a studio out back

This title refers to my pottery studio--at the moment a very cold, cluttered place. I don't get much pottery made in the winter, well, at least not this year. Olivia takes up much of my day, and when she sleeps it's a whole lot easier to pick up a bit of yarn than dig out clay. Besides, since we blocked off the heat duct to the studio this year, all my clay has frozen. An unfortunate thing, I guess I didn't really think about it, or thought it might not get below freezing since the place is connected to the house. I will figure it all out in the spring--I think that if I just dry out the clay and rework it, it might be okay.

All my glazes and underglazes have also frozen...don't think it's as bad for them, but again, will assess it in the spring.

Whatever the case, I do find myself not as interested in clay at the moment. I'm sure it will come back, it's just time. Maybe it's the winter, it's so much more comforting and inspiring to work in a medium that brings warmth.

So I learned to spin yarn.

I wasn't sure I would do this. Close to the end of my pregnancy I decided I would knit my sons a sweater each, after, of course, my husband got his 7 year old sweater (which he rarely wears, but I digress. Admittedly, it was an itchy choice of wool). Then I explored etsy for the beautiful handspun and felt so inspired I bought my first skein from hobbledehoy.etsy.com

After some reworking, this fun, colourful yarn is turning itself into a lovely hat.




In the meantime I spied a gorgeous undyed merino/tussah silk blend from snowberrylime.etsy.com and just had to get it.

The first one turned into a short scarf, which I gave to a friend for Christmas.



Then I had to get more.




Anyway, my point here is I could see myself spending a ton on handspun, and it just seemed like all these spinners were having so much fun!

I took a drop spindle class, and with my own first yarn I made a hat.



Then I bought a spinning wheel. Now, if only I could get all the time in the world to sit and spin...