What’s New at The Woolery – June 2018

How has your Spring been going? We’re about to kick into Summer and we have been preparing by stocking up some fun new stuff!

Bluegrass Mills Silk Yarn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are so excited to have this new, exclusive to The Woolery, 100% Extra Grade Mulberry Silk yarn! It’s available in both 20/2 and 60/2 in 8 vibrant colors. This is the perfect yarn to make your next weaving project extra special. Please note that this yarn is sold by the cone, not by weight, each cone is about 250g of yarn (+/-3%).

Snyder Glider Turkish Spindles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are each individually handcrafted by Scott Snyder and come in a few different exotic hardwood options like Zebrawood, Tiger Maple, Padauk, and Leopardwood. Each one is a unique work of art. There are 3 different sizes: Mini, Medium, and Large, so there should be one to fit every spinner’s different needs.

Deluxe Book Charkha

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Imported from India this is the authentic “Gandhi” Charkha Wheel. You might recall Ben Kingsley in the movie spinning on one of these. Hand-crafted in teak by an Indian firm for domestic users (yes, they are still used today), the most popular size is the book Charkha.

This deluxe model provides the familiar smooth “feel” of spinning on a traditional spinning wheel.

Lots of New Books!

We started carrying over 20 new books! They focus on all types of different fiber arts: dyeing, weaving, spinning, just about anything your heart could want. Peruse over our Books/Magazines  section of the website to see what we have. One of our more unique book offerings is Wool and Wine by John Martin. This book tells the stories of the people behind unique pairings of yarn and wine – how they got their start, where they are headed and what has happened along the way. Captured in 175 stunning photos and featuring 12 family run wineries and 12 independent dyers from across North America and Europe, the book brings together yarn, wine, food recipes, knitting patterns and projects from some of today’s most prominent knitting designers in a fun, engaging package with a little something for everyone.

KISS Triangle Looms

Continuous Strand Weaving is one of our favorite weaving methods and these triangle looms are a great platform for it! Use these triangles looms to make all kinds of projects from scarves, blankets, purses, vests, and skirts. Loom disassembles for easy transport and storage. They come in 3′, 4′, and 5′ sizes (size measured by the length of the hypotenuse).

Banana Top

Unique fibers are something that we are always on the lookout for, so we can’t wait to share this Banana Fiber with you! It is a natural bast fiber.  Due to its lightweight and comfortable hand, banana fiber is popular in Japan for use in summer wear as well as traditional kimono and kamishimo garments.

Banana fiber blends easily with cotton and other natural fibers. It is similar in appearance to bamboo and ramie fiber. However, banana fiber is finer and easier to spin than either bamboo or ramie. Our favorite feature is: it is biodegradable and has no negative environmental effects, a true eco-friendly fiber.

We hope you are as excited by all of these fun new products as we are!

 

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What’s New at The Woolery – December 2017

It’s still the beginning of December but we’ve already got lots of really fun new items to share with you this month! Also, we’re getting close to a lot of our Christmas Shipping Deadlines so we wanted to share all these cool things with you as soon as possible.

Ashford e-Spinner 3

This is one that we have been excited and waiting patiently for it’s arrival. It’s one of the smallest lightest and most versatile electronic spinners on the market. No treadling required! Nancy has been taking some time to get to know the e-Spinner 3 and made this video to show off her new favorite toy:

 

KCL Woods – 6″ Shuttle

Is there anything better than using a beautiful handmade tool to create your own beautiful handmade project? We’re completely head over heels for these gorgeous shuttles made by Ken Ledbetter of KCL Woods. Aside from being beautiful they also have a comfortable placing for your thumb and a low profile to make throwing easy and quick.

 

Natural Cinnamon Cotton Sliver

Cotton doesn’t have to just be white! This beautiful cinnamon colored Sliver is completely natural and dye-free. It’s easy to spin up and a great cotton for those just starting out spinning cotton. This comes packaged in 8oz bags.

 

Nistock Skein Winder

Designed and manufactured on an upstate NY sheep farm, this is the last skein winder you will ever purchase. The sturdy design can be used as a swift of skein winder and there is an option to include a counter that keeps track of each revolution of the arms so you can keep track of yardage.

 

Rosie’s Premium Wool Dryer Balls

Add some wool to your laundry! These 100% New Zealand Wool eco-friendly dryer balls will reduce your drying time by up to 25%! They last for over 1,000 dryer loads and control static cling and wrinkles.

Plus, we have another favorite use for them aside from laundry, they make great starters for needle felting projects! How adorable is this ornament Perri made in our November class taught by Pat Pawlowicz? That’s a dryer ball at the center of the ornament!

Are You Ready for Spinzilla?

A monster of a spinning week returns this October 2-8, 2017, as spinners throughout the globe come together to see how much yarn they can spin! The Woolery is pleased to sponsor this fun-filled event, and today we want to share a few of our free guides to help you prepare for Spinzilla.

Routine Maintenance Check

You’re about to ask your spinning wheel(s) to do a LOT of work in not a lot of time! Make sure that they are up to the task by performing a little routine maintenance ahead of time. Click here to get our free guide to spinning wheel maintenance to ensure happy spinning in October! 

We also have a handy maintenance kit to make check-ups and repairs fast, easy and painless.

Prep Ahead of Time

Make more time for spinning by prepping fiber ahead of time! You may wish to create easy-spinning batts or predraft roving or top prior to the start of Spinzilla. It’s also wise to employ a little strategy when selecting which fibers you will be spinning, such as the easy-spinning corriedale found in our 2017 Spinzilla Fiber Pack. Our guide to fiber preparations is also good to keep on hand; click here to download a free PDF version of the infographic below!

Yes, You CAN Drop Spindle Your Way Through Spinzilla!

Whether you’re totally new to spinning, or just want to find a way to fit more spinning into Spinzilla week, our free guide to drop spindles will help you choose the best one for the task at hand!

Label it Now, Don’t Forget it Later

Print out plenty of our free handspun yarn labels so that you can label your handspun yarns as you go. It’s so easy to skip this step in the midst of so much spinning, but you will thank yourself later when you don’t have to do lots of sleuthing to determine the yardage or fiber content of that mystery skein!

Create Your Self-Care Routine

Over the years, we’ve heard a few stories of Spinzilla spinners overdoing it and injuring themselves in their pursuit of the Golden Niddy Noddy. Don’t let that happen to you – get our free guide to healthy hands so that you can create a self-care routine that works for you and is easy to follow!

Whether you’ll be spinning on a team or spinning rogue, we wish all of our fans a fun and fibery Spinzilla!

All the best,

Wave, Perri and the entire Woolery team

Ask Nancy: Spinning Solutions

Nancy with Barry Schacht in the Woolery Booth at Convergence 2016

Got weaving problems? Stumped by your spinning? Our resident expert Nancy Reid will answer all of your burning questions in this new regular feature! Previously only available on our newsletter, we are moving Nancy’s informative column over to the Woolery blog for easy reference. In this month’s edition, we are sharing a few questions about fiber prep; to ask your own question, email weavernancy@woolery.com or click here to post your questions in our Ravelry group! 

All the Best,

Wave, Perri, and the entire Woolery Team

Q:

I am new to spinning and in the market to buy a wheel.  Trying to choose a wheel is challenging as I have been reading and learning what characteristics are important.  

My confusion is with ratios: looking at the Ashford Kiwi 2, it says it has 5.5 and 7.25, which, if I understand this correctly, makes it a slow wheel that is good for spinning coarser wool. I would like to spin a variety of wool, but also alpaca-especially since I was given 2 processed fleece. Will this ratio work for alpaca?  Will I need to adapt the wheel or get additional kits for the Kiwi 2? Are there other wheels I should look at with a broader ratio?

A:

You are correct that the Kiwi 2 is a slow wheel, but there are ways to speed it up; we recommend the Kiwi Hi-Speed Kit, found here. As a beginning spinner, you need to balance the ability to go slowly enough that you can actually learn on it with the scope to take you past the first month and on into the rest of your spinning life; the Kiwi speed kit will certainly help with that.

Slower speeds are not precisely for spinning coarser wools, but rather for fatter yarns. The fiber is immaterial – it’s the diameter of the yarn that is affected by ratio. Skinnier yarns take more twist to keep them together than fat yarns do; given a steady treadling pace and a consistent drafting rate, you’ll need more twist to make a thin, sound yarn, and so will need a faster rate in order to keep making yarn at the same rate.

Alpaca, because of its warmth, is usually spun finer than wool (otherwise, it’s unbearably hot); so it is spun at a faster speed in order to keep consistent body mechanics, i.e. drafting rate and treadling rate.

There are many wheels with a broader scope than the Kiwi which also have the ability to slow down enough to be able to learn on them; the Lendrum Original is one of those. The Ashford Traditional and Traveller are also nice wheels with a lot of scope, as is the Schacht Ladybug. The Kromski Interlude and Sonata are possibilities, too. In general, the thing to do is to sit and treadle all the wheels that you are thinking about; the one whose action you fall in love with is the one to buy, whether you can spin on it yet or not.

Q: 

I have been spinning for about a year, and I am trying to teach myself supported long draw. The problem is that when I try to get started, the yarn feed onto the bobbin will separate from my leader or it will grab a large amount of fiber, creating large thick spots. What am I doing wrong?

A:

There are a couple of issues here; we’ll address them one at a time. For starters, with your leader, there are two ways to get past that:

1. Tie a loop into the end of your leader, and if you put the end of your spinning fiber through a loop, it will usually be easier to get started.  
2. Go ahead and spin worsted for a few inches rather than starting right in with a long draw, or just hold and accumulate a lot more twist before releasing the pinch to allow twist in to the drafted fiber.  

Remember that a supported long draw lets in twist gradually from the hand in front repeatedly releasing the pinch to allow more twist in, and then pinching again so that you still have the ability to draft out your slubs (before too much twist gets added in); it’s a delicate back-and-forth. You may also have a little better control if you don’t run your arm out too far at the beginning, but go out gradually in steps as the twist is added.

Lastly, the key to a uniform yarn is as perfect a prep as possible; you can’t get nice slub-free yarn from a funky prep, and there’s no substitute for a consistent rolag.

In writing this, I realize that long-draw is a tough thing to verbalize; one of those cases where a picture (especially a video!) is worth a great many words. If you get a chance, Judith Mackenzie’s A Spinner’s Toolbox DVD is a good reference.

The Woolery Team Gets Ply-ed Away

Last month’s first-ever Ply Away retreat in Kansas City was an exciting adventure for Team Woolery! Perri, Taevia, Jesse and Lacy loaded up a truck with all kind of spinning wheels, fibers and other tools and supplies with Kansas City, MO as their destination.

The retreat took place in a gorgeous hotel downtown that had a waterfall in it – how cool is that?

We had several different types of spinning wheels set up for folks to try in our booth – and of course, lots of spinning fiber to play with, too!

Our friends Otto and Joanne of Strauch Fiber Equipment were conveniently located next door, which ended up being quite fun – both Otto and Joanne are wonderful people we enjoy spending time with any day of the week! As an added bonus,  we were able to borrow their swift and ball winder, as Lacy did here with an impromptu live demonstration as she winds off some yarn!

Both Lacy and Taevia took full advantage of the excellent classes offered at the event; when they weren’t learning from some of the best spinning teachers around, they could be found helping out in the booth and giving live demonstrations. In particular, Taevia gave live demonstrations as part of her 3-Day PLY Away Mobius Project. For Day 1, she demonstrated fiber blending using the Rosie Blending Board:

For Day 2, it was all about spinning! Here is some of the progress:

Taevia had some company  when Joanne Strauch stopped by to enjoy a few quiet minutes of spinning time together!

When Day 3 rolled around, the yarn was spun and it was time to start weaving, with the resulting cowl looking quite marvelous!

Perhaps most exciting of all, we got a first look at the protoype of a new spinning wheel which will be arriving later this year from the Schacht Spindle Company! The Flatiron was inspired by the iconic Flatirons rock formations which tilted up from a horizontal position millions of years ago. Below, Barry from Schacht and Taevia spin on the two Flatirons which were on display in the marketplace.

As you can see above, the Flatiron is a Saxony-style wheel, but it is anything but traditional! Fully customizable, it can be built to your spinning preference, with the flyer on the left or on the right. You can choose from Scotch, double drive or Irish tension, and the Flatiron features a clever quick release lever to make changing out bobbins fast and trouble-free. Other features include self-aligning bearings in the maidens, a fully adjustable drive wheel, and an innovative threaded tension control. The wheel comes with everything you need to spin, even the tools to assemble it – just add fiber!

The consensus at Ply Away? The Flatiron should be on your must-try list for fall…but you don’t have to wait til then to try it!We were lucky enough to bring home on of the prototype wheels, which is now on display in the shop. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of more Flatirons in the shop and will keep you posted about their ETA!

All the Best,

Wave, Perri & the entire Woolery Team

Guest Post: Things I learned from Rosie with Jacey Boggs Faulkner

This week’s guest post is by none other than Jacey Boggs Faulker, editor of PLY Magazine. She has spent the last decade falling in love with fiber, writing a book (Spin Art, Interweave, 2012), writing for various fiber and spinning magazines, producing a spinning DVD (Sit & Spin, 2009, self), and teaching all over the world. We are very much looking forward to the PLY Away Retreat happening in Kansas City, MO next Spring, which the Woolery will be sponsoring! 

We recently sent Jacey our new Rosie Blending Board to try out, and she was good enough to put together her thoughts to share with our blog readers. Enjoy! 

All the best,

Wave, Perri & the entire Woolery team

I learned three things this past week. The first thing I learned is that I hold (or rather, held) the belief that because I’m good at many fibery things, I will have an immediate affinity for all fibery things. This assumption of skill was previously an unexamined and not-too-attractive part of my psyche. It’s been corrected now.

The second thing I learned is that I’m not always as good as I think I’m going to be at everything.

The third thing I learned is that blending boards are fun, but like all things, they do take time and practice.

Let me go back to the beginning. I got a big box-of-beautiful in the mail from one of my favorite places that sends big-boxes-of-beautiful – the Woolery. You know the feeling, right? The anticipation, the excitement, the quick rip of tape, the reverent unwrapping of plastic, and then you see it, your most recent fibery purchase. In my case, it was a Rosie Blending Board, some yellow merino wool, a few packets of sari silk waste, a yellow silk cap, and a bit of sparkle. My plan was easy – I would master the blending board and make perfectly blended rolags right off the line.

I have seen other fiber lovers use blending boards with laughing faces, unfurrowed brows, and beautiful results. I assumed I’d be just like them. I assumed I’d somehow morph into somebody having Gwen Powell–like blending board talent in no time, blending the perfect ratio of this to that, making stripes, and rolling my perfect rolags off at an angle.

I was not, and it was nobody’s fault but my own.

I invited my best fiber friend, Christie, over so I could show her the glory and magic of blending on a board (instead of the handcards she and I have toted to fiber classes or the drum carders that get shuffled back and forth between her house and mine).

I set up the station before she arrived. I didn’t even practice because I wanted her to see it all unsullied, fresh, and pristine. I didn’t do any research, read any manuals, or watch any videos. Like I said, I assumed success.

I immediately grabbed some fiber, loaded the board to the tips of its tiney teeth, and rolled it off. There, I thought, no problem, that was easy. And after pushing and pulling with all my might, I finally got if off the wooden dowel and held out my first board-blended rolag for Christie to ooh and ahh over. She did not ooh and ahh; she grimaced and then guffawed. Christie thought it looked like a giant mustache rather than the delicate fiber it was, destined to be spun. I didn’t disagree as we both bent over in peals of laughter.

After a few more attempts (I’m embarrassed to say exactly how many), she suggested that maybe I was putting too much fiber on the board. If you’ve ever used a blending board, you probably spotted that problem right away. She also said that I might be wrapping it too tightly around the dowel. Then she whispered that maybe there was a YouTube video that I could watch before I tried again. 

Less fiber and not rolling it as tightly as was humanly possible went well. Perhaps it was because my first few (many) were such a mess, but I was as proud of this rolag as any I’d ever made. 

I went on to make several that were more and more on the good side of the rolag–giant mustache continuum, and after I did a little research, read a few blogs, and watched a few YouTube videos, I managed a few that I even want to spin.

So if you’re considering a blending board, for portability, cost, and ease of rolag construction, I can say this:

The Rosie can deliver all of these things – it’s super light and portable but also sturdy and comfortable to use. It’s very affordable and, once you understand a few simple things, very easy to use.  And finally, the super fine blending brush it comes with is super nice!  I couldn’t stop touching it!

Don’t use as much fiber as I did. Seriously, my first few rolags weigh in at over an ounce while the latter ones are an eighth of that weight. What was I thinking?

Don’t roll the rolags as tightly as possible. When I did this, even the rolags that would have been decent took so much abuse as I pushed, pulled, and screwed them off the dowel that they were a disheveled and misshapen mess.

Don’t assume just because you’re a great handcarder or drumcarder, or have skill with any other fiber work, that you’ll immediately make perfect rolags on a blending board. This isn’t the fault of the tool or you; it’s just that it takes a bit to grow and fine-tune a new skill. 

Read instructions and watch videos. Other people have tons to teach, and we should never forget that we each have tons to learn.

As for Christie and me, we’ve got another date with the blending board, and this time, we’re going to be ready!

Make Your Fall Extra Fibery!

With Spinzilla just around the corner and cooler temperatures on their way, we’ve got spinning on the brain! Team Woolery is already full for this year’s Spinzilla event, which takes place October 5-11, 2015. We’re excited to welcome spinners near and far to our team, and will be sharing details about our team events and the grand prize drawing for a $100 Gift Certificate here in the Team Woolery thread on Ravelry. Each of our team spinners on will also receive a lovely spinning apron as a gift from the Woolery and Strauch Fiber Equipment!
Even if you won’t be spinning with us, we have some Spinzilla specials you may wish to take advantage of, such as our specially priced Monster Mile Fiber Packs and our Rosie Spinning Wheel Maintenance Kits. We also recommend stocking up on extra bobbins for your wheel and ensuring you have the necessary tools to measure your yarns and wind them into tidy skeins for future use. We have niddy noddies, yarn meters, ball winders, swifts and more to make your craft room complete.

How to Wind Yarn on a Turkish Spindle
Today’s tutorial is the second installment in our Turkish spindle series – click here if you missed our tutorial for getting started with a Turkish spindle! Once you’ve started spinning, you will need to periodically stop to wind your yarn onto the arms of the spindle. There is a special method to create a center-pull ball of yarn as you spin!
Beginning as close to the shaft as possible, wrap your yarn under the first arm and then over the next two arms:
And that’s really it! You will continue in this manner, wrapping the yarn under one arm, then over the next two in a clockwise fashion. Each wrap will be shifted to the right as you go, and you will build from the center out til your spindle looks like this:
Once you have filled the space between the arms with wrapped yarn, it’s time to start the next layer by once again wrapping the yarn close to the shaft and working from the center out.

When you’re done, you can easily remove your yarn by removing the shaft and then sliding out the smaller of the two arms first. Once both arms are removed, you will have an easy-to-use center-pull ball of handspun yarn!

All the best,

Wave, Perri & the entire Woolery team

The Fiber Toys of Christmas are returning for another year! Stay tuned for more details; we’ll be revealing the first fiber toy on Friday, October 16. We recommend signing up for our newsletter or following us on Facebook, Twitter or Ravelry to be notified of each weekly deal!

Spinning Wheels: The Specifics of Style

Not too long ago, one of our guest bloggers shared some tips for choosing your next spinning wheel (click here if you missed it!). We’d like to continue the conversation by discussing the different styles of wheels which you will come across in your search in greater detail on today’s blog post, and why you might want to give them a try!

When we discuss spinning wheels with our customers, we begin the conversation by talking about the first level of classification: general appearance. While there are always exceptions to the rule, the basic spinning wheel classifications include Saxony, Castle, Norwegian, Modern, and Spindle.

The most traditional style is the Saxony wheel – think of fairy tales such as Sleeping Beauty or Rumplestiltskin, and you know what we’re talking about! These wheels are horizontal, with the wheel on one end and the flyer on the other; typically, the frame slopes and is supported by 3 legs. One of the benefits of this style is that the orifice is lower to the ground, making it ideal for those who are shorter in stature and find taller styles of wheels more difficult to work with.

Castle wheels are a popular style, especially amongst those with limited space – in general, these wheels are more compact than other styles. The flyer is positioned above the wheel, and this vertical orientation requires less working space for the user – it also encourages the spinner to sit up straight as they work, so if you have back issues, this might be a more optimal choice.

The Norwegian wheel is a cousin to the Saxony in that it has a horizontal orientation, but it is usually very ornate with a large wheel and a horizontal bench. This style is typically supported by 3-4 legs, and it’s a very traditional-looking wheel which is quite beautiful to look at, too!

Then next style of wheels can take on many forms, and are usually hybrids of the traditional types listed above. Folding wheel and electric spinners are all considered to be Modern style wheels, though this term can be applied to any sort of spinning wheel which attempts to take advantage of better engineering: side-to-side treadling, lightweight PVC pipe bodies, and other innovations would certainly fit into this category! These wheels are ideal for folks with limited space or who like to take their spinning with them wherever they go.

Though Electric Spinners do not actually have a wheel, we include them in the Modern category because they are a treadle-less option which is ideal for those who are unable to treadle (or simply wish not to). They are extremely portable and can be set on a table and started manually, and it is important to note that they are not completely automatic since the spinner must determine the size of the yarn and must stop the flyer to change hooks throughout the spinning process in order to fill the bobbin evenly. Due to its potential speed capabilities, they are a great choice for cotton spinning, much like a Charkha, which belongs to our final category of wheel styles covered on this blog post.

 

Last but not least, Spindle style wheels refer to those which use a spindle to hold the spun yarn rather than a bobbin – they work much like a Great Wheel, and the Indian Charkha is a good example of this style. For those of you looking to spin silk or cotton this Spring, a Charkha is an excellent choice due to the high-speed ratios which make working with short-stapled fibers much easier!

Thanks for joining us on your spinning journey!

All the best,

Chris, Nancy, and the entire Woolery team

 

Guest Post: Spinning Wheel Matchmaking with Alicia Morandi

Choosing a spinning wheel can be intimidating. Not only is it a substantial financial investment, it’s a lot like choosing a partner: different wheels will have different characteristics that may or may not mesh well with what you need. You and your wheel will spend many hours working together towards a common goal, so it’s important to make sure that you find a tool suited for the spinning you expect to do. Your wheel needs to feel good, make your life easier, and it certainly doesn’t hurt if you like the way it looks. But where does one begin? If you’re a newer spinner, how do you even know what you want?

A sample of wheel variety: Louet S10, Majacraft Aura, Ashford Traveller

Discover Your Options
When you begin to shop around, you’ll notice that spinning wheels vary in a few keys ways, namely: style, portability, materials, drive ratios, number of treadles, orifice type, and tension system. The Woolery’s website is an excellent resource for getting a sense of what’s out there, and it even includes some videos so you can watch different wheels in action. I’d also recommend reading expert-spinner Abby Franquemont’s blog post on choosing your first wheel.

Style: Saxony and Norwegian wheels are arranged horizontally with the flyer and bobbin off to one side and they often have a very classic look. Castle wheels are arranged vertically with the flyer above the wheel and they can have either a classic or a more modern look.
Portability: Some wheels are small, lightweight, and portable while others are not. Castle or modern wheels tend to be smaller and many are designed to fold for traveling. Increasing portability can sometimes decrease stability, depending on the wheel.
Materials: What a wheel is made of will impact its look as well as its portability and durability. Wheels can be made of everything from hardwoods to MDF, resin to plastic. My first wheel (a Babe Double Treadle Production) was made of PVC pipe which certainly had its advantages: it was lightweight and relatively indestructible; I did not worry at all about damaging it when I brought it to meetings or spun with it outside and it required very little maintenance.
Drive Ratios: The number and range of drive ratios will directly affect the kinds of yarn you can produce. Drive ratios are determined by the size of the fly wheel in relation to the whorls on either the flyer or bobbin, and represent the number of twists imparted to the yarn with every treadle or revolution of the wheel. (I explain this in greater detail elsewhere.) Higher drive ratios (like 15:1) will add more twists per treadle and spin finer yarns or shorter fibers. Lower ratios (like 6:1) will add fewer twists per treadle and spin bulkier yarns or longer fibers.
Number of Treadles: Wheels come with either one treadle (foot pedal) or two that turn the fly wheel via footmen. How many you need is a matter of preference and ergonomic comfort for your body. I prefer two but there is no rule to which is best.
Orifice Type: The orifice is the hole through which the yarn travels to wind onto the bobbin. I figured most wheels had a small hole and that was that. However, some wheels (like Majacraft) have delta orifices (a triangular bar in front of the flyer) and others have much larger openings that don’t require the use of an orifice hook to thread the yarn through. The height of the orifice off the ground can also impact your spinning posture.

Delta orifice on a Majacraft Pioneer.

Explore Your Tensions
The tension system is arguably the most important aspect of a wheel, but it’s also the aspect you will know the least about when you begin to shop around. In its essence, the tension system determines how the fly wheel is attached to the flyer or bobbin and how the yarn is wound onto the bobbin. There are three main configurations:

Irish tension / Bobbin-lead: This type of wheel has the whorls on the bobbin, such that the drive band directly turns the bobbin and the brake band puts resistance on the flyer to allow the yarn to wind on. Irish tension wheels are simple to use and easy to treadle, but they do not have the gentlest take-up. This means that they pull rather strongly on the yarn coming through the orifice which can make it difficult to spin extremely fine yarns.  This stronger take-up makes them ideal for longwools and for plying, and I believe they make good beginner wheels. My first wheel, the Babe, was Irish tension and its simplicity served me well as I was learning.

Irish tension set-up on the Babe Double Treadle Production

Scotch tension / Flyer-lead: This tension set-up has the whorls on the flyer so the drive band turns the flyer and the brake band slows the bobbin. This configuration is more sensitive than Irish tension so it allows a finer adjustment of the brake band and subsequently the take-up strength, which improves comfort while spinning fine yarns. However, the drawback is that you will likely need to adjust the brake band as the bobbin fills up, since the change in diameter changes the physics of how the yarn is winding on.

Scotch tension set-up on the Lendrum DT.

Double drive: These wheels have one long drive band that is doubled up around the fly wheel such that two loops go over the bobbin and the flyer. Through the magic of physics, this set-up allows for the most consistent pull-in that does not need adjusting as you go, but can be finicky to adjust initially. I do not have personal experience with double drive wheels because when I went to a shop to try some, the person helping me couldn’t get the tension set up properly. However, my impression is that double drive wheels offer a lot of flexibility and some models can even be converted to Scotch tension, further increasing your options.

Play the Field
During my search, I created a spreadsheet within which I recorded all of the things I wanted to compare from the product descriptions at The Woolery, which included: wheel maker, materials, price of wheel, price of additional bobbins, drive ratios, tension system, and accessories included in the package price. I browsed Ravelry for wheel reviews and recorded comments from other spinners that detailed what they loved or didn’t love about a particular wheel.

My handy-dandy spreadsheet categories.

I knew I was interested in an upright/modern style wheel for space concerns, and I didn’t particularly want a folding wheel as I was more interested in stability. Aesthetically, I wanted a more modern style and a more solid material than plastic so that the wheel would feel substantial. Functionally, I wanted either a Scotch tension or double drive wheel as I felt that the strong take-up of the Irish tension wheel I had was limiting my spinning. After gathering data and determining options, the only thing left to do was try some wheels.

Giving the Schacht Ladybug a spin, with the Lendrum DT behind me.

I traveled to shops up to 2 hours away to try a good variety of wheels. If I had been more patient, I could have waited until a guild meeting or a fiber festival to try several wheels at once. I can’t stress enough how important it is to try the wheels in person. In photos, I did not like the angle of the Lendrum DT and I thought its style was somewhat boring, while in person I found the angle to be quite convenient and its clean lines to be simply lovely. Both the Schacht Ladybug and Schacht Sidekick seemed larger and more solid online than they felt in reality, and while they are popular wheels, they weren’t what I was looking for. From reviews and other spinners’ comments, I had expected to adore the Majacraft Pioneer, but it turns out that that I strongly disliked spinning with the delta orifice as the triangular point was all wrong for the angle at which I was comfortable spinning. While I loved the wheel otherwise, the orifice type—which I had barely considered before—ended up being the tie-breaker of my search.

The Honeymoon Period
Ultimately, it was the combination of tension system, aesthetics, ease of use, and value that led me to choose the Lendrum DT. I particularly loved that the complete package came with three flyers (fine, regular, and bulky) that expanded the drive ratio options from 5:1 to 17:1. With so many options and with the more adjustable Scotch tension system, I felt like it would serve whatever spinning need I encountered. While it is a folding wheel, it is made from solid maple and is plenty sturdy. Finally, it was simply comfortable for me to use. Of all the wheels I tried, it was one of the few I sat down to that required no fiddling or physical adjustment on my part: I sat and spun smoothly from the get-go.

The first skein of yarn spun on my Lendrum DT.

I couldn’t be happier with my new addition and look forward to many years of peaceful spinning with it. I hope that laying out my thought process will help you think about different things to consider when finding your perfect wheel. If you’re still overwhelmed, then just try whichever wheel appeals! The most important thing is that you look forward to using it. And remember, nobody said you had to own just one.

Alicia Morandi lives in Rhode Island with her husband (a.k.a. the Fiasco) and two feisty cats. She works as a biologist by day and she knits, spins, blogs, and creates natural body care products by night. You can read more about her fiber exploits at Woolen Diversions and peruse her handmade lotion bars featuring the sheep-y goodness of lanolin at Sweet Sheep Body Shoppe.

 

 

Stay Spinning This Summer!

A well-maintained spinning wheel can provide years of service, and keeping your wheel in tip-top shape is easier than you think! It’s a good idea to perform routine maintenance a few times a year by giving your wheel a thorough cleaning, tightening screws and any other loose parts such as legs and wheel supports, and replacing any worn-out parts such as leather conrod joints, drive bands, or brake bands.

Believe it or not, this maintenance can be easily done with just a few tools and other supplies you’re likely to already have on hand – click here for a list of items and easy-to-follow instructions from our blog archive!

However, there is something you can do each time you spin to keep your wheel in good working order: applying oil! In our latest video in the Ask the Woolery series, we demonstrate all of the possible areas which could benefit from a drop of oil at the start of each spinning session. Of course, each wheel is different, so you will want to refer to your wheel’s manual for specific instructions on where to apply oil on your particular make and model. In the video below, you can get a closer look at how and where oil should be applied to keep squeaks and rattles at bay:

Thanks for joining us!

All the best,

Chris, Nancy, and the entire Woolery team