Who Drives

I'll be the first to admit that I have all sorts of snotty opinions which either find resonance in my tribe (whatever that may be) or possibly offend at worst.

I'm more than a little judgy when it comes to spinning a yarn. No, I mean that literally. When people say "Oh, I had to spin it thick, that's the way the fibre wanted to be", I suppress an actual snort, but mentally I'm a little derisive, as I believe that the spinner is in charge of the yarn produced, and not the fibre, absent obstacles such as bad preparation.

I believe that the marginally competent spinner should be able to spin a fine yarn whether from silk or mohair; ditto a fat yarn. Of course, the marginally competent spinner also knows that adult mohair really isn't suited to a fine-gauge, next-to-the-skin sweater, and so won't try and make yarn for same, but still, the spinner is in charge.

Yes, it's easier to spin silk fine, but I have to say, a worsted-weight two-ply yarn spun from painted silk caps is a decadent delight. I need enough skeins to make something to wear against my skin so that I can draw on experience, but I'm pretty sure it would be fabulous to wear too. It might not wear all that well, as I suspect it could pill more than somewhat, but I think it's probably worth the risk.

Beads are probably as constraining as fibre. Sure I'm capable of stitching geometric shapes using sub-standard irregularly-shaped seed beads from China or India (the most regular seed beads are Japanese; Czech beads are nice too, if different), but I wouldn't. It would look messy and amateurish (not that I'm a professional professional, I'm more of an amateur professional since I do have a day job which actually pays the bills) and because I have some small experience, I just wouldn't make that, no matter how strongly compelled by the beads I might feel.

I know better.

(I'd either toss the beads or use them in some sort of wild fringey affair if the colour were that gorgeous).

On the other hand, to say I'm completely in control of my beading is probably stretching the truth a bit.

I know I need to finish a necklace for a class sample, although it's not even slightly urgent, but if I don't do it soon, it may well fall to the limbo pile.

I know I need to make samples for the upcoming proposal deadline.

I know I should put kits together for my Etsy shop.

And yet, somehow, I did not resist the compulsion to complete this necklace.