Let it not be said that an old dog cannot learn new tricks.
A few weeks ago
I posted about my loose ends and frayed nerves, to which several replied that I clearly needed to loosen up a little. (These friends diagnosed my problem from the looks of my Water Lilies singles, which apparently showed my slightly obsessive side.)
One of those friends, a very prolific spinner and knitter, followed up her suggestion by sending me some batts she carded up just for me to play with and perhaps spin with long-draw, a technique I've never learned. So I sent out a cyber-plea to
Laura for direction, and she responded by arriving on my doorstep last night to give me a spinning lesson!
Here are the batts sweet Denise sent me:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzCV8I4r5ohXnX8ZFMbXAyoGE-afaXgkMC6cyT4CktGfd8E2RVUs5P4I-QXj1OTJAEglwd5Yt3WFu3g-ZhnYI2ZcNIOcrt5tMLjFRGGkRnpP88Pptp9jnqzAcfFi5FyQthz5cu0g/s400/Denise%2527sbatts.jpg)
Here's Laura demonstrating long-draw using a bit of roving she brought along:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjon-OSw7XTghts_mHSwjAFffPqIRAjAYIpsQVCaKGFZ1h4OeNEIK3BwjOzNbXm4bJzh8MRnqMg0uZGRFlfcqaz6KnridNE_3lG4cOMvc2m4CNLzGAnNqSyi1vS7fd0rzoOq-9zYA/s400/Laura%252Clong-drawing.jpg)
After practicing on the fiber Laura brought, I turned to Denise's batts:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqjl9kElruxCd8OhzaUHnRIeAt8YwznQp4JwqQKUFwyjslerkOiMQDkS5p4vEeKpHYWac4vSp9_G6nbZdXXUWng1PzXgwz9vqYqCxGbUfFjyy1Nss9pSKYveSwuGbEGWj3tvzmw/s400/pinksingles.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zyoO5rcdEx0qQV1DR_8_u9IVFx9BQuBgVamIWhjFxhB6zTAVy-gfsBAaN90uOEcXASkn3bA29TH6BhszHeQjiQ-zyRMTA6E5P5TMnbYhze54q22C5I3Dt-9nxsSNxPjM5JzY7A/s400/pink%252Cplied.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrV8LQT81Ed09gpS92DGxGFM4UaNsD0-8ELWt22wriy-ccVX11SOEnqMVU9S2Fi9EsnBa_8HAdVfs-LVerSew7TV-SvmksjXD5qQWO8bIaQIjtoDCt8OfOF60EAi-XsSYGJRVAuw/s400/pink%2526purple.jpg)
Can you believe that I spun AND plied both batts in one evening?!? I can't! It was indeed very freeing and fun, and I look forward to playing with this technique more. THANK-YOU so much to those of you who pushed me out of my comfort zone and especially to Denise and Laura for enabling me with materials and instruction!
Since I won't be using my "art yarn" for my favorite Romi designs, today I picked up these delicious treats, thanks to a generous birthday discount offered by my LYS and a gift certificate to the same from my MIL:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DGFiVdVBGGWZYPmI01FpeGBtu9nMdc364A0otlV9i__GvV-cQ8IsGrH4a8FJUiuDVJ0Xj1Yl97Iprir4UrVae5HkyuYJ14Q-yPPvKKGhfqlxHOpT5M2Za5vkxh35lrJS6FHdbg/s400/birthdayyarns.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRClhOOkH4GyYYW9BtuFhpMvTmmkwwN3a5axqZS9y8EocmTugfZU8Qq6B4j3ruj0DEio-tJpx7kT9f4KJaEDCwFCVZ3kYwfLrBLGA_Phr2FCo7dcOnEh-cDhZdCtD92pmhNLFrw/s400/ToshLight%252Cgrey.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjofRDbbi1SOT0HXKDcuECnLpKaKIMdN26Kq171XeMM46pdRH_jusrWpB7T-wi62f_t1JXM_440GTsahRu1Q7RqD2P2s9lz1UGWOXn1XXu7n0OtxFvXrFOWPVVC2M9N2BLo39uLpA/s400/ToshLight%252Cpink.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzpx8Fj4tC5ZtH-yFfApdIoRGd-DGxbx71jMfzNWhhiQHwGIrTaAhvKk3SzwElrA2S7FvnuUthRsZ9SPJx0ghhmDmaCh2-f1jOJXYEbXTrDDboSQf-xlGdBOQSUDVxmocTkyzVjg/s400/HeritageSilkPaints.jpg)
The individual shots are truer in color; from top to bottom they are Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Composition Book Grey; Tosh Light in Fragrant; and Cascade Yarns Heritage Silk Paints. Squeee!
That's about it for my first half-century, from . . .