"What Goes Up . . . .

. . . . must come down. Spinning wheel, got to go 'round."

I did my first spinning on a wheel tonight! Okay, I will be excruciatingly truthful and tell you that this is NOT my very first time on a wheel. About 2 years ago (maybe 3, I don't remember) my mom took me to visit her friend KS who is a spinner. She let me try, and I have a golf-ball-sized ball of lumpy-bumpy yarn. It's awful, but I will keep it forever, because I made it, and I was determined to finish that wad of wool she stuck in my lap when I first sat down.

Cut to Snake River Fiber Festival. Remember I bought a drop spindle and a half-pound of Corriedale roving? I have been trying to spin yarn on that thing since. Not a whole lot, but some. When I went to Spinners' Night on Thursday, one of the ladies there took pity on me and said I could come out to her house and she would teach me on a real wheel. So today after church I called her and we went out. At first, she ran the wheel and I just drafted and spun. But after a few minutes I was running the wheel too. I probably spun for 2 hours, but I finally had to stop because my knee was getting sore and I could tell I was getting tired. My right knee has some pain/stiffness in it. I am too young for arthritis, and I really have no idea what it is. But I am thinking that the gentle exercise of spinning might help it. We shall see. My yarn is over-twisted, but I like it much better than using the drop spindle, that's for sure. Next week I'll spin on another bobbin, and the week after I will ply. I am sure I can think up a good felting craft for this first spinning. I am feeling so proud of myself!

Knitting news: I finished the second 75/25 sock today. I bought more wool of the same brand but a different colour Friday night. I am still trying to perfect my own personal sock pattern, and so I keep on buying wool. I have some awesome Trekking XXL I want to use for a pair for myself, but I want to wait until I've figured out the Perfect Sock Pattern. And I need to cast on for Poncho #4, this one for my friend. I think I've figured out the too-tight cast-on issue. I am going to cast on double the amount of stitches, then k2tog after 2 regular rows to get to the correct number. I am going to practice one more time on some scrap yarn with smaller needles just to make sure first though.