Get Out of Your Own Way…and Let the Motions Flow

I’ve been playing catch up with the programs we’ve had at our Guild meetings. I am glad that we have equipment for rent through the Guild and that we get a whole month to try the equipment before returning it. I rented the hand carders, refreshed my memory with the photos I took from our meeting and after consulting a video on line. The carders are heavy and sometimes awkward to handle, but I’m certain that is a beginner handicap!

My next adventure is to try my hand at flicking. My husband found a nice piece of leather and I have a clean brush to use. The fiber I have for the flicking is a wonderfully beautiful Sheltand that I know will work well because one of our members used Sheltand for the flicking demonstration during out program in September. I hope to use the rolags I have made thus far with the drop spindle…and crossing my fingers that they will work out well. 

I have a bag of rolags now. And because the fiber is a creamy white, I can see a lot of “stuff” that I missed picking out as well! There are some little bits and pieces that didn’t fall out while I was carding. Argh!

I’m not sure hand carding is for me though as my hands bother me sometimes with my work on the computer. I found myself clenching the handles and trying to force the movement instead of letting it flow. At one point I stopped in mid-card and thought, “why am I struggling so badly?” That is when I realized that I was forcing my movements and that I was really stiff with tension. I remembered that I am not being judged or graded…I am learning and learning is comprised of both missteps and leaps. So I rolled my shoulders a few times, shook out my hands, took a few slow deep breaths and started again more slowly, with all the time in the world to complete the task.

What a difference in how the task flows along when you get out of your own way!