Barefoot Spinning

Did you know there is a Facebook group for “Fiber Artists & Yarn Spinners”? Of course you should know that. There’s a facebook group for everything.

Anyways, there was a recent discussion there about spinning (that is, spinning yard) barefoot.

Here’s the question:

How many of you spin barefoot regularly? Outdoor events obviously you’d wear shoes but I find myself enjoying spinning at home if I am barefoot. I don’t know why but I feel like it gives me better control.

And the discussion is here.

Unsurprisingly, there is the full mix of people who do different things.

The first comment is from somebody who sure sounds like a barefooter: “Always barefoot. Always. But then it’s my normal state, I loathe shoes.”

For many of the spinners, it appears that while they prefer the control of bare feet, they do wear socks a fair bit (don’t their feet slip?). But if you get cold feet you have to do something.

Many also say they spin barefoot outdoors, too, despite what the original poster mentioned.

Here’s a comment I really like: “Almost consistently barefoot. Almost meditative that way. I feel free and creative.” It’s meditative because you’re involving so much more of your attention when you are doing it barefoot.

Or there’s also this one: “I only spin barefoot. It’s the only way I can communicate with the wheel and feel it’s energy. Kind of like yoga for me. I’m a self confessed weird bird though. Ha ha!” Expand that to barefooting in general and it relates to a lot of us.

One thing I really liked . . . in the whole thread not a single person chimed in to say something about bare feet being gross. Even if they didn’t do it themselves, they were quite accepting of others spinning that way.

When I’ve gone to the Ohio State Fair there are always barefoot spinners.

The Barefoot Spinner

I’m surprised the State Fair officials leave them alone. After all, there’s a big sign at the entrance to the Fair that says:

All patrons, vendors, concessionaires and exhibitors must wear shirts and shoes on the fairgrounds.

Yeah, but who’s going to go up against a spinner? 🙂