My Favorite Souvenir

When I went to New Zealand to visit my little sister Mary (visit her blog for some other photos from my trip), I never would have predicted what I'd be bringing home with me. I took a spinning class from the wonderful ladies at the Christchurch Spinners and Weavers Guild, and they got me hooked. I have been wanting to learn for a long time, but I never expected to love it so much.

The night I came home from my class, I started doing some online research about spinning wheels. And found this on a New Zealand auction site:



And it cost me about $300 less than I would pay for a new one. Well worth the hassle dragging it home on the plane with me.

It was built in a town just a short drive away from Christchurch, so it will always be a good reminder of New Zealand. Now I just need to find some more time to practice. I have improved DRAMATICALLY from my first skein...you can see my most recent skein below...



But I have a long way to go before I'm going to be brave enough spin some of the beautiful fibers I brought home with me. I can't decide which I'm more excited about. The possum/merino blend (NZ possums are very different than US possums...their coats are really luxurious), or the alpaca/silk/wool blend. It is a gorgeous silver color with a white silk streak through it. One of the ladies from the guild was spinning it while I was learning. Absolutely amazing.