If you follow along on Instagram, you probably noticed that I picked up a new hobby. Many years ago I went one Saturday to a knitting group that met in Balboa Park. A woman was teaching spinning with a drop spindle, and I gave it a try. It was awkward and slow and not very fun. I bought a cheap drop-spindle and some fiber and tried again at home, but it just seemed so laborious and still not fun, so I decided that I was definitely not a spinner.

I have no idea what happened, but all these years later, it suddenly seemed like I should try spinning again. I think it just gradually entered my subconscious and niggled at my brain and I suddenly just needed to get another drop spindle and some pretty hand-painted fiber and give it another go. I blame the podcasts I listen to and watch (Prairie Girls, Knitmore Girls, and The Fat Squirrel, to name a few) for sparking this interest and fellow Instagrammer Quiltotaku for sending me over the edge with her beautiful yarns and spindles.

So I carefully studied YouTube videos and bought myself an inexpensive spindle (which even came with a niddy-noddy!). I combed through all the pretty fiber artists on etsy and settled on a braid of Targhee wool from Pigeonroof Studios, and a tried it one more time. This time it clicked, and I went from parking and drafting to flicking my spindle and letting it go while I drafted my fiber bit by bit. That first skein is full of fat and thin sections, the colors are barber-poling all over the place, and it’s a big, bulky yarn. But it was so much fun and by the time I was done I was completely addicted. I knit it up into a squishy, slouchy hat and I couldn’t be more pleased.

I quickly placed an order for more fiber, this time some beautifully carded batts of merino from Nunoco on etsy. I also invested in a Bosworth spindle that is equally pretty. I managed to spin this second batch of fiber a bit finer and more evenly than the first, I love the gradient shift from pink to gold to green. I’m still looking for the perfect cowl pattern for this little ball of yarn.

In February I found a spinning class that meets Wednesday evenings, not too far from where I work. It’s through the local adult education and has been meeting for years. The teacher is brilliant and many of the ladies are talented fiber artists themselves. I can’t believe how much I’ve learned in the past few months. I’ve never had real-life fiber friends, so I can’t even express how happy I am to have found this group. I don’t have a spinning wheel of my own just yet, but there are class wheels I can use during class and everyone has been so generous and allowed me to try out their wheels. I’m saving my pennies and hope to get one before the year is out.

In the meantime I’ve spun more fiber and invested in more spindles and made more yarn. It’s so much fun. BUT. There’s only one cloud in all this. I managed to give myself a repetitive motion injury. My left thumb has developed an annoying pain from flicking the spindle, so I’ve had to set aside my drop spindles. Luckily I can still spin on the wheel during class, but I have to be careful not to overdo it. It twinges a bit when I knit, so I’m also limiting my knitting time just a bit. I’ve learned my lesson, though, and I’m doing what I can to make sure this heals and then I’ll get back to my spindles. I just have to remember to take frequent breaks and not spin for hours and hours at a time.

I’m a little scattered, knitting-wise, so I’m just going to throw a bunch of my recent knitting-related thoughts up here and maybe purging my brain will help me focus. I keep wanting to knit all the things and also buy all the things.

1. Knitting Projects: I still have that list of sweaters to work on, and I really do want to get as many of those made this year as possible. The trouble is that I keep getting distracted by other things.
   I just finished a hat
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   , I have two shawls, and a baby bunting on the needles, and I am trying to write up a pattern for a pair of socks but I can’t make the chart work properly. So what do I do? I just go ahead and start one of those sweaters. Yeah, that makes sense.

2. Yarn: I should write a post about stashing yarn. My stash is currently pretty great, although maybe a bit too big. That doesn’t stop me from wanting to buy more yarn. I’ve gotten a lot better about buying yarn with a specific project in mind. But then I saw this the other day, and there was no way to resist.
3. Knitting Supplies: I would like one of every thing from Fringe Supply Co., but especially this needle gauge, some bento bags (in natural linen, please), and a rice basket or three.
4. Knitting Podcasts: Since I can’t knit while I drive to and from work, I like to listen to people talk about knitting. I’ve found that the podcasts I like the most are the ones with two people having a conversation. My most favorite podcasts right now are Knitting a Story (I like the way they giggle, and I think we would be friends IRL), and Prairie Girls Knit and Spin (I would also like to be friends with them, and I like their giggles too).

As I do, now and then, I’ve re-visited and re-organized my Ravelry queue. I also went on a bit of a yarn buying spree, and stash clean-out, and now have yarn organized for no fewer than five sweaters. That doesn’t include the three on the needles at the moment, or the one I recently finished. I blame that success for making me think I can knit and/or finish a total of eight more sweaters this year. Whatever, I’m going to give it a shot. I obviously need a vacation from sock knitting.

Here’s what’s in the queue (links are all to Ravelry):

Aidez, which I’ve wanted to do forever. I have some Cascade Ecological Wool in the natural gray color. It’s bulky, so I think this will be a quick one, which is why it’s at the top of the list. Plus, all those cables look so fun (even though I’m also in the middle of the biggest cable project ever).

Aisance is one of those patterns that went straight to the queue as soon as I saw it. How flattering is that ribbing on the back? I love it so much. I splurged on the Quince & Co Tern (in the Dusk color) yarn used in the sample. It’s silk and merino, so this is going to be so luxurious. It’s also fingering weight, so it’s going to take me some time. But I’m hoping my love of the design will propel me quickly to the finish, because this will be a great sweater for spring and even summer, when the air conditioning is blasting in my office.

Liesl is another one for warmer months. I think it will be cute as a jumper over a t-shirt with leggings or skinny jeans. I’ve got some Juniper Moon Farms Zooey in black, which is a cotton and linen blend. It’s sportweight, but it’s knit on size 8 needles, so I don’t think it will take forever. Plus it looks like good TV knitting. That’s me being optimistic.

I just realized I’ve got some great spring/summer knits in my queue, so maybe I need to re-think the order. I’ve had a bunch of pink Rowan Cashcotton  4-ply in my stash for years and I want to get rid of it. I came across this, and love how it looked in that yarn, and with the longer sleeves. Here’s the main pattern page, I obviously have a thing for side and back ribbing.

Yet more cotton yarn

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, what’s up with that? Again, this is basically a “I want this yarn out of the stash, asap” project. I have the Blue Sky Alpacas worsted cotton in light blue, from a sweater I frogged a long time ago. It’s taking up too much space, and I’ve liked this sweater since it first appeared in Knitty a gazillion years ago. I still like it, and some lace will be nice after so much stockinette, right? Pattern page is here.

So now I have to finish a hat I just started and at least one of the three sweaters currently on the needles. And I need to get to it soon, because I know I’m going to want to start working more in the yard in the evenings as it stays light later and later. I’m giving myself knitting anxiety.

Am I the only one who likes to re-arrange the knitting queue?