In honor of fast approaching spring (positive thinking) I have changed colors.
Sorry to have been MIA except for a few delurkings. One excuse I have is that I have been restarting an old hobby or craft of mine.
About 32 years ago (appox 1978) I bought an Ashford Traditional (Saxony) spinning wheel. I took lessons for about 1 year with a lady who raised sheep and lived on a farm about 35 miles from my house. I really enjoyed it, but life intervened as it so often does.
I never sold my wheel though. I kept it through my divorce, moving seven times and ending up on Whidbey Island 22 years later. My Ashford wheel made it through all that (and so did I along with living with a cousin, living alone, meeting my true love and getting remarried). Ashford makes good wheels. :-)
After a couple years, I found a spinning group on Whidbey and joined them during a period of unemployment. When I got a new job, I had to stop the spinning group because it was held mid-day. I took up weaving for a short time which I also really enjoyed. I went with a girlfriend to a west coast gathering of lovers of fibers and without previous planning I traded my Ashford wheel (I had it with me because everyone brought their wheels with them) for a brand new Lendrum Spinning Wheel. I said goodbye to old dependable but cranky and said hello to my new walnut pal. It just loved to spin and wasn't cranky at all. But another new job intervened again,
and I had to set my wheel aside.
After 4 more moves (the last of which was back to Ohio) and 9 more years I am now spinning again. Yes, it was a lot of time spent changing addresses and packing and unpacking (I have thrown away all my moving storage boxes now). Happily, I am tenacious about keeping in touch with old friends from everywhere and thanks to several of them, I picked up where I left off with my spinning.
So here's some photos to document this tale. Sadly I don't have any of my original wheel.
Here is my Lendrum wheel plus some of my show photography on the wall.
Now, I have spun a bobbinful (new word) of dark brown wool and a bobbinful of turquoise blue. They are on my Lazy Kate which is a device to hold the bobbins while plying the two colors.
We call my "singles" (unplied yard) Novelty Yard because of the bumps and thin spots. :-)
Now you can see the wheel with the Lazy Kate positioned, ready to start plying.
Another view of the same...
The two bobbins of singles have been plied and removed from the third bobbin onto a Niddy Noddy which holds the plied yard and also makes it easy to count length. I got 92 yards of plied yarn.
The yard has been removed from the Niddy Noddy and is hanging. The straighter the "hang" the better the spinning... supposedly.
A close up view of the hanging yarn. I call it Denim.
And finally the skein displayed in a traditional fashion for viewing.
So there you have it and I'm sticking to my story. :-)
P.S. Thanks to Brittanygirl, here is a link to a photo of my first wheel. It's the second one down on the left.
18 comments:
Wow, how exciting! I tried spinning once with a drop spindle and fell in love. Hope to, someday, have a small spinning wheel called The Hitchhiker made by a local company...
Your yarn is lovely. :) Any plans as to what you're going to make out of it?
Hi Melissa,
Glad to hear you've tried spinning also. It's great fun and you have such a feeling of accomplishment after finishing a bobbin. I did a little spindle spinning but I was in too big a hurry to continue that way.
Is there a website for The Hitchhiker? I'd like to look for it.
I have not idea what I'll be making but something will present itself. :-)
Thanks for stopping by.
Yay that you've returned to your spinning! I have a friend who does it, and it looks so relaxing. I even have a bag full of wool that she did for me - I've had it over 20 years. I guess it's time to do something with it!
Enjoy your newfound old hobby!!!
My parents once bought a spinning wheel on a whim and then NEVER put it to much use. They have lovely wool from NZ that they were planning on making all sorts of jumpers...did not happen. I am so happy you are taking this up again. I am sure you will find many hours of peace and calmness creating again.
Rosey
Hi Beth and Rosey Pollen. I highly recommend spinning. It is very relaxing. I just read today about a lady who had very high blood pressure and meds couldn't bring it down. She started spinning and soon it was down to normal.
When you both refer to having wool that has not been used, to you mean wool that has been spun so it's in the form of yarn? Or a bag of loose wool that is unspun?
Thank you both for stopping by and for commenting.
Hello
You may find this link will have a picture of your Ashford wheel.
http://www.ashford.co.nz/spinning/spinning-frameset.htm
Hi Brittanygirl. Thanks for stopping by. Yes, that is the wheel, the second one down on the left. Thanks for the link.
Once upon a time, in a faraway land called another life, I was a spinster. I learned to spin at Sauder Farm & Craft Village in Archbold, Ohio. I became a spinner or spinster in one of the shops there. I learned to love spinning and the quiet rhythm spinners achieve... kind of like being in the "zone."
I'm glad you rediscovered such a wonderful craft. There's much to be said for spinning.
Teresa
Hello Theresa and fellow Ohioan.
I used to (many years ago) live in NW Ohio. Had a great job. I was surgical assistant (and vet tech) to a top notch veterinary surgeon. It was my very favorite job ever.
I checked out your blog. It looks great. I,too, prefer flowers over any other type of frivolous spending. Actually, it's not frivolous at all. That's why I grow so many.
Ever consider restarting your spinning?
Thanks for stopping by.
That is something I've never tried. Seems as tho it would be soothing and relaxing. What will you make with the yarn you've spun?
Marnie
How wonderful to be able to create all that... :)
Great to keep ols traditions going too :)
I shall be back to see what you make with the wool... :)
http://ourlittlecornerofparadise.blogspot.com/2010/02/flocks-of-pigeons-at-barleycorn.html
This is a hobby that I know not one thing about, but that won't stop be from returning here to see what you've created.
My mother-in-law always had an old spinning wheel in her living room. The thought of it brings back sweet memories of her.
donna
Hi Marnie,
I'm not sure what I want to make with this, maybe a casual sweater or perhaps just a hat or scarf.
Thanks for coming by, Marnie!
Hi Wildlife Gardener. Thanks for coming by. I guess I'm going to have to decide on something to make. I'm having so much fun just spinning right now. I love to watch the fuzz turn into yars. :-)
Hi Donna. I'm glad to see you again.
Spinning is fun and very relaxing. I'm working on some alpaca wool now. It's so different from sheep wool but beautiful also.
Wow - CF! That's beautiful ... you are so talented!
What will you do w/ the finished yarn?
Oops, should have read the other comments first. Have you decided on what you'll make?
Hi Olivia! Thank you! Good to see you.
I have no idea yet what I'll do with the yarn. I'm spinning some alpaca now which I want to finish because if I stop, I'll not start it again. It's kind if a mess to spin.
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