Ahem. As I was saying. I began knitting my first shawl. The Emily Dickinson shawl, it is called, and it’s available for download on Ravelry. (I’m LoveFiber on there, by the way.) This is my first shawl, my first knitted cobweb lace-weight, and my first time adding beads to a knitted project.

And let me just say it now, knitters have things so easy where beads are concerned! You just pull the loop up through the beads one at a time with no fuss. The last beaded non-knitting project I made required loading the seed beads onto the yarn ahead of time. All hundred and something of them. Then I had to keep scooching them along the yarn until I needed one. Crazy.

I’m rather pleased with myself for only having to cast on twice with this project. It’s a sign that I’m getting better at judging the length needed for a long tail cast on. True, the second time I had quite a bit of extra tail, but that’s not the most important thing. Actually, the most important thing is that I cast on five hundred and forty something stitches by my lonesome twice. Well, almost twice. The first time I ran out of tail about thirty stitches from the end.

On a very interesting front, look what my drumcarder-owning friend found while traveling.

These, believe it or not, are three apparently Walking Wheel bobbins. (They’re leaning up against the leg of the Walking Wheel at the moment.) They slide onto the metal prong that I’ve been using as my “bobbin” since I got the wheel. If these actually work, it means I won’t have to stand there and reel off a whole prong’s worth in order to spin more. I’m really liking this!

But, of course, the Walking Wheel happens to be full of Willow sock yarn singles at the moment, so I can’t try it out yet. Bother.

Did you notice the red thread on one of those? That stuff is hand spun two ply! Thread thin! Consistent as all get-out. Good night, I don’t know if I’d be able to spin like that on a Walking Wheel without years and years and years of practice. Wow.

Oh, I promised another batt picture. Here is a close up on my “Night in New Orleans” batts. Very bright and cheery.

At the time, I wanted to have all this yarn spun up by mid-October, and I still do— (I hear the rustle of calendars as you look at the date. I can dream, can’t I?) It didn’t seem so difficult at the time, but the trouble was that my usual loyal, supportive G. P. Adams & Co wheel was full of silk. And I did not have time to finish spinning that project before I began the indigo. Therefore it was time to try out the two antique spinning wheels that my father bought. Scary scary. Two unknown wheels and a deadline. I started with the one that treadled best.
This poor wheel had literally come to us in pieces and had been put back together by my grandpa. On its maiden voyage (ha ha) it behaved well for a while, then began throwing a fit. And throwing its drive band.

When that didn’t deter me, it decided to snap the single at any and every opportunity, and if it could snap the single about two inches after I had rejoined it, that was even better! Well, I couldn’t sit around and deal with it so I put it in the corner to think over its attitude and got out the other wheel.

This wheel is beautiful, and possibly English. I’ve always been somewhat partial to its looks — perhaps that’s why the other was being nasty — but this one has brass knuckles. It literally has a metal rim around the inside of the big fly wheel. It must be iron or something, and it’s quite thick, which means heavy, which means greater leg power in the treadling. (I’ve literally spun my leg into a big muscle ache before, so you can understand my trepidation.)

However, I have now spun almost two whole bobbins full and it is behaving beautifully. The only time the single snaps is if I do something ridiculous, like not putting in enough twist. It seems the pretty wheel has won the day! (But the other wheel is not forgotten. It’s rather like a horse that needs to learn how to behave itself. I have a feeling, once all the kinks are straightened out, that it will be a fine wheel.) (Did you hear that, wheel? So behave yourself.)

And you know what the most exciting part about this is? This is my first ever bobbin full. Yes, I’ve been spinning for over a year now (gasp), but this is my first full bobbin. The other wheel doesn’t have a fully functional bobbin, which means I can’t fill it to its full capacity. So here, I give you, my first totally full bobbin. And it’s indigo merino! How perfect is that?

So, you’ve decided to get a spinning wheel, you lucky you. Spinning wheels are the sports cars of the fiber world. There’s just this aura around them. A feeling of mystery which can be very thrilling, but when it comes to picking out a wheel it can get in the way.

I’m going to try to sweep away some of the fog and reveal the spinning wheel in all its grandeur.

Parts Of A Spinning Wheel

First off, what are the different parts of a spinning wheel? Here is an excellent picture with handy little arrows. (If you’re wondering, it’s on quite a nice website. Feel free to explore.) Now, the business end is the “head,” which refers to the bobbin, flyer, orifice, and bobbin whorl. That’s where the yarn is actually made. When I first started researching spinning I had a vague idea that the fiber had to go around the big wheel – wrong. The big wheel is the power engine for the head. And your foot is the power engine for the big wheel, which brings us to the first option to be considered.

Single or Double Treadle?

You remember the treadle? That triangular piece down underneath? The one in the picture is a single treadle. You operate it by putting one foot on it and pumping up and down. This is my favorite. At least, it’s what I do. Not having more than wheel does tend to make you stick to what you have.

There is also the double treadle. It looks like this, and you put a foot on each pedal and pump alternately, rather like a bicycle. The best way to find out which you prefer is to go to a bricks and mortar (not online) store and test drive. I didn’t have the luxury, so I learned on a single treadle and love it.

Wheel Styles

You might have noticed that the two wheels pictured are very different. Good eye! There are also different configurations you can have. Here is a nice picture guide to the main types.

Drive Bands

Alright. So, you’ve waded through those options. There’s one more. And honestly, I don’t see a big deal over which one you chose. The thing that connects the flywheel (big wheel) to the head is called a drive band. There are two configurations for this. A single drive band, and a double drive band. (Do you sense a theme here?) I have a double drive band, and really, it doesn’t give me quite as much flexibility as I’d like, but then again, my wheel is an antique. If anyone has some good pointers on choosing a drive band, please share. That last thing I heard on the subject was that the double drive can’t do anything the single can’t, so there’s really no big reason to do a double instead of a single, or vice versa.

Where To Find One

Now, I bet you’re ready to rush out and start looking at spinning wheels. There are some nice websites that will help you find the kind of wheel you like. Once you have a brand in mind, shop around for the best price. Or, if you decide to go for an antique wheel, watch CraigsList and Ebay. A good, reasonable rate for an antique spinning wheel is $100 to $300. Usually in the $200 range. “But wait!” You who have done your research say, “That’s the same range as new wheels!” True. Very true. A new wheel gives you lots of extra gadgets and good warranties (as well as tech support). With an antique wheel, you’re on your own. It might run well, it might not.

If you want to get a good handle on options and price range, browse these sites to see what’s what.

• The Woolery
• Paradise Fibers
• Halcyon Yarn

So you want to learn to spin? Good for you. You’re about to be initiated into the wonderful craft of spinning. Or, to turn it into its most basic process, the art of taking a handful of something and making into gorgeous yarns.

If you’re interested in spinning, chances are you’ve at least seen a spinning wheel before. Maybe you watched someone at a Living History demonstration, or perhaps you have a friend who keeps babbling on about their wonderful wheel, or maybe (like me) you picked up a magazine and got sucked into a world of color and texture. However you developed the interest you want to get started. So now is the time for me to stop telling you how much fun you’ll have and give you some hard facts.

What is spinning?

Spinning is putting twist into something to make it form a new, stronger shape. You can spin with three blades of grass and your fingers. You can spin with long strips of fabric and a heavy rock. You can spin with your hair and a messed up curler. But none of these are the cool ways to do it.

If you want to begin spinning, you’re going to need three things. Something to spin into yarn, something with which to spin that thing into yarn, and something to tell you how to do it.

Drop Spindle vs. Wheel

As for the mode of spinning, I personally recommend starting on a drop spindle. They’re inexpensive when bought, practically free when made, and they teach your hands a lot quicker than a wheel can. I taught myself to use a homemade drop spindle in a long afternoon. If you’re interested in making one, here are some good instructions. If you want to buy one, the cheapest I’ve found is a Louet Drop Spindle. Whatever you buy, try to get one that can do top and bottom whorl. (More on that in another post.) If you think you want to spend more money and get a pretty one, there are some gorgeous ones on Etsy and all over the Internet. In a later post I’ll list some of my favorite fiber websites.

If you choose to begin on a wheel, more power to you. A wheel requires less alertness and is a lot safer on your toes. (They don’t call it a “drop” spindle for nothing.) However, let’s face it, wheels are not cheap. I believe the cheapest one I’ve seen is $100. It works, but if you’re partial to fancier ones you’ll need to shell out big bucks. (Or find the deal of the century like my dad did. Believe me, there are some gorgeous wheels out there waiting to be found.)

I Have The Tool—Now What?

So, once you’ve chosen one of these spinning tools, it’s time to dig up something to spin. I do not advice shaving your dog for your first try. I recommend beginning with a wool roving. What on earth is a roving? A “roving” is a long, long strip of wool that has been combed into submission. All the little hairs lay alongside each other in a glorious state of smoothness. Practically any fiber seller will have roving. (Sometimes it’s called “top,” although the two words are technically not interchangeable.) If you want to start out small, go to your local craft store and look for the needle felting section. They’ll probably have lots of little rolls of “wool roving.” My first fiber was a six-pack from Hobby Lobby in pretty fall colors. It spun very nicely on the drop spindle.

As for types of wool (yes, there are more decisions to be made, but it’s not that hard!) if you plan to order roving online you might want to steer toward a Corriedale or Romney. Fibers like Mohair and Merino are slippery and harder to control. We want easy! We want success! We want, above all, yarn.

So how do you make yarn?

You’ll find out tomorrow.

Completed Section

However, I’m not allowing myself to block it until I finish the shawl collar piece as well. And at the moment, it looks something like this.

A Beginning

The granny square method makes it possible to unravel bits of the edges and crochet the two pieces together without a visible seam, or any extra nit-picky ends to weave in. Once they’re together, I’ll add a little trim to the edges, and a thick band to the bottom. The sweater does sort of cross-over thing in the front . . . it’s hard to explain without showing a picture. I want to get this done soon so I can wear it before it gets warmer outside.

So, the sweater is conflicting with this. The merino/tussah silk batt that I was given for Christmas. Oh, and if you’re wondering what the big foamy thing on the end of the spindle is, it’s a safety precaution. That spindle is a bit pointy, and if you’re not careful you can catch your arm on it.

Merino and Silk

It’s becoming a thin, two-ply, hopefully-sport-weight yarn, which I will use to knit, I repeat knit a lacy scarf. I love the way it’s spinning up.

Close Up

Oh, and I’ve learned a bit about my regular spinning wheel! Apparently it’s a “flax wheel.” Not that I’m sure what that implies, but every little bit helps.

Lines on the Knob

They’re all very symmetrical, which makes me think they were part of the original look of the wheel. If the milk paint wasn’t there, the wheel would be natural wood with these black rings in pairs. It almost looks like the black rings should hold another color, but I don’t see anything. This adds to the mystery of the wheel. Old. Marked with ‘G. P. Adams & Co.’ Has black rings around various parts. I’m doubting that the milk paint finish is original.

Rings on the Spokes

This makes me wonder if we should refinish it after all. Maybe I should do a little more digging, although I don’t know where to dig!

And speaking of some work, here is the sum total of the New Year’s Dash.

Before

After

Ta-da! Ten days of frenzied activity paid off. I’ve got five projects checked off my list, enough yarn to sink a small boat, and the knowledge that I can spin five and a half ounces in a day. (On average.) And even though the pile of New Zealand wool is still uncomfortably large, I’m happy.

I also have a large fiber order coming in, and there are rumors floating around that it might be time to refinish and fix up my spinning wheel.

Have a wonderful New Year!

Close up yarn

And to make things even more interesting, the wheel developed yet another wobble, which I couldn’t fix with a piece of string. I ended up having to hang a full water bottle off of one of the footmen so the wheel would run truer.

Water Bottle Fix

But everything came out all right in the end. It’s a wonder to me to look at the three skeins. I haven’t spun that much of any one color before. They’re beautiful, not just because of color, but because they have an air of accomplishment about them. Not to mention they remind me of yarn shops and piles of gorgeous crocheted things.

Finished Yarn

We didn’t want to buy it sight unseen because we didn’t know if it was a working wheel or not. And this is where it gets neat: The seller was going on vacation unless it rained. If it rained he was going to be only an hour away from us, and he would bring the wheel with him. And Who controls the weather? It rained, and we drove out to see the wheel.

The wheel looked a bit dingier than the pictures had showed, but all the pieces were there. (Everything except a distaff.) The wheel was still true after who knows how much storage and disuse the poor thing went through. It was coated all over in a faux finish so it would look like milk paint. I bought it. (Naturally.)

My Wonderful Wheel

After we got it home we set it in the living room so I could try it out. Aside from the minor fact that our make-shift, bright pink drive belt would pop off suddenly, it worked very well, and after a little while the belt stayed on.

Singles and Plied

The wheel remains somewhat of a mystery. We don’t know how old it is, although we think it might be in the one hundred year range. It has “G. P. Adams & Co.” stamped in the side, but we can’t find records of that company. There isn’t a nail in the thing, unless you count the parts that stick out of the flyer, and it’s pretty rickety. The treadle has developed a creak, and if I’m not paying attention it will slowly work its way out of the wheel’s legs and will squeak. The annoying, loud sort of squeak. Thankfully it’s easily fixed. Simply push the legs back toward each other and the probem is solved.

The plan is to take it apart, refinish it, replace any battered parts, and generally re-tighten it. Of course, that involves my giving it up for a week or so . . . Hmm. Anyway, I was thinking we would stain it to a dark brown. Maybe a walnut. Until then, it works, and the creamy color is actually growing on me. Familiarity and all that, you know.

By now you’re probably thinking, “This is one more spinner’s love song over their wheel,” and it is, I guess. It’s a great little wheel, with lots of character. But it will only have as much “character” as I read into it. Quite frankly, I’m trying not to get too attatched to it, but it seems to be a losing battle. I walk into my room and it’s sitting there next to my bed. Waiting for me patiently. Creak and all.