Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Plying




More than 25 years ago I remember attending a living history event that featured tools, activities and crafts of the last century. Several women sat and demonstrated picking a fleece, carding wool and spinning yarn. I was fascinated and kept coming back to their booth throughout the day to sit and watch. But I was already sewing quilts, collecting fabric and making plans. I remember walking away and telling myself, "You already have a major hobby. Stay focused, you don't want to divide your energy."

Recently I've been recovering from a viral inner ear infection. I'm passed the worst of the dizziness, ringing in the ears and lack of balance, but I still move slowly and need to take things easy. Knitting has become my pastime while I wait for my health and equilibrium to return. The feel of the yarn in my hands is so calming.

I've been reclaiming yarn to be reworked into something new. There are tools available for what I'm doing, but I'm still not driving much due to the dizziness, so I've been 'making do'. It's kind of fun to see what you can come up with when you have to. Today I wanted a way to ply four strands of yarn into something I can knit with comfortably.



It worked! It helps if the drill has variable speed and can stand on the table. Now instead of lace weight yarn I have a nice four ply. I wonder what my great, great grandmother would think?

4 comments:

Lindah said...

You continue to amaze me. Delightfully so. I'm inspired.
Hope you're feeling better real soon.

Fabricfaire said...

You are a genius!!! Wait til I tell DH, I need a drill!!!

Katrina said...

Grandma would be tickled to have a cool tool that could ply yarn AND get those jobs done that grandpa keeps putting off!
Glad to hear you are feeling better.

Anonymous said...

and, oooooo so way faster than using the spindle i gave you! are you doing an 's' or 'z' ply (which direction)?