Preparations, part 1

This post was supposed to be how I plan on avoiding jealousy between my spindles and the wheel, once it arrives. However, I realised that would a traditional case of running before one has learned to walk. Instead, I decided to write a short note about how I learned to spin, and to mention a new source of knowledge and inspiration, which I've just ordered. Local knitters showed me how to spin, when I received my first spindle in 2008. I got a further lesson from the maker of my 2nd spindle, Rina. After that, I kept on spinning mostly by myself, and watching the occasional video on Youtube. However, Tuulia was the person who taught me to spin on a wheel. I took part in her workshop at one of the Finnish knitting retreats, and saw the light. Tuulia is a Finnish spinning guru, and now her book (the first one of it's kind that I'm aware of) is out! I ordered it as soon as I heard it had been published. Hopefully sometime soon I'll have an autographed copy of my own :D Hopefully, the book will show me ways to take my spinning to a new leverl. I can already tell that I'll be talking about this book in the future, so watch this space!

Who are The Spinners' Bin? - part two

I'm one of those people who used to hate all kinds of crafts at school. The only thing that really interested me (besides boys and more academically oriented school subjects) was art and painting, playing with colors. Then one summer I was just so bored, had absolutely nothing to do, that I decided to take up crocheting. They really should put some warnings on those crochet hooks "fiber arts will eat up your life",  "your stash will take up all your money" and definitely "crochet may lead to other, more dangerous substances such as knitting or spinning", because that's exactly what happened to me. Before I knew it, I was teaching myself to knit and purl and choose between bfl and falkland. And eventually, I bought my first spindle, dragged my great-grandmother's spinning wheel from the attic and hang out at the LYS where they allow you to try out different modern spinning wheels. And now I want one, BADLY.

Luckily for me, I also met Karoliina, who shares my passion for fiber and yarn and colors. Being a dirt-poor college student, I have no means to buy an expensive wheel, but between the two of us, we have managed to keep our hopes up. This blog is mainly about spinning and spinning wheels (and how to get one if you have very little money!); but also about friendship, sharing, and the joy of enjoying crafts.

Who are The Spinners' Bin? - part one

I caught the spinning bug when I was a young lass in my early twenties. I'm now approaching 30, and I've yet to fulfill my dream of owning a spinning wheel. Yes, I'm looking at you career, for failing to attain the heights where this (as in buying my own wheel) would be possible.

A few years ago, I met a kindred spirit in Alarwyn, who like me, had also been bitten by the wheel bug. Neither of us is patient enough to attempt this journey on our own, so we're a lucky couple of ladies, to have found a friend to share the journey with.