After how many years? The bray harp finally has brays. My tools finally have a toolbox. I am processing and spinning wool. I grew line flax this year and am surprised to claim success through the whole process of retting (water rotting), breaking and scutching (knocking the pith/ stalk out of the bast fibers), hackling/ combing the fibers into silky ponytails ready for spinning, and also collecting the seeds--one pound yielded four pounds . . . it's no wonder peasants starved and froze, or that linens became heirloom objects . . . I'll just do a separate post about the linen flax.
In addition to fiber processing I seem to find no end of interesting projects to distract me from dishes and laundry and the medical routine of our kids. The first half of the woodworking bench top is complete. I will need to return to the lumber store for more wood as some of my pieces went missing in the course of other projects (hubby and I built a fence around the yard).
We were given apples so I canned 13 pints of apple butter. I also made dandelion jelly first thing in the Spring. I finally found a recipe and tried almond croissants. I confess that I'm so out of shape, I was sore the next day from working the dough . . . but they were worth it!
I am crossing an item off my bucket list: a dollhouse. I never played with dolls but have always been fascinated by miniatures and longed to experience the process of making a dollhouse. We found a "Dura-Craft FH 505 Farmhouse" this Summer. The elderly gentleman I bought it from said his wife bought it for him when he retired because "she thought he needed something to do." It was mostly built, but needed to be gutted so it could be wired--expect a separate post about this project.
I have another project I will post about as soon as things are finalized; but, at the risk of being mysterious, I can't post yet.
My most recent project is tied to my fiber art. I have discovered the rabbit hole of the Circular Sock Machine (CSM). If your husband is kind enough to buy you wool, and you want more wool, you need to find a way to use said wool. To be fair, I have made (am still making) an honest attempt at knitting with needles--double point, two-at-a-time, magic loop--a pair of socks. They may never be finished, or by the time they are my daughter's granddaughter will have to wear them. Oh, the CSM! Someday, I hope I will own one, shiny and new from Earlbacher Gearheart. In the meantime, of course, I am trying to build my own to see if it's possible to make a functioning machine with inexpensive materials I can manipulate with the tools I have on-hand. Expect this to become a separate post, also. If anyone actually reads my blog, and has a CSM hanging about the house/basement/ attic/ barn/ shed and you want it to go to a loving home where it will be used, please send it to me!
Our little ones have their own projects going. Ashlynn is three years old now and loves to paint. Andrew is almost two and his thing is music. He has discovered the harmonica, and last night after my failed attempt at playing it he said, simply, "nope," and ran off with it honking out notes as he went.
Showing posts with label nyckelharpa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nyckelharpa. Show all posts
Thursday, September 20, 2018
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
The Road Less Travelled
"Lord willing" has lately become the amen of any plan I make. My lumber remains uncut in the wood shop, which is just as well when the temperatures are below freezing and there isn't a heat source.
At the end of October 2016, my husband and I delivered our second child, a sweet baby boy. Complications changed all the plans and hopes we had for his birth, and we ended the event by air-lifting to Seattle Children's Hospital. We have been living in Seattle for several months now. The short story is that our son also has cystic fibrosis which caused some issues requiring four surgeries (three in his first week of life, and the fourth taking eight hours!). God is so good! Our little boy is doing well now, though his progress in recovery is slow, we are working toward a possible transfer back to Montana . . . in a few months.
In the meantime, with the hours spent at the hospital I thought I might study the Swedish language. I've acquired a "teach yourself" book with CD's and a basic grammar workbook. Also, I anxiously await the arrival of "Bygg en Nyckelharpa" on dvd purchased through Amazon.com (produced by Rita Leydon and available on her website and Amazon; following the builder, Soren Ahker).
I'll fine-tune my drawings and cut list for my new nyckelharpa so that I can can get right to work when we finally come home.
Other woodworking projects and plans put on hold: The Dutch toolbox is nearly finished! I made a dealgan (Scottish drop spindle. I got tired of breaking my delicate top-whorl spindle) using my power drill as a lathe. I'd like to make flower boxes for the deck railing. My hubby wants a bench by the back door for putting on and taking off/ storing shoes. A toy box for our kids. Etc, etc.
We'll see how far I get . . . Lord willing!
At the end of October 2016, my husband and I delivered our second child, a sweet baby boy. Complications changed all the plans and hopes we had for his birth, and we ended the event by air-lifting to Seattle Children's Hospital. We have been living in Seattle for several months now. The short story is that our son also has cystic fibrosis which caused some issues requiring four surgeries (three in his first week of life, and the fourth taking eight hours!). God is so good! Our little boy is doing well now, though his progress in recovery is slow, we are working toward a possible transfer back to Montana . . . in a few months.
In the meantime, with the hours spent at the hospital I thought I might study the Swedish language. I've acquired a "teach yourself" book with CD's and a basic grammar workbook. Also, I anxiously await the arrival of "Bygg en Nyckelharpa" on dvd purchased through Amazon.com (produced by Rita Leydon and available on her website and Amazon; following the builder, Soren Ahker).
I'll fine-tune my drawings and cut list for my new nyckelharpa so that I can can get right to work when we finally come home.
Other woodworking projects and plans put on hold: The Dutch toolbox is nearly finished! I made a dealgan (Scottish drop spindle. I got tired of breaking my delicate top-whorl spindle) using my power drill as a lathe. I'd like to make flower boxes for the deck railing. My hubby wants a bench by the back door for putting on and taking off/ storing shoes. A toy box for our kids. Etc, etc.
We'll see how far I get . . . Lord willing!
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Nyckelharpa #2 - Planning
Just so you know . . . I made a new blog and moved all of my posts from LemonFloss to StillwaterStrings.blogspot.com Updates on this project (and new projects) may be found there!
I recently had a fantastic opportunity to have a nyckelharpa lesson with Aryeh Frankfurter when he and his wife came through Montana on part of their performance tour. The amount of information he gave me was enormous for a beginner. The main thing, I believe, is to play the instrument. I have a long road to travel as a nyckelharpa player, but I'm now pointed in the right direction.
I am also excited to build a second harpa. I was allowed to take a side-by-side picture of Aryeh's nyckelharpa and mine. He insisted I try playing his instrument. It was much lighter and although the same overall length, it was slightly narrower and seemed easier to hold for my small size.
My goal on this harpa isn't to recreate the other craftsman's design, but rather to incorporate those differences I liked and felt would improve my first instrument. Lighter and "smaller".
My sweet husband took me shopping for wood at Winsor Plywood, where I picked up some more alder, but also purchased some vertical grain fir to use on the top and bottom. The grain on the VG fir is very close and very straight, looking similar to spruce. It is also a slightly harder wood than spruce according to the Janka hardness scale.
The shade of the wood is closer between the two.
And the grain of the fir can be seen here.
Design main changes I hope to incorporate:
I recently had a fantastic opportunity to have a nyckelharpa lesson with Aryeh Frankfurter when he and his wife came through Montana on part of their performance tour. The amount of information he gave me was enormous for a beginner. The main thing, I believe, is to play the instrument. I have a long road to travel as a nyckelharpa player, but I'm now pointed in the right direction.
I am also excited to build a second harpa. I was allowed to take a side-by-side picture of Aryeh's nyckelharpa and mine. He insisted I try playing his instrument. It was much lighter and although the same overall length, it was slightly narrower and seemed easier to hold for my small size.
My goal on this harpa isn't to recreate the other craftsman's design, but rather to incorporate those differences I liked and felt would improve my first instrument. Lighter and "smaller".
My sweet husband took me shopping for wood at Winsor Plywood, where I picked up some more alder, but also purchased some vertical grain fir to use on the top and bottom. The grain on the VG fir is very close and very straight, looking similar to spruce. It is also a slightly harder wood than spruce according to the Janka hardness scale.
And the grain of the fir can be seen here.
Design main changes I hope to incorporate:
- longer and narrower neck/ keybox
- shorter and narrower body with a thinner top and bottom
- bent-wood top instead of planed/carved
- minor adjustments to bridge, string nut and keys
This time around, I'd like to try steaming/bending the top instead of planing it to shape, so I'll be needing to build a steam box and a jig for shaping.
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