I optimistically hoped knowing HOW to spin on my Ladybug Spinning Wheel might be a little like "riding a bike" once you learn. Several years have passed since the deaths of mom & dad. During many years of eldercare, spinning was my personal form of mental therapy. She moved into their house with me. I spun constantly. Then I knitted: mittens, shawls, bags, bears - Jacobus Monkeys! Knitting everything with as much of my own handspun as I could. Partly to control the stash. Mostly because knitting with your own handspun tells you how well you're doing. Tells you if you don't like knitting with it you might need to change something.
When I finally came home for the last time my wheel was placed safely on top of a bureau. Waiting. Waiting for NORMAL to return. Waiting for as long as that took. Turns out it took a couple of years.
Knowledge has come back to my hands almost like forgotten muscle memory. But after a very long pause since touching anything spinning, there seems to be a bit of a "remembering" period - where things are a little shaky. And like riding a bike, sometimes you tip over!
The drafting triangle is still occasionally "locking up" or splitting off into a bit of a clump. (I've practiced rejoining ends way more than I really wanted!) I forgot to oil the center spindle so my wheel made more noise than I EVER would have accepted before. I was just happy to be feeding slightly over/under twisted wool onto the bobbin again. I was afraid to stop to take things apart and risk my wobbly progress.
After the 1st bobbin was full-enough, it was well past time for a good wheel-cleaning Spa Day. A glug of Murphy's Oil Soap in warm water soon became chocolate-colored. Embarrassingly, cruddy brown! After getting all the parts cleaned, oiled (properly!) and put back together, the 2nd bobbin is full-enough now for plying.
I've decided to let them rest and spin a couple more bobbins. The fleece I'm spinning with is one that I bought at the Common Ground Fair. It was washed and dried as soon as I got it. But then it waited as well. It may have more "grease" left in it than I thought when it was washed. Part of my "remembering to spin" issues may be that I'm also "remembering" to prepare fleece for spinning.
I should probably practice plying on some of the left-over bobbins that collected their share of dust as well. Fear my hands won't remember might be part of the reason for filling more bobbins first . . .
I've accepted this 1st yarn I have spun in a long time will probably not be knit into a fine shawl. But feeling like more of my NORMAL has returned is comforting for now.
