Inadvertent Spinner

It all started last winter with knitting scarves. I suggested doing this with my daughter who had just come home to live with us after spending the past 5 years away from home studying at university half way round the world. She began knitting and soon became so good at it that she made several scarves and went on to knit leg warmers, skirts and toys at increasing levels of difficulty with each project. While she was tackling fair-isle and cable knitting, I abandoned the knitting needles for a crotchet hook and did some free-form work as I am hopeless at reading instructions in a pattern. 


Now there is a weekend farmer's market just down the road where I frequent to pick up fresh produce. Every winter, there is also a little stall manned by a group of usually very friendly ladies. One Saturday morning, I began a conversation with a particularly helpful and kind lady and discovered that they belong to a group of knitters and spinners. Anne invited me to their meeting the next weekend. I thought that would be a wonderful place for my daughter to pursue her hobby and meet new people. So I told her and we went to the meeting. My purpose of going was merely to accompany my daughter.


That was when I discovered the Handweavers, Spinners and Dyers Guild of WA and inadvertently became a member.  Never have I met a more congenial, warm and welcoming group of people who are not only talented and dedicated, but big-hearted in every way. They adopted me into their fraternity instantly and initiated me into spinning with such great gusto that I simply had to learn in order to reciprocate their kindness.


So I took home my borrowed wheel, bought my first batt of wool and started spinning - gingerly at first, with great incoordination like a new driver with L plates.  Midway through my batt, there came an "Aha" moment when I think I got it! Only to lose it again before finding it once more. Sure I had some beautiful even strands amid the gamut of knobbly yarn. But most of it was of varying shape and thickness. "This is 'art yarn'," the others reassure me as they smile at my attempts. "Later, when you become good at it you will find it hard to spin like this again. Enjoy this while you can!" 


I LOVE "art yarn"! I do not wish to get better at spinning if it means I cannot make this anymore! I love the irregularity, the variation. I like it interesting and unpredictable. Jo, my wonderful spinning mentor from the group, taught me how to ply bits of leftover yarn and a variety of embroidery threads with it. I am very pleased with the resultant skein of yarn I made. I learnt how to wash the yarn gently in soapy water and hang it up to dry. I waited impatiently to start making my first project with it.


My first lot of spun yarn was quickly knitted with some leftover wool of a contrasting colour and morphed into this handbag embellished with a wooden button that I had hoarded for years in my stash. I have become a spinner!