Yesterday I learned to spin at The Yarn Tree in Brooklyn. Below, Caroline, spinning instructor extraordinaire, showing me how it’s done. Watching Caroline use the drop spindle, I was in awe. Caroline made it look so easy, but I knew right away that a certain amount of coordination was involved – using two hands, a tool, feeding fiber and watching the drafting zone. It looked like some kind of modern dance. I hope I wasn’t too poor a student (my spindle bobbled when I spun it and I kept on letting the twist enter the fiber supply). Experiencing something so different shocked my senses and pushed away the work fog that has accumulated over the past few weeks.


I started with Targhee Top. I learned how to pull out some fibers from the mass of wool, tease them and how to hold them in my hand with the ends out of the way. I started by using a small amount of fiber and folding it around my index finger.

I was so excited by the entire endeavor that I completely forgot the fact that the store was having a yarn sale. But I did get lots of fiber so I can practice before the next lesson.
When I got home I sat down at the kitchen table and started spinning. He said, “You haven’t even taken off your jacket!”