D printed spindles that are good for beginners, too.

*Get a length of 1/4" dowel, a toy wooden wheel from a craft or model store or a stone donut from a bead store, and a small cup hook from the hardware store. If you get a toy wheel, of course you want one with a 1/4" hole, and a diameter of 2" or more. Use wood glue to glue it at the top or a bit down from the top (say an inch) for a top-whorl, or halfway down the shaft for a mid-whorl. If you're using a stone donut, go for about the same size, but expect the hole to be a bit bigger. Wrap the shaft with waxed string or cheap yarn with low loft just below where you want to whorl to sit, nice and tight, big enough to hold it in place. Slide the donut on, and wrap above it too. If you used waxed thread, heat it up to seal the wax. If you used yarn, soak it in wood glue to make it hold. Then mark the center of the end of the dowel with a pencil, and carefully tap a wire nail in a quarter inch. Slow and careful, or you'll split the dowel. Remove the nail and screw in the cup hook. Ta-da, it's a spindle!

[alexseanchai]

ILU

[melannen]

If she gets you a drop spindle (or you make one) then if we ever end up in the same physical space I can give you enough beginner-level roving to get you started and a v.v. basic lesson. (Of the 'yes, you are doing it right even if it doesn't match the videos' kind, which is what I find most useful when starting something like that.)

[alexseanchai]

I very much appreciate that, thank you!

[madgastronomer]

Email me your physical address, and I'll dig around. The purple thread roving is probably not the best thing to start with, but if you're diligent you should be up to it in a month or two, and I'll send it along when I determine whether or not there's a spindle. It's merino, and typically you want something coarser and grabbier for your first few tries. I find merino very easy, and did even at first, but I'm very weird. (I also spin backwards.)

Hm. Maybe I should see if I've also got something good for a first spin.

Keep your baby yarn! The first thing you spin is important! Make some of it -- the very first bit -- into an amulet (either in a little bag or a bracelet or whatever), and give some of it to Athena.

Oh, and the Sacred Trust of the Spinners tradition (ok, that overstates it slightly, but it is important; there aren't many of us left, and we must take care to cultivate every new spinner) is that if you receive a spindle, fiber, or teaching when you first start, you must then not fail to help other new spinners by passing on spare spindles and fiber, or by giving them teaching.

You would do that without me telling you, but now you have to tell them, too.

[alexseanchai]

Noted. Thanks.

[alexseanchai]

Because I worked many overtime this week and have at least one more mandatory Saturday overtime to go, I now have an Etsy order in for one of the Turtlemade spindles. :)

[madgastronomer]

Yay! I hope to have the money to mail out your wool next week. I've located all of it now, too.

Tell me how you like the Turtlemade.

[alexseanchai]

:-D

Shall!

[madgastronomer]

Oh, and in fact Alec refers to Heather as a separate persona, since the public face of Heather was always a stage persona. (I'm occasionally acquainted with Alec, in a friend-of-a-friend sort of way.)

If you don't get all of it for winter gift-giving excuse, and you're willing to see that a copy gets bought later when you can, I can send you most of their stuff. Especially Wintertide, which is conceptually awesome and also my favorite holiday album. Before transition, Heather laid down tracks, and after his voice mostly settled, Alec laid down his, dueting with Heather. It's largely classic Christmas carols, most of them paganized, with a few original pieces. I love it to tiny pieces.

[alexseanchai]

I have been meaning to buy all his music for...what was the first bit I discovered, and when? I can't remember. Never mind, it's been years. I just haven't had, what, $200 in a lump to buy all of it at once, and it's easier to just keep postponing than to try to decide what to buy first. I do have some of the songs from Wintertide, there was a thing the other year (huh, still is a thing) where a bunch of artists collaborated on a massive free music download and he was one of them, and yes, these songs are made of awesome.

[shanaqui]

Paypal address or something? I would like to get you the pyrite and hematite earrings, but since they only ship within the US, might make most sense to send you the money to order them?

[alexseanchai]

That works! alexconall at gmail. Thank you very much!

[alexseanchai]

Got money! Thank you!

[shanaqui]

Enjoy!