It has been a year since I last wrote anything on this site. The changes and upheavals I, my family, and the world have experienced are certainly more than I could have predicted last year this time. The Covid-19 pandemic is reshaping how we do everything again – jostling me out of my routine and requiring me to re-evaluate my priorities. When I start feeling anxious, I breathe and dive into my fiber.

My favorite fiber activities provide me with a certain stability and shelter from the storms raging around me. As with any familiar routine, not every action requires thinking. But, as we try new things, our brains are engaged enough to distract. I think it may be similar to the idea of yoga movement giving the mind something to attend in order to stay present in the moment. Each activity provides a little something different.

Spinning is as close to meditation as any activity I have found.  The fiber slipping through my fingers, the colors glowing in the warmth of the sunlight, the spool filling with yarn to use. Slow but inexorable. And every second different than the one before or after. Some colors remind me of the beach – some of the forest floor – some of the animals who produce the fiber – and some are not anything seen in nature. Some slip through and some feel prickly to the touch. Every once is a while it is nice to just make white wool. Even the sound of each wheel is a little different (yes, I have more than one). I am so glad I spent the hours practicing so I can immerse myself in the activity and relish each moment.

Weaving provides a different sort of contemplation. It takes a lot of planning and prep time. I sometimes get stymied by too many choices! But once the warp is on the loom, the actual activity pulls you back to the moment. Swish, thump, step. Swish, thump, step. Swish, thump, step. And the coolest thing? At the end you have something useful!

(In fact, I vaguely remember last year wanting to wait to post until I had finished a “functional art” project my weaving friends and I had devised. I created some interesting placemats and napkins – black and white on one side and each a different color on the other. The napkins (white or black with a stripe made up of the colors of the backs of the mats) were made of finer cotton. The technique is something called complementary plain weave and results in a double layer of cloth. Perfect for placemats.)

And then there is knitting. Truly knitting is almost like breathing for me now. When I am planning for a trip? Pack 5x what is needed for the expected project time available. When I am home and busy? Try to avoid starting too many projects at once. Right now I have (blush) 2 sweaters, a shawl, and a scarf on needles. Mostly I keep up with the projects for myself and for people in the family. Grandchildren get sweaters, some people scarves and gloves, and I get sweaters and shawls to wrap around myself. Perhaps a pattern looks intriguing. Maybe the yarn is begging to be made into something. Lately, as we are all at home and socially distancing, I have been working on using only yarn I already own. As the item grows on my needles, I count stitches and rows. My cats appreciate my lap. We all get cozy. Knitting makes me feel like I am in the middle of a hug. These creations are more personal and more emotional but still the activity is calming and reassuring.

And, because I have these activities, I also am lucky enough to have circles of friends who share my enthusiasms. Who knew that fiber people were so open, warm, supportive, and friendly? As we meet over Zoom and support each other’s efforts, I feel like we overcome a little of the isolation imposed by the reality of the moment. Covid-19 is a nasty disease and it has certainly made a difference in how we interact. I miss being able to touch the weavings of my friends. I miss our spinning time – all our wheels turning as we chat over a little food and maybe an occasional glass of wine. But if fiber and my fiber friends are still somehow in my life, I think we might just get to the other side. In the meantime, stay safe and wash your hands (before you let them touch the fiber).