Dream a Little Dream

STRING, a place for stringing together thoughts about…string.

When I was a girl, my grandmothers impressed upon my mother the necessity of training me in the fiber arts. They introduced me to a world of color, texture and beauty through knitting, embroidery, crochet, quilting and tatting.

Then I dreamed of spinning on a wheel. My parents believed I was crazy. I was raised in a time of prosperity. They said, “Why would you want to work that hard?” I thought spinning would be fun.

As soon as Mattel came out with a Little Red Spinning Wheel, I begged for one. Santa brought mine, red and brown plastic, the next Christmas. That it wasn’t a real spinning wheel but a form of spool knitting didn’t stop me. The knitted cord I turned out was similar to I-cord, and I made pillow tops, rugs and a tie by sewing cords together. I have most of them to this day.

Fast forward 35 years: my husband and son ordered a walnut Kromski Symphony wheel over the Internet, and our family began a journey into fiber heaven. (Sheep came later.) I learned to spin.

Eight years later, it still thrills me to make my own yarn and knit or crochet for my family and friends. How rewarding to know that something I waited all my life to do is just as wonderful as I dreamed it would be.

Where have your dreams taken you? Where will they take you next?

Carolyn Beasley