Giving New Meaning to the Term "Slow Learner"

So I had my first spinning lesson yesterday, from a delightful lady named Sandy. Sandy has her work cut out for her. Spinning involves your feet doing one thing while your hands do something else entirely and your eyes flit about like secret service agents' just waiting for something to go wrong so you can correct it BEFORE it becomes Major Screaming Disaster.

People say they do it to relax.

The bad news is, apparently, I really suck. (Sandy would never say such a thing. She was quite encouraging, and I'm sure she has seen monkeys that spin worse than me.) See that yarn glob up there? THAT is what I spun last night. (Actually, I did spin about 3 yards of something that looks like yarn. Sort of. I'm keeping that tiny little skein in a Very Safe Place, to look at when I want to impale myself on my orifice hook.)

The good news: Apparently I can recycle the "yarn glob" into felted kitty toys for the cats at the Erie County Humane Society. (Which makes me feel slightly less despondent and wasteful and useless.)

The better news: Just look at my "loaner" wheel:

Oh, it is so pretty. A much nicer wheel than I could possibly afford right now, a Kromski Sonata. It's such a serious wheel -- and it has such presence. Every time I look at it, I feel like it's saying: Enough internet, enough television, enough cheap trashy summer novels. Sit down and spin. It's the only way to learn. (It says this in an English accent, in spite of the fact that it is from Poland. Go figure.)

So, on the good side I have a patient wonderful teacher, a great wheel to learn on, mistakes that are recyclable and some new fiber to learn on (more on that in a minute). Oh, and one more good thing: When I stopped by the library, several of my "holds" were waiting for me, including Hands On Spinning. (Oh, how I love the Pikes Peak Library District.) On the bad side I have, well, (how to put this nicely?) --- Me. Co-ordinated I ain't.

But I want to spin, damn it, so I did some research and found out that alpaca and merino (the 2 fibers I'm currently using) can be a little "slick" for beginning spinners. Several spinners recommended slightly coarser wools with a little more crimp, such as corriedale, for newbies.

So early (for me) this morning I trotted right down to my LYS where there was (mixed blessing alert!!) a SALE. I said to myself: No looking at the yarns! Fiber only! And not much of that! Well, I did have a wee nest egg -- my mom sent me a check for my birthday. So I dipped into this to buy myself 8 oz. of corriedale in a lovely plum (I know, I know: purple again. It was between that and red and I was afraid that spinning red would make me even more short-tempered and apt to cuss.) Also: a very nice Kromski niddy-noddy (used to wind skeins, up 'til now I've used a homemade cardboard model), and another pair of size 4 straights (for knitting lace). Voila:

Thanks, Mom

. . . and everything was 25% off.

(*** Note to Colorado Springs readers: The sale is at Knitters Kove on Union today and tomorrow only. It's one of those mystery discount sales where your discount can be either 20, 25, or 30% off your entire purchase depending on which token you pull out of the box. Plus you get an additional 5% off if you come dressed like a pirate. One lady asked for (& got) the discount because she was wearing a scarf -- seemed like cheating to me, but far be it for me to come between anyone and their additional 5% off. My advice: bring a bandanna. Or a peg leg. Maybe a parrot.)

So tonight I get to knit, spin, read about spinning, and go to a local MS3 group meeting.

Life is good.

Bailey ponders the mystery.

On Spinning, Squirrels, and Small Things That Make Me Happy

Years ago, I decided to teach myself how to spin using a drop spindle. I did what I usually do, and bought materials and a book (exactly what I did years ago when I taught myself how to knit out of Kids Knitting, a great book by Melanie Falick).

Only this time it didn't work. I read, and I practiced, and I said many, many words that surely bruised our Lord's ears, but I did not spin any yarn. So: I bought another spindle, more roving, another book, thinking that perhaps the first set was somehow faulty.

The first thing you should know about me, is that I am persistent. Some have said "stubborn." Some have said worse. The second thing you know is that sometimes, I'm not stubborn enough.

A related aside: During the height of the "What Would Jesus Do?" craze -- when every other preteen you met was wearing a WWJD? bracelet, I decided that in many instances we all would be better served by asking "What Would a Squirrel Do?"Here's my train of thought: I think in most situations I KNOW what Jesus would do. He would be loving, kind, firm and honest. He wouldn't lose hope; he would forgive the jerks around him. And yes, I think it's good to remember all of these things.

But so often I fail not because I don't know what's right, but because I quit too soon, or I get too frustrated, or I let my failures define me. Thus: What would a squirrel do ("WWASD?")

Squirrels give me hope. They are rodents with brains the size of beebees, but they will just keep jumping on your bird feeder until that thing pays off like a Los Vegas slot machine. People spend fifty to a hundred dollars -- and more! -- to get "squirrel proof" bird feeders. I bought one once. It slowed the squirrel down a little, but it did not stop him. I don't know if there is any force in the universe equal to a squirrel's single-minded unrelenting focus when faced with what he perceives to be dinner. I want that focus.

So, I started over with the 2nd drop spindle, admired the gorgeous roving I'd bought (merino! ooh! ah!) and prepared to spin. I tried rolling the spindle on one thigh, on the other thigh; I stood on a chair while dropping the spindle. Nothing. I read. I re-read. I checked out additional books from the library. I did research on the internet. I turned drop spindle spinning into A Project.

In short, I took all the fun out of it. After weeks of looking at my drop spindles with all the warmth and joy usually reserved for a cold sore, I thought: "This is just not for you right now. Some day, this may be for you. But right now the universe is saying uh-uh." I'm pretty sure Jesus was with me on this one. I know his ears were aching.

So I tucked away the roving, spindles, et. al and went on to something else.

A couple of weeks ago I met a nice lady named Sandy who teaches wheel spinning, and she lives just up the road. I gave my husband the kind of birthday hint that works on engineers: "A great birthday present for me would be spinning lessons. Here's the business card of a lady who gives them." Then I remind him again a couple of days later . . .

So -- guess what?? I got spinning lessons for my birthday! The first one is tomorrow, and I am soo--ooo-oo excited. Sandy is even going to loan me a wheel so that I can practice at home. And I'm saying to the universe, the squirrels, and to Jesus: I am ready to learn how to spin! Teach me! I hardly recognize myself, I am feeling so hyper and perky. The very picture of your average squirrel faced with the average bird feeder.

__________________________________________

On another front, someone on the MS3 board published this hint, which I think is a true keeper:

To easily wind a center-pull ball of yarn, start with a small plastic pill bottle, put the leading end of the yarn inside the bottle, snap the lid on and wind away. When finished you can take the lid off the bottle, push the bottle out, and you will have a perfect center-pull ball!

I tried this last night and was so impressed with the results that I got a little wind happy. Here are exhibits A, B, &C:

Can this Much MS3 Joy be Normal? Part B

Last Friday I bound out of bed, grabbed my laptop, and I had **NO** internet. Knowing that desperate times require desperate measures, I went fishing for a wireless network, any wireless network, that would let me download the new MS3 Clue. One of my non-password-protected neighbors obliged and I had my adobe file! Yes!

And then the printer wouldn’t work. It was like one of Job’s (more minor) trials! Arggh! So I went over to Kinko’s, printed out my clue, and breathed a mighty sigh of relief. All-in-all it was 45 minutes of high drama, but when I got home I was as happy as a mouse knee-deep in corn nuts.

“Good grief,” my son said “This Mystery Shawl thing is like crack cocaine for knitters.”

Of course I argued the point. A little. But I started thinking about it: Why exactly do I like this project so much?

I just watched the movie “High Fidelity,” with John Cusack. His character has a penchant for making “Top 10 Lists.” So here’s my

Top 10 Reasons MS3 is Highly Addictive:

1. Decadent yarn and pretty beads fulfill the frilly, girly side of a suburban mom who is starved for Glamour.


2. The pattern is a challenge, but each challenge is a manageable 50-row “bite.” (Okay, sometimes a 100-row “bite,” but those are spread out over 2 weeks.)
3. Melanie’s impeccable design aesthetic. Just like Chanel or Dior or Erte -- Melanie’s talent makes her incapable of creating something ugly, or pedestrian, or drab. I literally can hardly wait to see where she will lead us.
   
4. The online group is comprised of 99.99 % Good Folks and only .01% whack-a-doodles (based on my general eyeballing of the group’s posts). The spirit of the group is kind, helpful, and fun.
5. I’m finally learning 2 things I’ve always wanted to learn: Fine lace work and beading.
6. Group member’s photos of stoles-in-progress never fail to inspire and amaze me.
7. Feeling a kinship with thousands of knitters working on the same project, world-wide. I like imagining the thousands of hands -- in every color hands come in -- eagerly interpreting this pattern -- sending wisps of wool and bright, starry beads out into a world that needs beauty and creativity and warmth.
8. Dollar-for-dollar, this is one cheap date. I don’t know if I’ve never had so much fun for $35 (what my MS3 yarn & beads cost).
9. Learning how to read charts and read my own knitting. Three weeks into this shindig, I’m still making mistakes. But -- thanks to the group -- I’m learning invaluable tips on how to prevent and fix problems with a minimum of agita.
10. Two words: calorie free

Tomorrow: Why does a girl who does not spin have all of this roving?:

Can this Much MS3 Joy be Normal?, Part 1

I finished chart E (½ of Clue #4) for my Mystery Stole 3 this morning. I’m trying to decide just why I’m having such a good time with this project -- because my family will tell you I am having WA-AAA-AAY too much fun with MS3.

Basically I live with two guys who get a daily update on 1.) My MS3 progress 2.) the MS3 Group’s general health and welfare, and 3.) any MS3 brouhahas or tempests-in-a-teacups (I.e., the knitter who was concerned about possibly knitting a stole proclaiming in artistic yarn-overs: “SATAN IS MY CO-PILOT.” Or something. You think you‘ve heard it all but crafty people can go crazy in innumerable directions, so there are always surprises.)

But I digress. Do either of the guys I live with WANT to know the details about my knit goods or knit groups? Definitely not. But I am so enthralled with MS3, they get it anyway!

I mean, how many times have I nodded and smiled politely while hearing all about how “the smildorf on the gluttensplat isn‘t operational for those DOD guys, so I’m gonna have to go to Dallas and meet with (unspellable) and (unpronounceable).” (This from the husband, an engineer.)

Or: “ Like I worked six point five hours STRAIGHT today. Hello? Hardly a break or anything. Is that even legal? And a customer spilled a Route 44 limeade on my new Rocket Dogs -- my socks soaked that stuff up like sponges and I had soggy sticky toes the rest of the shift. . . Mom, can you even get limeade out of suede?” (this from the kid, 16 years old and working his first summer job.)

But I’m a female, and as apt to nurture as any of my kind, so I listen to both the incomprehensible and the inane. (I’m sure my husband thinks the same thing when I point out row # eleventy-four, where “I missed the yarn over on both ends of the row and fudged the bead placement!”) We’re all trying to share what we’re passionate about, or what feels important, even if it’s soda-soaked socks, non-functional gluttensplats, and yarn-overs that have gone AWOL.

So I lug my stole around the house, asking these 2 men their opinions and listening closely to their responses, which are -- of course -- all wrong.

Dyeing in a Heat Wave

cashmere & silk . . . what's not to like?

It was something like 95 degrees yesterday, but that didn't stop me from getting the dye pot out and steaming some cashmere & silk. I've been wanting to get some more "bimbo knitting" projects going, for when the strain of MS3 gets to be too much for my lackadaisical cerebellum. I thought I'd knit my mom a little shoulder shawl for her birthday in September, perhaps this one from knitting daily:


. . . just a light little something to help with her arthritis. I thought the silk/cashmere blend yarn would be perfect as it's so light and warm. Mom wanted a medium bright purple, and I came up with this:

Something between a butterfly bush flower and a pink petunia:

Here's everything I dyed yesterday: 2 skeins of cashmere/silk (the green one is going to get overdyed), and about 500 yards of silk dk, also medium purple:


The green is a little too "lettuce-y" for me, so I'm going back to the drawing board on that one. The silk is such a rich color -- good thing almost every girl in my family likes purple, because this should make a nice scarf -- but which pattern?? Decision, decisions.

I used Jacquard dyes for this project. They really do seem very forgiving. It's fun to experiment -- adding a dash of red to the purple dye (or a dash of blue) to see how the colors kind of "bend" to another hue. I'd love to expand my dye stash -- Jacquard has such a lovely palette of pre-mixed dyes. Something to add to the ever-expanding wish list . . . The 2 base yarns I used here are Sarah's Yarns silk/cashmere 2-ply and a Colourmart (UK company with some very interesting yarns) dk weight silk.

Also, I just cast on a "Dragon Skin" pattern scarf. I'm just a few rows in, but when I have enough to take pictures of I'll post some here. The yarn I'm using -- a cormo wool/angora/cashmere laceweight that I dyed dark ruby, is a joy to work with. But even though the pattern is **SIMPLE**, I keep screwing it up!! Arggh. Thankfully, the yarn encourages perseverance -- it is so well-mannered, and doesn't seem to mind getting ripped out repeatedly.

Today, I believe I'll do some work on my MS3. Tomorrow: An update on all things mystery-stole related.