Cricket in a Biscuit

How a simple hobby lead to a simpler life "Does it save you money?" A question which invariably comes up when people find out I am a handspinner. As someone who uses a lot of yarn, it is logical to assume I would save money by making my own. "No," I chuckle, "it does not." Angora goat: a luxury fiber I'd have never otherwise tried outside of spinning. Now, just as a brief aside, handspinning has brought me into contact with much higher quality material. I rarely purchased 100% wool yarns, but I do spin them quite frequently. The cost of fully prepped spinning fiber is very much in line with commercial yarns of similar fiber content and quality. So, while my costs have increased, the quality of my finished items has as well. Still, spinning is a hobby, and as such, it is done for enjoyment, not economy. Supported spindling: my favorite way to spin. I used to feel guilt over my spinning related expenses, due mainly, I suspect, to being a...

We've been breaking from our usual patterns at the Dahl house. I switched gears a bit with my fitness, and decided to give 21 Day Fix * a go. I resisted for a long time, fearing regression, but it's been a fun change. Granted, I'm not lifting the heavy weights, but it's a challenge in a new direction, and the shorter workouts feel great. I'm taking on a new challenge in my knitting as well, stranded colorwork. When I've dabbled in the past, the results have been less than stellar. Sometimes, however, the right motivation is all that is required. Russian dolls, matryoshka, are "a thing" in our house. Laney and I love them; we built her fifth birthday around a matryoshka theme. So, when doll leggings landed on my radar, they were immediately elevated to unicorn status. (The first pair I saw were the wrong size.) Now, I've been trying to curtail unnecessary spending due to unexpected expenses. Darren has needed a slew of dental work — I...