Oh I just think I'm so Clever don't I?

So I'm working with the cocoons. Stretching them, then dying, then making roving. Fun, and gorgeous results, but oh so tough on the hands. I still have about 25 cocoons because the degumming solution + stretching such incredibly strong fiber out into roving did a real number on my poor wittle hands:(

Next time I'll slather on a bunch of Burt's Bees right after processing, so as to avoid such amazing irritation. Burned like crazy, was mostly a strong discomfort, but left me unable to finish up with the last batch of cocoons(more than 20 or so at a time and they turn to mush, cause I'm just a beginner).

Anyway, I thought I was being such a genius yesterday morning. I thought, 'I know what I'll do! I'll cut small pieces of acrylic rod. 5 or 6 oughta do it. Draw a circle on the plastic film opposite the working side, and use that to secure the bearing to the wheel(okay, I know it's a cake stand top, you know it's a cake stand top, but for the purposes of this project it's a wheel damnit!). So I forgot all about how I took a cheap pre-stretched canvas and yanked the canvas off the frame to make a frame for stretching the mawatas on:(. Also managed to forget I had a piece of canvas from it on the floor that I'm saving for practicing brush strokes on(waste not, want not), and managed to forget that there were long sharp staples in canvas and standing str8 up! Got me in the knee! So I'm hurting, and look like the victim of the world's tiniest vampire. Only managed to cut 3 pieces of the rod. Need to cut 2-3 more, and can't even get down on my knees to do it(apartment dwellers use the floor a lot for cutting stuff, well if they have ugly vinyl tile like mine they do).

Bright side, I think that I can make a double treadle wheel. Maybe I mentioned it before? I should probably make a miniature mock-up, just to double check, but part of me wants to just go ahead and risk it. I mean if I'm right I'll save time, but if I'm wrong, kablooey, whole thing blows up in my face and I have to start all over. At any rate I think I have the physics down, so that's something :).

Bought some cabochons and extra rods and tubes the other day at the plastics store, now thinking I might need to get more yet, will wait and see. Hoping my flyer and bobbins work out, also hoping I can figure out how to set brake tension on the darn thing. I have some leather, and will probably use it for the brake. Sigh, too much typing, not enough working, gotta get my shite together.