Monday, April 26, 2010

Spindle spinning in the beautiful spring of Nova Scotia

Ah, the sun is shining today and the breeze is cold, or should I say crisp!

This is a day of many things on the list but also a certain amount of relaxation since I am still coming off the wave of joy which I surfed on after teaching at a spindle spinning workshop yesterday at the Loop in Halifax.

It is so grand when a group of adults get together determined to learn about something new of any kind which has crossed their paths.

There were 8 students taking part in a 3 hour spindle lesson at the Loop yesterday. We started at 10am and finished at 1pm.

Each student received a spindle to keep as their very own new best friend, 50 grammes of  coopworth roving and three little bags of textures from my sheep and stash here at the funny farm.
Good challenges to use in trying to figure out how the spindle actually feels as it starts to freely hang and twist from the stiff as of yet unpracticed arm of the newbie spindle spinner. Through the three hours of listening and putting the words and directions flowing from the teacher into practice it is rather wonderful to see how hands and faces start to relax. The visible realization on people's faces of the joys to come in this relationship with a drop spindle (still at the sprouting stage) spreads through the group. The potential of connecting this new found pleasure to already existing passions makes smiles blossom and ideas balloon on brightly textured and coloured strings held by each busily twirling hand and spindle.



And so on this day I will observe the birds in the yard,  on wild territorial spring chases, breathe deeply, do laundry and ..... spend time tapestry weaving, prepare for the shearer's arrival next Sunday morning and be thankful of the fact that I have the opportunity for so many wonderful experiences of sharing and exchanges in my life.