24 5 / 2012
Took a fabulous spinning class at LYS
It was a part of my Christmas gift. I know, it’s May, but my parents got me a box of wool and a book on how to spin for Christmas. No spindle. And a note that said “Plus one trip to yarn shop!”
So I bought myself a spindle and taught myself the basics. I can only do park and draft on a top whorl and could not figure out the bottom whorl.
Going to the LYS, The Fold, I had no expectations. It was located out in the boonies and we hit a lot of road construction getting there. Took us almost an hour of driving. The shop was a gutted house with pastures surround it with the owner’s sheep flocking about.
The own Toni greeted me and my mom quickly enough and she proceeded to bring in bags and bags of uncleaned wool, and taught me everything there is to know about it. I knew most of the knowledge already, what from my textiles course and independent reading, but it was still fascinating to listen to her speak.
I showed her what I could do with a spindle and she said I was pretty good at it already! So she quickly put to work on a wheel. I was ecstatic. That’s what I really wanted to learn and here I was doing it! I couldn’t believe it.
Towards the end of the lesson Toni said “So I’m going to send you home with this” and pointed to the wheel…whoa wait what!? I get to take it with me!? As I was leaving there I felt like I had died, went to heaven, and was sent back with all the spinning paraphernalia I could ever want.
Of course I didn’t get to keep it. She gave it to me for a week and told me to fill up three bobbins. I did so and went back and she taught me how to ply and then clean the skiens. It was so exciting!
Overall the two lessons cost us 50 dollars. I was simply AMAZED at what I got for that price! Plus I picked up two skiens of sock yarn while I was there for 18 bucks! Yes!
I really want a wheel now. I much prefer it to a spindle, but it’s so expensive. I’ll be saving up a while for one, but I can’t wait!
