For ages I’ve had dreams of getting a spinning wheel… someday.
We didn’t have enough room (and yet already so many craft supplies!!) and not quite the budget either. I would spin every now and then either on my handmade spindles, or my kick-spindle.
Then a few weeks back, Heike invited me to her studio to try her several wheels and carder. WOw. I loved spinning on her Fantasia and Bliss. So smooth, so silent. Easy to use, … and sooooooo fast compared to spindles !!
I also fed some of the fibers I had brought along into her carder. Yum, exquisite fluffy batts !!!! Just fantastic !
Heike tried my hackle and made lovely buns. She seemed to like it (the result is way different from carded batts) and plans on making one herself. She also tried the kick-spindle, but if you can have a wheel a kick-spindle is not so exciting… 😉
At the end of the day, I had drastically changed my priorities. The carder could wait, but I needed a wheel, if only because I could spin the singles and ply it all in one afternoon instead of the full week it usually took me…! And the Bliss looked like the best option for me : double treadle option, quite cheap (starting at 270 Euros w/ shipping included), super easy to use and adjust, and apparently needing hardly any maintenance. Oh, and I loved the look of the bobbins along the left leg of the wheel.
A few days later (it was a thursday), I placed my order for double treadle wheel with extra bobbins while at it (buying them later means nearly doubling their price with the additional shipping). I did read other people received it in 3 days…
But was really surprised to see the large box delivered on monday morning ! Of course I couldn’t resist and started assembling it right away. Really doable with the manual, and I loved the fact that they even included the screwdriver in the tools! No need to run around the house for one !)
About an hour later, I sat on the side of the couch and started spinning with some ugly training fibers. Then spun pretty rovings into singles, and plied some…
Even my older daughter begged to try the wheel. She didn’t do too bad for a first time too ! (and said I was a good teacher. when all I could think of was my new wheel and what I’d be spinning next. she’s so nice !)
Here are some of the yarns I’ve spun on it so far. The purplish single spun from the above batt… and later plied in a 2-ply. And various other yarns…
Since then, I am having the best time re-reading all my spinning books, and getting a couple new ones. Experimenting to get the hang of true worsted spinning, and long-draw woolen… So much fun. I could do this all day… yet I need more time. And more fiber !
Next week if only !!!! of course I meant YEAR I may get the Hero carder (or maybe a classic carder if I can save enough…)