The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: Blackbird on September 03, 2013, 01:02:53 pm
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:excited: :excited: :excited:
Have just bought a spinning wheel through my local Guild of Spinners and Weavers. It is a Haldane Lewis and I spent a couple of hours at my spinning group getting to grips with it (couldn't get on with Scotch drive, so set up for double drive). Sadly, I dropped it taking it home and the bobbin felt out of place, so hoping I've set it up again properly as it's a month's wait to the next group meeting. Am spinning the fleece from my Hebridean/Lincoln Longwool cross wether.
My first sweater is a long way off! :roflanim:
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Great to have another join the fray :spin:. One by one by one by one... :excited: :spin: :knit:
Haldane Lewis is a lovely wheel, you made a good choice there. :thumbsup: Do you have the assembly instructions? If not, a Raveller has them copied on her Haldane wheels project page (http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Nuttyspinner/haldane-spinning-wheels).
Shout if you need any help :).
Lincoln x Heb will be a lovely fleece to spin - perhaps not the easiest, but if you get the hang of that you will be well on your way!
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Great news. Enjoy your spinning :thumbsup:
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Happy spinning. :spin:
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My best wheel is a Haldane Lewis, I've been hunting for a jumbo flyer for it for years, Haldane are retired now :( Their Orkney wheel was a stunner too, a castle style. That's something else I would buy if I found one.
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A friend yesterday was saying that she wished she'd never parted with her Haldane Lewis wheel.
Woodlands Turney (http://www.woodland-turnery.co.uk/) can make Haldane bobbins to order. They may ask for (one of) your existing bobbin(s) as a pattern; I think I've heard Joan say that there are variations, even between wheels of the same type. Or I may have dreamed that. ::)
It might be worth asking them if they could make a jumbo flyer for your Lewis.
Orkneys do come up on eBay from time to time; one sold quite recently actually. The sellers don't always know what they've got, of course. ;)
Edited to remove unintended crossing out!
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No use just having the bobbins and flyer it needs taller maidens too. I want the proper one for the wheel made by Haldane so it matches. I know a chap who could make a set up, but it's not the same, the stain never quite matches etc.
My blacksmith hubby made me a new lazy kate for my Haldane which holds four bobbins. It sits in the original holes but is angled for easy plying. I make a lot of three ply fine yarns for stitched tapestry work and knitting.
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Wish I'd dusted off the alpaca fluff before taking that shot, lol
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Hi Blackbird and welcome to spinning :spin:
Did you get your wheel fixed ok?
Let us know how your spinning is going and what the Heb x Lincoln Longwool is like - not a cross-bred fleece I've seen.
Had a look at the TimberTops website. They've got darning mushrooms :love: I still have my Mum's one which must be at least 60 or 70 years old and is all scratched on the top. A TT 'shroom goes onto my wishlist.
Some weird wheels though :spin:
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Thanks all - the Ravelry link is useful, thanks Sally. I think I've set it up as it was before I dropped it. Will have a go at spinning on it again tonight. Have washed my Heb x fleece (just got it dry on the line before the weather broke) - 3 paper sacks full - he is a BIG sheep! The fleece is lovely - long staple, good crimp and beautifully fine and soft.
(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f223/umumford/Iphone031_zps3b865fba.jpg)
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Looks like nice wool :D very long neck wool too.
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He is a lovely boy :thumbsup:
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I like the fleece, and the sheep. Odd he's black though as Heb crosses are usually white. The parent must have been black dominant - luckily for you to have a lovely coloured fleece :spin:
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I hosted a craft evening here in Aberdeenshire and Woodlands turnery came and demostrated their crafts. It was a very good evening and the family is very talented!! I would recommend them to match anything turned. Pyrography and walking sticks are also specialities.
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Something you might like to try out with a bit of your coloured fleece is dyeing with acid dyes. I find that white wool and dark, dyed in the same dye bath, come out as a dark and light shade which perfectly harmonise, it's great fun :)
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I love dyeing coloured fleece too.
I have a project on at the moment where I am going to knit or crochet (not sure which yet) a sleeveless top in a mix of natural and acid dyed coloured wool. I'm currently preparing the coloured batts for dyeing :)