My Very Own Ladybug

July 9, 2012 | Verónica

A very large box arrived at my doorstep the other day.

After much angst and deliberation, I ordered my very own spinning wheel. (Actually, I placed the order but it was a Mother’s Day gift from my husband extraordinaire).

I carefully laid out the parts.

There was a little assembly required. I wish I could say it was easy but not so. Not all the parts are labelled on the assembly diagram. This could have been simpler but the husband extraordinaire figured it out. Isn’t she beautiful?

Why I chose the Schacht Ladybug: The modern look appealed to me. It’s portable with built-in handles. The weight – neither too light or heavy – keeps it sturdy. It’s a good size – I can easily store it in a corner. The breadth of spinning ratios ranged from 7:1 to 12.5:1 (with the included fast and medium whorls) and can be expanded to slow (5:1 & 6:1) and high speeds (14:1 & 16:1) with additional flyer whorls.

I went with a double treadle (personal preference). Schacht is one of several reputable makers of spinning wheels. Each wheel is hand crafted in Colorado.

Plus it came with my very own ladybug.

The cost was in the mid-range of the wheels I researched – not cheap but didn’t break the bank either.

Now, I need to stop ogling her and actually take her out for a spin. (Yes, pun intended).

On My Spindle

June 19, 2012June 20, 2012 | Verónica

Remember the soft aquas and blues of the hand-dyed Silky Cashmerino I found in San Antonio?

It spins up very nicely.

Even though I wasn’t nearly done with the batch of blues, I could not resist this when I saw it.

It’s fittingly called “Fire and Ice” and this 4 ounce batt was prepared by my friends over at the Wooden Spinner. It’s made of merino, mohair, Angelina, Firestar and silk. Here’s a closer shot.

And they threw in a little treat – 1 ounce of soft merino naturally hand-dyed to this lemony yellow using Queen Anne’s Lace dye and aluminum mordant.

Can you get a crush on fiber?

Which Wheel?

June 2, 2012June 1, 2012 | Verónica

Having succumbed to the joy of hand spinning, I figured it was time to seriously investigate getting a wheel. I received wonderful advice from experienced spinners I have met in person or through the online knitter-blogger world. I also researched various brands and read many articles on what to look for in a spinning wheel. It isn’t as simple as I had hoped.

I’ve boiled it down to the following considerations.

Traditional vs. Modern

This is largely a matter of personal preference.

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Portability vs. Floor Space

This is also a function of your own lifestyle. Do you plan to take your wheel with you when you travel or will you use your wheel primarily at home? And do you have room for it?

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Spinning Ratios

This one is a bit more technical. Here’s my take on ratios.

This is largely influenced by the kind of fiber and weight of yarn you want to spin. Will you be spinning finer yarns with fibers requiring a lot of twist or heartier fibers that require less twist? Another way to think about it is do you prefer to spin thread-like, lace weight yarn or the chunky, super bulky kind? Ratios range from 1 to 20 (simplified version). Note that there is an inverse relationship between spinning wheel ratios and yarn weights. Ideally, a wheel with the broadest range of ratios is best.

{image source: yarn weights}

Foot Pedals

The best recommendation I have received on single vs. double treadle (foot pedals) is to simply try a few wheels and choose whichever you feel the most comfortable using. I am leaning toward the double treadle. From my research, I have gleaned that a double treadle is less tiring on your legs.

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Brands

There are many more spinning wheel makers out there than I ever imagined. The good news is that there is a lot of craftsmanship that goes into making them. Here are some of the wheels recommended by fellow spinners.

{image source: Majacraft, Fricke, Ashford, Lendrum, Schacht}

Costs also vary considerably. Generally, prices range from $339 to $1350.

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Happy Spinning!

With all the choices out there, and spinners willing to share their knowledge, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of these wheels.

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References

Besides input from many individuals, these articles were helpful and offer far more technical advice in choosing a wheel:

“Choosing Your First Spinning Wheel” from Abby’s Yarns
“Selecting a Wheel” from The Woolery
“Some Things to Consider When Choosing a Spinning Wheel” from Elizabeth’s Fiber & Yarn Store
“The Spinning Wheel Sleuth” by the Spinning Wheel Sleuth

Bubble Gum Hat

May 26, 2012May 26, 2012 | Verónica

After spinning and dyeing my small batches of yarn, my fingers were itching for a project to use it on.

Since I had small skeins to work with, I needed a small item to knit.

So off I went to the wonderful Purl Bee and found their Whit’s Knits: Fun Kid’s Hat. It required just the amount of yarn I had with a little left over.

I started knitting.