Confessions of a fiber fondler
Some of my handspun, in the garden.
The recent trend for me has been to take my wheel out and let people play on it -getting a feel for how the wool runs through the hands, feeling what fiber staple is and how it effects spinning, discovering the sheer joy that you are, indeed, making actual YARN! How delightful it is to watch their faces light up as it dawns on them that they are connecting with a practice that is practically as old as the human race.
Needless to say, that is one huge reason why I spin… I came to the art in my search for a hobby that would relax me and allow me to touch and use wonderful-feeling tools and materials. I’d already become a knitter for the same reasons, and it seemed a natural extension to learn to make the beautiful and useful yarns that cost so much and were so difficult to find in my area. Little did I know how addicted I would become to this ancient practice!
One of the best places I’ve found to get the fiber that I make my lovely creations from is, of course, on Etsy. I would easily recommend Blonde Chicken Boutique, Cloudlover69.etsy.com, and Hobbledehoy.etsy.com for high quality fibers and batts in unusual and gorgeous colourways!
Of course, I couldn’t dare close this without mentioning that I list my own hand spun yarn in my Etsy shop… ahem. 
