Monday, 14 March 2011

I have a little confession ...

Oh no, don't worry it's nothing bad.

In fact, it's something really good.

Wanna see?

I don't know how I've kept it quiet so long.

It's been keeping me busy lately.

Getting used to it, feeling it's rhythm.

Well I always say that going to our Guild meetings is a wonderful thing, and visiting and re-visiting the sales table is a must, things get brought in throughout the first hour or so of the meeting. Members de-stashing can bring some joy to someone else.

So do you know what I came home with that day?

No, not more fleece!

Okay, suspense over, I came home with this ...



Lovely isn't she? She's a Louet, solid oak and spins just lovely.  They don't make them in Oak anymore, they became too expensive to make. It's an older model and they originally build for spinning bulky yarn - it has a large orifice and the bobbins are massive! They will hold up to 8 ounces/250g of wool, that's a whole lotta yarn. Just look at the size of the bobbin compared to the Ashford bobbin!

big bobbin!
 
It can obviously still be used to spin finer yarns which I am doing at the moment but it's great to have a wheel that could do really bulky yarn too without having to buy the jumbo flyer for the Ashford wheel. She spins quite differently to the Ashford traditional, all wheels I've tried feel different, this is so smooth and relaxing.

Lovingly it has had one previous very careful owner, a friend of mine at the guild and a great spinner - I've seen lovely yarn spun on this wheel by her. She felt it was time to part with this wheel, she has others and this one she just doesn't use anymore. So I gained a beautiful wheel and at a very good price too. I have been looking recently to buy a traveller style wheel, something easier to take to meetings and events, and this came at the right time.

lots of carded wool ready to spin ...
... stored in my preferred method - old pillowcases!


... and the resulting spun yarn
it takes a while to fill these bobbins!

Imogen loves this wheel and is eager to have a go, which I said she could once I'd got used to her rhythm.

12 comments:

  1. Wow, very big bobbins! Sounds as if it was meant to be! Enjoy getting to know her. :)

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  2. Oh wow!! She is such a beautiful wheel! Absolutely gorgeous:)
    xo
    Linda

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  3. Oh lovely wheel. Lucky you, what a fine thing to get your hands on. xx

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  4. What a gorgeous wheel! Are you going to start selling your hard or carded wool ?

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  5. I would love to learn how to spin and to have fiber to actually spin...

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  6. That's such a beautiful spinning wheel and I LOVE those big bobbins, so solid. What a lovely thing to have and with so much history behind it. xxx

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  7. Oh lucky, lucky you Dawn! What fun you must be having!

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  8. Isn't that the way it should be. Something perfect turns up at just the right moment. It looks a lovely wheel and made of oak as well. Judging by the yarn on the bobbin, you are wasting no time getting to know this wheel!

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  9. Lovely wheel, and what big bobbins...it takes me a while to fill an Ashford one! Have fun! xx

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  10. Wonderful ! One of the shop next to my house is selling one with a lot of stuff with for £ 200. Don't know if it's ok !! ???

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  11. That wheel looks lovely! And upright would take up less space I imagine too. I like the idea of pre owned things like spinning wheels, and oak is rather special...have fun!

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