Thursday, January 13, 2005

Not too much to report the past few days. I've spun a few more ounces of the Ramb x Cormo, knit a little on the sock, but mostly, I've been busy with other bothersome things like work and toddler care.

I would like to wax philosophical for a moment, though.

Today's entry over at Too Much Wool really struck a chord with me. I can totally relate to much of what is written there. How often have I told a non-fiber person (or even a fiber person who isn't a spinner) that I like to spin yarn, and I get this weird sideways look, and an "Oh.... that's neat" while what they're thinking is really "What a nut! Why would she waste all that time making yarn when you can just go buy some?" Or I say that I knit/crochet/whatever, or even worse, am knitting in public, and people tell me their grandmother used to do that. And yes, I have had my spinning (wheel) group confused with a spinning (excercise) class during the course of a conversation. No wonder the person I was talking to looked so confused. "You make yarn with a bike?"

Don't get me wrong. I am not anti-yarn-buying. Not by a long shot. I make lots of things with purchased yarn. But I do enjoy spinning. It's one of the most exciting feelings to knit with yarn that you made youself. I highly recommend it.

Another thing that has happened to me since I started spinning is that I know yarn better. When I go into a yarn shop, I look at the yarn, really look at it. I see the twist, the ply, the fibers. I've always pretty much been able to pick out a yarn that's suitable for the intended project, but now I know why I know it's suitable. And I want to know more. When I look at the label on a skein of yarn and it says 100% wool, I think "Well, yes, but what KIND of wool? What breed?"

Spinning has enriched my knitting life immeasurably, even as it has reduced the time I have available to knit. It's not for everyone, but I think it's great. And not just for grandmothers.

1 comment:

Amie said...

Oh, I completely agree, with what you said and what she said. The 100% wool thing cracks me up too (In Sheep's Clothing is an excellent book that breaks down all the different breeds by their wool qualities - fantastic) especially when you consider that "wool" doesn't even mean sheep to a spinner - angora is bunny wool, alpaca is alpaca wool - we don't often say "wool" for everything, but that's the correct term for the hair of an animal!

I've been teaching knitting, and I was talking today about how we don't do this for the speed, and we don't do it because it's cheaper... we do it because it's a tactile, meditative process that forces us to slow down in an otherwise speeding world.