When your Genius says so.

I'm not sure where I read it.  Or, I may have heard it while watching a documentary, as the images in my head are so vivid as to make me believe I saw it as well.   Long ago, the word genius did not mean someone who was incredibly intelligent, it meant that the ideas that came to you, and especially to artists, inventors, scientists, were given to you from an outer force.  This force was called The Genius.  One recounting of a genius story was that an author (who is well known, but heaven forbid I remember those details!) could feel her genius coming at her.  She would be out in a field picking berries, and she would have to run to the house for her pencil and paper before her genius flew past, leaving her alone, without capturing that story.  If at any time, I find that essay/post/documentary, I will share it. It was great.

My own genius spoke to me last week while we were camping.  I had brought along the most gorgeous Shetland fleece that had actually rood. (Roo'ing is the shedding ability some primitive sheep maintain) and a set of hand carders.  I was carding up fine, tiny, little rolags,  when my fingers began to itch for a spinning wheel.  The words wedding ring shawl whispered though my mind.  And I knew my genius was speaking to me. The moment we got home (and unpacked, and slightly settled) I got my husband to rig up a little platform for my lace flyer so that it could sit on my Ashford Traditional spinning wheel in just the right way to work. And then I spun.

And then I plied.  This little sample is only 3 grams, and 48 yards long.  Now if I mathed right, then this 2 ply yarn will measure up at 7168 yards per pound, and a Bradford count of 48.4s (Which means I'd get 48.4 skeins, that measured 300 yards- because I spun woollen- out of 1 pound of wool, which then if you math, that only makes sense when you know that it's the singles that the bradford count measures)

A friend of mine has 3 books on shetland lace shawls she's willing to lend me.  So, I'm going to swatch this up before I spin on.  I want to be sure this is fine enough, and that I have enough fibre... 

Happily spinning,

~Kara

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