Spinning……with a wheel!

This has come into my life and we are getting to know one another.  I never thought spinning could be quite so wonderful.

I want to 'reinvent the wheel':  I find this method of learning very satisfying.  But I do want some information  and  guidance.  So, as soon as I bought the spinning wheel at a church sale, I took it down to Ryan and Stephanie at KBN who said it was all there but needed a new part, advised where to get it,  looked like proud parents whose child has discovered  something worthwhile.

 While I waited for the part  to come (ordered online from a very nice Adrian at Hello Yarn) I watched people spinning at KBN.  Was invited (welcomed! – it's that kind of place – they are that kind of people) to sit down and try out the wheels there.  But I needed then to just watch.

Once my wheel had the part and I started to 'play' with it I would ask a question now and then while continuing to watch people spinning at KBN.  And in this way learned about the tension and how to adjust it.  Learned to let the wheel do its thing and to focus on my part.  Became aware, once again, that the 'learning' was more some ancient 'remembering.' 

Today I had a wonder about what would happen if I took black cotton and some wire ……

Yes!  I got some yarn that will hold its shape and the plan is to spin enough and then knit something like epaulets for the shoulders or elbows of a jacket;  or a loose necklet/scarf with a sculpted drape.

The idea to combine yarn with wire came from learning about the Japanese yarn that has stainless steel in it.  It seems it knits into a fabric that flows but can be formed as well.  The wire I used was not fine enough but I know I have a spool somewhere…..

Next I took some gray tundra wool and some handsful of Easter basket nesting material…..

This was fun!  I need bigger cup hooks on my wheel!  Easter 'confetti' went everywhere!

And I learned you have to have some drag or resistance in whatever you want to chum up to the base fibre being spun unless they both have grip properties. 

I have done this before and I had to do it again.

There must be a name for it but I don't yet know what it is – fleece that is fluffy but not in any roving shape.  Fluffy fleece…..

It does have a grip and as I pat down bits and pieces of the fluffy fleece onto the line of fleece-becoming-yarn and watch it/feel it being drawn into and onto and around – well,  I find myself smiling.