Thursday, February 23, 2012

Learning to spin and new spindles

I don't know what's gotten into me lately but I can't get the idea of spinning wool, or more specifically, spindling (using a spindle rather than a wheel).  I ordered a drop spindle and some wool roving from Etsy and couldn't wait to get it before asking my husband, an avid woodworker, to make me a supported spindle like the Russian and French spindles we saw on YouTube.  I made him watch videos with me and then look on websites for examples of these types of spindles.  This afternoon he went to his workshop and fired up the lathe and made these three spindles for me.  Each is a little different, all are very lightweight, and each beautiful because he made them just for me!  I raided his workshop for the two bowls, which he made years ago and was storing tools in.  Yes, that green mess is my first attempt at spinning singles.  Right now, I'm actually knitting up a swatch of this yarn, which is way too overspun and kinked up like crazy until I figured out how to let it unspin some. 

I have lunch planned for tomorrow with some friends in the vicinity of a local fiber shop that sells roving and gives spinning lessons.  I can't wait to check it all out!  Hopefully my drop spindle and more roving will arrive next week so I have more to practice on.  I have also joined multiple spinning groups on Ravelry so I can drool over everyone else's spindles, yarn, etc.

Hon, I love you very much!  Thank you for the wonderful new tools (notice I didn't say toys?)!