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Goals for 2012

First Handspun

I obviously haven’t gotten any better at blogging in the New Year. Since it’s the time for lofty resolutions that won’t last more than a week, I suppose I should say that my resolution is to blog more. I think I’ve said that before, though, and it hasn’t really materialized, so instead I’m going to concentrate on my other goals for the year and hope they will inspire me to blog more.

I listed some fiber-related goals for the year in a post in the Wandering Wool Ravelry Group and I think that’s a good place to start. No. 1 was to fix the spinning wheel my neighbor so generously gave me over Thanksgiving and learn to use it. I’m happy to report that, while I’m far from an expert spinner, I did scrub down the whole thing with some Murphy Oil Soap and then get out the clamps and wood glue and fix the hub of the drive wheel that had separated. This is not actually that convenient when anything involving soap, water, glue and tools has to be done on your hardwood floor, sandwiched between a coffee table, a skein winder, a chair, and some large bins of yarn. I really envy those who can go outside to do things l like this, or in the garage.
Then I got out some Phat Fiber samples and tried to make the thing work. After a number of false starts and fiddling with the adjustment of the scotch tension, I managed to keep my foot going on the treadle while still feeding the fiber into the wheel, getting something of a proper twist on it, and getting it to wind around the bobbin. I now have a full bobbin to show for it–just ignore that fact that part of the bobbin broke off due to the glue separating during it’s long stay in an attic. That will be my next woodworking project, but I’m pretty proud of the yarn. Now I just need to fill up another bobbin so I can try my hand at plying.

So, I’m happy to start off the year having already made some progress towards one of my fiber-related goals, and a fun one at that. I think I’m going to like spinning, if I can find the time for it. I have a few other fiber goals for the year, like learning to use the loom I was also given recently. Then I have a few more ambitious goals, like finally finishing up hiking the 46 peaks over 4,000 feet in the Adirondacks, which I’ve been plugging away at since about 1995. I have eight left and I think I can do them this summer, if all goes well. I have another big goal too, but I’m going to keep that to myself until it’s a little closer to materializing.

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