Once Upon A Time In BlogLand...

The Norma had a contest and thanks to the random number generator, I won.  Of course, the photo is a couple of hard drives ago, so the photo is even dodgier than normal.  /sigh  Anyway, it was the first batt that I ever encountered very early on in my life as a spindler.  I wasn't totally sure what I was doing but didn't let that stop me.

I know I was spinning on a tiny little Goldling spindle that our Norma had also given me.  Her life as a spinner was ending as I was starting.  This meant I was blessed with quite a few things that she no longer had need or want of.  I have no idea why she loved me so much but I will always be grateful.

After finishing the spinning, I plied.  Again using the spindles because this was pre-wheel time.  The plying job was bad, of course, but it didn't really matter because once the plying was done, I wound the yarn into a ball, shoved it into the stash and moved on.  Never set it.  Never counted anything.  Nothing.

When I tossed the stash last week, I found that ball.  For the first time, I felt sorry for it and pulled it.  It wouldn't take long to soak etc and I've been on a roll lately.  I decided to add some twist before soaking because someone would work with that yarn sooner or later.  Right?  That's when I realized that back in the day, all those years ago, I had plied in the wrong direction.

Yeah...

Running it through the wheel to fix the ply issue took longer than I thought but whatever.  Going in, I was thinking this could be yarn that I could sent to a girlfriend who has never knit with handspun before.  Someone who loves pink and would get a kick out of the yarn.

Then I saw the change that came over the yarn while plying it properly.  Holy crap!  The yarn opened up, got softer and I knew I had to keep it.  I'll find something else for my friend.  I'm sure I can find something pink somewhere in my stash.

I was surprised and kind of impressed at how even the singles were and what a nice yarn I ended up with once it was all said and done.

335 yards of 2 ply yarn.  I'm guessing it was a merino/silk blend sort of a thing.  Pretty impressive for someone who was just starting out on a spindle, I think.

I'm so glad that I pulled that ball of weirdness out of my hand-spun stash and turned into real yarn.  It showed me how I have grown and improved as a spinner in the last 6 years, but it also reminded me that I was pretty good with a spindle back in the day.

Comments

[Melissa]

Very extraordinary if it wasn't Cookie. What a pretty little skein you have.

[Cheryl S.]

You suck.

[margene]

Right from the beginning we knew, even if you didn't.

[Helen]

It is because you are so cuddly. ;)
The yarn is pretty. Nice job.

[Marilyn]

Looks super and it's pink and purple to boot. Perfect!
Isn't it fun to find something you didn't remember you had? And have it jog such nice memories. :)
xoxo

[CindyCindy]

What a lovely bit of serendipity. The yarn is beautiful. The memory of the time was warming, and, you will find something to knit for yourself that you will love just because of the yarn's story. Hugs, Dumplin'.

[Karen]

Gorgeous yarn! Obviously you are a natural born spinner:)

[Patty]

Never any doubt ;-) Just beautiful!

[Datagoddess]

Showoff ;-)

[Kym]

A look back on the time-space continuum is always good for a little perspective! Just beautiful.

[Stacey]

Amazing spinner now, amazing spindler then.

[Angie]

Beautiful. All of it. Not really a surprise, though. :D It is nice when we realize the good about ourselves.

[Kelly]

You have always been great with the spinning! It's fun to go back and find a project that not only can you now fix, you can make it better than it was supposed to be. Lovely squishy yarn!