Learning to Spin

Not to be confused with the cycling class at the gym...

I have been curious about spinning fiber. Main Street Yarns and Fibers in Athens, GA offered a 2-hour class for $60. I never took it because I thought it was expensive. 

Add caption
My husband and I went on a mountain vacation a couple weekends ago. We visited a small town, Franklin, NC below Asheville, NC. Since snow was expected for Saturday, I recommended us going in town on Friday to look around. We hit Main Street and stopped in an outdoor store, an art supply store and yarn shop. At Silver Threads and Golden Needles, I saw that they offered spinning so I asked about classes and costs. It was $10 for a 1-hour class on a spindle and $15 for a 1-hour class on a spinning wheel. I couldn't believe how cheap it was so I booked a class right then to come back in 1.5 hours.


Spinning wheel
We visited more shops in the mean time and I went back for my one-on-one lesson.  I had a young instructor and with anything new, there is a little bit of fumbling and awkwardness at first. The muscle memorization and practice made the process easier as the hour passed. She said I was natural because I didn't tear the roving any during the drafting part. I didn't finish the whole ball during my one hour class, but when I bought a spindle of my very own, I got take the finished and unfinished fibers with me. I've watched a few spinning videos since then just to see the motions again.
The yarn I made in Franklin, NC
Roving
The next step I need to do is ply my yarn, which means twist another strand of yarn in the opposite direction. This will balance the yarn and get out "over twists." I am excited about the process of plying the yarn. My instructor said I could use sewing thread at first so I bought a fushia/plum color to contrast. I'm curious how it will all work and look when its completed. Make sure you come back to see pictures of the finished product!

What have you been wanting to learn? 
R



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mastocytosis (Urticaria Pigmentosa)

Image
Probably around January we noticed 3 brown spots on Lincoln. We thought he was getting moles or something. They popped up around the same time. The brown lesion is above his nipple At his 6-month well check (3/19/12), I asked the pediatrician to look at them. She said that moles don't pop up like that so we should have a dermatologist take a look at them. We scheduled an appointment with Joy Chastain's office (3/23/12), which Joe and I have been to for our skin. There are three ladies that work there and the one we were there to see, went to get another lady to look at them too. They were spouting off a lot of medical terms with their predictions. Ultimately, they recommended a biopsy so we could see what they were. Joe held Lincoln tight, which he didn't like. They injected numbing medicines and then they cut a piece of the one on his back. It was over quickly. I didn't like my babies' smooth skin being cut and scarred. We were told to keep it moist with Vasel
Read more

Adjustment Disorder "Stress Response Syndrome"

Image
My frustration with watching the kids at home 12+ hours a day and being unemployed since June had taken a toll on me. The kids were going to school part and full-time over the summer and up until October 31. For the last month and a half, I had both kids home all day. My temper, patience, and boredom were reaching an all time high. Having a second was like having 10 to us. When people talk about wanting kids or a second, inside I yell, "Don't do it!"   I know it is just a matter of perspective and capability. For Joe and I, we struggle regularly to survive and work cohesively. Everyday is a battle. What to eat, which bathroom to potty in, stool or no stool, lights and fan, door open or closed, what shirt/pants/socks/shoes, what cup to drink out of, brush teeth or not, which paste/brush to use, what snacks/lunch/dinner to eat, which car seat to sit in, water or milk to drink, which movie to watch, bath or not, bubbles or not, which toys to play/share, which route to
Read more

Hypomelanic Macules "Ash leaf spots"

Image
On November 30, I noticed a white spot on Grey's upper left thigh. I know the date because I keep a calendar with all the daily events and I record them for her (and us). Anyways, the spot looked like a birthmark to me. I have a port wine mark on my upper left thigh too. So I wrote on her calendar- birthmark. I took her for her 6-month well check on Monday, December 23. After her exam, I asked about her scalp (cradle cap) and the spot on her leg. Turns out, it isn't a birth mark...Before he replied, he asked, "Is that the only one?" I told him as far as we knew and it popped up a few weeks ago. He said it was there when she was born, but it is just now noticeable because pigment in her skin. Apparently, if there are a few, it is tuberous sclerosis and it is dangerous. He didn't go into detail, but he did say you don't want that. Like any curious and concerned parent, I researched "ash leaf spot" so I could learn more about what my daughter has.
Read more