Spinzilla 2015 - End of Day 1...from a Disabled Spinner's Prospective

Spinzilla 2015  -   End of Day 1

...from a Disabled Spinner's Perspective

   Today was the first full day of Spinzilla.  It was not as productive as I would have liked but I am hoping to do better tomorrow.  Unfortunately, I had a bad night Sunday night so even though I got in an hour of spinning after mid-night, my night didn't provide me with a very good start to the day.

My special spinning area.  On the left I have my laptop set-up to keep track of
business items, directly in front of me
my husband set-up a smaller for me to see since I have difficulty with my
neck and cannot look up to see the big screen,
to my right is a worktable my husband build for me so everything
was a height I could reach and roll under with my
wheelchair.  It is a little slice of heaven and where
I will be spinning all 7 days of Spinzilla.

   After struggling with spasms, I found I moved slowly this morning.  My daughter was kind enough to trigger point my neck and back trying to get some relief but it wasn't as much as I hoped.  Then, I did something stupid which had little to do with my disability, unless I want to blame it on exhaustion from not sleeping.  I injured my hand rather badly from an accident in the morning making drafting fiber more difficult than it would normally be for me.  But, that was just my clumsiness, I can't really blame that on my disability...although it would have been nice!  :-)

   My husband helped to nurse my hand so I could keep spinning and then I got me set-up in my little spinning area.  I had everything at my fingertips and our children, who are really no longer children, were more than willing to help with daily chores to give me undivided time spinning.  So I began to work on the project I left the night before.  I was able to spin most of the day, except for a break to take a cancer treatment, which allowed me to finish the project I was on.

    It took far longer than I had hoped but finally produced a lovely 3-plied Merino Top yarn.  I would like to use this for knitting so 3-ply was important.  While normally I struggle with twist, most often twisting until I have something that more closely resembles wire than yarn, I did a bit better this time and my yarn was reasonably soft and fairly consistent.  So, Hurrah for that!

Merino Top - Singles spun Z and plied S.  3 Plied.  Spun Worsted Short Forward Draw.

   After a wonderful day of spinning, I have retired to my bed.  While my husband is sleeping soundly, I am updating my blog and then going to begin spinning a lovely little Merino Top with Nylon Sparkle I got from Swan Hollow.  I chose a lovely orange color and a deep red to ply together for a fun little skein.  I have never worked with much sparkle before so this should be interesting.  This fiber has been reserved for Spindling only.  It's my nighttime fiber which is why I chose the bright colors.  If you have to be up at night, you might as well spin something pretty!  I hope to have it all spun by the end of the week so I can ply it before the closing bell on Sunday night and with the way my nights have been lately, I'm thinking this will not be a problem.  

Merino Top with Nylon Sparkles from Swan Hollow.  This is my nighttime Spindling Fiber.

    I am part of the subculture of disabled spinners...we may not be able to spin as fast or spin as much, or spin as long, but we love to spin.  Some of us spin for the joy, some of us spin for pain management, and some of us spin for therapy...or like me, I spin for all three.  Spinzilla gives us a chance to participate on an even playing field.  That is something the disabled rarely get in life.  It may not come as easy to many of us but we will press on and be stronger for the effort.  Each and every inch of yarn is a victory for many of us.  It is more than just the satisfaction of going from the sheep to the knitting needles, crochet hook, or loom...it is about overcoming our disabilities.  It is about not letting our bodies beat our minds or our desire.  It is about taking control back!  If that seems a little over dramatic to you, well, you probably have never been told you'd never walk again, or listen to doctors give you a dreaded date.  If you had, you would understand what a little bit of yarn could mean.  To many of us, it is a victory over everything we were told we could no longer do in life!  Spinzilla gives us an opportunity to prove to ourselves just how much we can accomplish.

Spin-on everyone!  
--Serenity in Fiber,  Lynne