Tuesday, June 12, 2007

It must be in the blood!

This weekend was the Gold Rush Festival in Olde Town Arvada near where I live. Also known as the home of Knit Knack...the most comfortable and welcoming yarn store I have ever been in!

Not to mention there is also a weaving and spinning gallery right across the street! How convenient huh?

The Rose Weaving Gallery and Studio has been in business for 8 months and is doing well. Funny thing happened when I notice they were across the street from Knit Knack.

I drove my car past the lady spinning in this picture and yelled out my window "Do you sell spinning wheels?" To which she replied yes. I then shouted "I'll be back!" like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator!

The funny thing is I was driving past Knit Knack to show my mom the store when I saw the lady spinning. I had just gotten done telling my mom that I wanted a spinning wheel for Christmas but had NO idea where to get one when I spotted the gallery! Now if that is not serendipity I don't know what is!

Anyway, back to the Gold Rush Festival. Why am I tell you all about it? Well, what better way to let you know about the joy I had when my oldest found the utmost joy in spinning than in pictures!

This nice lady happens to be the same lady in the above picture taken a month or so back! When my daughter walked up and asked her what she was doing, this nice lady, who's name escapes me right now,pulled out a hook made out of a wire hanger and proceeded to show her how to spin!

Now mind you, I have no idea how to spin so not only was this lesson good for my daughter but I listened intently as well :-)


Here is where the student holds the hook and turns it. This is exactly what a hook on a spinning wheel does only faster than a 4 year olds pace :-) While the teacher drafts the wool fiber connected to the hook it begins to twist!

Again, this is exactly like the relationship between a spinner and her spinning wheel.


Here is a close up of the fiber getting twisted with the hook as the teacher drafts it.

I was so in awe of the concentration my daughter had while the teacher was explaining the process of what she was doing.
As the fiber was almost all gone the teacher explained that twisted yarn is lazy and as soon as you let go of it the twist will go away. But if you let the twist, twist upon itself you will create plied yarn!

Here, the teacher is holding the two ends of the newly formed yarn together at the top and bottom as to not let it twist together yet. Then, the student pinches about mid way up the yarn and the teacher lets go of the bottom. At which time the yarn begins to twist with its self and you have plied yarn.

Then the teacher pinches half way between the students fingers and the top of the yarn. Then, the student gets to let go and see the twist take place. To a 4 year old...and even to an almost 30 year old this is cool stuff! What a great demonstration! I now fully understand the basics of spinning! I can't wait to try and do it myself. That is if I keep my daughter away from my spindle or hopefully later on a wheel!

So, do you think she had fun?

I wasn't sure until she asked the teacher if she could keep the hook. Then, like a true fiber lover...asked if she could have some of the teachers fiber. The teacher was very nice and said sure! Then handed my daughter some of her raw fiber and the rudimentary hook.



After her spinning lesson, she and I went over to Knit Knack to whatelse, sit and knit for a while.

When I we walked in my daughter was quick to show everybody what she had done and explained that she used the hook and fiber to make yarn. "This is YARN", she kept saying...like we didn't understand what yarn would look like. Made me laugh!

Anyway, after about five minutes I found her in the back of the store doing this. The is trying to spin on her own!


Look at how she tries to be so ingenuative and hold both the hook and the fiber at the same time to create her precious yarn!

I tell ya, when I saw this a tear came to my eye! MY DAUGHTER LOVES YARN AS MUCH AS I DO!!!








It must be in the blood!







And, because she was so good while mommy knit with her friends,
I treated her to a little face paint!


Isn't she B-E-A-U-tiful?

By far, best Gold Rush Festival I have ever had!

14 comments:

knitting2relax said...

Oh, she is soooo cute!
Great story, great pictures, and beware the child who wants her own stash and takes yours. LOL
My daughter loved spinning in the store one day too. I wonder what she'll do when I get my drop spindle and some roving (I am hoping for my birthday).
Thanks for sharing your special day!

What must John think. LOL

Allegra said...

I see the beginnings of another addict! The face painting turned out beautifully!

Sheknits said...

Awww...she is a beauty and what a great day you both had.

Victoria said...

she is absolutely gorgeous...and i LOVED the story...i got me all teary eyed! ty for sharing it.

Anonymous said...

How cool for her to learn that! And she is so adorable! My 3 year old daughter is also a future yarnoholic, she cuddles my yarn and goes into the stash and gets a color she wants and askes me to knit her somnething. She also sits in my lap knitting or crocheting with me. So I completetly agree, it must be in the blood!

Anonymous said...

Awesome! So now are you going to be spinning your own yarn before you knit with it? Talk about start-to-finish! Heehee--I have a very hairy dog that I always joke about making yarn from. Perhaps I should get a spinning wheel...

Melody said...

looks like a GREAT day! she is TOO cute!

Terrie D. (StarSpry) said...

What a fun day! Your daughter looked so cute making yarn at Knit Knack! Her face painting looks beautiful :)

-Terrie

Donna said...

You should be a proud mama! Isn't it great when our kids share our love for fiber?

My 11 year old has stolen my Hitch Hiker Wheel and has been spinning up a storm. I catch her late at night in her room spinning yarn. How is a mother to get mad at that???

I see a wonderful mother/daughter bond happening.......

Anonymous said...

Ha, that's Gretchen. It took me all night to rememebr it. She's a member of the RMWG (which I am too!) She got you guys off to a great start spinning- now I just get you some spindles and you can twist and make yarn much faster and more efficently that that hook.... MUHAHAHA!!

Purple Princess said...

What a little cutie. You have such a precious family. It was fun hanging out the other night. I think you can give Ms. Lily Chin (she holds the "official' title for the fastest crocheter) a run for her money!

Jenn said...

She is gorgeous! You always have the most entertaining posts! Now I want some roving...and I have promised myself not to start spinning too...so as to limit the stash intake...hmmm...I may have to go back on that promise now... ;) - Jenn rhymeswithsocks.blogspot.com

amanda said...

You are such a cute family. That's the best face paint job I've ever seen - great!

Jean said...

Your daughter is so beautiful! And I love that she's showing such an early enthusiasm for fiber, yarn, spinning, etc!