Last spinning lesson

Saturday was the last of my spinning course lessons sadly. I learnt so much from Linda and Albert - advocates of starting with the fleece and preparing it using traditional techniques, then dyeing it (they use natural dyes), hand carding the fibre and finally spinning it. Linda is a seasoned knitter and crocheter and Albert is a weaving and braiding guru. And I'll also miss the lovely spinners I met there - hopefully I'll keep in touch with some of them.

Yvette being the bravest of us and having a go at using the lethal-looking combs.

Albert holding a distaff of flax (or a young maiden's locks?)

Linda spinning flax from the distaff

You'd think it would be possible to learn how to spin from books, or from YouTube, or from asking questions in forums and it is. But it's only when you meet people who have so much experience and so willingly pass on their intricate knowledge and tips, that you appreciate how much there is to the craft and how much there's still to learn.

On to kitty news. We think our little tabby may be a girl so she's been renamed Mabel - although Skein Prince still calls her Squiggles. She may be the cat with two names. Never did Honey, her mother, any harm to be called Honey and Smitten.

They're getting more playful by the day. It's not a good idea to have bare feet or legs unless you want to be in a lot of pain with little claws being tried out. The all black one is the advanced one, the black and white one is the monkeyist and the tabby one is... pretty lazy but very gorgeous.