Many years ago I owned a spinning wheel that I loved. A buffalo rancher used to bring me buffalo hair that fell out into clumps where the buffalo were kept. I had great plans for all my yarn but when I moved to a different house there wasn't room for the spinning wheel to be set up in the living room so it was stored in a basement storage area. The house was an old house and one day I noticed that termites had eaten my wheel. Nothing else in the basement but the outside of two boxes had been eaten, but they ate my wheel!!! I was so upset that I cried as I carried it to the garbage. This was over twenty years ago and I just never got over the loss.
Every time I was at a quilt show where someone had weaving looms and spinning wheels I just wanted to camp in that booth and never leave. At the time I was so wrapped up in quilting that I didn't feel like I had enough time to move in so many different directions. Well, I have slowed down a lot with quilting, like almost stopped, and I have learned to weave and love it. It just seemed fitting that I started spinning some of the yarns for my weaving so the next step was to get a spinning wheel.
A lot has changed since my first spinning wheel, most of all the cost. This isn't a small investment, but then neither were my sewing machines. I did a lot of research about spinning wheels and since I had owned one before I had a general idea of the process and what I might want. My choice ended up being the Kromski Minstrel.
It had the most ratios without going to a larger saxony wheel and comes with two whorls. I wanted my wheel to be beautiful as well as functional but the ability to perform was very important. Isn't it a beauty. Originally I thought about getting an unfinished Minstrel because it was $120 less but after considering the pain it would be to stain and finish I decided the extra money would be well worth it.
This is what it will look like when it arrives. I will be gone the day it gets here at Rug School in Richardson, ND, but I don't think it will take too long for me to put together. I ordered it though an eBay store called
Winderwood Farm. They offered a few different choices of extras that come with the wheel like more bobbins, a niddy noddy, and wool. The communication with Robert, the owner, and his willingness to help me with any questions I have with putting the wheel together, getting the tension right, and learning to spin were more reason to buy from him. Plus they have a lot of great wool choices.
As excited as I am about my week at Rug School, and boy am I excited, now I'm excited to come home to my new wheel. I think I see knitting lessons in my future....
