mind of winter: Wheelspun

September 16, 2006

Wheelspun

In a matter of days - hours, maybe - fall has come to Southern California. For the middle of the day, this means we have temperatures like coastal Canadian summer days - 70's and sunny, dry and perfect. The main changes occur in the night, causing dusk and dawn to be pleasantly chilly. I've put aside my flip-flops for my shearling booties, and this morning, I had to grab Clementine out of the closet to keep cozy, since I refuse to close the screen door or the windows.

The first real skein spun and plied on the Rose.

This one's for Marnie.This happy chill brings on thoughts of real, stovetop cocoa (like my mother used to make with real milk and baker's cocoa, but doctored with a cinnamon stick, vanilla, and a dash of cayenne if Moxie isn't drinking), comfort foods (for me this means huge vats of Indian okra and pulses from the pages of Madhur Jaffrey, God bless her!), and wool - much, much wool. So after finishing up Thelma and wearing her to death, this week I laid aside my knitting and just spun, spun, spun.

Over the last month, I have tried a lot of wheels, and I have even spun up a skeinlette here and there. But this is the first time I've really had to sit down at the Rose - rented from The Weaver's Cottage - and spin a really big hank of yarn. So as not to overwhlem Moxie, who fears that I may be spontaneously transported back to the 17th century where I obviously belong ("Who invited Holly Hobbie into our living room?"), I spun one bobbin of Amy's Chocolate-Covered Cherries each night, and waited until a third night to ply them.

I have to admit that for a while I had to tell myself that it was all about the process. My singles were clearly, seriously, way overspun - so much so that I had little dreadlocks popping up on the bobbin. And the situation didn't improve much with plying, nor did it look better on the niddy-noddy.

Moxie: "Wow! Your first ugly chunky yarn! Tell me again why you wouldn't just buy that finished rather than spending $700 on a wheel? What are you going to knit with that - a hammock?"
Me: "Yes!" "A banana hammock - for you! I may strangle you with it in your sleep."

We have a special love, Moxie and I.

But then I tied it off and took it off the niddy-noddy, and everything changed. I won't tell you this is like blocking lace, because honestly, this stuff really is a poor specimen of yarn. The thing is, I love it and I don't care. To me, it looks like designer yarn. I can easily see Colinette selling stuff like this for $30. It's freaking gorgeous. And it's not even too unbalanced, if you look at the shot on the lanterns. The only sticking point is what to knit with it. Perhaps a Christmas gift for Moxie. Heh, heh.

Posted by Julia at September 16, 2006 07:39 AM
In main | moments with moxie | spinning | the rose

Comments

I was eyeing that wheel for a long time, then decided that I didn't have space, time or money for a spinning wheel just yet. My finacee sounds like your Moxie, "Hey, you are turning in to a premature grandma!" He even has a little song that he sings about it. Love that skein, and I'm looking forward to a review of the wheel!

Posted by: Mia at September 17, 2006 08:25 AM

ha, i was just telling Cam the other night how I wanted to rent a wheel this fall from Wendy (Spaaz). His response was: how long will it take you to get enough yarn to knit something...even something small like a hat? They just don't get it.

enjoy the wheel rental!

Posted by: lori z at September 16, 2006 09:16 PM

My oldest daughter has a cabled ski hat she loves and parctically lived in this winter while she stayed with my brother and his wife in Switzerland. Daughter #2 had to have such a hat. I bought some Rowan chunky print in a couple of colorways (to find the best match to the ski jacket) and even on sale it was a bit pricy. Your thick and thin looks like a twin of the pricy Rowan (except that your colorway is much softer and prettier than the 2 pinks I bought). Maybe Moxie needs a pretty "chocolate covered cherries" cabled ski hat for the holidays.

Posted by: Tish at September 16, 2006 07:26 PM

how about a fluffy pink scarf for your moxie? that would be an *excellent* gift.

seriously, beautiful yarn! and go you on the rose, it's a challenging wheel but oh-so-great once you get the groove, huh?

hee, i like the way you two talk - too cute ;)

Posted by: andrea at September 16, 2006 06:03 PM

well i have purchased yarn in stores that looked prettier in the skien then it ever looked knitted up, so it IS better to spin your own yarn, always! It's amazing and fun, it just really neat. You could make all kinds of neat things with it.

I love love love to spin, I spun all day today, or as much as I could :)

Posted by: pixie at September 16, 2006 03:39 PM

I agree - beautiful. Not imperfections, rather uniquely yours.

Posted by: christine at September 16, 2006 03:36 PM

No need to knit with it. It's the beginning of your journey and having it as a souvenir may be a nice remind some day of how far you've come.

Posted by: margene at September 16, 2006 03:25 PM

Sweet. Saw your comment on Marnie's blog -- definitely, you must keep it! I love the yarn -- truly beautiful. Almost is making me long for my Montessori days when I learned to spin (at 4 -- go figure). Oh, too much temptation!

Posted by: Jen. at September 16, 2006 02:53 PM

beautiful yarn! tea cozy?

Posted by: kat at September 16, 2006 02:42 PM

Woot! Loving your spinning girl!

Posted by: Tiffany at September 16, 2006 02:34 PM

I adore that first skein of wool! It looks lovely. How about a neck warmer? Add some cables if you please. Or a hat for M, with ear flaps! :-)

Posted by: MJ at September 16, 2006 01:22 PM

Ooh, we posted first skeins on the same day. We are suffereing serious BFF syndrome. Your skein looks amazing and I love it. The color is so perfect and the fact that you took a lantern shot for me, totally makes my day. Love those little lanterns.

Personally, I think the yarn would make a really cute snuggly hat, not that you need much in the way of snuggly hats in LA, but it's a thought.

Posted by: Marnie at September 16, 2006 12:18 PM

Well, personally, I think it is very cool. Humm, what to knit with it. . . . .

What about some gauntlets?????

Posted by: knittingnurse at September 16, 2006 11:49 AM

WHOOHOO on your wheelspun. Hey! Rhinebeck's coming. Put in your order now. ;-)

Posted by: Cara at September 16, 2006 10:03 AM

This is my favorite time of year. The crispness just invigorates me and makes me happy as no other time of year can. Now, where's that cocoa?

Posted by: Leslie at September 16, 2006 09:23 AM

The yarn looks so soft, and a present for Moxie sounds perfect!

Posted by: Rose at September 16, 2006 09:19 AM

I love M's comments so much... please tell him the Holly Hobbie reference is genius. He's hilarious. I'd say a Christmas gift for him would be perfect if he liked the idea of you getting creative in his environment! Hee hee.

Posted by: Mary-Heather at September 16, 2006 09:12 AM