One of the most common problems for newbie Spinning Wheel Spinners is tension.  You sit down at your shiny new spinning wheel and treadle cautiously.  One of two things happens.  Either the fiber gets sucked out of your hand before you allow the twist to take over, or it spins and spins and you can’t get the dang flyer to bring in the yarn.

First thing, know that this happens to everyone and it’s all good!!!  You can easily fix it just by taking a quick look at your tension.

Check out your brake band. If the yarn will not wind on your bobbin remove the brake and then slowly increase tension on it until you feel the fiber start to slide from your hands. If the fiber is taking off before you have any say in what’s happening, then again, remove your brake band, and increase tension until it feels right.  You’ll find that perfect spot with tension! It’s where the wheel works the twist and you work your magic.  This tension will require adjusting often, depending on the type of fiber you are spinning, or your desired yarn outcome.

Here’s where I’m gonna get dorky with you. This reminded me so much of life!!!!!  I’m somewhat of a control freak…yeah, like you couldn’t already tell. Often, I feel like life is spiraling out of control at a rate no brake can slow down (What does the yellow light mean?). Just like when the fiber gets ripped out of your hands before any type of yummy goodness could be added.

Wait everything is spinning too quickly? I’d best overcompensate and hold on tighter. Y’all that’s when things get really crazy. In our yarn metaphor, the yarn is either going to be too spastic, overspun, or it’s just gonna snap and break. We don’t want that in yarn OR in life!!!  You need to let go. Don’t hold on too tight. The good ole cliché of if you love something let it go…blah blah. Let that yarn go so it’ll be beautiful. Let go of your control and live more freely.  This is honestly why adore spinning art yarns so much. It’s the letting go of control and allowing the yarn to become what it wants!

By adding a “break” in your life it’s like your brake band on the wheel…it slows the spinning and allows you more time to focus on what’s important.

Hope you’re spinning up a beautiful life!