Gina Charlesworth

In my "other life" I am a school administrator but I've been a woolly devotee since I lived on a farm as a child and used to help the farmer to hand-rear the orphaned lambs.  I started knitting when I was in my teens and my interest in spinning was sparked in 2010 when various podcasts I listened to were all beginning to talk about it. 

I taught myself to spin on a home-made drop spindle using books and online resources, mainly YouTube.  Then, thoroughly obsessed, I bought my first wheel.

I then joined several guilds and spinning groups in Surrey and once my experience grew I began demonstrating and teaching spinning and fibre preparation to many people at various knitting and spinning events around the country.  I love to share my obsession and was recently named as "the only woman I know to bring a spinning wheel to a party".   I’m passionate about preserving skills that are becoming “rare”. I really believe that it would be such a shame if the knowledge of how to hand spin yarn from fleece was actually to die out. This is why I like to spread my knowledge and to encourage anyone that expresses even a slight interest.  I especially like to teach children these skills as their natural curiosity makes them so open to exploring “unusual” ideas and activities and if you can spark an interest at a young age you are providing them with the potential for a whole life time of relaxation and creativity. When I spin my mind drifts freely; it’s almost meditative.  It’s an extremely relaxing hobby.  As well as ending up with a tangible finished product, spinning improves feelings of well-being and therefore mental health! I am currently working on some beautiful, commercially prepared merino roving in gorgeous jade and purple jewel tones. It’s coming out quite thin and when it’s fully plied up I’m hoping it will end up as a sock-weight yarn which I can knit into a lacy shawl, maybe beaded if I’m feeling especially patient!