# Wheel ID?



## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

Hi y'all!  I have a friend of mine who was given an antique spinning wheel for Christmas. She is a fiber enthusiast on the long road from learning how to knit to leaning towards spinning to getting her first wheel now to probably sheep in the back yard in a few years.  So she sent me pictures, and I was wondering if anyone could figure out what kind of a wheel it is. The pictures were a bit small but I enlarged them as much as I could without pixelating them.  I hope that there is enough to go off of here, and thanks for your help!


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## Rosepath (Feb 18, 2011)

It looks like a high wheel that's missing the spinning assembly, or the parts that contain the spindle. Which on a high wheel is usually an iron spike held between two leathers that are attached to wooden uprights, and all that fits into the vertical post in the front of the wheel.
Perhaps a skilled woodworker could fabricate the spindle by copying a wheel that's complete, a lot of museums and living history farms have working high wheels. It's a pretty piece and the wood is lovely.


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## kkbinco (Jun 11, 2010)

Also called a Great Wheel or Walking Wheel.

A nice video of one in action:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt...03534&feature=player_detailpage&v=197fhrT65Cw


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

Awesome, thanks! I was trying to figure out how you would spin on it.


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## Johnny Dolittle (Nov 25, 2007)

kkbinco said:


> Also called a Great Wheel or Walking Wheel.
> 
> A nice video of one in action:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-ts=1421914688&x-yt-cl=84503534&feature=player_detailpage&v=197fhrT65Cw


Years ago a spinner was telling me about these treadle-less wheels called Great Wheels

Great video and i enjoyed the song also.

I think maybe some had even larger wheels ????

Wow this wheel in the op would make a great show piece


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Here are two examples of the mother of all that is missing


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

Thanks for the pictures Cyndi, as always you guys are a wealth of information.


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

Also, what would your recommendation be for a beginning spinning wheel restoration enthusiast? I know that there is the Antique Spinning Wheel group on Ravelry, any other resources?


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## kkbinco (Jun 11, 2010)

You might want to take a look at http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEff12/KSFEATff12glossary.php , a blog on the Great Wheel that has several references in it.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Also want to mention that the drive wheel in Lythrum's photos and in my photo are on the wrong side of the upright.


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## Melzabub (Jan 27, 2015)

Hi, all. I'm Lythrum's friend, the new owner of that great wheel. Thank you so much for the links, info, and photos of what's missing on my wheel. 

Should I be alarmed that I'm mentally re-arranging my house so that I can display my wheel to its best advantage? I mean, do we really _need_ a dining room? It would make a lovely spinning room/library. 

I look forward to chatting with y'all here in FAC! 

:happy2:


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## Lythrum (Dec 19, 2005)

No, you'll be doing more re-arranging for the other wheels that you will be buying. Give in now.


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

Welcome! ! !
I think we all do that. I display wheels proudly in the living room.


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## Johnny Dolittle (Nov 25, 2007)

Melzabub said:


> Hi, all. I'm Lythrum's friend, the new owner of that great wheel. Thank you so much for the links, info, and photos of what's missing on my wheel.
> 
> Should I be alarmed that I'm mentally re-arranging my house so that I can display my wheel to its best advantage? I mean, do we really _need_ a dining room? It would make a lovely spinning room/library.
> 
> ...


Please send pics.... I love seeing those wheels .... they have a look of their own.

I am thinking they made even larger wheels so that you would spin the wheel and because of the large size the wheel would have enough momentum that you could walk away from it giving full attention to your spinning for a short time.... thus the name "walking wheel" ???

I may be wrong .... the experts will be along soon if I need corrected.


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## kentuckyhippie (May 29, 2004)

Melzabub said:


> Hi, all. I'm Lythrum's friend, the new owner of that great wheel. Thank you so much for the links, info, and photos of what's missing on my wheel.
> 
> Should I be alarmed that I'm mentally re-arranging my house so that I can display my wheel to its best advantage? I mean, do we really _need_ a dining room? It would make a lovely spinning room/library.
> 
> ...


LOL I got rid of my couch so I would have room in the living room for my great wheel. then got rid of the end table so there was room for the treadle sewing machine and the recliner so there was room for the loom and so it goes lol


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## Kasota (Nov 25, 2013)

Welcome aboard, Melzabub! Congratulations on the new wheel! There is a Ravelry group devoted to the great wheels. They are a wealth of information as well. They have a sticky thread on repairing and maintaining these wheels. 

You can find them here:
http://www.ravelry.com/groups/spindle-wheels

As for re-arranging your house all I can say is, "Welcome to the rabbit hole."


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

They are called walking wheels because you walk as you use them. You don't really walk away from them, and you generally spin with one hand while turning the wheel with the other. 
It's quite amazing to watch.


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

Here's my favorite video of spinning on a great wheel, starting our very own Frazzlehead! 
 Drafting from the fold - Great Wheel Spinning: http://youtu.be/5D8vaa9TRqk


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## Johnny Dolittle (Nov 25, 2007)

SvenskaFlicka said:


> They are called walking wheels because you walk as you use them. You don't really walk away from them, and you generally spin with one hand while turning the wheel with the other.
> It's quite amazing to watch.


Well I like to go the Living Historical Farms and back in the '90's I recall a conversation with a woman who gave tours in one of the farmhouses. I ask questions about the great wheel and I am fairly sure she said they walked away.

Maybe she was wrong or maybe I misunderstood her ????


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

If that is what she told you, then she was very much incorrect.

I have been at historical living farm and some small town museums that I have had to correct what was being said or a label on an item.


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## Johnny Dolittle (Nov 25, 2007)

You can google and select images and what I see is always the women standing beside the wheel.... some wheels very large


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Yes Johnny that is a walking or great wheel. As you can see the woman spinning may walk away from the spindle itself but remains in contact with the drive wheel. She would walk forward and back as she winds the yarn onto the spindle.


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## Johnny Dolittle (Nov 25, 2007)

The woman at the historical farmhouse was not demonstrating and I am thinking now that I misunderstood her.... maybe ?

She talked about walking back and forth from the spindle... but did not mention that you stay in contact with the wheel .... so would be easy for a non spinner to misunderstand.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Yup! I got to spin on one at a historical village here and they aren't easy. The thing bit me the first time . If your not a spinner it is very easy to misunderstand how things are done.


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## Johnny Dolittle (Nov 25, 2007)

Well I have never spun ....
.... but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express :happy2:


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