I've discovered that I can blog laying down, which means I can also surf the web. Which means I need to make sure the sites I visit do not take paypal because I'm not horribly motivated to get up and get my credit card. (Sometimes retail therapy totally hits the spot. I have worked very hard to not browse through etsy, they are the devil. Awesome resource for yarn, by the way.)
I decided to peruse youtube yesterday. There is some funny stuff on there, some stuff that should have stayed on the home video recorder but more importantly? There are TONS of instructional videos on there! Who knew?
I found some awesome knitting ones and also some on making yarn with a drop spindle from this chick. She has three videos, showing you how to prep the yarn, how to spin it and how to finish it off. I got all twitchy when I found it because, ya know, the spin-off magazine I bought is tempting me into yet another area of fiber arts.
I remembered I had a drop spindle upstairs, hobbled up there (one can only lay for so long before you just gotta move, no matter how much it hurts) and dug out some roving I had laying around.
Ten minutes later I had this:
That, my friends, is eight yards of the absolute worst hand spun yarn ever created.
And I did it.
And I love it.
That is all it took, I'm hooked. I want to make more. I have visions of mixing my hand spun yarn into scarves and other various knitty and crochet things. Although after making this I can understand why the wheel was invented. But for my purposes I'm content to keep learning with the spindle. I am starting to wonder if I bought a bass ackwards spindle, though. The disc thingie (can you tell I'm new??) is at the bottom and the hook thingie (which I think is actually its name) is at the opposite end...which made it a complete pain in the behind to get a good spin going.
Every other spindle I've seen in the magazine I bought and in the video on youtube and online have the disc thingie and hook thingie on the same end. Anyone know if this makes it easier to spin?
On another note, a major blow has been dealt to my boredom factor. Jackie dropped off entertainment today. A bag full of DVDs and two Christopher Moore books (another author I recently discovered who is hysterically funny and I highly recommend.)
The bag also contained this DVD:
Yes, the irony of this is not lost of me. Well played my friends. (I suspect Victor is responsible for this one but I have no proof.) Made me giggle so it was well worth it.Inside that bag was also a couple box sets of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I've not seen those before and I think they will keep me busy for a while. Thanks Jackie! (Mom and Dooley also thank you.) I'm going to go watch them now.
5 comments:
Wishing you a speedy reoovery!
My spindles have always had the hooky-thing on the opposite end, the top, I don't understand why the hooky-thing would be on the bottom. Actually, you don't need a hooky-thing at all.
With the injuries going around, we must have some bad mojo - what my mother claims in terms of bad 'biorhythms'.
I hope you heal well and soon, but in the meantime you've giving me an idea to aid you in your downtime...
BTW: I love your little yarn ball, it has a timely organic look to it.
be well. michele
You have a "bottom whorl" spindle, meaning the disc is at the bottom. A "top whorl" spindle has the disc at the, yes, top. They work the same, but you have to attach the yarn a bit differently. Some people prefer one type, some like the other, but they both work. The point of the spindle is to create twist, just like a wheel. And that's really all a spindle--or a wheel--does. Most of the work is in the hands, the drafting. To get your yarn to become smoother and finer, make sure you pre-draft well. (Search "pre-drafting" on my blog and there is an old post with pictures on how to do it.) But your yarn looks fantastic for an early effort!
From what I have read the bottom whorl spindles - what you have - spin slower so you end up with a thicker yarn in the end. But that also depends on how heavy the spindle is as well. About 1.5 oz. is a good "starting" weight from what my spinning teacher has told me. :)
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