Still spinning?

It's been a while since I posted a spinning update ... and that's because it's been a while since I finished a spinning project. I completed the green-to-blue gradient yarn in July, and I think I just set my wheel aside because I didn't love the process or the final product.

But I was intrigued when Sasha Torres launched The Sheepspotters' Society (TSS for short), which is membership community devoted to teaching and cultivating better handspinners. After listening to Sasha describe the five stages of the spinner's journey, I realized that I'm stuck at stage 3: growth. My basic skills are solid, I can consistently make yarns I like (more or less), and I have a default yarn. But I haven't busted through to stage 4: exploration (which is about setting more advanced challenges for myself and a bunch of other stuff) or stage 5: confidence. I decided to join the community.

We spent the month of October learning more about our wheels, and I gave my Ladybug a bit of love. I did what I thought was a pretty good spa treatment on the Bug last summer, but when Sasha posted a video showing exactly how it's done, I realized I'd missed a few bits. I did some more cleaning and rubbed more Wood Beams in - and I also replaced the brake band (which I didn't do last year). The brake band is a bit of white string that goes over the bobbin and allows you to wind yarn on when you're ready. Here is the new brake band over the old one - see how dirty and yucky and GROSS the old one is?

I am very happy with how the new brake band looks and feels, and I won't hesitate to replace it again in a year or so.

This month's TSS focus is on drafting, so I have set myself two challenges. First, I want to practice making yarn that isn't my default yarn. I, like many spinners, have become able to spin a finer and finer singles over the years. Can I make a thicker yarn on purpose? I pulled this BFL top out of stash (the colorway is Gummi Bear - so fun) and am attempting to make a thicker yarn.

I am spinning about 10 minutes every morning before leaving for work. This, and spinning a thicker singles, is contributing to progress on this project.

My other challenge this month is spinning a slub yarn. Sasha suggested working with Rambouillet for this yarn, so I acquired this brightly colored Ramboillet. We'll see what I can make with it.

I do love spinning, and I'm happy to have a bit more structure in which to play. Structure is helpful to me and I quite like it.