| | of hobbies that take up way too much of my money and room in my apartment. I was bitten by the spinning/dyeing bug a year or so ago but only recently did I switch gears into full-on obsession. I took a weekend class last October, and while the dyeing segment was successful, I didn't get the hang of spinning on a spindle. I enjoyed playing with the dye and the yarn and all the wonderful potential. When it came time to apply the color to the yarn, I went with my inner Goth and created this mixture of black and dark blue, and bright turquoise.  The dyeing was a lot of fun, and it was exciting to see all the colorways and interpretations other members of the workshop came up with. It was a beautiful autumn day and we put our new creations outside to dry in the sun. I desparately wanted to learn how to spin, but my spinning wasn't as immediately satisfying as my dyeing. It was fun, and  I was able to try a couple of different spinning wheels, but I couldn't draft the fiber properly. I was not pleased with the small amount of undyed yarn I created. It looked as though it unraveled after I took it off the spindle. I put it away and didn't pick up a spindle again. But I still dreamt of spinning. I subscribed to Spin Off, I bought books on spinning, and I joined several spinning groups on Ravelry, where I oohed, aahed, and jealously coveted all the wonderful yarns the other Ravelers posted. True to form and generous to the last, the other spinners were eager to answer my questions, satisfy my curiosity and offer advice and information to the new girl. Some might use the word "enabler," but who am I to comment?!  Almost one year later, a different yarn shop offered a two-session class on spindle spinning. Eager to try again, I signed up, along with an unexpected buddy--my sister. Together we learned how to spin on a spindle, and I finally learned how to draft properly. It took all of five minutes, when the teacher took my spinning out of my hands and said, "You're doing it wrong." She patiently showed me how to pull the yarn away from the spindle--two or three times, truth be told--and in that single act, she unlocked the mystery of spinning for me. Leah, I'm forever grateful. You rock, lady! I went home and started spinning that night.
I have two small skeins of chunky hot-pink yarn at home. I have one ball of wonderfully organic undyed gray wool. I'm working my way through the gray Coopworth top so I have enough handspun to make a nice winter cap. I have some great photos in my camera; they'll be part of my next post. All the knitting I've been planning has all been pushed (not just pushed, SHOVED--shoved, I say!) to the side while I only have spinning on the brain. This makes me a bad person. My dog, who shivers when it's cold outside, has been patiently waiting for the handknit sweater I promised him. It will be acrylic, since I'll undoubtably need to throw it in the wash. Sorry, Spike. Maybe I'll start it next week... |
| | Posted 10/7/2009 2:55 PM - 3 Views - 0 eProps - 0 comments
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