Spinner-At-Large: In The Lap Of Luxury

 

 

(Where it all begins. Suzie Pro spinning wheel, Majacraft; in lap: Bombyx silk top in Geisha, from Outback Fibers. All pics enlarge)

It's like working with molten metal.

I've become a bit of a silk junkie. It some practice to learn to spin––similar to learning the physical nuances of a lover. But once my fingers understood the the amount of sensitivity needed to exert the proper grasp? I was undone. I cannot get enough of the feel of this fiber sliding between my fingers in the drafting zone, then again as I twist and slick them down onto the bobbin you see; the transformation of a mass as light as air into a strong, metallicsized, lustrous length of love.

The fiber had a few slightly matted spots, calling for pre-drafting, but all in all it's been a smooth ride. The yarn––28 w.pi.––will be machine knitted into a lace top, as soon as the current commission for a 19' knitted rug is finished (don't ask yet).

All in all summer's been fun, and fall? Well, my days on the bench are winding down, but the textile season is on the upswing. I'll holla' back soon, and in the meantime remember this chinese proverb.

"With time and patience, a mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown".  

Thanks Jennifer, for the beautiful necklace; this was the motivation.