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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Yarn Along: Sun and Snow

I'm joining in with the Yarn Along over at Small Things.
I'll admit, I haven't participated in the Yarn Along for awhile because *gasp*...I've been off knitting! I just haven't felt inspired, and I have such limited time these days. I actually packed up my knitting basket and prepared to move it upstairs to the attic for the time being...but couldn't do it. I've been doing a bit of embroidery when I have a moment and it's satisfied my itch to create.

But yesterday, I finally had a friend teach me to use a drop spindle. I'm afraid that my children and housework may be neglected for the present. There truly is magic in the alchemy of the wool-to-yarn transformation, an energy that vibrates through your fingertips when you've achieved just the right amount of twist. I love that moment of adding a new piece of roving, when you pinch just below the join...then release it, and zip! The twist travels quickly up creating an almost seamless strand of beautiful yarn.

I'm addicted. Just like that. There is no sipping aloud when it comes to spinning...it's more of a chug-a-lug, at least in my (since yesterday) experience.

Reading will be taking a backseat for now, I suspect. I enjoyed Anita Rau Badami's Tell It to the Trees, a tale about isolation, both physical and emotional, and the lengths to which a child will go to salvage her patchwork family. Now I'm reading Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie. 1960s Nigeria, and Biafra's struggle to establish an independent state. 

The children have enjoyed The Adventures of a Nose. The artwork is original and clever and the story is inspiring, all about fitting in and sticking out.

11 comments:

  1. You're spinning! Yay! I'm so glad! (:

    I never could get the hang of a drop spindle - it requires too much coordination for me.

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  2. Learning to spin is so exciting! I've never learned to use a drop spindle, but I've done a bit of wheel spinning. So exciting!

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  3. Drop spindle! How fun! I saw a bit of this at the culmination gathering for a recent yarn crawl (fun!) but didn't have time to delve into it as the grands were with us. I'm excited for you ~ have fun! ~ Paula

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  4. My kids have been having such fun with a drop spindle recently and I might add, so have I. I like the immediacy of the whole thing, the physical nature of it and the chance to just see what comes of the effort.

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  5. How fun is that? We'll be trying our hands at using a drop spindle this summer. Glad your knitting didn't wind up in the attic. :)

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  6. Oh how great about the drop spindle and so satisfying!
    Enjoy!

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  7. How wonderful, I must admit my drop spindle is somewhere in a cupboard waiting for me to have the patience to try it again, but your yarn looks wonderful.
    x
    Natalie
    www.marigoldsloft.blogspot.com

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  8. I love spinning, both on a drop spindle and on a wheel.

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  9. I plan on looking for a drop spindle at the MD Sheep and Wool Festival.

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  10. Oh Drop Spindles,thought it a waste of time since I have spinning weels everywhere,but my what time engulfers,what magic!

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  11. Oh, you're reminding me to pick up my drop spindle again - it has been neglected for quite some time! I love the colors of the yarn you're making - how cool will it be when you knit something with yarn you've spun? :)

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