spinning.beginning

I took a beginning spinning class with Deb Jones of the Fiber Garden at the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival last Saturday - me and my lendrum hung with other spinner wannabes and many pretty wheels. It felt a little bit like puppy kindergarten the way we got to "socialize" with all of the wheels. I did learn that thankfully, I love my lendum - but the Kromski Minstrel and Sonata were also lovely. Actually, each wheel had it's own gift - but I am quite satisfied with my impatient "blind pick".

We spent the morning just practicing, lots of drafting, learning about the drafting triangle, spinning. It got more and more zen as the morning slipped into afternoon. We then learned how to ply - I have tried limited plying as I have felt like a bicyclist trying to pedal up hill - fighting with the wheel. I am glad I held off on any more experimenting til class as the instructor was able to eye my wheel and see my bobbin "stick" a bit - so I was able to help the bobbin along a bit here and there - and voila - handspun! We made fugly little skeins in class with practice roving - so I promptly went home and started spinning some Spunky Eclectic Flutterby - I spun on and off all week - and plied tonight.


Spunky Eclectic Superwash Corriedale - Flutterby

I still need to wash it and weight it but I am thrilled silly with my finished bits - it's practically my first "skein" and people, I think it's usable! I am envisioning a yummy cotton candy hat for one of my girls or cozy cowl. Well, actually I am envisioning piles of handspun but one day at a time. I think I get why people are willing to share their knitting time with their wheels, it has proved worth it to me to take another step back in the creative process and "make" the yarn. Now, I am sure, like all of my hobbies. I'll flit from thing to thing, but I am so glad I finally gave into the song of this siren. Now to pick my next roving...