Breaking Outta the Rut
I seem to be in a rut. Well, not seem to be ... I am in a rut. A deep one. It's time to do something about it.
A while ago I was trying to move around tidying the stash room and happened to notice that, ummm, I seem to have a lot of blue, and brown, and green. One of the things I enjoy most about spinning is watching the colours mix and change as the fiber flows by. Although I'm still more likely to wear the blue/brown/green, there's no reason I have to actually wear the yarn I make; right? When I saw that Fat Cat Knits had started a fibre club called Mixed Blessings, I figured it was just the kick in the pants I needed. Each month, for three months, you get five oz. of fibre, but the catch is that it's in two different but coordinating colourways.
So, is this me?
How about this?
And when you put them together?
I'm really looking forward to playing with it, although I have absolutely no idea what it will end up being, if anything.
If that's not enough of a shake-up, how about this? I've signed up for a class. Yes, out there with real people and everything. For a socio-phobe like me, that's just about a nervous breakdown in the making. :-) What could possibly coerce me into such foolishness? A local yarn store is offering a spindle class with some different techniques, such as long draw, how to spin silk, and who knows what else. It will be fun; right?
The knitting, it continues. I've knit my fingers to the bone and produced .....
.... one sock leg. Sigh. Time to kick that up a notch too. I used to at least get one pair done every month, back when I was in the Sock-a-Month Knitalong. SAM 8 starts in July, so I joined up. One of the good things about this series is that you don't have to start the socks in that month, just finish them, so it should be good motivation for finishing up some of my WIPs.
I did a bit of round-up and ended up with this:
A box of bags. In six months' time, I'm hoping they'll be EMPTY bags. :-)
23 people had something to say:
Phew, glad to see you're still doing well! Now that you have everything planned, it should be easy to put them in motion, right? I can't wait to see what you do with that fiber. :)
We all fall into a rut sometimes. I had a red one, then a blue one, and now seem to be edging into a pink one. Your new colorways are gorgeous, no matter what you do with them. And I am envious that you have a class to sign up for, sigh. Someone actually taught the fleegle sock at a nearby lys, but refused to allow me in the class. Mean mean mean.
FatCatKnits had the right idea! I've been doing that mix and match as well, because often 4oz are not enough to do anything worthwhile.
I have yet to sign up for any kind of class, I'm a bit like you (or more so?).
Good luck with working away on your box full of bags. :o)
That's very brave of you, signing up for a class with people and all. That fibre looks like it will be very entertaining. If there is room, I may join you. I can't spend ALL my time packing!
You know I truly LUV that you are intentionally pushing yourself out of your rut with the new fiber club, class, and sock KAL! Good for you!!!
Now that is 3 new things at one time too I hope you don't go into cardic arrest either! LOL (you are too funny Dave)
Now what are in the bags?? WIPs?? I missed that part
Glad you are doing well!! Knit & Spin On!! :o)
Hey, when are you going to the spinning class? I'm booked for both next Saturday and the following. Hope we're in the same class! (You'll know me by my zany glasses.)
Karen: I'm going to Spinning 2 on the 28th. You'll know me by my facial hair and bald spot. :-)
Its a healthy thing - change. The classes will be a great opportunity to learn. I love the first roving (the one on the right). The pink and green is really appealing to me. I loke all of them though and it would be hard to choose just one. Please do share with us what they look like when they are spun.
Seriously Dave, sometimes the class is really worth it. I'm not as sociophobic as I used to be but I still makes me incredibly tense and I always pay for it with headaches etc. after. The classes I took this spring with Beth Brown Reinsel, while totally different from your spinning class, were ever so well worth it. Once it awhile it's good to push our boundaries a bit. I hope you enjoy your class and I can't wait to see what you spin!
It will be fun. And educational.
Nice roving!
I'm guessing that the six bags each contain a sock project. It looks like a lot of fun to have all the work laid out and just randomly grab a project at the start of the month.
Oh, and I only think it qualifies as a rut if you're sick of it. If it's still juicy and working for you, then keep on with it!
I'm definitely guilty of falling into the same kind of rut, and fairly frequently. I tend to do it more with yarn than with fiber, though. For some reason, I'm more likely than not to go for really wild fiber. I think I must find it more fun to spin because it's so bright and so different from my usual choices.
Have fun at that class -- sounds like a good one!
love the new fiber - it will be such fun to watch them as you spin!
STRETCH yourself!!! Cool!
(((Hugs)))
I'm a socio-phobe as well. I usually don't fight it. Every hobby I'm interested in (and I actively do MANY) can be a solitary thing and I actually prefer it that way. I also learn better from books than I do from classes.
Next thing you know I'll be living in a cabin deep in the woods shooting at anyone who gets too close. Ha, ha!
that spinning class will bring you much fun, I'm sure.
I like those rovings, but would leave the colours as they first were together.
Bea
Fun colors on the roving! I bet you'll have a ton of fun spinning that up. I hope you enjoy your class too!
Yay for pushing yourself to try new things! :o)
Great idea. You have the best spindles for long draw, just sayin'. I use the Ledbetters all the time for it. Amazingly fast spindling. That'll perk you up.
I'm a fellow introvert, but it's good to edge out of my comfort zone once in a while. I've even taught classes, and while I shake like a leaf beforehand, it turns out I'm actually a pretty good teacher. Such a surprise!
Socio-phobe also. I don't like attending classes. I usually end up watching youtube videos and renting how to DVDs in order to learn new spinning techniques.
Your socks look great.
Enjoy the class and take long slow deep breaths.
I was seriously thinking of doing a round up type thing myself. BUT if I take yarn out of my stash containers and put it elsewhere, it would only free up space for more stash and that would, I think, defeat the purpose.
Enjoy playing with colours - they will constantly surprise you. I was having a bit of a tidy this morning and gathered up a skein of baby puke yellow and purplish brown and realised they brought out the best in each other - sort of grand and medieval -now to find a pattern...
Post a Comment