I learned so many things during our time in California. I learned to respect the power of events beyond one's control...earthquakes come to mind. I learned to expect to work more hours than I ever thought possible just to be able to afford to reside in paradise. And, I learned how to relax after a long, hard day at work.

I was in search of a way to unwind and relax and detach from work when a friend mentioned a knitting workshop that was going to take place at a bed and breakfast on the Sonoma coast. It was a three day event taught by Kathryn Alexander. If you're familiar with her work, you know that she has taken knitting to a whole different level basically by breaking all the rules. I signed up right away and I loved it. I had knitted years before when my daughter was very little. I thoroughly enjoyed the process of knitting but blocking and sewing things together was not my idea of fun. Kathryn's approach tweaked my interest. It was creative, colorful and allowed for free form knitting. Very inspiring.

At that same workshop I was introduced to spinning. I had seen people spinning at county fairs and other events and thought it looked very complex and well beyond my abilities. The spinners at the workshop encouraged me to give it a try. I did and I was horrible. The fiber slipped out of my hands every time I tried to spin a strand. I couldn't get the wheel and my foot to go at the same speed and in the same direction. It was very frustrating but I enjoyed the challenge. I tried over and over again and made a tiny bit of progress.

When we were packing up and getting ready to leave, the sponsor of the event and the owner of the wheel I had been using to spin, encouraged me to take the wheel home and keep trying it for a week. So, I left with all I had brought plus new enthusiasm for knitting and a spinning wheel and some fiber.

I was sent off with a bundle of Romney wool. Romney is not the softest of fibers but for a new spinner it is perfect. It almost spins itself once you get the hand, eye, foot, thing under control. During that week I never really got the whole thing going correctly but I did get hooked on spinning. Talk about a relaxing, zen kind of experience!

I brought the wheel back to the B & B and bought a Lendrum portable wheel and more fiber. I was in love and sometimes in hate with the whole experience. But I kept plugging away at it. I'd get up forty minutes early just to have a few minutes to spin before I had to leave for work. Over time, like learning to ride a bike, the number of minutes between breaks in the fiber I was spinning grew longer and I started to gain some confidence in my ability to learn this art.

I signed up for classes, joined the local guild, traveled each Thursday night, wheel and fiber in hand, out to the coast to spin with some spinners I had met along the way. There is a very supportive and friendly network of spinners everywhere I have gone. And no one is ever judgemental about your work. Help is offered if you want it but never in anything but a positive manner.

Before you know it I was able to spot the creme de la creme of fibers and my stash began to grow. I spun and I spun and I spun and occasionally I went to one of the local sheep growers and bought a fleece to take from raw to finished fiber. I even helped sort out freshly shorn fleeces which would be sold and in return, I got another fleece free for my efforts.

That was about ten years ago and I am so grateful for that time in CA and those wonderful, generous spinners and knitters who took time to encourage a novice in both endeavors.

Here is a picture of the first sweater I knitted of totally handspun fiber. Spinners fall in love with beautiful fibers but often don't think ahead to buy enough to make an entire garment. This sweater is a combination of a bunch of gorgeous fibers I spun and then wondered what to do with. Along came that Knitting from the Top Down class and I had a home for all that lovely yarn. Not only is it pretty to look at but it fits too...credit that accomplishment to that same class.

If you haven't read Barbara Walker's From the Top Down book, you should. It was the inspiration for the class and the reason I am now a knitter who finishes what she starts.

The other picture in this posting is of our backyard here in gorgeous Athens, Georgia.

Happy spinning and knitting!