Create a Sacred Spinning Space

When life gets busy with other obligations and promises, spinning may take a back seat and soon we notice a day or week or month has gone by and our spindles and spinning wheels are covered with a layer of dust.  This may bring up feelings of sadness for not spinning or guilt at leaving a project partially completed.  Those feelings can lead to resistance to coming back to our art.

Returning to spinning doesn’t have to be difficult, and with a little imagination, we can recapture that enthusiasm and create a sacred spinning space.

Change Your Wheel’s Geography

If you always spin in one corner of your basement family room, move upstairs near the living room window.  Or if you are tight on space you could turn your wheel to face a different direction.  The new orientation of your wheel may be just enough change that it catches your eye every day and pulls you back in for some quality fluff time.

A special space for spinning can make you
want to pick the fluff and find comfort.

Pretty Up Your Space

Is there room to add a small table with a lamp and a plant?  Even if your green thumb is really brown, a pot of pretty silk flowers might brighten up your space and encourage you to try new colour combinations with your spinning. Accessorize with a pretty bowl to hold your fibre so that you are excited to return to your spinning space.

Learn a New Spinning Technique

Trying something new is a great way to bust out boredom.  Have you always wanted to do core spinning or make a delicious boucle yarn? Take a class or buy a book or find instructions on the internet. Find a technique that grabs you and practice it until you get it. The possibilities are endless for you to try something new.

Whatever the reason that you have fallen off the spinning wheel, climbing back on should be fun.  Finding the inspiration to return to spinning can be difficult journey, but it is worth it if it means picking up our fibre and settling into the comforting rhythm of the wheel turning.

Spinning Custom Colours

As a fibre artist, I am always looking for the fibre that is just the right colour.  Only once have I found the perfect shades by chance.  Every other bundle of fibre was close but not quite, and even though I was able to spin and knit a lovely piece, I’ve always found it lacking something.

Then I learned dyeing and colour blending.  I was able to make my own custom colours and be more excited about the end result of my spinning.

Custom hand-painted fibre with colours
a customer chose from crayons.

The Work

Yes, creating my own custom colours means a number of extra steps, but it is a process I enjoy.  Colour theory and colour play makes me very happy.

The steps involve:

1. going through colour samples,

2. choosing a dominant colour and two or three complementary colours,

3. mixing the dyes,

4. filling the dye pots,

5. making fluff soup (that’s the fibre simmering away while my family knows the kitchen is tied up and they are likely on their own for dinner),

6. and waiting for everything to dry.

Then I get to spin.

Fluff of A Different Colour

I will admit that not everyone is interested in taking the time to dye their own fibre or maybe the thought of creating a fibre colour scheme intimidates them.

That is ok. That is why I am here.

I offer custom colour work for spinners and knitters (and for those of you who crochet too – I will never leave you out).

If you would like a custom colour I am happy to create it for you. I require a few things from you in order to get it done at a timely speed.

Your tasks are:

1. Bring a sample of what colours you want.  They can be in paint chip form, material swatches, your favourite sweater, a print photograph or whatever is inspiring your colours. (Please make sure the chips, swatches and photographs are at least 10cm X 10cm.)

2. Be prepared to leave them with me.  I will return them to you, unharmed, with your order.

3. Spend some time with me (15 minutes) going over your colours.  We will work together to create your custom fibre colour.

4. Be patient with the process.  I usually complete the colour order within 5 days and then I will hand it all to you within a week of you placing your order.

Colour blending inspired by a material swatch used in a
quilt made by my mother-in-law, Julia Lamperd.

I have a supply of natural fibre on hand that you can use for your custom order or you can bring your own.  Maybe you have that luscious white merino in your stash that you want to use for something special and this is the opportunity.

We all spin better when we have colours that make us happy.

Call me at (705) 934-4929 to set up your custom colour appointment.

May you always spin the colours of your dreams.

The Journey Begins With a Little Shop

Santosha Fibreworks opens!

The last twelve years of my professional life have been devoted to fitness but somewhere in the last two, I found myself really grasping, trying to make it work.  The more I wanted it, the further away it slipped.

I finally realized that I was finding peace at my spinning wheel and contentment with my spindles. I was also turning out more completed projects than I had in eighteen years of spinning combined.

I was transitioning.

Happiness – or contentment – is greatest when my hands and my brain are creating something.  I pour all of my love into the project in front of me and make certain that things are just right for the person receiving the end result.  I can easily get so lost in fibre that I forget to start dinner or change loads of laundry around.  These are the joys and obstacles of working from home, but my husband, Jeremy, and my dad, Dan, are used to my imperfect housekeeping skills.

With a lot of encouragement and support from so many people, I decided to take my stepmother, Wendy’s, love of spinning and turn it into a fluff empire.  The winter was long and cold and dark as I worked through her collection and my collection and sorted the fibre out.  But it provided more than just physical warmth.  It gave me a sense of purpose again. Santosha Fibreworks had been in the concept stage for over eight months.  There was a lot to do, a lot of questions to answer and a lot of fear to get over, but it all came together.  Spring was going to be special this year.

April 1, 2015, and not a joke or prank in sight.  What a lovely – if chilly – day for an opening. Fresh white daffodils from my dad graced the butcher block counter beside a pitcher of spindles and made it feel like spring inside.  Wendy would have been pleased that one of her dreams was coming true.

I have a small shop at the back of my house with a bookcase of fibre ready to spin, learn to spin kits and the basics to get you started.  As the weeks go on, I will be adding some knitting and crocheting tools also to help you with “from fluff to finished” projects. There are hand dyed and hand blended batts of wool for you to sink into and a beautiful selection of natural coloured wool rovings from my little Shetland sheep.  When you are ready to start spinning, I am here to guide you.

Santosha means contentment and the word has its roots in yoga.  After a rough couple of years, I found that the consistency of spinning and meeting with my yoga mat sustaining.  This has left me content with my life, and contentment feels good.

My goal is to bring my love of yoga and fitness to my little corner of the fibre arts world.  I want to create beautiful items that wrap you in contentment. Follow my journey and embrace Santosha.

Namaste and happy spinning!

Rebecca