VRWKNWC: A New Thread!

Me! | 1/20/07 | Knitting a Conundrum

[Knitting A Conundrum]

There is more to life than crafting, but it's a much poorer life without it!

[Knitting A Conundrum]

There's one pic out there, from ancient mesopotamia, where a woman is spinning with a top whorl spindle! (I've spun with both types, but I like top whorl better)

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Was it a conundrum that led you to knit your brow?

[pinz-n-needlez]

Welcome, you qualify! LOL

[pinz-n-needlez]

Have you read Woman's Work? My daughter actually made me 2 mugs with 'handles' in the inside bottom, for wetting flax as it is spun.

I've successfully spun fine linen from modern 'roving' on my Elizabeth. I kept a little bowl on my lap with a wet sponge in it and kept wetting my drafting fingers. (I tend to spin 'left handed' on a wheel.)

I'd like to try hemp spinning, so many useful things to make... string bags, netting, woven 'burlap' bags and the like...

[Knitting A Conundrum]

The Roman poet Catullus on spinning (not sure what poem this was from, the source didn't name it):



Their hands duely plied the eternal task.
The loaded distaff in the left hand placed
with spongy coils of snow-white wool was graced.
From these the right hand lengthy fibers drew
which into thread 'neath nimble fingers grew.

At intervals a gentle touch was given
by which the twirling whorl was onward driven.
Then when the sinking spindle reached the ground,
the new-made thread around the spire was wound.

[pinz-n-needlez]

It should hit the medical diagnostic books any day now! LOL

I tend to cycle through all of my fiber interests a few months at a time. I'm learning not to start 6 month projects, because I will have moved on by then.

I'm getting pretty good about 2 to 6 week projects. They're big enough to be *almost* overwhelming (my favorite), but with a pretty good chance of being completed.

[pinz-n-needlez]

Me too. They seem to be more stable on their axis.

But I have a weakness for Turkish spindles, I'll admit. Winding on is a blast, and I get dizzy just watching it. ;-)

[pinz-n-needlez]

LOL She shoots, she scores!!!!

[bperiwinkle7]

eeeeewwwwwwww eeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!

[pinz-n-needlez]

Beautiful. :-)

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Socks I can usually finish. Sweaters, well, sometimes they stay in the work basket a long, long time...

[Knitting A Conundrum]

I must spin backwards from that description. I hold my fiber in my right hand, and pull the thread with my left.

[pinz-n-needlez]

Me too.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

You don't want to know how people in certain areas finished leather, then, if that was an eeeewww....

Or made the local beer....
(LOL)

[pinz-n-needlez]

Or dyed with indigo. LOL

bbl, gotta make 5 more cartoons this afternoon...

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Have fun!

[bperiwinkle7]

I hereby instruct you not to disclose any information to me which I will be compelled to actively disremember, with concentration and effort.

Strange uses of body fluids and non-standard emissions would be included in the above......

thanking you in advance
bp

[Mrs. P]

You have to get "Precious Bane" by Mary Webb if you haven't already!

[Knitting A Conundrum]

LOL!

[Knitting A Conundrum]

What's it about?