This Year’s Crazy Idea

Posted on by

While preparing for a spinner’s guild meeting over the weekend (that I never even made it to because life has been far too busy lately) I had a flash of brilliance/madness/ambition. I decided that this year, my big goal will be to finish all of the spinning projects that I have in progress — preferably before the Hatchling makes its appearance in June.

IMG_3956

Yes, this is utter madness.

Now, I’m clearly not going to kill myself trying to make this goal, but I think that focusing on spinning over the next few months will be a really good way for me to:

  1. take my mind off of how much I hate pregnancy,
  2. do a little something that makes me happy every day,
  3. get my zen relaxation on, and
  4. work in some gentle movement (treadling, standing while spindling) that could help my DVT-caused leg pain while I’m on a bit of an exercise hiatus.

Plus, I went on a spindle-buying-bender a couple of years ago, and every time I got a new spindle I started a new project, so things have gotten out of hand. I’d really like to turn more of my spinning visions into reality before I have a squalling newborn occupying all of my free time, and I think this will be a nice way to turn spinning into a daily habit. So without further ado, here are all of the projects I have in progress. (All links go to my Ravelry handspun project pages.)

IMG_3954

Turkish Spindles

1 – Jenkins Aegean, 4 oz. Nunoco Batts, Summer Love — Batty Challenge, begun April 2014.

2 – Jenkins Aegean, 6 oz. BMFA Yak/Silk, RWC Tarnished Yak/Silk, begun July 2014.

3 – Subterranean Woodworks Medium, 4 oz. Nest Merino, Magrat MegaSAL,  begun April 2015.

4 – Subterranean Woodworks Small, 4 oz. BeeMiceElf Merino, Merino Mind Bullets, begun July 2015.

5 – Jenkins Finch, 4 oz. Wooldancer Merino, Tropical Merino, begun November 2014.

IMG_3950

Supported Spindles

6 – Woodland Woodworking Bead, 4 oz. June Pryce Fiber Arts Merino, WW Merino begun December 2014.

7 – TexasJeans Russian, 4 oz. Inglenook Batts, begun October 2014.

8 – TexasJeans Tibetan,  2 oz. Angora + 4 oz. Shetland, Bunny Fur, begun April 2014.

9 – hipstrings acrylic tahkli, 4 oz. cotton, begun sampling only, no project page yet.

(The two newer spindles that I haven’t even had time to try yet will play supporting roles.)

IMG_3951

Drop Spindles

10 – Kundert drop spindle, 16 oz. Woolgathering’s Spinner’s Study of different breeds, begun May 2012.

11 – Golding Cherry, 6 oz. BMFA camel/merino/silk, begun January 2014.

12 – TexasJeans polka dot drop spindle, 4 oz. BMFA Masham, Indigo Masham, begun June 2014. (This project may have been abandoned…)

13 – Golding Tsunami, 2 oz. quiviut/alpaca + 2 oz. silk, Quiviut/Alpaca, begun October 2013.

IMG_3953

Wheel Projects

14 – Earth & Sky Stacks, 8 oz. Gotland, begun March 2015.

15 – I Shall Spin Midnight, 8 oz. Louet merino/silk, begun October 2015.

16 – 10 oz. Loop! Batts, begun November 2013.

17 – Earthy Bubble Crepe, art yarn using a few different braids, begun June 2013.

18 – Shadyside Fiber merino/silk, begun October 2012. Honestly, I think I gave away the rest of this fiber. Will just ply up what I have here and call it a day.

What do you think, folks, can it be done? Finishing all 18 would mean I’d have to finish 3 projects a month to be done by the end of June… Yikes. How far do you think I’ll get?

17 thoughts on “This Year’s Crazy Idea”

  1. Wow! What a project! I admit, this is one I am excited to follow along for. I love completion goals. And also, can I just say thank you for being one of those people who doesn’t like pregnancy and admits it? Because I am 12 years out now, and still shudder when I think about it. But, at least back then, there weren’t many people saying “Hey, this isn’t really all that grand.”

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • Thank you for saying that. 🙂 I’m making it something of my mission to let people know ‘hey, it’s ok if you don’t love this’ because even today I’m bombarded with what a special time it is, and how it’s magical, and wonderful, etc. etc. And maybe it is that way for some people, but for the ones having a miserable time, it can feel pretty isolating so I’m making it a point to be up-front about it. Plus (on my feminist soapbox) I think women often undervalue their experiences, so I feel like it’s important to own that this is a hard thing to do, and we do it anyway.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  2. Well, I think if you work a little bit each day, you very well can finish your goal. Or at least clear off a lot of spindles!

    Connor has gotten farther on his knitting than I have because he has been knitting a bit each day and I have felt the need to read a million articles on the internet instead. Perhaps I need to join you and make sure I’m doing just a little each day.

    Also, how could anyone enjoy being pregnant? Technically, you are growing a parasite 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  6. I bet you can get at least half, especially if you bounce back and forth from spindle to wheel. It’s hard to get momentum though. I haven’t touched my poor wheel in a month and my spindles at all since I got the wheel last march….
    I have faith in you !

    Like

    Reply ↓

  7. As a total non-spinner, I have no idea if your plan is realistic, but as someone who has chronic pain, I can tell you that there is research that knitting helps! Thus, I am sure that spinning does, too. I could do some things with a baby, but once they start moving — you’re on the alert all the time!

    Like

    Reply ↓

  9. Pingback: WIPWed #114: Win Some, Lose Some | Woolen Diversions

  11. Pingback: Getting Antsy | Woolen Diversions

  12. Pingback: Spindle Happy | Woolen Diversions

  13. Is it bad that I feel better that I’ve had a spinning project on going for almost two years having seen your projects? Looks great though.

    Like

    Reply ↓

Thoughts?