2025-12-07T17:44:55-05:00

So welcome, dear friends. Day Seven of Vlogmas is here. Today I’m settling into my comfy rocking chair. I have that beautiful red wool you may have seen me pull from my basket. I’m working with my Dealgan—well, trying to. (Scottish Spindle) The camera didn’t want to cooperate, and the spindle certainly lived up to its name: drop spindle.

But that’s part of the charm, isn’t it? A bit of laughter, a bit of wool, and a whole lot of grace.

I picked up this spindle years ago at a fiber festival in Almonte, Ontario. I don’t use it often, but every once in a while it calls to me. Something about switching up tools brings a new rhythm to my hands and a freshness to the craft.

Today, I’m spinning a hand-dyed Shetland. I wish I could remember the dyer, but Shetland itself is one of my favourites—soft, lively, and full of character. I wind the leader through the cross at the bottom. Then, I bring it back up to the top. I give it a half-hitch and let the spindle go again.

This is my quiet joy on Day Seven.

Yesterday’s spin was different: a soft Barbie-pink Merino, a little two-ply that turned out beautifully. It will join the other colours in my blanket jar—my slow-growing rainbow of December.

What Are You Spinning? What Are You Creating?

I would love to know.
Are you spinning along for Vlogmas?
Knitting something soft and comforting?
Trying a new craft that keeps your hands and heart grounded?

Leave a comment below and let me know what’s on your needles, hooks, or spindle this week.

Spinning as a Practice of Hope

At church this weekend, I spoke about hope. I reflected on Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones. Those bones rose to life when God breathed upon them.

I keep thinking about how our craft mirrors that story.

Every time we spin a rolag, knit a row, or weave a few inches, we are quietly hoping:

hoping the yarn will be strong,
hoping the project will come together,
hoping we are learning even when we make mistakes,
hoping that the small work of our hands somehow leads to beauty.

Our craft is a form of hope.
A hope for the future.
A hope that even tired hands can create something meaningful.

And all the while, we sit in our cozy corners. Rocking chairs comfort us, with cats nearby and tea cooling on the side table. We think about the future in gentle, manageable ways.

Because out there, in the world of news headlines and endless commentary, it can feel like everything is coming undone. Some days, it is hard. Grief is real. December can stir up memories we weren’t expecting, or emotions we thought we’d tucked away.

So I return to what grounds me:

“Whatever is true,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is pure,
whatever is of good report…”

These are the things I choose to think on.
These are the things we craft toward.

And one of those lovely things is you.
Thank you for being here with me.

If You’re Enjoying These Vlogmas Moments…

Please don’t forget to:

Like the video
Subscribe to the channel
Share with a friend who needs a little December calm

I’m aiming for a video every single day for Vlogmas—my goal and my little offering of joy this Advent season.

We’ve just entered Week Two of Advent, and next week we move into Joy. How wonderful is that?

From My Home to Yours

Hi, I’m Granny Doll—also known as Doll from DollCanCreate, living the 100 Mile Life and enjoying every moment I can. I’m creating whether I’m in my rocking chair spinning wool with my kitty beside me. I’m creating while stirring a pot in the kitchen. I’m also creating when I write quietly on my blog. And I believe with all my heart that you can create too.

So tell me:

What are you working on right now?
Are you still deep in holiday gift-making?
Or are you turning toward something just for you? (A little self-care crafting never hurt anyone!)

Let’s talk about what our hands and hearts are connected to this Advent season.

For now, dear ones, this is Granny Doll signing off.
I care for you.
I’m thinking of you.
And I pray God blesses you with peace, comfort, and creativity.

Until next time—God bless and happy spinning.

Here’s the video:

Welcome back, dear friends. It’s Grannie Doll here. I’m settling in with a cup of something warm. I’m living my 100-Mile Life one peaceful, wool-filled moment at a time.

This week, as part of Spindlemas, I found myself drawn back to a question many beginning spinners ask:

“How many kinds of spindles are out there—and how many does a spinner really need?”

Well… pull up a chair. Today I’m opening up my own spindle basket. I will share stories from the past twenty-one years of spinning joy. I will talk about learning curves and the quiet magic of handmade tools.

My First Spindle: Where It All Began

Every maker has that one tool that started it all.
Mine is a sturdy little drop spindle from 2004. It is hand-painted and well-loved. The paint is now gently wearing away after decades of use.

When I hold it, I remember those early days—fumbling fingers, lumpy yarn, and that unmistakable spark of Oh! I can make this myself.

That spark has carried me a long way.

Black Spruce and Alaskan Memories

Not long after, my husband Nick carved me a lightweight spindle from Black Spruce in Fairbanks, Alaska.

The bark has thinned over time, the wood mellowed, but it still spins fast and true. I can almost hear the quiet of the Alaskan woods every time the whirl turns.

These tools hold memories as much as they hold wool.

Spindle Exchange Surprises

Some treasures arrive by mail.

Years ago, during a spindle exchange, I received a sweet little hand-painted spindle. It was light as air. It was clearly fashioned from a drawer pull. Creative, whimsical, and full of charm.

Another exchange brought me a brightly colored whorl. It still spins beautifully. It is a little chipped from life, but so am I. Aren’t we all?

And yes… tucked among the collection is a tahkli spindle. It has a metal shaft and bead whorl. It is gorgeous and mysterious. It still whispers, “You’ll learn me someday.”

One day, little spindle. One day.

The Spindles I Reach for Most

Like many spinners, I have favourites that become old friends.

My Ashford Pair

A tiny light Ashford that spins like a dragonfly’s wing.
A larger Ashford that once met the wrong end of a dog’s teeth. A little tape, a lot of forgiveness, and she still spins beautifully.

My Beloved Unknown-Maker Spindle

Purchased somewhere near Owen Sound, this dark wooden beauty is my go-to for plying. The tip is finely crafted, the spin steady and long. She feels like poetry in the hand.

The Celtic Spindle

3D-printed, light, with a triskele design that feels rooted in ancient story. It spins like a dream—modern meets myth.

Moose-Mark Spindles

A pair from the Almonte Fiber Festival, each with a tiny moose on the underside. They’re balanced, strong, and perfect for plying.

My New Support Spindle

A recent adventure.
Metal tip, beautifully made, still leaving me humble and hopeful.
Support spindle spinning is on my “learn this well” list for 2026.

And then… the Turkish Treasure

This one is pure joy.

Made by Helen—whose motto is “Sawdust is my glitter.”
Smooth, elegant, satisfying in the hands, and spinning as gracefully as a leaf falling through still air.

What I Spin With These Tools

A spindle is only half the story.
The fiber tells the rest.

Right now in my basket:

A golden BFL dyed with Wilton’s food coloring
A soft pink Merino blend from last Distaff Day
A deep botanical-dyed BFL (onion skins + avocado = magic)
My Shetland mittens—white for one pair, and a beautifully varied Shropshire fiber for another
A cheerful pink hand-dyed skein working its way into a Heel Toe Do-Si-Do sock

And yes, sometimes my colors clash with my shirt. That’s part of the charm.

Where Wheel and Spindle Meet

You already know I spin my sweater yarn on the wheel. But what about the mittens, scarves, hats, and the bits that feel more intimate and slow? Those come from the spindle.

There’s something grounding about holding a tool that fits in the palm of your hand. You feel the twist travel through your fingers. You realize you are the engine.

Slow, steady, soulful.

A Peek Behind the Scenes

If you’ve watched my Spindlemas videos, you’ve probably seen:

The lavender vase beside my spindles
The Folgers tub blocking the cat from pressing random printer buttons
My plastic bowl full of tools—scissors, needles, bits and bobs every crafter keeps nearby

This is real life, Grannie-Core at its finest: cozy, functional, imperfect, and full of love.

A Question for You

What is your favourite sheep breed to spin or knit with?
Mine, so far, is Shetland—lofty, springy, forgiving, and perfect for the slow-living rhythm I crave.

Tell me yours in the comments so we can start a lively woolly conversation.

A Closing Thought for Advent

Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, lighting Advent candles, or simply leaning into the hush of winter…

Let’s prepare our hearts for a world that is gentler, kinder, more hopeful.

Handwork teaches us that small things—twists of fiber, quiet moments, patient stitches—add up to something much bigger than we imagined.

From my home to yours,
this is Grannie Doll living the 100-Mile Life.

Like, subscribe, share if this warmed your heart—and remember:

If DollCanCreate… maybe you can too.

God bless, dear friends. ♥

Doll Can Create

100 Mile Life/Grandma Core

Tag: vlogmas2025

Vlogmas Day 7 — Spindling Hope Into the Season