Some folks get “on a roll” – right now, I’m on a whorl. (I know – bad pun!) A couple bobbins worth, at least!
I’m participating in a spin-a-long (this was not a new purchase! the fiber was already in my stash from last Fall). It’s a short-run, custom dyed BFL/silk lot by the wonderful Anna Marie of Corgi Hill Farms. This is what I’m talking about when I say I have “join-itis”; I saw these colors, on this particular fiber, added in the spin-a-long aspect, the convenience of PayPal, and whoosh!, I’m on board.
I’m spinning this beautiful fluff on my newly re-finished Norwegian double table wheel. I saved this particular fiber, special, until I had enough time, and the winter weather on my side, to apply several finishing coats of oil to this very parched wheel, and for said oil to dry (three entire days on the front porch), so that this could be my first spin on this wheel. It’s been more than worth the wait!
This wheel and I met for the first time in October, though we go way back to at least July, when I first saw her on Craigslist. I wrestled with myself for months over whether or not to put my hat in the ring – time vs. money and practicality. Like a lot of people, I treasure “one of a kind”; in my case, I’m more drawn to useful, more practical items, especially things created by “one of a kind” artisans, and especially all of the above made of unique wood. Essentially, I was a goner from the start, but I spent several sleepless nights arguing with myself over this wheel anyway! In the end, I answered the call. I booked the hotel for two nights, threw the dog into the back of the car with an overnight bag, and made the three day, 1,330 mile round-trip journey to bring this wheel home. When I arrived at the auto-mechanic shop to pick her up (yes, really), it turned out that one employee there had family in the town I grew up in, and another was from the tiny, barely more than a postal code town where I work. Go figure!
Here she is! my Norwegian Rose:
Even I thought I was crazy for making this trek, and for going by myself (except for the dog, of course). Traveling a great distance to meet people you don’t know – even fiber people – is a little scary. But then, when I got there, I found all these home-grown connections with the folks that were re-selling this wheel. And at the hotel on the way back, I ran into a young couple with a cardigan corgi puppy that they had just picked up and were taking home (what are the chances??). So really, I drove 1,300+ miles to meet my own people, and bring home a wheel that was somehow already mine.
Another great thing about this trip was that Misha got to visit the beach for the first time (gulf stream Atlantic Ocean, for the record), and that was pretty spectacular. We spent a fun afternoon exploring the shore at low tide. I wish I had photos of the endless circles of pawprints that he ran in the sand!
By way of parting, I’ll leave you with this thought – that the right tools find us at the right times, and take us on the journeys we need, when we need them. My two cents is, when you feel you need that journey – make it happen!
