Finally! I will be a spinner...
I was at the yarn store the other day to buy replacement knitting needles for those the dogs ate (grr and yay at the same time - replaced bamboo with birch, so happy about that). This time the yarn sister was in (store is owned by sisters. It covers yarn sports and quilting - one sister does yarn, one does fabric) and I asked her about a display item they had - a hooded cape shawl thingie that I fell in love with. I had asked the fabric sister, but she knew nothing and didn't call me later like she said she would. Yarn sister said they'd be getting the pattern again and mentioned it was done in alpaca, my personal love. She mentioned it would probably look great in homespun. I mentioned I had much alpaca to spin, but still had no relationship with my spinning wheel. She said she knew some people. So this Thursday, I will be taking my wheel and some wool to the yarn store and a very nice lady named Sheila (she called me yesterday and we spoke of fibery things...she has alpacas! Her own fiber-boys, she called them) is going to show me how to use my wheel at last!!! She says she will have me spinning within an hour.
See, I learn by seeing *and* doing. Just seeing a video of spinning did not help. Reading about it has not helped. I need to see someone in person (so I can get the different angles), hear them explain it, and then DO it. Then I can practice. I can't practice what I haven't been able to figure out. So I am excited. I am hoping this means I won't need to buy the brown alpaca wool for the sweater I desperately want to make - I can spin it from the big bag o' luscious chocolately golden brown goodness of alpaca that has been sitting there waiting for me, patiently, to learn. Also, I can make some lovely homespun for the hooded cape shawl thingie (it's hooded, it's open on the front, hangs gracefully over the shoulders. It's all knit in stockinette. I love it)
See, I learn by seeing *and* doing. Just seeing a video of spinning did not help. Reading about it has not helped. I need to see someone in person (so I can get the different angles), hear them explain it, and then DO it. Then I can practice. I can't practice what I haven't been able to figure out. So I am excited. I am hoping this means I won't need to buy the brown alpaca wool for the sweater I desperately want to make - I can spin it from the big bag o' luscious chocolately golden brown goodness of alpaca that has been sitting there waiting for me, patiently, to learn. Also, I can make some lovely homespun for the hooded cape shawl thingie (it's hooded, it's open on the front, hangs gracefully over the shoulders. It's all knit in stockinette. I love it)