I’m spinning around
I have to apologise because some of you have waited over a week for me to post about my spinning lesson day. I blame the Tour de France 
I started off with a lovely cup of tea and was given a lovely present of a brooch (which I’m wearing in the photo). My first lesson was in carding the fleece and making little rollags of yarn for later on. My favourite carding device was a pair of dog grooming brushes! I also liked the long handled brush for banging the wool – I’m sorry but the technical names for these things has escaped me!
It wasn’t long before I was sitting at the wheel. It is definitely a lot harder than it looks which is what I suspected. Next to me is Helle, Carol’s labrador who proved to be such a good influence that every time she walked off my spinning would go awry. I am having a hard time convincing pao that a golden labrador is an integral part of the spinning package.
Carol treated me to the most amazing lunch of homemade quiche and salad before I got onto spinning some brown fleece from Jacob’s sheep.
I plyed these together which was strange for my feet were used to spinning and produced a skein of yarn!
I am trying to convince Max that the skein is mine not his!
Here I am with my new doggie friends! (Sshhhhh, don’t tell the cats)
In the evening, pao and I went to Skippers in Bridge . There was a partial power cut in the village so we ate mostly by candlelight in the semi-darkness but it was absolutely wonderful.
Skippers is famous for their chocolate cabbage!
Not only did I get a spinning day and a lovely alpaca called Annie, pao also organised this pile of presents too (plus another surprise which arrived a few days later having been held at customs for almost a month – photos of that soon). Inside were the rest of the Swallows and Amazons books which I have been collecting, No Pattern Knits and Katje the Windmill Cat which is worth it for the beautiful artwork inside He surpassed himself by subscribing me to the Hip Knits club and I was sent my welcome and birthday gift together – I’ll post photos of these soon!
I just want to say a big thank you to pao for spoiling me rotten on my birthday! I loved my day learning to spin and I’m seriously looking at spinning wheels so any tips would be appreciated. I used an Ashford Traveller with a single treadle during the day which I quite liked but Ashford only do double treadle now. I think I’ll have to try one out before I decide which one it will be. Any advice is appreciated!
July 15th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
I am sooo pleased that you had a great day and enjoy the presents. I guess I had better start saving for a spinning wheel…
July 15th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
It looks like a wonderful day was had, I had another thought about the treadle thing, I realised I quite often use my double treadle country with just one foot. But as I say its best to try as many different types as possible.
July 15th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
Sounds like a fabulous birthday indeed!
July 15th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
Mine’s a Schacht DT but I also tried Lendrum and Ashford Joy. The Joy was my second choice wheel.
Happy B-day!
July 16th, 2007 at 3:50 am
Hey! Email me your new address so I can get your birthday present off in the mail!!! My wheel is a Majacraft Suzie. I didn’t have any wheel shops close to me so I had to take a leap and order online. Try lots of wheels and get one that really want. I’m dying to add a Schacht Matchless to my house. Happy Birthday!!
PS The retriever looks sweet and should definitely be part of the deal!
July 16th, 2007 at 6:34 am
Samantha- Spinning is a little intimidating to me- but I’m interested to see how you get along. It’s a whole other world of fiber.
Pao has spoiled you- chocolate cabbage!
July 16th, 2007 at 7:48 am
That sounds like a fantabulous sort of day!
July 16th, 2007 at 8:44 am
Fun! But chocolate cabbage?
July 16th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
Happy Birthday To Ewe! Oh wait, those were sheep. I’m so glad you had a good birthday. I told you spinning wool was harder than it looked. But it’s still fun, and there’s such a sense of accomplishment when you get done.
July 16th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Dammit I missed it again!! Happy Birthday!!
July 16th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
Chocolate cabbage?!?!?!
Wow, what a birthday!
July 17th, 2007 at 7:59 am
Happy (late) birthday! Sounds like you had a fantastic day.
July 19th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Happy belated birthday – and love the expression on your pup’s face as you spin!
July 20th, 2007 at 2:56 am
Happy (belated)Birthday! I second the suggestion to try as many different wheels as you can and see which one you fall in love with. I have seen several people with the Hitchhiker, one with a Majacraft Gem, and 2 people I know of fell in love with the Lendrum. Maybe there’s a spinning group nearby?
July 24th, 2007 at 10:03 am
Congratulations on the spinning lessons. I’ll bet pao has a wheel on the way to you in no time now.
And happy belated birthday!