conehead

I've been thinking a bit about a few things.

In talking with some other new-ish spinners, I've heard time and time again, "I'm going to save that until I'm worthy" or that they're going to wait to spin some beautiful fiber (that they've already bought) until they're better spinners. That they're going to practice first, on something ..... cheaper? more basic? less pretty?

In thinking about spinning the bunny here, I realized that I had indeed saved my two original balls of bunny fluff for a while. I didn't have a very light weight or lace spindle, and my attempts to spindle spin my angora blend on my heavier spindles didn't work too well. But I didn't even give it a go on my wheel, thinking that... I wasn't worthy? I'm not sure what I thought, but I know for a fact that I didn't even give the difference between a spindle and a wheel the benefit of the doubt. I was able to wheel spin my bunny with no problem at all, first try.

A more experienced spinner said to me that she thought many people were frustrated in their spinning attempts by trying to spin what was essentially wool that was only suitable for felting. (Her exact word may or may not have been 'crap'.)

Now in knitting, you can swatch or play with yarn without a serious commitment to start a project. Knit a little, even cast on, and knit to see how it works for you. You can always rip it out - that's the beauty of rows of looped string. It comes apart and you can start over. Sometimes, though, I think there is a tendency in knitting to also save something, for the "perfect pattern" which may or may not materialize down the road.

In quilting I've seen people save their special fabrics, and in that case its understandable. If you take a scissor or a rotary cutter to the fabric, there really isn't much chance to change your mind.

In some ways I guess it makes sense in spinning too, in the sense that once its spun it can't be unspun. However, I know that recently, when I've delved into my more special purchases, I've been amazed at how suddenly I seem to be a 'better' spinner. The difference of course is that the wonderfully prepared fibers are just easier to spin in the first place. Wool, once spun, is pretty much used up, though, so I could see saving something extra special for a specific project down the road. When you knew what you wanted it for and therefore how thick or thin to spin it, etc.

Now, I'm not talking about cashmere and qiviut and things that might actually be harder to spin, and are more precious in dollars as well. I'm talking about someone selling a beginner crappy wool and telling them its good 'for practice'. Although I can't imagine a spinner doing that to a potential convert anyone.

So, I guess what I'm wondering is, does this idea of saving the best for when I'm better make sense? I've always thought along the lines of using the best materials for whatever it is I'm setting out to do, be that cooking or textiles or building materials. I guess it depends on the situation, mostly. But I like to think that someone who is working with something nice will be happier down the road with the finished product and enjoy the process more.

Then again, some people just like to stockpile yarn.

Thereafter, she was forced to examine herself and contemplate her excesses....

Comments

[Emma.]

Spin it and enjoy it now. You might not be here tomorrow [ sorry if that jolted you,but it's true !] or the m*ths might get your fibre.
It's like saving really nice clothes for a special occasion that may never come.
I wore my purple handkerchief linen shirt with silk cuffs and covered buttons yesterday.It had been hanging in my wardrobe for two years waiting. Gor wha t ? So I wore it,loved the colour,the cool,floating fabric and felt good.
Spin your bunny fluff. You'll make beautiful yarn.

[Cindy D]

Someone told me the same thing when I first started spinning, "You can't spin that because you are too new to spinning!" I spun the fiber in spite of her and never looked back.Go for the gold!

[sandy]

My grandmother died with so many of her GOOD THINGS untouched. She never used her dishes she was saving. Or some beautiful candles. Or lots of clothes.
Life is too short. GO for it. Enjoy the process. AND the end result.

[Kim]

I so agree! I tell people that they should spin what they love.....it makes one happier. I no longer will continue knitting something that I start to hate (XO Vest was the last), nor will I stick with spinning wool that I am not enjoying. I usually pass it on to someone who may enjoy it more or can felt with it. Life is too short and our hobbies should give us joy, not frustration (if possible).....and we are worth it, right?

I LOVE the picture of your yarn and quilt! Tell me more....did you make the quilt? What are the yarns? So Pretty!!

[Wendy]

I have 2 ounces of qivuit roving that I've been afraid to spin because I don't want to ruin it. But I'm thinking I really ought to just go ahead and spin it. If I ruin it, it's not the end of the world!

[Valerie]

I have regretted spinning some exquisite fiber (more than once)...but it wasn't because I wasn't a good enough spinner. It was because I was just so eager to spin it that there wasn't an end use in mind. So there was this very expensive fiber in yarn that I didn't have a use for. So now, I try envision what the yarn will be used for before forging ahead.

[Beth]

I'm guilty. I have a few ounces of some alpaca in a rich warm brown and I just know I don't spin well enough yet.

[Anne]

No sense in saving for tomorrow. If you enjoy it, try it. I think you are smart holding off if you don't have the right spindle weight (and no wheel) as that can be frustrating if the match isn't right for the fiber, but otherwise, what will spinning 35 yards hurt? And if that makes you happy, spin 350, and then 3500. Life's too short.

[margene]

Kim sent me some of her beautiful bunny fluff and said that new spinners should enjoy some of the luxery fibers, too. Now that I have a spindle I like I'll give it a go....after I'm a better spinner;-0

[Rachael]

Yeah, I think I learned faster because I was using the good stuff. Now that I'm getting a little better at it, I can spin the crap and struggle with it and learn from IT. But before, feh. I would have stalked away from spinning faster than.... well. Something. I'm really sleepy.
:)

[Marcia]

I see both sides of this one, but for the most part, I completely agree. (STEP AWAY FROM THE ROMNEY!) I swear, some expensive Shetland "taught" me to spin! And I have never understood why they don't give Rambouillet to beginners. But, having said that, I ruined some nice Merino when I really didn't know what I was doing and, let's face it, some of this stuff is pricey. And, I'm guilty, guilty of hoarding some of the good stuff till I'm "better"...there's a box of alpaca and 50 grams of qiviuq. Sigh.

[Liz]

When I started to spin, a spinning "friend" gave me 10 pounds of roving that wasn't to her liking, saying that it would be good for "practice". It's ok...but lately I've really been getting into my Fiber Frolic purchases, and... wow. Beautiful yarn results from these beautiful fibers. I think all anyone needs of "practice" roving is a pound. After that, anything goes. I don't want to be Sandy's grandma.

[Lee Ann]

I'm well aware of the unpredictability of life around here...and I'm very glad I went and got myself the "deluxe" beginning kit with extremely well-prepared fiber in it. It's not going to be a fine-gauge yarn on my first few tries anyway, but I still want it to be pretty and useable. If I was spinning stuff that was insanely difficult to draft, I would have no idea what people are talking about, that instant addiction to spinning...

This stuff drafts beautifully and I can't stop :-) I'm going for the merino next because Emma is absolutely right. Do it while ya got it.

[Sandy]

As someone who is seriously "toying" with the idea of spinning, I am going to keep your words close. Makes so much sense to me.

"I'm good enough and dammit, I like me!"

[Juno]

It's a little bit of both really - I know that the crap wool I got to learn on *was* crap and didn’t help me be a bit better, but the first piece of slightly better fiber I tried made me think that I’d made a terrible mistake because it was worse, so much slipperier that I lost control of it.

So my present idea is that one should try small amounts of everything one can get one’s hands on, in as many wools and preparations as possible, of the best quality possible – even though I have a little trouble with idea of ending up with 26 skeins 1 ounce experimental skeins – don’t be afraid to try something good until you’re better.

But if you have a special thing and you want to horde and savor and cherish it for some indefinite time between a few weeks until "I'm better" to eternity, that's OK too.

[Risa]

I know there's a tendency amongst new spinners to save the "good stuff" for later when they are more worthy of it. I disagree with that approach, but then again, I learned to spin on merino because no one told me I couldn't, shouldn't or should save it for when I was a better spinner. I agree that good material makes you better. Spinning crap is just not enjoyable and will do nothing more than frustrate a new spinner, or heck an expeience spinner. Honestly, the fiber is renewable and there really is nothing irreplaceable. You won't get "exactly" the same blend but you can come pretty darn close. Merino can always be mixed with silk. My bunny churns out 5 ounces of prime 4 times a year. Etc.

How to define the worthy? How do you "wreck" a fiber anyway? Instead of being a perfectly even laceweight its now a sportweight is it wrecked? It just wanted to be something different.

Bottom line is enjoy the process.

[Cordelia]

Ditto! Being a hoarder at heart, I think you should stockpile until you want to spin/knit that particular item from your stockpile. But why wait until one is "better"? Why, that would be like waiting until one is a better knitter to knit lace.

[Lauren]

How many yards are pictured there alone?

[Judy H.]

I tend to do a bit of both. I have a few rovings I am saving until I am a bit better (100% silk, a bit of cotton, etc), and a couple until they tell me what they want to be, so I can spin them right for that, but I have also jumped right into a roving just because it was beautiful and I wanted to spin it NOW.

[naomi]

I agree with the previous commenters--I'd hoard roving for finding the right spindle (boy, do I need a heavier spindle!) or a particular project idea, but not "until I get better". On the other hand, I'm not going to start a roving-to-sweater project until I can spin consistently enough to not have to keep recalculating gauge.

[Jackie]

I have been doing that - saving the good stuff. Lately, I've noticed that I just don't want to spin the boring practice stuff and have jumped it to the good stuff. WOW!! What a difference. I say go, spin, play and be happy!

[regina]

thank you for all the great encouragement you've given me. i just ordered a spinning kit from the pacific wool and fiber folks (2 spindles, a book and some roving). we'll see how i do. you're a generous and kind soul, so thank you again!

[Zeila]

I just discovered that you are working on Madli. I thought I was the only one. I finished in May and my niece just loved it. Have you enjoyed knitting it?

Zeila

[Kristen]

I've read this, and the comments, many times today. It's true - all of it - and now I know that I need to just dig in and spin already!

(I'll remember the warning that my spindle might not be great for the bunny fuzz and maybe (once I figure out what spindle would be better I might invest in it...) it'd be better on a (future) wheel.) The overwelming cry of enjoy it while it's here and you're here to enjoy it is falling on open ears. Thanks for this post!

[Laurie]

Yeah, it has something to do with "that roving is so beautiful and I'll never be able to replace it if I screw it up". It's also the packrat talking. Don't most fiberholics have something of the packrat in them? Logic says that we can find roving that is just as pretty. And the cost of roving is not prohibitive, so "saving money" doesn't really fly. It really does defy logic. I'll have to think about it more. Or else, try spinning some of the really pretty stuff and see how I feel.