Sunday is a day of rest

After a hectic Friday and Saturday.

Friday was AH, and it was a lovely day - well, it always is. But concentrated work - I had two newcomers, both very nice and very keen. With wheels, both of which more or less functioned, so that meant we got straight on with wheel spinning rather than beginning with spindles.

Learning/teaching people to spin is a funny old business. There is no rhyme or reason as to who "gets" it or when. And as I have said before, the big problem is persuading new spinners to let go of the yarn so it can wind on to the bobbin. It did not come easily to either of my newbies on Friday, despite them both being very keen. Even the magic space dyed top didn't work its magic with one of them. Although she really did understand the concept of letting the spun yarn progress on to the bobbin, as fast as she guided it on, she somehow couldn't relinquish the death-grip, so she continued hanging on to it for dear life and pulling it back out from the orifice!

But by the end of the day, we were bloody but unbowed and both of them had made huge progress, were seemingly very happy, and were both planning to come again, which can't be bad.

Now, usually after a day like that, I would drive home, demand a cup of tea, and then hit the gin bottle, but not Friday. We had to drive down to near Birmingham for a workshop with a Guild on the Saturday.

The trip down was a bit (hah!) unpleasant, what with Friday night traffic, accidents and near-torrential rain. But we made it, found where we were staying the night, and were welcomed, well-fed and made comfortable.

In fact, that process was repeated the next day, with the Guild. It turned out to be a bigger group than we sometimes have, and all very keen, so it was a really good day. Again, though, one or two had things they were struggling hard with. It is so odd - sometimes, it is the simplest little thing that you would never think would be a problem, but somehow it is!

One of the participants was the daughter of a member, around twelve or thirteen, although I am not a good judge. She found it a little hard to start, but was soon managing really well, and was very composed, not getting fraught at all. Nice kid.

I continue to be pleased and amazed at the numbers of people wanting to learn to spin at the moment. I should be keeping a tally, but it must be dozens this year alone if you count the Woolfest classes. All very exciting.

And now, the count-down can begin - To SOAR, I mean. Two weeks on Wednesday, and we leave. All I can see at the moment is the ironing (not entirely serious, there....)