Spinning!

Hi Megs,

The pictures of the storm - wow. You have so many trees with so many branches to fall on so many things. We have so much wind around here that any tree branch or tree to come down has already come down! Hope all is quiet now. I haven't heard much more in the news.

Our Christmas, like yours was really nice. We got lots of loot. Here is a picture of Clay relaxing in the Sun after a very big Christmas dinner and Stan reading a gift - Clay got his a subscription to the London Review of Books. In fact, like you, we got a lot of books!



But my best, best present was all the yarn from you and Clay and a spinning wheel from Stan! It is an Ashford Traditional. I had to put it together and then I oiled it with Teak oil - all by myself.

Then I had to learn to spin....GRRRRR. I almost gave up and thought I was just too old to "walk and chew gum" at the same time. But in the case of spinning you have to get the wheel going slowly with the treadle, hold the wool so it will twist and go onto the bobbin with the right hand and draw out the roving with the left hand in time with the right! I got some Corriedale roving - really nice - but Yikes! I worked with Doris (who spins so beautifully) for over 3 hours and all I got was lumps, twings, crazy knots and aggravation! I also wasted a lot of the beautiful roving. Finally Doris very kindly said, maybe you should take a break and knit for a little while...so I did.

This is what my first wool looked like (not plied the is one long lumpy strand - I just gave up on it - too big, too lumpy, too nuts!)
I got a book "The Ashford Book of Spinning" by Ann Field. It said "....co-ordination is the key to spinning, you will suddenly find that you have "got" it." I was not so sure about this but I worked at it in the mornings (we put the wheel at the bottom of the stairs) and wow....all the sudden I DID have it. The wheel speed, pinch and pull all worked and am I proud of myself - this old gal!

I now have one spools spun and another one in progress.




Then I will be ready to ply it - that is my next challenge. You have to spin the wheel in the opposite direction (counter clockwise). I think I will check with Doris before I take this next step.

So wish me luck. Someday I may actually make something out of what I am spinning.

I do like it. It is so nice to sit and spin - oddly relaxing and satisfying.

Take care - looking forward to seeing your honeymoon pictures and your knitting.

Love ya,

Mom
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