Francesca posted a comment last evening, but she had to post it to my last entry dated July 24 because I’m such a slug.

My spinning guild sponsored a support spindling workshop yesterday with Gwen Powell, one of the founding members of the guild. We learned some basic tips on spinning with a support spindle, including the interesting point that you must draft with only one hand, which means you really learn how to draft correctly.

We also learned to make some incredible novelty yarns. Gwen spun thick garlands of easter grass and giant gold tinsel as we watched in amazement. I made some “catepillar” yarn by cutting 1.25″ lengths of top, and holding it perpendicular to the leader to spin it. It comes apart very easily in a single, but once plied it’s pretty tough. Also pretty thick. But what fun! Janel made a mohair loop bouclé with a silk binder.

I’m actually not that much of a slug; only when it comes to this blog. I’m busy! Working full-time (albeit temp), driving 20 miles each way to do it; teaching several nights a week at A Mano Yarn Center; going to Sacramento once a month to see my mother (sorry, Mom doesn’t have a blog); working on Spindlicity; various duties for the spinning guild; plus choir starts up again in a couple of weeks so I’ll be even busier.

Unfortunately, my hands are bothering me lately (arthritis, not repetitive stress), mostly my thumbs. Makes all this spinning and knitting more difficult. One day’s not bad, the next is awful. So I have to baby them a little. Tons of Tylenol, and I carry around a piece of malachite. I had to stop before the workshop was over today because my hands hurt too much to continue. Mariko carries sports pads around, and she gave me a couple. They helped, but they smell pretty medicinal, so I took them off when Janel, Theresa, Francesca and I went out to lunch afterwards. We went to Red Lobster and I splurged on the “Lobster Chops” (halved lobster tails, plus some scallops). I hadn’t had lobster in I don’t know how many years. YUM!

Came home, checked email, went into the living room to watch some TV and, for the second night in a row, the next thing I knew it was 3am. I think I’m glad I didn’t go to Sacramento for the long weekend. Looks like I really need to rest a bit.

Earlier this week I went to A Mano for an introductory knitting machine workshop with Tricia Shafer. Great workshop. I’d never used a knitting machine before. It happened to be my birthday, and the gals had a cake for me! Instead of candles, they used a pair of Clover Knit Lite Needles, which were my present. I haven’t knitted with them yet, but what a great idea! I wish they came in smaller sizes. Maybe when smaller batteries become available they can put them in circulars. Not only could you knit in the dark, but they’d be great for working with dark colors that are hard to see. Of course, at the sizes they currently come in (smallest is US6), that’s not so much of an issue, but it would be if they go to smaller sizes. Lighted sock needles! How cool would that be?