My Fiddle

Today, after three years, I finished making my violin. I still have to varnish it, but first I'll play it "in the white" for a few weeks to find any small adjustments that need to be made first.

It was set up by Bethany, and I asked her to put the strings on even though I know how. I was pretty emotional, but I decided I was not going to cry. She put the first string on it, plucked it, and I started. So did several other people in the room.

After all the strings were on it, she handed it to me and I was in tears. I started to play St Anne's Reel, got as far as the chorus, and I could feel a sob building up. I had to stop playing, handed it to Bethany and asked her to play it. I heard a bunch of applause when I stopped playing. I was surrounded by about 30 people, only half of whom were in our class. The rest were from another class who came by to see the first time I played it. I wasn't the only one bawling like a baby, there were at least 10 other people doing the same thing.

It sounds lovely. What a thrill.

As if I haven't lost enough sleep over this violin, I've started building a viola. Hopefully it won't take three years.