I have been going through my collection of Lincoln wool locks, and been forced to come to the realization that I have a few too many colorful odds and ends just hanging out. So: I used them! One of the best things about throwing yourself into a craft, in my experience, is that you amass a great store of supplies and materials. With the right mindset, going through your back stock can be a very freeing creative process. See - crazy quilts, collages, anything in a million different color ways and materials. This, as an artsy/crafty person, is why I never have been, and never will be, a minimalist when it comes to possessions.
 |
| Lincoln, Shetland and llama fibers, all washed and dyed by yours truly. Not pictured: two other equivalent bins. |
So I spun up an array of mixed up singles from this bounty. I didn't card the wool in this case; I was going for very textural to a little shaggy yarn. The finished product I had in mind would look handmade, in the best way possible - uneven, unexpected, random-but-deliberate.
 |
| Handspun singles - a little bit of everything. |
And - there you have it. Above, here is two mega bobbins full of bright, fuzzy, unpredictable yarn, hitting all the color notes I personally love so well - turquoise and fuchsia, dusty pink and warm orange, and natural cream and charcoal gray, among ever so many others. See? Productive.
But wait - there's more:
You know, I think I've always been someone inspired by three things, primarily:
- Process (I love to create something start to finish, and to lose myself in the familiar rhythms of washing, carding, dyeing, etc…);
- Materials (fiber, metal, vintage fabrics - taking a collage/assembly approach to creating); and
- Tradition (once again, it's all about losing one's self in familiar rhythms, including those that have existed long before I was born).
I may never be able to pack all my belongings in a single suitcase, or even a car, but I've come to peace with it. Frankly, at the moment, I feel like I'm living the dream.
