I spun these without any particular project in mind, and I have about 100 grams of each which should be plenty for a shawlette or a pair of socks -- or to add to another project that requires lots of soft yarn loveliness. Stashed for a future project!

This.

By the time you've wandered around London Bridge, bought essential South African supplies from the Savannah Shop, had lunch at Borough Market and gazed up at the enormous glass shard towering up into the cloudy skies ...


By the time you've knitted your way through two movies (one back panel, and two fronts: done!)...

I don't think it was technically a Christmas present. More like a happy-new-year-and-by-the-way-I-love-you present. You see, on the way to Cornwall, we went on a roundabout route from London via Bristol. And there, we stopped off at a little shop called The Spinning Weal.

Just, because it was on the way. Mostly.

And The Most Amazing Husband bought me a beautiful new spinning wheel. For real.

It is an Ashford Kiwi 2 wheel, which is a compact, front-facing, double-treadle wheel. We packed it up and drove on to Cornwall. And then, I spent the week spinning in front of a fireplace. Having never used a wheel before, it took some time to get used to. I used up quite a bit of my "mystery fibre" and soon got into the spin of things. I know.

I'm going to call this colourway Ice Cream Sundae. It seems appropriate. It's going to be self-striping yarn with large colour repeats. I'm spinning two ultra-thin singles which I'll then ply together to create a candy-cane effect in the yarn. There'll be some places where the colour blocks will overlap to get solid colours, but the rest will just look like ice cream sprinkles.

Because really, everyone needs sprinkles.

Spinning, I've discovered, is one of life's greatest fibre pleasures. I quite quickly made my way through the Jacob (scratchy and hairy) and the Blue Faced Leicester (wonderful and soft), and am now onto Merino. It's soft and light, and spins up beautifully. It's like it just wants to be spun into yards and yards of gorgeous yarn.

I am, of course, happy to oblige.


My Kromski drop spindle is doing brilliantly, although I've discovered that it gets really full when plying. There must be a better solution (a bigger spindle? A spinning wheel?). I've started storing the already-spun fibre on a wood bobbin and then spinning the ends together when the spindle gets too full.

I've also discovered that a hairband wrapped around the end of the spindle will stop the fibre from slipping off when it gets really full!

I've been knitting everywhere I go. On the train. In the car. While helping a friend move house. While waiting for dinner to cook in the oven. At the pub. And finally, My Light & Up shawl is off the needles and is blocking.


I don't have blocking wires to keep the edges nice and straight, but that's okay. Pins work well. I rather like the simplicity of the lace YO pattern, and the way that they're edged with a purl border. It creates a kind of twist between each hole, which is rather quite lovely close-up.

I had a very busy weekend indeed. We had the family visiting, dinner for eight, baking and making for the Christmas market, lots of adventuring in London and further afield with grandparents - and even, a spot of spinning.


I ordered a drop spindle and some fibre about three weeks ago, and I've been waiting patiently for it to arrive. Every day, I ran to meet the postman. I felt like I was living the lyrics one of the Carpenters' songs. You know the one. And then, finally, the fibre (Jacob Wool) arrived. It smells like sheep. I often bury my nose in it and inhale the scent of the countryside. I offered whiffs to all of my dinner guests. Would you like to smell my sheep?

Mad sheep lady.

I had initially thought I'd dye this yarn, but I rather love it just the way it is. My first handspun yarn. I've only spun up about 30 grams, so it's not quite enough to knit anything substantial, but after all the rushing around and Christmas Market preparation is finished, I think I shall retire to the sofa with a huge mug of tea and a bit of drop spindling.

Also, the title is a reference to an old South African advert in which a rather camp man advises a group of women to try spinning, referring to the intense aerobic exercise often likened to torture. This spinning is much nicer. I keep replaying that phrase in my head, satisfied that I have in fact tried spinning, and it is wonderful.