Author Topic: Gandhi's spinning wheel (Read 2300 times)

Ina · « **on:** November 06, 2013, 11:16:02 am »

On BBC today:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-24815476

Have never seen anything like it - but it sounds very useful: folds up small for transport. Does anybody have an idea how it would work? And why it's not better known in this part of the world?

Spinningfishwife · « **Reply #1 on:** November 06, 2013, 11:28:36 am »

Strictly speaking it's a book charka rather than a spinning wheel. The drive wheel is turned by hand and this turns the spindle at high speer via a gearing system. You spin off the point of the spindle the same way you would on a great wheel. The downside is the capacity of the spindle is not that great, you'd only be able to spin a few yards of DK onto a charka spindle! The high speed though means it's ideal for spinning fine cotton and silk threads and you can get a fair amount of fine thread on a charka spindle.

EYA Charkha Spinning 1.AVI

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #2 on:** November 06, 2013, 08:52:35 pm »

That's interesting. I'd not seen or heard of them before.

Ina · « **Reply #3 on:** November 08, 2013, 06:20:37 am »

Ah - thanks! That's one to remember for when you want to grow your own flax...

Spinningfishwife · « **Reply #4 on:** November 08, 2013, 07:36:39 am »

Quote from: Ina on November 08, 2013, 06:20:37 am

Ah - thanks! That's one to remember for when you want to grow your own flax...

Nonono, for flax you'd be better with a standard spinning wheel, either a good vintage flax wheel with a distaff or a modern equivalent. A distaff (the upright pole attachment where you place the bundle of prepared flax fibre) makes flax spinning far easier. Flax on a charka? It's perfectly possible, but I wouldn't like to spin more than a few yards that way.

Ina · « **Reply #5 on:** November 08, 2013, 03:51:43 pm »

OK. Just thought it's unlikely I'll ever be growing cotton...

Or silk, actually. That explains why they are quite unknown around here!

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #6 on:** November 09, 2013, 07:34:01 am »

You can buy charkas on eBay for rather less than Gandhi's one

. A friend and I have a yen to try to spin the cotton grass that grows on the moss hereabouts, but better spin regular cotton first, huh.

I spin flax on an Ashford Traddy and enjoy it. Slower is better, you want very low twist for flax. I've seen a serviceable distaff made from a broom, a paper cone and some ribbon, but I've been taught to wrap the long fibres loosely in a tea towel and spin from that, no distaff required.

JulieWall · « **Reply #7 on:** November 15, 2013, 12:41:59 pm »

The Indian spinning was mostly cotton which is tricky and requires a lot of twist. Also you need to master the art of long draw using just one hand as the other is used to drive the wheel.
What fibre was that lady in the video spinning, anyone know? Was it silk waste?