Monday, June 21, 2010

Connecting Threads


A lot has happened since my last post, and I cannot even begin to put the journey into words. Suffice to say that I am here, whole, and living this gift I've been given to the fullest. I have to share an experience from this past weekend at my shop in Port Gamble. The event in Port Gamble, the Civil War Re-enactment, brought many into town, including a young 11-year old named Sadie, who has been spinning her own yarn for 2 years now. When she entered the shop I saw her eyes glinting at the yarn, fibers, and spinning wheels surrounding her. Her first words to me were "I've been spinning my own yarn for 2 years", and in that moment we made a connection. Sadie was like this little sponge, soaking up all the fiber knowledge she could. I gifted her with fleece from "Gracie" the "Ya-Ya" sheep who lives on nearby Bainbridge Island. We made rolags of "Gracie", punis of cotton, and of course, spun yarn. Sadie made herself at home on the futon at the back of the shop, carders in her lap, preparing the wool for spinning when one of her friends came over to her and Sadie exclaimed, "this is the cozy corner, watch this" and she proceeded to show her friend how to remove the carded wool fibers from the hand carders - a perfect rolag! This is what it's all about, teaching, sharing and creating community. My gift to Sadie - a little fleece and a drop spindle. Her gift to me - her enthusiasm, and her promise to share what she learned this weekend with someone else!