I was able to take two more
Abby classes last week. At The Spinning Loft. One on spindling, one on drum carding.
Sadly, I was a bad blogger and forgot my camera, so I missed taking pictures of all the fun and fibery people that I met.
All I have is a little knowledge.... and so much of the knowledge that I have is very physical, the type that is difficult to describe in words.
But there are a few things to share.
Because a bottom whorl spindle does not have to be secured with a hook, it is excellent for klutzes like me who tend to drop drop spindles. If you are a top whorler, you know that if your hook is out of whack, your spindle does not spin well. If there is no hook, you eliminate the Achilles heel. This reason alone makes me want to become proficient on a bottom whorl.
Abby had us trade spindles around the room, so we could see how cop shape and winding on methods change the feel of the spindle. That was such a fun exercise! Everybody spindles a little differently, and I definitely learned from trying some new things.
Abby noted that spindles are adaptable to a person's individual physiology.... there are many different ways to approach spindling, and experimenting to find what is most efficient for you personally is a good thing.
When questioned on how to decide what kind of spindle to use for a particular project, she said, well, it depends. Sampling is a must. There are so many variables with spindles, fiber, the kind of yarn you want,...... even the weather can affect your spinning! (Abby told how she had difficulty in learning to spin cotton until she tried it on a very hot and humid day, when everything clicked for her. )
Well, with the scenes beside my spindling basket showing my deck engulfed in snow and the icicles getting long in the tooth, I have no urges to spin cotton.... just lots of warm woolies!
Many secret Christmas projects in the works......
Shhhhhhh.......
