May 18 - 20, 2012 Spin-in

Attention all Spin Along members! We are doing a Virtual Spin-in beginning May 18, 2012 at 12 noon your local time until May 20, 2012 12 midnight your local time.

During this Spin-in, we are going to have a spinning swap. It is not required to participate in the swap in order to participate in the Spin-in. If you wish to participate in the swap, please send me a Personal Message with your mailing address. DO NOT POST ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION HERE. KP IS VERY GOOD ABOUT KEEPING OUR PRIVATE INFORMATION PRIVATE. Every time we have a new member I have sent you a friend request. So if you have accepted my friend invitation, you can PM me with no problems. If you haven't accepted my friend invitation, just go to your friends list in the upper right hand side of the page and then click on Requests. Just accept my request and we should be good to go to send PMs to each other. IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SWAY, WHOEVER YOU ARE MATCHED WITH WILL BE GIVEN YOUR MAILING ADDRESS. The swap will be for one skein of your handspun yarn. It does not have to be the yarn you spin during the Spin-in. And if you wish to send your swap partner anything else, that is up to you but not necessary. Please note that any international members are welcome to participate so there could be international shipping charges which you could incur. IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SWAP, PLEASE SEND ME A PM BY MAY 12th SO I CAN MATCH PEOPLE UP FOR THE SWAP. Everyone who participates name will go into a hat. I will make a list of those participating, listing people as they send me a PM. I will draw names and list them to those participating in the order you notified me. This way it maybe that you have to send a skein of your homespun from someone different you receive a skein from. That way, I don't have to worry about an odd number of people participating.

I suggest if you participate in the Spin-in, let us know what you plan to spin and on what kind of wheel or spindle, how much you plan to spin, any new technique or new fiber you plan to use. This is not a contest and there will be no prizes. This is just a way to encourage you to keep a record for yourself.

Any questions? Post them here. Remember, the only stupid question is the one not asked. And remember, this is for fun and to help you improve your spinning skills. You set your own goals and no harm if you don't meet your own goals.

Tags: along, homespun, spin, spin-in, swap

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by wendy on May 23, 2012 at 5:13am

True! Last spring I was having a conversation with my DD's best friend's dad about what I had been doing the previous months regarding my learning to spin my own yarn. He gave the typical reply "You know they have yarn stores so you don't have to, don't you?" I tried explaining how creating my own gave me the power to create exactly what I wanted, and not having to settle simply for what was out there. He really did not get it, which surprised me because his wife is so very creative on so many levels. She builds things, sews things and designs what ever she wants, yet he just couldn't understand this.

I must admit though, it doesn't bother me when people say this. I feel sorry for them that they don't understand what they are missing out on. The joy of the creativity and the total satisfaction of producing something you or someone else can use and derive great pleasure from. Nothing better than playing with fibers, IMHO :o)

Permalink Reply by Dawn Railsback on May 23, 2012 at 5:21am

I have to admit that when I first started knitting I came across several spinning websites and I believe I actually said something to my husband like "there are actually people out there that make their own yarn. Isn't that crazy?"

Oh, karma.

Until I actually saw it and tried it, I didn't get it.

Permalink Reply by KnitWhich? on May 23, 2012 at 2:31pm

I remember reading about spindle spinning the first time. I couldn't understand how you spun it and it ended up wrapped around the stick. I didn't realize it was 2 separate steps.

Permalink Reply by Karen Pike on May 23, 2012 at 5:42am

"...Nothing better than playing with fibers..." Indeed - I've been doing it since I was about 4 years old. (happy sigh)

Permalink Reply by Susan the Blue Lake Knitter on May 23, 2012 at 6:51am

Boy, You've been at it a long time...most of us are novices in comparison.

Permalink Reply by Karen Pike on May 23, 2012 at 9:38am

I probably would have been younger, but Mom was into needlepoint when I was a kid and she told me she wanted to be sure I wouldn't hurt myself with a needle before she let me have one.

Permalink Reply by christina | AlohaBlu on May 20, 2012 at 3:55pm

Dawn - that is beautiful spinning :) i just love that blue and your singles are so even! i can just imagine your co-workers watching you spin and being facinated. hope they enjoy you plying! can't wait to see you final yarn.

Permalink Reply by KnitWhich? on May 20, 2012 at 6:33pm

That is some mighty fine spindle spinning! You are a spinning machine, Dawn.

Permalink Reply by Dawn Railsback on May 20, 2012 at 6:57pm

I wanted to make a squishier yarn than my default and this fiber has cooperated wonderfully. I was amazed at how quickly it went.

Permalink Reply by wendy on May 21, 2012 at 4:56am

Wow! I'm impressed once again with your spindling Dawn!

Permalink Reply by Julie Hartford on May 20, 2012 at 10:22am

Well as some of you may have noticed, I haven't been online for a while. Life has been hectic but I told myself that no matter what I was going to take the time to participate in this Spin-in. I have 1 bobbin full and just about to start the other. I'm spinning Romney on my Lendrum. Trying out a new (for me) technique for dying so it'll be multi-toned. Not going to say what colors. Having lots of fun!!!!

Permalink Reply by cherylbwaters on May 20, 2012 at 1:08pm