Our New Wheel

As you already know, we are learning to spin. It started with Allura, who bought a drop spindle and a bag of mixed fiber. From that, she developed a desire to have a wheel. We bought her an Ashford Kiwi for her highschool graduation gift.
A few months ago, Allura brought it downstairs to the livingroom, so she could spin while she watched TV. When she was not using it, she set it on a cabinet. So it sat there, day after day, beckoning the rest of us to give it a try, just a try. Well, we did and we were hooked.

The Kiwi has 2 treadles, and this made me, who learned to sew on a treadle sewing machine, want to spin the wheel to fast. The yarn I made on it was not a success. We'll just leave it at that. But I really wanted to learn to spin, as did Sarah and Bethany.

Gene decided we should buy another wheel. He wanted me to go to our local fiber store and try out wheels, to see which one I liked best. I found I liked the Ashford Traditional. It has the ability to go nice and slow, and was much easier to prevent backward spinning than the Kiwi (at least for me, Allura would roll her eyes at this). I also love the look of the old fashioned spindles on the wheel.
We bought the wheel unfinished and Gene took the time to lovingly finish it for me. He used goldleafing to make the heart shaped leaves in the ivy around the wheel. He also gold leafed some of the other details. It really pays to have a husband who does painting and hand lettering for a living.
We are having so much fun learning to spin. We actually have made some useable yarn, and are in the process of knitting it into cabled scarves. We have spun through almost all of the 3lbs of fiber we purchased from The Sheep Shed Studio, and are anxiously awaiting our first fleece, from a neighbor, to skirt, clean and card.
Who knew that something our ancestors would have considered to be work would be so much fun!