The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: Lesley Silvester on March 14, 2016, 11:54:20 pm

Title: Wool picker
Post by: Lesley Silvester on March 14, 2016, 11:54:20 pm
Have any of you spinners tried a wool picker - the swinging cradle sort? Classic Carders have just started to produce them. Mandy, whose husband makes the Classic range, belongs to my spinning group and brought one along for us to see and try out. I was immediately in love with it. Now my OH says he will pay half towards one as he still hasn't got me a Christmas present and it's my birthday next month. Going to order it on Saturday at the group.  :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited:
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: Bionic on March 15, 2016, 08:41:18 am
Not tried one myself but one of the ladies at my group had one made. She bought a wooden wine box from eBay and someone else put a load of big nails in it. The lid had nails too so sliding the lid back and forwards 'picked' the wool. Not sure she uses it much though.
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: Fleecewife on March 15, 2016, 11:31:41 am
Those things look absolutely lethal, the big ones at least.   I'll have a look at Classic Carders..... 
Let us know how you get on with it MGM


........I've just checked the website - nothing on there yet, but it doesn't appear to have been updated since Christmas.  Is he still trialing them?
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: Lesley Silvester on March 16, 2016, 12:14:43 am
Yes, FW, they do look lethal but it would take an effort to be able to hurt yourself while using it. I think that he's making them to order atm. I might not wait until Saturday in case Mandy isn't there. I'll be on that phone in the morning. He may even have one that M can deliver if she is at group on Saturday.
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: Fleecewife on March 16, 2016, 12:27:43 am

I think I detect a bit of excitement MGM  :innocent:

Can you post a pic when you get yours (and whisper how much it costs)
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: Lesley Silvester on March 17, 2016, 12:36:31 am
Except I forgot to ring.  ::) ::)


And the price is [takes a deep breath] £750. So glad OH didn't know what to get me for Christmas.


Excited? Me? Not at all.  :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited:
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: Dogwalker on March 17, 2016, 06:00:55 am
 :o Think I'll have to go without then!
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: Fleecewife on March 17, 2016, 10:28:13 am
:o Think I'll have to go without then!


Me too  :o.  Maybe we should have a picking party at your place MGM - bring your own fleece  :idea:
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: Bionic on March 17, 2016, 09:53:25 pm
£750...... Ouch
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: Lesley Silvester on March 18, 2016, 01:25:00 am
Yes, I know but with OH's contribution, what I've saved and the money I was going to spend on a new cooker, I can just about do it. Just hope I don't have a rainy day before I've built up the rainy day fund again.
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: Dogwalker on March 18, 2016, 01:30:19 pm
Cold food from now on then. ;D
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: Lesley Silvester on March 19, 2016, 12:48:26 am
Cold food from now on then. ;D


Not quite that bad. We do have a cooker and it works. It's just very small.


Oh the other hand, I like salad.
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: Lesley Silvester on March 21, 2016, 01:12:17 am
So much for plans. I woke up yesterday with bronchitis so missed the spinning group. Need to contact  Paul at Classic Carders to put my order in once I have regained my voice - very croaky at the moment and the slightest talking sets off another bout of coughing so I'm keeping quiet.
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: Dogwalker on March 21, 2016, 10:50:24 am
wrap up warm and take things easy.
Hope it goes quickly.
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: SallyintNorth on March 21, 2016, 07:10:35 pm
Minty wool picker for sale on Ravelry, £170 cash on collection, or £180 PayPal.  linky (http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/uk-spinners/3160764/776-800#800)
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: Lesley Silvester on March 22, 2016, 12:26:00 am
Thanks, Sally. I've just messaged about it. Not too far away to collect either. You may have just saved me from putting up with my tiny oven.  ;D I'll let you know the outcome.  :excited:
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: SallyintNorth on March 23, 2016, 10:18:38 am
[member=23109]Mad Goatwoman of Madeley[/member] - have a read of this (http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/uk-spinners/3399953/1-25) on Ravelry
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: Lesley Silvester on March 23, 2016, 11:52:22 pm
It got me a bit worried when someone else was looking. The seller is holding onto it for me and says I am first in line. Amazingly, she's Plumseverywhere's next door neighbour. I recognised the address.


I know that people have said that they are not as well made, particularly the tines, but I can try it. If I don't like it, I'm sure it will sell again, by which time I will have my cooker and have saved a bit more money for a Classic one.  :innocent:


Thanks again for pointing it out to me, Sally.
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: SallyintNorth on March 24, 2016, 07:20:28 am
Brilliant!  Let us know how you get on  :)
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: Lesley Silvester on March 30, 2016, 01:36:06 am
Got it!!  :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited:


I haven't tried it yet as I only had an hour between getting back and having to go out again. I'm going to give a try in the morning.


I also came home with a bag of Leicester Longwool to practice on.  :excited: :excited:
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: plumseverywhere on March 30, 2016, 09:54:03 am
Sorry didn't see you yesterday - was at opticians for 2 hours in the end  ::)   Isn't my neighbour just lovely?
Title: Re: Wool picker
Post by: Lesley Silvester on March 31, 2016, 12:42:20 am
Yes, she is lovely. I could have spent hours there talking spinning and weaving but needed to get home. Two hours is a long time to be at the opticians.


I tried the wool picker out today. The first thing I learned was that it is far to heavy for me to carry - my back is just not up to it. It was quite hard work to move the cradle, unlike the one I tried at our group. It might be because I tried it on the Leicester Longwool and the other fleece I used was a shorter stapled one. I'll try again tomorrow. I'm sure it's just a case of trial and error.