The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: Blinkers on February 22, 2008, 08:47:47 pm
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Does anyone happen to have one for sale please?? ::) I've been looking on Ebay a lot, but you hear all sorts of stories about them not being the real thing etc, that I've shied away. Mind you, never done any spinning in my life and OH says it'll be a 5 minute wonder cos I can't sit still for more 10 mins.....then I'm off outside again.....or asleep.....or at work >:( >:( So after I do find one, I'll need lessons ??? ??? Any suggestions gang?
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Hello Blinkers,
I think one of the most popular spinning wheels used to be the Ashford ( I think it was called ? ) They at least do work !!! But till you get one you could make do with a very simple device easily made at home ...a drop spindle . Just a wooden disc and a bit of dowel , they go back years and years.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drXid5cT0y8
Above is a handy little intro to drop spindle work ....At least with that method it costs hardly anything to do , so makes no difference if you get fed up with it . Good luck ....Russ
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Rustyme - hey that's great,thanks for that.
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Try going to Wonderwool in Builth Wells or Woolfest in Cumbria.................every spinning wheel ever made will be there!!! Try the more modern designs....I'm told they are easier.........I'm not good at spinning so cannot comment :-\
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Hey i was at wonderwool last may :)
I had my business hat on lol helpping my parents out with a second stand, i lost my voice from talking to so many people.
Unforunally missed out on fiberfest as my grandmother died :(
I have put a request in to help parents out this year but not sure if they'll let me. lol
blinkers i am in the middle of writting a blog here (http://fluffywelshsheep.wordpress.com/2008/02/24/starting-to-spin-wool/)that could help you out re the message you posted me, Also been in contact with my parents regardding your pm to me.
Linz
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http://youtube.com/watch?v=qnxRdJRcf3A
I have ordered some cotton seeds (100) which should arrive this week sometime ? ,and I found the above youtube clip which I found helpful . Thought that you may be interested too Blinkers ,Linz !!!!. I hope to grow linseed and hemp this year and now cotton too, so I will have to finish making my spinning wheel, or at least make up a few drop spindles....Russ
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good you-tube
One thing, I think you need two different style of machine for wool and cotton
I believes it down to tension/revelution of the wheel, I could be wrong, With a cotton spinning machine you also have a disstaff (spelling).
Linz
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yep ... I can't remember all the details now , but my spinning wheel has a distaff. I seem to remember that the difference is to do with take up speed and so on . I can make as many different types of bobbin and flyer as needed so no probs on that score, but I will check out in more detail to see what I need for the different fibres. Better safe than sorry lol.
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You'll have to post some picture so we can all see :)
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the spinning wheel is in the shed at the moment unfinished and right at the back ....so as soon as I can get some stuff moved out of the shed and can reach the sp.wheel I can take a few pics of it , and see how much I need to do to finish it....lol. I have a feeling that the actual wheel got left somewhere over the years , so I will need to make a new one ....just hope I can find the plans now ....
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hehe
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just found this site with the plans I have/had and made my wheel from . The one I made is spinning wheel plan number 1113 upright spinning wheel. Good to know even if I can't find my old plans I can get a new set. There is a set of plans for a really good loom in the weaving section too ....1105 42" foot power loom.
http://www.craftdesigns.co.uk/spinning1.html
I will try to sort out the sp.wheel tomorrow now....got me thinking about it again ...lol...,it has only been 24 years in the making.....
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they look good :)
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well, I managed to climb into the shed and dig out what I could find of the the sp. wheel. It is at least missing the wheel and one leg so far . I think that the leg is in the shed somewhere,fallen off the shelf , but the wheel I am almost sure is lost elsewhere !! :( Still most of it is there :D, so it shouldn't be too hard to finish off.....Here it is anyway:
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc21/rustyme57/spinning%20wheel/IMAG0059.jpg)
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc21/rustyme57/spinning%20wheel/IMAG0058.jpg)
As you can see it needs a good cleanup ,(as does the shed),and a coat or two of danish oil , but apart from that all seems ok .
Russ
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good :)
You have to keep us updates to your progress :)
you can never really tell how things are going to work out some times
linz
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yep will do ..... it will be later in the year before I get to doing the rest of it . I have to move loads of stuff ( rubbish) out of the shed before I can even get to the pole lathe and work bench , but I also have to grow the cotton and get hold of some fleece first anyway. So plenty of time ,hehehe, how many times have I said that before?....
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lol i have gotten to that stage and then some times i say am fed up so i have started a to do list and i am working my way thought it.
I am trying my best to start at the top and work down the list started at 20 and i think it is at 15 but i haveadded more to it.
I got a program that create my todo list as webpage that stays on my desktop (i have a prog that does it for me) then when i complete a task i knock it off the list and refresh the webpage
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;D....if I made a to do list it would take forever to write out ...and I would need shed full of hard drives to fit it all onto .....so I just do what comes along as and when ..... like last year between August and October ,I dug up 6,456 ragwort plants, and that didn't take into account the very small ones !!! There must have at least as many of those again....The place was covered in the stuff. ( And yes I know I am a saddo , counting the number of weeds dug up !!!)
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lol you got to do something will you diggy
:)
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http://www.pmwoolcraft.co.uk/
loads of stuff on that link .....you may need a credit card with a high limit though ......glad I make my own stuff...... ;D
Russ
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I love these links - had a look at this one and saw the link for Woolfest 2008 - I quite fancy going to that. My sister loves knitting and she's in Preston so we could have a girls' weekend at the woolfest. It's not quite Ibiza nights, is it?
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http://www.fibrefest.co.uk/
http://www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk/
two more links for you too look at
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rustyme.........you COUNT the ragwort?????? And I though I was bordering on the 'barking' by recording the number of eggs I get each day......for the last 10 years :o......but counting ragwort ....... now that's gotta be a project that no one else has.............or have they ??? ::) ??? ::) ??? ::) Maybe this needs a new posting elsewhere........."What do Smallholders do that ordinary people don't????"
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doesn't everyone then ? ;D, well, it may not be as barking as it sounds? ....The thing is I had to limit the amount of time I was spending digging ragwort , you know , other things to do and all that... Well , it took 45 minutes to dig 150 ragwort up ....so that was the amount of time I spent each day digging them . ::) eeeeerrrr but I did count them as well ....yes... ok it is totally barking , I also measure how much ground I dig each day .....and how many buckets of stone I carry up the field.....oh god ......(shrinks into chair) I think I will stop there ....
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:o :o :o 45 mins to dig 150 ragwort, you must be an absolute whirlwind. I'd get about 20 dug in that time. Do you use a Ragfork or a Magic wand??? Were you taught at Hogworts
by any chance ;) ;D
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lol...150 was just a nominal figure to aim for as there were so many to get rid of. The most I dug was 280, and I use the ragfork ....the wand got broken... ;) For the very small ones I used an ordinary table fork , the big old sort not a modern flat one, they bend to easily .( oh and I got expelled from Hogworts) Do you know how much pocket money they get at Hogwarts? quideach (quidditch) heheheeeee
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I have a spinning wheel for sale. It belonged to my father-in-law who is now deceased. He bought it in an antique shop some years ago. I am no expert on spinning wheels, in fact I know almost nothing about them. I think it is an authentic antique but probably only for display purposes. The cord is there that drives the wheel but it is broken. It is a nice piece of decorative furtniture but you would need to decide whether it is the sort of thing you are looking for. I have taken a digital photo of it and if you would like I can send you a copy for you to look at.
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Oh yes please Nigel. :) Actually, is it possible to add the photo to the site so that other people can see it and advice if they think it can be used or is just for ornamental purposes? Many thanks, M.
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you'll need to make sure it is a working machine not just a decorative one :)
the big giveaway is that there is no where for the wool to go on the 'flyer'
:)
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my mum got one from a local auction room for £40. It looks like the Ashford one a works brilliantly.
There is a Lady on another site who is part of the Cromford Spinsters, she is always happy to advise. pm me and will send the link.
http://www.geocities.com/arkwrightspinsters/ (http://www.geocities.com/arkwrightspinsters/)
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Yes I will download the picture and add it later, assuming I can find out where I add it to! Maybe you could tell me where I attach it on this site and how? Failing that if you give me your e-mail address I can send the picture to you as an attachment. By the way, I was mistaken, the cord is not broken. I have been told by an antiques dealer that it is a Lancashire spinning wheel dating around 1820. I cannot verify that, just what I have been told, albeit someone who is reputable and in the trade.
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Hi Nigel, I think you just click on the Additional Options button in the bottom left hand corner of the message box screen when you are writing a 'reply'. I THINK ! Anyone else advise please? ::) Alternatively, faithmead@websdc.com :D
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Hi, to add an image click reply, it is the second button from the left above the emoticons
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Hi all
I'm new to this site, sadly not a small holder, but it's my ambition, as I've been spinning for over 25 years and weaving since I was eight (won't tell you how long that is!) and dyeing since I left school ;D
I will be at Woolfest in June. Are any of you going to be there?
Please come and see me on my stand - Pure Tinctoria, natural dye extracts - I love to hear all about your exploits with your animals.
Take care.
Alison
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hiya am hoping to be the one at cocker mouth with my parents this year just waiting to be excepted (there on the resever list)
They are gona be an exhibition holder Woodland Turnery
They are currantly getting ready for Wonderwool this weekend.
Linz aka fws
am fluffywelshsheep on ravelry if your on that