November 4, 2013

Putting a spin on it

Several years ago, my friend Kate decided to take up spinning.  I remember watching her and thinking to myself that it seemed far too complicated and I had no desire whatsoever to learn.  Dyeing? Sure.  Spinning? No.

You will not be surprised to learn that I seem to have changed my mind.  Once again, I have podcasts to blame for this, because so many podcasters seem to spin.  They're always talking about all kinds of different fibers and spindles, and I'm listening half-lost and wanting so badly to understand, and also sort of warming up to the idea of spinning because its also something old-timey, and I will totally be able to survive the apocalypse if I learn (and if sheep are available). Also, I feel like being able to spin, dye, and knit up a project would be like some kind of knitting hat trick (GOAL!).

My friend Sam seems to also have caught the spinning bug, because as I mentioned in the previous post, she went to a class to learn the secret codes.  I am totally jealous (extra free time is an issue for me at the moment because of other activities).  We keep sending each other links to fiber and random spindles and wishing spinning wheels weren't so freaking expensive (wistful sigh!)


I'm still trying to figure out what I even need to start.  A spindle, of course.  Fiber (but what kind?)...beyond that I have no idea (spinners--any tips??)


November 1, 2013

Knitting in the dark

I've always been a little envious of people who have movie socks or movie projects.  I am completely unable to divide my attention between a new feature film and a knitting project--I have to be focused on one or the other.  Then there's that whole knitting in the dark thing.  Despite the fact that I've been knitting for five years now, I still have to look at it.  I can't look away and keep going, or knit by feel.

My friend Sam was talking to me about knitting in the dark the other day (she can't do it either), and when she admitted this while taking a spinning class at our LYS, the other women there looked at her like she was crazy.

So, fellow knitters--how many of you can knit in the dark?  Are we some kind of odd ducks who can't?  Is this a skill I should have added to my repertoire ages ago?