Spindles

Each day brings new delights

I'm glad that my last rainy day terror didn't dissuade me from my efforts. Thanks everyone for the upbeat words and encouragement… it actually made a big difference when I got out there again.

This weekend I went to Rockler and saw this great deal on Bocote turning blanks. Picked up three 1×1x12 for $1/pc. BTW… has anyone else noticed that Bocote smells like pickles when worked?! WEIRD! After turning two spindles, I decided that I was absolutely in love with the look and feel of Bocote… so I sent a minion back to Rockler yesterday and he picked me out 40 more pieces.

I also took my Russian spindles to my knitting circle and had a handful of really nice women hold and inspect my latest goodies… they liked them very much. I noticed that some of them mentioned that they were intimidated by spinning yarn. I want to make it my personal mission to rectify this in our local knitting community.

Spinning yarn is a joy and should not be scary… and it doesn't have to cost $500 (for a wheel) to get started. Spindle spinning is efficient, effective, and can be (in some cases) just as fast as production on a wheel. Best of all spindles are CHEAP and PORTABLE. Also… you can make them yourself with a little imagination and a few household items. OR you could be awesome and buy them from artisans like ME! Heh.

I think the major barrier to spinning for knitters is IT'S ONE MORE HOBBY and also… it's difficult to find affordable classes. Don't get me wrong… I love my local yarn shops, but some of them charge ridiculous prices for an introduction to spinning course. That's fine for people with gobs of disposable income, but in this economy… not so great for folks who only have $40 to spend on an afternoon. I want to fill that niche with my product and my experience.

I'm also thinking about donating classes to a charity that helps find activities for those with chronic illness that limits movement. I think that supported spindle spinning might be inspiring for people who can't walk or stand but have use of their hands. Must think on this some.

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I went and picked up some awesome sanding pads from 3M called Sandblaster… they better be awesome for the price of $3.50 a pad. I should go turn a spindle and try them out.