The Joy of Spindle Spinning

What a great day today, even though it POURED for a bit, the sun did come out and I spent the whole day spinning <3.  In my spindle class we started off with supported spindles, I haven't had too much experience with these as I only bought my first supported spindle last year here at Olds.  Our instructor gave us this cute little bead spindle and a bag of fibre to practice with.  After a few false starts I got the feel for it and away I went.  By lunch time I spun 4 punis and about 1 foot of pima cotton on this little bead spindle (I'm pretty proud of myself :).  After lunch we focused on top whorl spindles and plying. 

I also learned a few tricks, if you wind your yarn onto your spindle up and down kinda making a criss-cross pattern its faster.  I also learned that making your cop football shaped you can pack more yarn onto the spindle while still keeping it balanced.  If your yarn isn't all plugged up at the top under the whorl you can spin until your spindle gets too heavy.  Hey Jeremy, see spinning and football DO co-ordinate :P

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 I was lucky enough to have one of my favourite spindle makers in my class; Ed Tabachek.  He was very humble and most of the people in the class who thought themselves "experts" on spindles had no idea who they were sitting beside.  I did get to have a nice chat with
him during lunch.  He was plying some corriedale he had spun on one of this spindles. We talked about different woods, which spindle makers he likes and how he has always been a wood turner but just took up spinning because it was of interest to his wife (who has also graduated from the
Masters Spinners courses at Olds)  He and her would go on winter trips and he found spindles were a great, portable tool and he could get a lot done even just sitting around. 

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The market mall here never disappoints.  This year it is even bigger than it was last year!  I was really excited, not only because there is so much fibre packed into one area but I got to meet my favourite dyer/fibre supplier; Kim from The Wacky Windmill.  She has a very good selection of hand dyed fibres, handspun yarns, tools and everything I love.  I snagged a couple braids that were calling my name.  Kim also surprised me with a little gift from her angora bunny "Suzie"!   Did I ever tell you how much I love The Wacky Windmill?!  Its such a thoughtful
gift.  I am going to try and spindle spin it and make something special.  Thanks Kim :D

I also purchased some green Easy Spin cotton because first of all I had a coupon and secondly my spindle teacher runs the Easy Spin cotton business.

After leaving the college for the day, Jeremy and I had a GREAT supper at the Stonewood Grill and we picked up some wine and now we are just unwinding listening to the thunderstorm outside.  Sigh, what a wonderful day.  Tomorrow we are going to check out the Summer Solstice fair and watch some fireworks.