On Spinning

I will get the knitting out of the way first this morning.  I did work on my vest, and though slow, it is coming along.  I am getting better at carrying two yarns in one hand and keeping it all straight.  And I did some sock knitting.  I am not going to commit myself to anything more than some sock knitting every day, even if it is only a row or two.  Aiming for more than that could easily defeat me.  I only know, I want more socks.  

Today's real job is to think about spinning.  I haven't spun for ages and cleaning my stuff is reminding me that I still want to spin.  The problem is can my hands do it in a reasonable way that isn't going to compromise the long term knitting?  

I have all the things.  Wheels.

Box of empty storage type bobbins and lace flyer.

Half finished spinning projects waiting for plying.

Ongoing spinning and plying projects.

Bits and pieces from large bag o' spinning stuff. And there is much more in the closet plus a couple of half fleeces and a spanking new carder too.

Shetland fibre, ready to spin.  Carded from a top, I think.  

It almost took my breath away, looking at this box.  The carded bits seem to have regained the smallest bit of crimpiness.  Can you see the very soft wavy bit there?  Topped by a bit of a sample of course.  

It's been ready to work with for a long time.  I haven't spun for at least three years.  I think about it though but the wheels have lived in a corner of my bedroom for a very long time.

A bit of my very first yarns.  They are terrible.  And so they should be.  I didn't keep the very first yarn barfy bit and I wish I had.  I did make a wee scarf with a bit of the blue stuff.

And then, my box of finished yarns.  There are two grey singles caked and ready to ply here as well but this is the finished stuff, washed and ready to knit with.  

They are not perfect, not by a long shot.

I think I was aiming for perfect till a friend pointed out that I seemed to be demanding that of my spinning and expecting it.  She saw how tense the idea and the action of plying made me. I am forever grateful that she said what she saw and helped me learn.

This is  some of the nicest stuff I have at hand and seeing it again as I went through it made me wish I was knitting with it right now.  And I might as soon as I get the double knitting stuff off my needles.

I have actually knit with some of this.  This is the nicest yarn I made yet.  It is wonderfully pouffy and soft.  It is a very much thick and thin but it is balanced well and just feels like...happiness. Like a skein full of joy and the lightness of simply existing.

I know.  It sounds silly but there it is.  

I used some of this, almost all of this wee bit of sampled stuff to knit Keith a hat along with some yarn from Custom Woollen Miills,  

which he still wears I might add.  Its very pleasing seeing someone wearing my handspun out and about.  I doubt that he knows it is special at all. 

I pay much more attention these days to what is special in each thing I encounter.  I try much harder now to do that in every part of my world.  It brings me so much more peace and serenity to look for and to see the beauty of what is, right in this moment.  

For now, I plan to do some spinning.  I plan to fix some of the overspun and underspun yarn.  I plan to see if I still enjoy spinning and if it can fit in my world.  If it fits, great. If it doesn't, well, it doesn't and it will fit in someone else's world.  

I'm going to hope for the great part.  Yeah.  I think I would like that.