Friday Fluff: The Right Stuff

 

Earlier this week, one of you asked me about the equipment I have for spinning. The answer is lots. Lots and lots. Too much, in fact. This is what my spinning corner looks like during the TdF. I've got three wheels. An Ashford Traveler, an Asford Traditional and the Schacht LadyBug that the kids gave me when I retired. 

I started out with spindles. All kinds. I've got drop spindles and support spindles. If I saw one I didn't have, I bought it. 

My first expensive purchase was a Bosworth. I've got quite the collection but tbh, they are not my favorite. Too light. They don't spin long enough for me but they are very popular. 

The Goldings are my favorite. They are light but spin like crazy. If you are a beginner this is the size and weight you need to start with and not the boat anchors I started with years ago. 

That's the boat anchor at the top. Beginner me thought bigger was better so I bought a learn to spin kit that featured this monster. It didn't go so well. I would have given up right then but that year's MDSW showed me the way. The spindle booths were full of folks that offered lots of help and had me sorted out in no time.

It wasn't long after that I was doing a lot of this. Buying fleece fresh off the sheep and washing it. There is nothing more satisfying but it's hard work. 

I don't have it in me anymore so I buy things like this to spin instead. This was taken at Rhinebeck. I haven't been there in ages. My big dream when we retired in 2012 was to get an RV and travel to all fiber fests all over the country. That dream didn't last long. Aging parents, old pets and a creaky old Mister that needed lots of replacement surgery upended that dream I'm sad to say. I'm lucky if I even get to the MDSW every year. 

I really love getting my hands into the fleece and am lucky enough to still have bags of it to run through the drum carder. I don't even care if it amounts to anything. It just feels so good to feel that fiber running through your fingers. It's a meditation. It's a connection to something barely understood and it feels important.

Well....thanks for attending my spinning TED Talk and thank you to the person that asked. You gave me something to post about on a day when I could barely move from all the kid wrangling this week.

Now go get yourself a bit of pretty fiber and a little spindle. You won't be sorry.