Drop Spindle Spinning

Ever heard of "mother culture"? This time, it doesn't refer to cheesemaking. I first came across this term while immersing myself in the Charlotte Mason style of home education. In short, it refers to mothers taking it upon themselves to not let their own educations lag. That might mean always having stimulating reading material on hand, learning to do something that you've never done before, or any way in which you are continuing to enrich your life beyond that of providing for the needs of others.



As some birthday money has come my way this month, I have decided to take a portion of that and invest in my own "mother culture". I will be dropping my dd12 off at a birthday party in the community that just so happens to be hosting a Flock and Fiber Festival this weekend. It's my hope that someone there will be selling a drop spindle. Yes, I have always wanted to learn how to spin. No,I don't have sheep or fiber goats, but the roving that is used to spin with seems to be easily obtained without the need for your own producing animal. I am so excited you can't believe it. I first saw a drop spindle in action at our County Fair this summer, and the women there assured me that anyone can master it. Now, I don't know when I'll find time to tackle this new hobby, but with winter setting in and more time indoors, I think it can be done.

Being the research junkie that I am, I'm sure that heading to youtube.com and searching for drop spindle will turn up plenty of resources to see instructions first hand. A few swagbuck.com searches also turned about a ton of resources. It seems there are plenty of folks out there more than willing to share and pass on a little bit of their own mother culture to others like me who are wishing to broaden their horizons. I'm not sure if I'll ever get enough fiber spun to actually make something, but the possibilities are certainly tantalizing enough to keep me interested for awhile I'm sure.

If you've got spinning tips for me, I'd love to hear them. I'd also like to find out what other things you've delved into to develop and further your own mother culture. You never know when you, like the women this year at the county fair, will be an inspiration to others!