Hey Spinners, How many of you are wheel collectors? I have quite a variety.

@shell52 (144)
United States
March 23, 2007 11:05pm CST
My first purchase of a wheel is an eighteenth century flax wheel. It has an oak base. Lovely little wheel, but too valueable to use. It has the distaff. It is my pride and joy. My next most precious wheel is a shaker walking wheel. It is in impeckable condition. and then there is the Canadian wheel. What a wonderful wheel, made for speed. One turn of this wheel and it twists a tremendous lenght of yarn. I just purchased a handmade wheel. It is unique and quite old, and very compact. I think it is only a couple of feet high at most and long. I have not used it yet, but think it will be great for taking to demonstrations. I own an ashford traditonal and a Maja craft suzie, which is my favorite to take with me wheel and speedy with double treadle. There are a couple of more traditional in the lot, but picked these up to resell. All in all, I probably have way too many, but find spinning, weaver, and fiber and everything that goes with it to be a passion. One needs lots of room to harbor what goes with this passion.
2 people like this
3 responses
• United States
29 Apr 07
My very first wheel beloned to my great-grandmother; it's an old Saxony that is hard to spin with but I treasure it because it belonged to the family. Then I bought a Reeves wheel, and for years I didn't spin on anything else. Which made me unusual among spinners; most seem to have lots of wheels. Now I have a little upright wheel to use here in my shop/studio because it takes up less room and is easy to carry to shows. I also have a Great Wheel (or walking wheel) but I haven't gotten around to repairing a small fault on it so I can use it. I still use the Reeves a lot, along with the little upright.
@shell52 (144)
• United States
24 May 07
How wonderful to have a wheel that has been passed down in the family. I am sure you do treasure it. I agree that it is easier to use a wheel less bulky like the reeves all the time. Also it saves the antique from wear and tear. Wonder what your shop is about and could you tell me what kind of fleece you like to spin best. Do you also weave? I have the ablility, but have not used it in a while. I do enjoy studying weave structures and like felted articles.
@shell52 (144)
• United States
19 Mar 08
we have similar taste in fibres to spin. I used to raise angora and loved to pluck and spin. I also love Corridale wool, and romney, but the best was that cross. I raised sheep for a while and loved seeing what I could produce. Thanks for sharing.
• United States
24 May 07
My shop is in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and I have yarns made from my angora rabbits' wool and other fibers as well as yarns and fibers from other small producers from Virginia and North Carolina. My favorite fiber to spin is angora, naturally, and a close second is silk. I also love spinning Corriedale, Shetland and Jacob wools.
1 person likes this
@nancygibson (3736)
• France
24 Mar 07
Mine is an Ashford Traveller, so only about 15 years old. I havent got room for more than one wheel, though I would love a Great Wheel for re-enactment use. I'm just as likely to dropspin these days as I am to use a wheel, I like the portability of the drop spindle. I have to say though that recently I have been longing for a few quiet days to get one with spinning up some of the fibre stash. I once took my wheel away on holiday with me and did a whole fleece over the week, it was such a nice feeling to have it all ready to be knitted up.
@shell52 (144)
• United States
25 Mar 07
Thanks for commenting. It is great that you do reinactment. I thing that one of the greatest joys of spinning is being able to share it with others. I have done a lot of demonstrating in the past and love the response. Most of my demonstrating has been with an angora rabbit on my lap. This is expecially good when sitting out on a cold day. HA. I love plucking and spinning from the rabbit. It is by far the best way to handle angora wool. It doesn't have a chance to get electrified. LOL I love the way you talked about yarn Stash. Sounds like you are really hooked. Yes a drop spindle is portable and fun, but the wheel is a much faster way of production. The drop spindle is very relaxing to watch. My first experience with spinning was trying to spin angora with a drop spindle. Nearly impossible. I think that is why I love it so much on the wheel. It keeps that memory alive. There are spinning competions at some fairs with both wheel and spindle. I entered the one at Eastern States Exposition for two years running. It was so much fun. One thing I learned is that wool sure can stick with temperature and humidity change. The second year I prepared the fleece and put it in a container that would hold the temp change and that was so much better. The first year I struggled with trying to pull it out. It was a blast. The same woman beat me out of first two years running on both wheel and spindle. I would not give back those evenings for anything!!
1 person likes this
@raydene (9871)
• United States
25 Mar 07
As you know Shell,I don't have a spinning wheel but learning to spin is one of the skills I hope to master before I die.I'm waiting for my friend that spins to finally start some classes..hint..hint I do love the feel of fleece and wool just carded I could lay down on and nap...it is so soft and fluffy ..the smell and the sorta wax after feel. Love to feel different fibers. R
1 person likes this
@shell52 (144)
• United States
24 May 07
I am affraid your friend has not realized how much you would like to spin. I think fleece has a wonderful feel also. I would much prefer laying down on the washed wool as it is less greacy and smells better! We will have to plan a spin in one of these days!