nirvana

Okay, to start off, I'd like to say that the disconnect I mentioned yesterday really should be thought of (by me) as a way to balance living in the city. There's nothing off or discordant about it, it was a semi-conscious grasping for simplicity, and grounding and wholeness. Thanks to everyone who commented and helped me get some perspective on it.

Ok. Now. The matter at hand. Above you see what happened to me on Tuesday.

If you're paying attention, I've been waiting for my woolcombs for a few weeks. They arrived yesterday. This is the point at which I said, "Damn, I forgot to pack my brain for this trip." The moment they arrived I realized that I had fleece, but hadn't washed any of the fleece in preparation for the combs' arrival. Major oversight.

I pulled out the combs, gingerly, after looking at them for a while in the box. Contemplating their .... well, their pointiness.

I thought the angle of this picture made them look extra scary. Even though its just one half of the set.

Then I remembered that That Laurie had sent me some washed fleece that I had forgotten about. Totally saved the day, that Romney and That Laurie both. Of course, she knew I was ordering combs, that's why she sent me washed fleece and some already combed fiber for comparison. I was able to immediately start playing with my combs, and the top picture is the grand total of 16 yards that I combed and then spindle spun and plied and washed. All in time to get a picture in sunlight with my ever-present left thumb for scale.

And now the important part. I emailed a few friends about this yesterday. I contemplated just not blogging about it because it might make me sound like I'd finally gone over the edge. Completely lost it. You know, flipped.

I combed and I combed, the beautiful shiney white Romney cooperated fully, and then I got out the diz and threader and at the precise moment when I started pulling the combed wool through the diz, my eyes welled up with tears. While I was turning the locks into some spinnable top or sliver or whatever its properly called - I was so overcome I didn't even pull out the camera so the fiber impaired among you would have a visual on what a diz does- I had several full minutes of absolute nirvana. Bliss. Satori. Not even déja vu, just a feeling of ..... well, like I said. Bliss. Satori. Nirvana.

I will now stop apologizing for the woolcentricity of this blog.

Comments

[Laurie]

People seek their whole lives for that feeling. And to think it was created by something as simple as wool. Now THAT's a lesson.

[valentina]

I welled up reading about it. Yes, STOP apologizing. Geez.

[Jan]

Loved this post! You articulated your *experience* very movingly. Next time, though, please do remember the fiber impaired among us...I would like to see what a diz does.

[Colleen]

Woolcentricity? It's vicarious spinning for me.

[Jackie]

WOW! I am in awe. Next time, Cassie - PICTURES!!! I need to know what the next step looks like,

[Kim]

It really is a wonderful feeling to complete a process from beginning to end. To buy a raw fleece right after it is short, to washing it, combing, dizing, spinning and then finally knitting. You don't need to apologize.....it ia a wonderful process!

Happy Combing!

[sara]

Wow. Most excellent. Of course aside from the dizzing pictures, the most crucial left-out detail is: What kind of combs and how the heck did you pick your particular pointyness brand?

Very yummy yarn.

[Cara]

I think you've finally done it.

Too.Much.Wool.

;-)

That happens to me all the time. I remember finishing my first story and weeping like a baby. Nothing wrong with getting caught up in our emotional lives - especially when it's a good thing. Most of us live too long in the rational anyway.

[margene]

That bit of fluffy white wool is as beautiful as it gets. Too create yarn, something exquisite yet usable, is like creating life. That little bit of wool can become anything with your hands as guidance. The 'balance of living in the city'...perfectly said.

[Norma]

Wow. I'm diz-zy from all of it. ;-)

[Juno]

How often does that happen? I think the first time I held my nephew.

And you had a wool one.

No need to apologize for the wool-centricitiy you know - we're all with you.

So happy.

[Adelaide]

I am completely, totally impressed. Wow! Double WOW!!!

[Lee Ann]

That picture of the combs needs an ominous theme song...

And I'd cry, too. When you create something and it really works, it's pretty natural to feel that strong tug of emotion. We're so often encouraged NOT to feel that tug, but I think it's a sense of connectedness that should be nourished, not fought against.

I'd love to see pictures, step by step, of the next time you do this process. I've been accused of being a diz, but I've never seen anyone use one ;-)

Much.More.Wool.Please.

[That Laurie]

Your yarn looks totally yummy!! I am so glad that the combs create the same effect for you that they do for me. I worry when I recommend them because some folks do NOT enjoy combing as much as I do (of course, some reach bliss carding which has never worked for me!). To see the dizzing process without causing Cassie to stab herself with her new combs, go here:

http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2005_02.html

and scroll down to February 25 -- my husband took combing pictures for my "guest appearance" on the Yarn Harlot.

Hey, Cassie, you are that much closer to dyeing!!

[Deb]

Hmmm . . . I've got to try this!!

[julia fc]

A friend gave me a diz for my birthdaqy, and I actually bought a heckle for colour blending a roving: by laying in several layers of colour and pulling through the diz, you can make a magical roving of many colours. It's so much fun.
I'm feeling better, thanks. smooches to you.

[Beth S.]

I think that's sweet. And it's also sort of the point of all this, isn't it?--to feel pleasure. Tactile pleasure, visual pleasure, maybe even olfactory pleasure... you found a hobby that pushes all your sensory buttons. Isn't that amazing?

:-)

[Carole]

Nothing wrong with a little emotion. I imagine it was an awesome and overpowering feeling of creation that you experienced. I say, ride the wave, babe.

[Jo in Ottawa]

Woolcentricity is what we come here for. Glad you enjoyed it that much.

As for advertising Scotch and why it is acceptable: Scotch is not addictive and you can have one and not escalate into more (unless you are an alcoholic but not everyone is). Nicotine IS addictive for everyone and highly so (think COCAINE style addictive).

Drinking scotch doesn't have a negative effect on other people sitting in your vicinity (again, unless you get violent or something when you drink but not everyone does; and even alocoholics react differently so some get violent, others get other mood things). Tobacco always has a negative effect on the innocent bystanders who have to breath that smoke regardless.

Advertising itself is pretty evil and we shouldn't confuse the evil that is inherent in advertising with the product being advertised. Banning advertising of tobacco seems justified but banning advertising is just not going to happen as much as we would like it too.

[Risa]

You've managed to put into words what I've felt for just about every stage of the spinning to knitting to finished garment. Enjoy it, revel in it and certainly don't apologize. I'm going to have to wash some fleece and get out my combs this weekend.

[Stasia]

Glad you had such a nice experience with the combing! Now, you DO have a current tetanus vaccination, right? (No, I'm not kidding...)

Did you get to make a center-pull ball of your (gently twisted) combed fiber, so that the first-combed end comes out of the middle, for proper spinning pleasure? That always gives me a feeling of satisfaction - to see the dizzed balls all lined up and ready to go...

[Christine]

I am (not so) patiently waiting for my own wool combs to arrive, lol! I just hope that I can make yarn as soft looking as yours, sigh.

[Emma.]

Fab !

[Sarah]

I have a friend who has a viking combs (English has two rows, right?) and she's let me borrow them for demonstrations.

I have wool cards that I got when I first learned to spin when I was a teenager, but I
dislike carding.

Your description of your combing experience is magical. Thank you.

I think I'll have to wait for combs (must order some) and see what I can do with that.

A button with big holes works just as well for a diz.

[Vicki]

I can't come up with the right words, but they're along the lines of "that's so cool"! Everyone gets it, too, spinner or not, that complete bliss can be had with wool!