I love a good baked bean but they’re overloaded with sugar. Maybe that’s why I like them so much. If you look at a baked bean recipe, it’s just a ton of sugar. I’m done with that processed sugar stuff so I’m trying to find a new baked bean. I’ve combined Ranch Beans and Baked Beans without processed sugar to get my “Good Beans”

1 16oz bag of Navy beans
Water
1 6oz can of Tomato Paste
4 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
1 large onion chopped fine
3-6 cloves of garlic chopped fine
1 tsp mustard powder
1.5 tsp Chili Powder
(optional if you like sweet) 1/4 cup of Maple Syrup or Barley Malt Syrup

Soak the beans over night. Discard the water and wash the beans, then place back into your pot or slowcooker. Mix all the other ingredients together.Mix this into the beans. Cover with water and cook on low for 6-7 hours. Beans are this easy. It’s all in the prep and the patience.

On the fiber front
New wheels arrived.
Some Louets have been added to stock. There are 4 Baynes wheels here. Two are getting their finish so I’ll have a picture of them soon. I’m going to review the Schacht Reeves. The first in the series of the wheels. I want to spen some time with the wheels before I review them so I’ll be doing the ones that I have in the shop and if I get my hands on other ones, I’ll review those too.

I always thought they were nice but putting one together and seeing the workman ship was extraordinary. Even my Dad had to stop and pet the wheel. He’s not into spinning but he’s been a fine woodworker for as long as I can remember. I keep threatening to show the pretty pretty furniture he’s made for me. He’s been working on cabinetry for my living room and I promise once that’s done, I’ll post it. Someday I’ll be getting him to make a custom wheel. I bet he’s already designing it in his head.

Back to subject…
This beauty:

Click and it will get bigger
I spent some quality time Saturday working with it. I’ll start at the beginning. Putting it together was easy. I followed the instructions but I didn’t really need it. It was obvious where everything went and how it all went together. I am impressed with all the wooden screws and plugs. Then the brass bit for the treadles is so gorgeous. Everything is balanced and it spins fast and even.

I was told the double treadle might feel odd but it doesn’t. I do sit a little closer to the orifice than usual but the double treadle is still really nice and easy. I have the wheel set up as a double drive although you can change it to a single drive with a brak band. I spun some BFL to start it out, that’s what I have in the shop basket for people to use to test wheels so I gave it a go. BFL of course is easy. I was spinning a nice easy balanced lace weight yarn. I figured I’d give this wheel a real test and got my stash of Cashmere out. Easy lace weight cashmere. It was fantastic.

The one part where I think this wheel would fail is bulky novelty yarn. I think you could do that on this wheel but it’s just not suited for it. The bobbin will probably hold 3-4 ounces and obviously with bulky, that won’t get you very far. I think if you like to make fine and even yarn then this wheel is worth looking into.

I also have a Schacht Reeves 24 inch wheel in stock but I have yet to set it up. The shop is still a tad small (we’re working on it) but I’ll have it set up to bring to the next fiber show with me.

driving home thinking of yarn. I always think of yarn or knitting these days when my mind has an idle moment. It’s better than the food it used to think of so we embrace the idle yarn moments. Eventually my thoughts crossed into the realm of sock yarn. You see I’m way behind all the giftees in socks, they all have more socks than me so I need some. In fact I need 2 pair just to catch up to them. But what socks do I want?

I love my thick socks. I make socks for myself mostly from handspun or Sport/DK weight. My favorite shoes (or at least the ones I wear all winter long) are these clunky things from Gripfast. They’re a little wide so the thick socks keep my feet snug in them, I like that. Plus the thicker ones are just a little warmer and no one wants cold Boogie feet.

There in my idle moment it had been decided. I would knit more thick socks for myself. Most specifically I was thinking of this yarn that I had just spun:

The dots would be snow which it’s doing pretty fiercely right now, LOVE IT!

Then I get home and there are boxes waiting for me. 3 Boxes from Baynes wheels (yes the shop will have them all set up tomorrow) and a box of shoes. This all ties in, hang on. So I’m wearing my newest blue socks from handspun and I try them on. Shoes don’t fit. They are the cutest things on earth (unless you talk to husbeast who thinks they’re ugly). I take off my socks and they fit. I try on a thin pair of socks made with fingering weight, they still fit. I grab a pair of sport weight socks, they don’t fit again.

In a split second I changed my mind about the perfect socks weight for me. I need more thin socks. Really, wouldn’t you knit new socks for these?:

Yes, I’ll admit they are silly. But how can a girl pass up clogs with a knit skull upper. Really! You can’t expect me to pass it up. In fact I got really obsessive over these shoes once I found they existed but I don’t need to be telling that crazy story. I swear my family is ready to throw me in the boobie hatch already. You can find these on Ebay, Amazon and Zappos. But most sizes and colors are already gone.

I have a picture of the February club yarn. Most everyone, except international clubbers, should have their stuff by now. I’ll have more info at the club blog