the dropped spindle

sue · Joined: 03 Jul 2006 Posts: 4

Hi all thanks for all your help in helping me chose a wheel for a beginner.
I think i will go with the prelude spinning wheel as this seem a good one for a beginner like me.
Hope you all think tht same.
Thanks again now will have to start saveing will let you know when i get one.

Sue. Very Happy

natalie · Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 1:05 pm Post subject:

Hi sue.
I've never spun on a Kromski wheel myself. It seems to have a range of ratios, which is good, and I like that the bobbins are swappable onto other kromski wheels. It's a single treadle. I like a double because I find that a single makes my back sore, I must be sitting wrongly somehow.
Which wood will you choose, I would go for walnut because I like the colour!
I think the most important thing is to buy a wheel which meets your needs at the moment, and not to try and guess too far ahead. It looks to be a good price, you'll want lots of fibre to practice on, all different kinds, and some of it will end up on the compost heap. Although I liked the majacraft wheels and the louets, I knew I'd rather spend less and have money to experiment on lots of different fibres. I saved for mine too, didn't put it on a credit card, just kept drop spindling until I had saved up (some gift vouchers helped too, so if your birthday is coming up...). If I had had my heart set on a majacraft suzie, I'd still be saving up now!
The other thing is that most of the spinners I know those who have been spinning more than a few months, have more than one wheel. It's like sewers and sewing machines. I have my main machine, another one which I lend out to people so that they can try out sewing before they commit to buying one, a handcrank one I found in a skip, 2 treadles (one gorgeous one, and one which is wrecked in terms of its looks, but I think I'll be wrecked too when I'm 109 years old), and 2 Featherweights. It's mad, but I love all of them, my son sews occasionally on one of the featherweights, I made the quilt on our bed on the 109 year old treadle and I have lost count of how many people have "got the bug" because of the lending-out machine.
The important thing is to get spinning, you may be happy with it forever, or you may outgrow it, or you may end up as an arty spinner who needs a wheel with a huge orifice to cope with all the beads/sequins and multiple ply yarns you'll make. No one can really guess where they'll end up before they start.
And while you are saving you can keep looking too!
natalie
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wellington womble · Joined: 09 Aug 2006 Posts: 58

I have virtually no experience of spinning (in fact, I probably shouldn't be allowed in here!) but I'm finding drop spindling really, really difficult. It seems to me that it would be so, so much easier if I could use both hands and have the yarn pulling away from me, rather than down. Does this mean I should A) Give-up all together, because drop spindling leads naturally into spinning or B) I would get on better with a wheel?

I have lots of space now you see (admitedly lots of it's unfinished and unpainted, but I'm guessing the wheel won't notice!) so I can buy one and keep it out. I also have some accumulated birthday/Christmas money to go towards a new toy...........

cledry yarner · Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 176

A + B

Don't give up the drop spindling and get a wheel as well. I don't think I could've got to grips with drop spindle (still not brill at it) if I couldn't have spun on a wheel first.

wellington womble · Joined: 09 Aug 2006 Posts: 58

Oh good - I thought there might be knack to it, and I didn't have it! Is there anything wrong with buying an Ashford Elizabeth because they look nicest, or will I really regret it and want something more practical? I'll follow good advice, and see if I can find a guild somewhere in the South East.

Ta!

threelittleterrors · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 9 Location: North Derbyshire

I found spindling more natural once I learned to kick it rather than twiddling with my fingers, plus I predraft loads and do a spin-stop-draft thing so that I don't have to control the twist,draft and twiddle at the same time, I know its not pretty or technically correct but for me, it's quicker as I can get enough twist on to spin a good 2 yards before I have to wind on (before you ask,I'm 6 foot with arms to match Laughing

).
Lisa X