I have a new video for you today! This time it is about spinning on a supported spindle. Or, rather, what spinning in general and supported spindle spinning in particular does for me. I give you Spinning on a supported spindle: A meditation.

A new video

The very first instructional type videos I released were about spinning on a supported spindle. I have learned a lot since then, both about spinning technique and about videography and editing. For example, nearly all of my previous supported spinning videos were shot before I had figure out spinning ergonomics and spinning direction.

The scenery

So, I figured it was time to make a new video on supported spindle spinning, with better spinning, photo quality, and editing. The weekend we spent at the Swedish spinning and fleece championships was the perfect opportunity. My husband brought his fancy camera and we found a beautiful location by a mill in the forest.

We shot the video on a beautiful September afternoon, with magic autumn light and the mesmerizing sound of the creek. I decided that the number one priority this time would be the scenery – spinning angles and techniques would have to come second. We skipped between the rocks in the creek like fairies, hunting for the prettiest spots and lighting. I can imagine that the mill would have been quite a dangerous place back in the days and our skipping around would soon have ended badly.

We didn’t bring a tripod for our weekend away, so some of the shots are a bit unstable. I hope you can live with that.

Editing

Back home, I started to edit the clips. When I had finished, I started to add the titles. And I didn’t know what to write. In my more recent videos I have found a way to approach the titles on a level that I think works. It is informative but not too busy. But I couldn’t really think of titles that would match that level in this video. When I teach supported spindle spinning the course usually takes three hours, which actually is way too little. How could I fit informative titles in a three minute video when I need more than three hours to teach it?

After a while I gave it a go and added titles that I thought would be on a suitable level. I was still unsure of the result, though. The titles didn’t match the theme of the shots. I asked Dan what he thought. He said “Why don’t you adapt the titles to the scenery and make them more… mindful?” That was it! This wasn’t an instructional video at all, it was a mindful video. I deleted all the titles and started over with a fresh perspective. I edited the video into an inspiration for meditation. The new titles made the scenery and Dan’s beautiful shots justice.

A meditation

When I spin, especially on a supported spindle, I relax. I feel that I allow my mind to be light and free. Just like the fibers go through my hands, I allow my thoughts to come and go, without expectations or forcing. If I feel tense or stressed, I like to grab my spindle and take a moment to myself and spin. This allows my mind to relax and I feel more balanced. Spinning also unlocks my creative thinking and I get access to fresh ideas and inspiration. It is like I have entered a door in my mind that has been hidden behind other thoughts before, like a meditation. I meditate twice a day and the sensation of spinning and meditation are quite similar. Sometimes I get the same feeling after a bike ride. There is something about the motion that also helps my mind to move forward and untie any mind knots.

I tried to convey this feeling in the new titles. I hope you get a sense of what I mean, or even recognize the feeling.

The spindle

The spindle and bowl I am using in the shots was made by Björn Peck. He is a professional wood turner based in Stockholm. I contacted him this June and asked if he could make me some supported spindles. When I teach I have a whole array of spindles from different makers, mostly from the U.S. but also from Australia and the U.K. It takes time to ship them to Sweden and the shipping and customs fees make the spindle quite costly. Also, if my students want to buy a spindle after the course, they have to wait several weeks for the spindle to arrive, and by then they will have forgotten the technique.

Björn agreed to give it a go and came to our house. I showed him how the spindle works and what features I think are important. After another two meetings, he had managed to make a beautiful spindle that spins like a dream and has all the details I want. He also made a spinning puck in matching wood.

I don’t sell Björn’s spindles and bowls, other than to the students in my courses in Sweden. But if people – by that I mean you – are interested, I can ask Björn to set up an online shop. Just let me know.

And, oh, the sweater I’m wearing is the one I made in my first documentary video Slow fashion – from sheep to sweater.

Happy spinning!

You can follow me on several social media:

• This blog is my main channel. This is where I write posts about spinning, but also where I explain a bit more about videos I release. Sometimes I make videos that are on the blog only. Subscribe or make an rss feed to be sure not to miss any posts.
• My youtube channel is where I release a lot of my videos. Subscribe to be sure not to miss anything!
• I have a facebook page where I link to all my blog posts, you are welcome to follow me there.
• On Patreon you can get early access to new videos and other Patreon only benefits. The contributions from my patrons is an important way to cover the costs, time and energy I put into the videos and blog posts I create. The content I create is totally free from advertisement. You can read more about my Patreon page here.
• Follow me on Instagram.  I announce new blog posts, share images from behind the scenes and post lots of woolliness.
• In all the social media I offer, you are more than welcome to contact me. Interacting with you helps me make better posts and videos. My private Facebook page, however, will remain private.
• If you like what I do, please tell all your fiber friends and share these links!

Liked it? Take a second to support Josefin Waltin on Patreon!