Homespun

June 13, 2009

I've watched this lady out at the Alameda County Fair for years -- she spins.  It's fascinated me for about 10 years that I've been going out there and visiting the building with the old machinery and have often thought "I have a LOT of cat hair....why not spin it?"

So I looked into it.  This is one of those 'lost arts' even worse than my canning thing I like to do.  I emailed around and heard from a nice lady in San Francisco who told me about an event at a vineyard in Livermore just last weekend.  So, I got on my Harley and rode on out there.

I was surprised to see about 150 people gathered in the lawn area of the vineyard, with their different styles of spinning wheels set up.  Some were obviously antique/heirlooms while others were modern.  Some even folded up for easy storage and portability - I could carry one of those on the Harley if I used my tie downs <g> .  As soon as I parked, I was greeted by a lady in a pink Harley shirt who said "I thought I heard a hawg!" and had to come and meet me.  She rides too...but had too much stuff to haul to ride to the event.  Anyhow, she pointed out 'her group' and was very welcoming.  This was nice! 

I went to her group and guess who I saw?  The lady who spins at the fair!  I said "I have seen you out at the fair and always wanted to try this and here I am!"  This was a good thing.  Then a lady named Ruth who was pretty new to spinning sat me down and showed me how to spin.  There were a few people there watching in the group and they couldn't believe it was my first time.  Heck, I'm good with my hands with crafts, what can I say?  "You've done this before!"  I said "Maybe, but not in this lifetime!"  We had lunch and then the "spining Lady" from the fair (Donna) had me come and spin on her wheel.  She started me out with just operating the treadle.  Had to take my boot off; you really can't spin while wearing shoes; it reminded me of operating the rudders on an airplane when I was taking flying lessons.

I had looked at wheels and they cost the EARTH.  So I put out a "wanted:  a Spinning wheel to Spin Yarn" on Craigslist.  I got an answer on Friday from a lady who 'rescued' a wheel from someone who was going to throw it out, and it cost me $0.  Well, it might have cost me $7 as it was missing a leg and needed the treadle linkage hooked up. 

It works!  The only thing I need to change on it is the drive belt; I put some hemp string but it slips but this isn't a big deal.   I can see it'll be a nice, relaxing thing for me to do while watching TV and since I have been known to knit, I can make things from what I spin.  But for now, I have to perfect my technique - it's a bit like chewing gum, dancing and reciting the alphabet backwards...getting the wheel to go the right way whilst controlling the twisting of the fiber into yarn...

My mom said "You don't need any more hobbies..."

Well...

Life is too short...