wednesdays are for spinning.
May 26, 2010
or at least for the next few weeks they are.
in preparation for the knot hysteria silk retreat,
i need to get my spinning skills up to snuff.
spindling has come pretty naturally to me,
and i’m moving past the “park and draft stage.”
however,
i’ll need to be fairly comfortable with a wheel to do all the spinning required for judith macKenzie mccuin’s silk class. (random: any other people with knowledge of irish names find it funny that she has both an “mac” name and “mc” name? just me? ok.)
so today i had my first wheel lesson with carol mcfadden.
before we got down to business,
carol gave me an amazing gifty:
you are reading that label on the ziploc correctly;
a little tuft of pure mongolian cashmere!
she remembered that months ago i said i liked cashmere, (though i ask you, who doesn’t?) and decided to give me some to spin on my spindle.
this is the kind of woman we’re dealing with people;
razor whit and heart of gold.
then we got down to it.
let me just say,
wheel spinning did not come as naturally as the spindle did.
getting my right foot involved seemed to cross some wires in the brain.
but carol assures me that i did very well for my first time,
and i came away with this skein:
as a knitter, i would never purchase this yarn.
i’m not that into thick and thin.
but i have to say
i’m pretty proud of the ugly bastard.
and since i already know i can spin fairly consistent singles on a spindle,
i’m confident that it’s only a matter of time until i can do so on a wheel.
here’s to not looking like a fool in july!
edit: also, i wrote my first article for the shop’s newsletter.
you should check it out!
Bitches Get Stitches 
May 26, 2010 at 6:42 pm
I took a spinning class a few years ago, thought I would get into the whole Zen of it. Instead, I only made it to the “create new swear words” phase. Sticking with the knitting and weaving for the time being, but truly admire all who spin. I think your first wheel skein is pretty awesome. Regardless of the thick/thin thing, at least it’s yarn!
May 26, 2010 at 7:05 pm
You need to be “fairy comfortable”? Interesting slip.
May 26, 2010 at 7:10 pm
You should be proud! I have heard that learning first on a spindle is the way to go until you have got the drafting thing down pat. Then move on to the wheel. I want to learn to spin. My hubby said he would make me a spindle. (He’s handy that way) I just have too much fun knitting. I don’t want to ruin it (or find another obsession!)
May 26, 2010 at 7:25 pm
I had a blast today. And you’re a good spinner! And there were no evil blue jays pecking at the other defenseless little birdies while you were here. The cat loves you. So. It’s all good.
May 27, 2010 at 11:09 am
I’m impressed! I can’t believe how quickly you’ve picked up spinning!
May 28, 2010 at 10:31 am
It sure looks like you are on the right track to me, and with the time to practice between now and July, I highly doubt you’ll be looking like a fool.
But if you do, you can always come sit with me. I’m going on the same retreat, and I will probably be found sitting in the corner with a dunce hat and a spindle and a glass of wine LOL.
May 28, 2010 at 11:35 am
I love thick/thin/slubby hand spun. that is why I spin. I want yarn that has character. I can get perfectly spun yarn any day of the week at my LYS (god bless ’em) but my own hand spun? I love it, and I don’t care that it’s not perfect. Who needs perfect??? 🙂 You first bit of hand spun is gorgeous!
May 29, 2010 at 7:58 am
Steven, last Sunday at The Fold I taught 7 new spinners how to get started, two of them are going to the Silk Retreat with you, and one of the two was a brand new spinner, so fear not, you are in good company! You’ll both do fine with Judith, she’s a generous and supportive teacher.
July 11, 2014 at 6:54 am
It’s difficult to find experienced people in this particular subject, but you seem like
you know what you’re talking about! Thanks