Fibery Bits

We all love the colors of our yarns. We love the vibrant reds and the deep blues. We love the greens we otherwise only see in growing things in the early summer when the sun is up but not to hot. We love the pretty shade of brown that happens where just the right shade of purple blends with that perfect tone of amber. At the shows I vend at, I stand there and watch as people see my yarns and I hear “Oohh, look at the colors!” and the first thing everyone does is reach out and touch them. They squeeze the skeins of yarn and braids of roving and run the silk hankies against their skin. Fealters ask if roving is super wash or not with hope in their voices and knitters look for specifically sock yarn for that little bit of nylon. We love the colors, but we also love our fibers. It was that love of fiber that once left me with a bruise on my butt and a new appreciation for each and every yard of lace weight Moreno.

When I first took up knitting I started as many did with acrylics. I soon found wool fibers and never looked back. I loved the feel of the wool in my hands and the way it worked on the needles. I learned about other fibers like camel and alpaca. The more I learned the more I wanted to learn. Eventually my passion for fiber led me to spinning and the thrill of actually making my own yarn. The day came when I wanted to learn more about the bats and roving I had, so I got ahold of a fleece and learned how to clean and card it by hand. Needless to say a drum carder is on my wish list. Then one day I wanted to learn more about that fleece I got, so when the chance to learn shearing came up I found myself sitting on a sheep when she decided to go for a walk in the middle of her hair cut. I love fiber.

So the next time you find yourselves in a yarn shop and think to yourself “Oohh, the colors” and you reach your hand out to feel them remember; none of those sunset pinks or clear sky blues or emerald greens would be there without all those wonderful fibers spun out to hold them. So Hooray for Fiber! And Hooray to all you wonderful Fiber Junkies like me who appreciate them! Hopefully most of you are a little saner than me and don’t end up riding a sheep!