# multiple spinning wheels



## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

For once....I am not going to hijack a thread.....

Okay, girls. I have 4 sewing machines - each has it's own duty. One is my fancy - do it all machine. Another is a 1920's Singer because it's easy to adjust and doesn't need that $100/year appointment with the repair guy - it also weighs 40 lbs. I have a teeny little one I take when I am teaching classes or letting someone else sew on one of my machines. and I have a serger. Each has it's little nitch.....

So what do all these different wheels DO? Do they have a real purpose? Do you use them all equally? Or do you use one for real-work spinning and the others are have just to love?


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## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

Well, I'm right with ya on the sewing machines.....I have an Elna for heavy work,like leather or drapery. My Viking 500 is for quilting and multi-purpose. There are a couple Kenmore's just taking up space and I have a White 2000 serger.....They all have their uses.

OK, now to the OP.

I have different wheels for different uses. My Louet S10 is a general all-purpose wheel. It can spin from pretty fine to somewhat bulky. My new Ashford Country Spinner is for spinning those big super bulky Art Yarns. But, after using it for several weeks, I can see where with a little changing of how it's geared it could be multi-purpose. I would like to have another wheel for high twist spin.......


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## susanne (Nov 4, 2004)

i certainly need a fourth sewing machine. only have three.:gaptooth:
three spinning wheels too. all three from jensen. 30" ashley a working horse and great for lace, 24" upright all around and fast, and the 18" tinaII for travel or making samples. i would love to have one for making fancy art yarns or a possibility to transform one of my wheels to do that. thinking about the wooly winder but not sure how good that will work with those wheels.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I have three wheels, 
1) My Ashford Traddy is my first wheel and by far my favorite wheel. I an do anything with this wheel and it is expandable. It is also my workhorse, I've taken it everywhere with me although it isn't a travelling wheel. 
2) I have my Country Craftsman, this is my fancy, fussy wheel, she spins fine, fine yarn, I suppose I could spin a thicker yarn but not like my Traddy. My CC is a double drive wheel and she is very fussy. 
3) Then is my new wheel my Sonata (Olivia). She and I have worked together for a few months but I have to say I have not really had a chance to use her much yet. Just getting to know her. She is a travelling wheel so far so good. She is a double treadle which I'm not used to and I'm getting some back issues while I learn to spin on her. This spinning straight on is a whole new ball of yarn for me, and that combined with the DT it's just interesting. She will do most anything I ask of her. I just need to spend time with her so we click.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I know that except for the serger, I could get along just fine with ONE sewing machine. So I wondered about the wheels.

I got a book on spinning from our library (since my new books won't be here in time). It includes lots of pictures of wheels. I am trying to learn the differences, but I just haven't had the time to do so yet. I saw a 4-legged one with directions on how to build it. I think it would be a fun project for DH....who just LOVES me to find him new projects to do. where's that sarcasm smilie? It would be way too complicated for me, but you can make the bobbins as big as you would like. I see a problem with my bobbins. I just get started and whoosh---they are full. If I ever get a large amount of yarn made, it's going to have a lot of joining knots. I'm not sure I like that.

How do you know what each wheel will do? especially if you buy an antique wheel? It here a general idea somewhere? A larger wheel will do what? How do you know which ones will make chunky yarns and which will make finer threads? Is there a way to tell by looking? or do ya just get to learn, learn, learn?


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## susanne (Nov 4, 2004)

my first wheel was the kromski symphony, loved her as long as i did not had my other wheels. when i was looking for a travel wheel, i wanted to stay with the same line so bobbins would be interchangable. i tried the sonata and did not like her at all and i found it too uncomfy after a while. mazurka had not the stability and wobbled, the minstrel might have been an option but was missing the umpf too. when i got my tina II i was so in love with her and how it treadled, that it did not take too long until the ashley came and consquently sold the symphony.
my wheels are all DT but easy used as ST. symphony was a DT too but i had to use it as DT or it would not go around so smooth. 
for me spinning is all about pleasure and relaxing, almost therapy for my mind and no tolerance for pain or hassling while treadling or taking up the yarn.


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## susanne (Nov 4, 2004)

Callieslamb said:


> How do you know what each wheel will do? especially if you buy an antique wheel? It here a general idea somewhere? A larger wheel will do what? How do you know which ones will make chunky yarns and which will make finer threads? Is there a way to tell by looking? or do ya just get to learn, learn, learn?


i think after a while you will know what kind of yarn you want to make. 
most wheels can do a variety of yarns with just adjusting the tension or change the pulley. i think your wheel is made for yarn on the finer side of the scale. 
have you plyed some singles that you have spun? two ply? three ply? compare it with commercial yarn and you will be surprised by how thick yous still is  
try to spin as thin as you can and it will take you much much longer to fill that bobbin  
try out as many wheels as you can and over the time you will find what you are looking for in a wheel


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## sbanks (Dec 19, 2010)

I would love to have just one wheel. sigh


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## susanne (Nov 4, 2004)

WiHH could you get other pulleys for your big wheel? 
i can do thick singles on my 30" wheel just change to a bigger worl.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

The one on the right is a 30 inch Schant/Reeves, The one on the left is a twenty 4 inch Reeves with a spinning chair. This is up in my wook room. I, like WIHH, want a Reeves Frame wheel, I had one in my hands but got the single treadle twenty four instead. The Frame wheel will be much better for my back.They are very hard to find now that Raverly exists. I spin with left hand forward so I cock my wheel at a bit of an angle and spin with one foot.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

My little girl Sasha, she is the only dog that will go upstairs with me. My little wheel is a Wee Peggy, I got her in the early 80's after A Friend had taught me to spin on her Country Craftsman. I thought about selling her,but changed my mind,she is great for spinning Angora Bunny on, I used to have Alot of bunnys. I do have another wheel to the far left,never have used it, was a gift, and the gifter didn't know that it will not properly spin.


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Hey Callie, whats this GIRLS thing, I spin and I sure am not one of the girls. I can not say anymore than what Wind in her hair wrote. We also have at least four wheels and several sewing machines, but in the good old days the ladies would use what they could get to use for spinning wheels. Most wheels will do alot of differant kinds of yarn, it`s just some do a better job than others, so we are able to buy differant types of wheels that will do the job we want for the type of yarn we want to make and use. > Thanks Marc


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> love your wheels (especially that Wee Peggy!) and it looks like we have the same decorator picking out our rugs!


Thank you, Speeking of rugs, while I remember, I'm going up right now and take a pic of a certian rug for you.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

I was gonna reply, but WIHH said everything I would've said.



Okay, since I can't actually be kept totally quiet, I'll answer the question about "how do you know what an antique wheel can do": most antique wheels were meant to spin fairly fine, and you can tell because they have a small orifice, and tiny little hooks on the flyer. If you wanna do art yarn, you're gonna need one of the modern wheels or the vintage ones (like the really cool and funky ones from the 70s with the huge orifice and massive bobbin, I'd love one of those). 

I have my Babe - my first wheel, my plying wheel, and my "if I wanna do something funky" wheel. She's a single treadle production wheel and I can actually start and stop and change directions with just my foot - the way the Babe treadle is mounted it's really easy to change direction and so on and if it does 'stick' at noon or six, you can just give the spoke a shove with your toe and keep going. Fairly big bobbins, great price, lightweight, portable. Would be my 'loan out for teaching' wheel, too.

I have my CPW which is like WIHH's lovely big wheel in how she works - easy to spin (oh heavens, such a lovely rhythm) and miles and miles of yarn is made before I even realize it. Yeah, she's old and a bit fussy sometimes, but hey so am I. 

My little Lithuanian spins fine and fast too - they were flax wheels (clue for a flax wheel will be the existence of a distaff and very wide arms on the flyer - they look like they are holding their arms out from the bobbin), and flax needs high twist, so an old flax wheel will give you nice fine high twist singles easily, too (wool works on them just fine - don't be thinking you gotta spin flax on them). She's nice and portable and I have to treadle a bit faster on her than on the CPW (of course, baby little drive wheel) but restful for spinning too. Plus I love the groove on the treadle made by a century of feet.

I also have a great wheel - which I'm learning to use.

And there's a bunch of other wheels here, but they are all in the process of being restored & rehomed. Those four are - currently - my keeper wheels. I'm sure others will show up. 









Group photo: left to right front row, Czech lateral treadle (has been sold); small French flax wheel (sold); my CPW Jaqueline; a CPW that I'm fostering (will be handed off to her owner Saturday!); then coming back along the far side, the great wheel (obviously); a little vintage yellow castle wheel (also being handed off to her owner Saturday); and my little Lithuanian. Hmm, the Babe's not in this picture....


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Frazzle I love that tiny wheel that is up front. Is that your Lithuanian wheel? It is just precious.


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## susanne (Nov 4, 2004)

7thswan said:


> The one on the right is a 30 inch Schant/Reeves, The one on the left is a twenty 4 inch Reeves with a spinning chair. This is up in my wook room. I, like WIHH, want a Reeves Frame wheel, I had one in my hands but got the single treadle twenty four instead. The Frame wheel will be much better for my back.They are very hard to find now that Raverly exists. I spin with left hand forward so I cock my wheel at a bit of an angle and spin with one foot.


forsome reason it does not let me see the picture


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

wow girls...and boys! So basically but not always - a bigger wheel helps go faster so you can spin finer yarns on her. Orifice size is a clue to what kinds of yarn you can spin on a given wheel also. Multiple drives can help keep spinning smooth as you spin more slowly and do fancy add-ins - like coils (coiling?). Maybe this IS like buying a car- I have this one for shopping trips, this one for hauling, this one for family........

I am not sure what I want to spin yet. Probably a healthy medium.... since none of the wheels seem to do that. It does seem to be much more fine than I ever expected to see me spin. I have two bobbins full, ready to be plied but have had no time with the looming trip. 

I LOVED all the pictures. I love the older-looking wheels, as long as they are steady and useable. I'm all about practical. But the newer wheels have a nice appeal too. I am enjoying learning about spinning wheels.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Nope that little wee tiny thing is a French wheel - I couldn't believe how small it was! Seemed like you couldn't possibly spin on it, but it works just fine.

The Lith wheel is behind and to the left - the one with the distaff.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Keep in mind that bobbins in the older wheels can be a problem. Unless you have someone who is very handy with wood most antique wheel don't come with more than 1 or 2 bobbins. For whatever reason bobbins are not universally sized.


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Marchie, there are a number of people (latheworkers) who will make bobbins for the old wheels for around $20 per bobbin, which is not much more than say, an Ashford or Kromski bobbin. You can find those resources through Antique Wheels on Rav.

And, as I've said many times, multiple bobbins are less important than most people think.  I *love* winding off onto whatever useful thing I've decided to ply from - knitting needles being an excellent choice - using the power drill. Or, if you're not the sort to have tools in the house, then investing in one of the bobbin winders for weaving bobbins and a set of the little pirn doodads will give you as many bobbins as you need for as many wheels as you like - just wind off onto those and ply from them on whichever wheel you decide to use for plying. I like this because it means I don't have to think about "oh this wheel has 3 bobbins, but 2 are full ..." ... I have a nearly infinite supply of "things to wind off on and ply from" so it gives me way more flexibility than multiple bobbins for my wheels.

Especially since I have so many wheels.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Good to know Frazzle! If anyone knows about this stuff it's you


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Do you need to make allowances if you wind off a bobbin and then ply? Do both processes take out some of the twist?


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## Caren (Aug 4, 2005)

what is the triangle thing on the art easel?


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Callieslamb, no, winding off doesn't take out any twist - you are winding sideways, so no twist goes in or out. 

Think pulling toilet paper off the roll: sideways, no twist happens, it just unrolls. However, if you were to set it on end and pull upwards, twist would happen. 

Winding off is a sideways action - no twist change involved.

It does, however, have beneficial effects in setting the twist and evening it out a little bit. 

AWESOME description with pictures right here. I love that bobbin winder dealie. If I didn't already have a gazillion drills around here, I might consider one of those ... oh heck, if one ever shows up cheap and nearby, we all know I'll get it.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Caren said:


> what is the triangle thing on the art easel?


It is a Spriggs Adjustable triangle loom. I weave shawls and blankets on it. woops, I didn't see the awnser.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Me too WIHH, I've wanted one for years. It seems to me that my guild has the video about how to weave on one. If I remember right in that video is a sheet of paper that tells you how to make one. I think I need to get to the next guild meeting and check it out.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> its beautiful 7thswan - I've been fixated on those since Mrs. Homesteader showed us the lovely shawl she wove on hers. I've passed up two now that I have seen for sale - third time is the charm!  How long have you been weaving?
> 
> One of these days, I tell ya, I can see one in my fiber corner!


I've had it about 9 years. Hard to remember,time flys so. At first it seem's hard to understand how using the loom works, but it really is easy. It came with good directions and I was lucky enough to see someone use one. I have taken one of those really long crochet hooks that have a hook on both ends. I ground off one of the hooks to a kind of point, and painted the end a bright color. I use it to push on the warp and weave the yarn thru with the hooked end. Then use the painted straight end to use as a beater.Painted it because one can get going pretty fast and need to see the proper end quickly. If I was good at math, I'd sure like to make something big enough to weave a full size blanket. I do have a old barn loom, the kind rugs are woven on and a 30 something inch Ashford ridged heddle loom. That works great for rugs also. There is something special about weaving with handspun.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

7thswan when I get to Mich you will have to show me these things. I have a ridgid heddle also 30 something inches with a floor stand. I currently have a project on it that I think needs to be unwoven.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Marchwind said:


> 7thswan when I get to Mich you will have to show me these things. I have a ridgid heddle also 30 something inches with a floor stand. I currently have a project on it that I think needs to be unwoven.


Cool, the stand makes it pretty handy I bet. I usally bring mine down from upstairs and warp it on the kitchen island. Is it your weaving on it now? I have something I was planning on felting afterward on my loom, but everything gets put aside when spring comes, so much to do outside.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Yes the weaving is on it now. I was a blanket for my mom. The sides have all caved in. I've been needing to unweave it for a few years now. There is no fix other than that. If I cut it off I think it would be too small/short. There isn't that much woven on it, just a few inches. But it is done in fine yarn.


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