Dancing Fingers

Take a look at these fabulous Fiddling Gloves, hand knit especially for me by my sister Kathy! They are made of yarn from Scotland... the color reminds me of pumpkin with flecks of nutmeg. It was a little warm to wear them playing in the house for long, but I just had to try them out... they work GREAT. You might remember a previous post where I mentioned that Kath had knit fiddle gloves for Richard, and socks for me. She is quite amazing in that she does a beautiful job knitting, and that she loves it so much. Kathy is also an accomplished guitar player, and joins us on most Tuesdays for music after work.
These gloves are knit without the ends of the fingers. This makes it possible to hold the bow securely, and also to play the strings with accuracy while keeping the main part of the hand warm when fiddling in cold weather. Though we don't actually play outdoors in the winter, there have been (and will be again) occasions where we need the extra warmth, either because we're outdoors or in a barn, or an unheated indoor space. Not a problem now!
'Dancing Fingers' is a Cape Breton tune that I found in the Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island. My fingers feel like their dancing sometimes when I'm playing tunes that I really know well without sheet music. The more I play, the easier it gets, and the better the sound. The trick is to stay committed, continue to create the space to practice, and to attend the jam sessions that provide community and structure with other fiddlers.