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Who Knew?

Against my better judgement I bought a spinning wheel from my friend (and absentee guild member) Jane. I knew that another hobby would just suck up more time. I knew that I had piles of yarn and stacks of patterns that I was eager to work on. I knew that this would be another adventure into spending money I don't have on things I don't need to impress people I don't know. . .but none-the-less, in January I became the proud owner of a Majacraft Rose spinning wheel. I have to say, I love it.



I love the whir of the wheel as it quietly takes fluffy roving and twists it into a fine strand. I love watching how the color of the wool changes to a deeper hue as it twists into a single strand of something that looks like yarn. I get excited when I ply two strands together and it actually becomes something I can imagine knitting. . .and watching it hang in hanks as it drys when I'm setting the twist makes me smile.




My first adventures with the wheel were a disaster. I actually wished that it wouldn't click in and that I would hate spinning so that I wouldn't slide down yet another slippery slope that would take time and money I don't have. Somehow, someway, it clicked. A class at Ewe-nique Knits may have helped. . .time on the wheel may have helped. . .who knows. All I know is that I'm in. Whole hog.




Jean, Jane and Erica all convinced me that I needed to put Saturday, February 17 on my calendar and to plan on shopping at the Spinner's Flock bi-annual sale in Chelsea. Louise and I got out our checkbooks and planned to make a day of it. Colleen has been bitten by the same bug and planned to head there as well, but she had a class in the morning and couldn't make it until later. Having been there before, some friends offered advice. "I figured out that I spent at about $100 an hour, " one said. Another reported, "There are MOUNTAINS of fleece on tables all over the cafeteria!" "You can buy all sorts of things, spinning wheels, yarn, roving, anything you want they sell there. . ." Are these people really my friends? With comments like these, how could I help but take out a second mortgage and head to Chelsea.



Even with the advice of friends, Louise and I could not have been prepared for what we experienced. As we turned to enter the school's cafeteria, Louise said, "Oh my god, look over there. . ." and with a turn of my head, my mouth fell open. . .it was a cafeteria PACKED with tables piled with fiber, and people rushing to buy it. . .there's no way we could have known how awesome this trip would be!


We saw raw fleece and interesting felted creatures for sale,




We saw yarn--BEAUTIFUL hand spun yarn that I aspire to one day be able to create (sorry for the blurry picture. . .)




We saw roving. . .piles and piles of roving and people. . .rushing to get the best stuff before it was all gone.


Our friend Jean was there, selling her yarn and offering advice about what I should buy. . ."No, you shouldn't get that because. . .look over there, her roving is nice. . .great color, but. . ." I feel like I owe her a commission for the lesson in shopping for roving she gave me!




We found Suzanne and Kate too. . .they made great lunch companions when we were done shopping. . .



Honestly? by noon, the mad rush was over and things began to slow down. . .but boy! what fun!



It was amazing to me to see how the colors of roving changed into finished yarn. Amazing too how much fun a gal can have just shopping for fiber with friends. Mark your calendar for September. . .we're going again!

--t



I just had to edit this to add the text and picture from an email I got from Sally. . .you're going to be blown away. . .


Hi,
I thought you might like to see where I am with my Fair Isle sweater...some of you know I cast on the 300+ stitches a few weeks ago and I thought I'd show my progress...our final class meets on March 4th and I am determinded to be ready to cut for the sleeves by then....whew..wish me luck...only about 60 more rows to go....sally

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