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My love affair with spinning yarn by Tanya Swegler

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Contributed by: Shelly DeChantal on 10/6/2007

When asked how I got into spinning yarn, I say "Because my brother got married." In the spring of 1998 my brother announced his engagement. For anyone who does handwork this type of situation requires a very special "handmade" gift.

At the time I had been crocheting for years and my forte was afghans. When I went to my local craft store to hunt for the perfect yarn I found one that was wonderfully soft and champagne colored. The label said it contained mohair, a fact that meant nothing to me at the time. Delighted with my discovery, I bought a boatload of yarn.

Over several months of crocheting like a crazy woman, a soft, lustrous afghan materialized under my hands. And, something else happened; I became aware of how much life and warmth the mohair radiated. Working with the yarn gave me energy and I was surprised to be affected in such a strong and positive way. By the time I completed my wedding present I had fallen in love with mohair, a fiber that comes from Angora goats. I had to learn more about natural fibers.

That winter I took a beginning spinning class and the next summer I bought my first spinning wheel. From then on I was hooked. Over time I took more advanced courses, attended local wool markets and bought the wool of as many different sheep breeds as I could. I tried Churro, Merino, Jacob, Cotswold, Icelandic, Romney, Karakul, Border Leicester, Blue-faced Leicester, Corriedale and more. I sampled Angora rabbit, quviut from musk ox, cashmere, buffalo, alpaca, dog, cat, yak, camel and possum. Other fibers intrigued me, so I spun flax, hemp, ramie, cotton and even silk.

For me the irresistible allure of natural fibers is that each has its own personality. Every fiber communicates with the spinner in a unique way. That communication starts at the fingertips and travels through the fingers directly to the spinner's heart and feeds the spirit. Just as we soak up love, attention and experiences when we are with friends, each fiber has something to share. It is a gift of nature, wonderful and incredibly satisfying.

Along with appreciating the qualities of a fiber, I enjoy the activity of spinning. For me, spinning is participating in the magic of transforming a fiber into a thread of luster, firmness and beauty. I watch mesmerized as the fibers gracefully move from one form to another, flowing like a miniature river suspended through my fingers. Every time I sit at the spinning wheel I learn something new. I am the student, the fiber, my teacher.

Because my brother found his love, I found mine. I constantly delight in what flows through my fingers and touches my heart and soul; thanks to my brother.

I will be showing my handspun yarns at the Rocky Mountain Weavers Guild Fiber Art Sale on October 25-27 at the Englewood Civic Center. For more information about the sale go to : www.rmweaversguild.org

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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Shelly DeChantal

Denver , CO

Shelly DeChantal has posted 3 stories and 0 comments since joining on 9/29/2005. Shelly DeChantal 's average story rating is 5.

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