Just a Box of Magazines

Red Hat 

A Box of old magazines came my way last week! A box of old Spin-Off magazines that is. I love Spin-Off & bought it faithfully every time a new issue came out until my favorite magazine shop went bust. I also bought Knitters & Interweave Knitting as well. I looked forward to each issue with great excitement even when I didn't make anything from the patterns on their pages. I learned new things, new stitches & read about new yarns & equipment. Then I ran out of money & couldn't afford to buy any of them for a few years. When I could afford them again, I couldn't find Spin-Off anywhere. So I was delighted to find a box of old issues, back from before I knew about the magazine, up for grabs.

It's fun to see all the adverts for Spinning machines! I know quite a few people with Wheels but most of them have similar ones. It's fun to go to a spinning related event & see all the Joys & Louets lined up in the spinning area!! I once saw a Columbine in the flesh, so to speak. And I got to try it out!! It was heavy but spun like a dream. I liked taking my old Indian spinner to those events because it often was the only one there - people think it can only spin plain, heavy yarns but I can spin silk thread with mine .  .  .  .  I like to think of the Indian as an ideal machine because it can spin anything, has a wide orifice - no fiddling around with pulling yarns through with a piece of wire - and a huge bobbin - no extras needed!!! It's light, comes apart into three pieces for carrying & stays quietly in it's corner when not being used. I once spent a lot of money on a Suzie Pro from Majacraft but in the end, sold it on. I just couldn't manage the double treadle after I wrecked my knee & I'm just not a production machine type of spinner.

Rainbow leftovers

It's fun to see what people were doing with their handspun. A lot of them were weavers. I am not. I can't imagine the boredom of warping a loom .  .  .  .  although, I did buy a small tapestry loom & enjoyed making wall hangings & pillows. But my real love is knitting. I have to admit that knitting your own handspun yarn is wonderful. I should do more of it. I like to spin woolen with lots of color & texture. Knitting that woolen yarn is a joy - soft & sproingy in your hands. There's no other way to describe it. 

It's too bad I got this box during the busiest time of my year because all I want to do is get my nose back into that box again. And I can't. It's year end & tax time. But I can dream about May & spinning outside on the patio. I have two little dark grey fleeces to spin. And a bag with a couple of pounds of  poorly processed Merino full of neps that's dyed neon pink. And four pounds of light grey alpaca/wool - don't know what breed. I think it's going to be a spinning summer this year.