Normie
My amazing Norman Hall wheel
This picture also shows the tensioning system well - it is a tilt-tension, which I think is the easiest double-drive tension system. The screw can be turned as the bobbin fills, in very small increments, so that the tension can be maintained evenly throughout the bobbin.
I have 9 spinning wheels - this is counting the ones that are seldom spun on, such as the charka and the (antique, signed, fully functioning) great wheel. My first wheel was a Majacraft Suzie, and I still like her very much. In fact, I generally like all of the Majacraft wheels, it's just that I have discovered that for my type of spinning, I really like double drive, realtively fast wheels. I have 3 Majacrafts (one's out at the farm, so I'm not sure that it really counts), but they are all Scotch tension.
So, the latest 3 wheels are all double drive, with ratios that are on the higher side of average. I use them all, but for different things. The newest is a Timbertops Suitcase wheel, which is a saxony that completely comes apart for travel - the largest piece being the 18" rim-weighted drive wheel. It is good, but does take a few minutes to put together. I carry it around in a large tote-style basket, and the next time I get a chance I'll take a picture of it in the basket, it's pretty funny looking.
But Normie, seen above, is definately the most pleasurable wheel to spin on for extended periods of time. I don't even mind that he is single treadle, though I am a double treadle kind of girl. For anyone looking for a wonderful wheel about 7-10 yars from now, get on Norman Hall's list to be on the deposit list. Yep, he now has 2 lists, you need to be on a list to get on THE list. But hey, what do you have to lose? These wheels appreciate in value after you have them, and you won't even have to give him a deposit for at least 3-5 years.
Now you can see why the blog is titled as it is - I don't just stash yarn (1348 skeins and 20 cones at the latest count) or fiber (about 90 pounds right now, I really need to set up a spreadsheet for this as I have for my yarn) but I even stash wheels!
And a close-up of the flyer, showing how amazingly large the bobbins are (and how long I can spin without dusting the wheel)
This picture also shows the tensioning system well - it is a tilt-tension, which I think is the easiest double-drive tension system. The screw can be turned as the bobbin fills, in very small increments, so that the tension can be maintained evenly throughout the bobbin.
I have 9 spinning wheels - this is counting the ones that are seldom spun on, such as the charka and the (antique, signed, fully functioning) great wheel. My first wheel was a Majacraft Suzie, and I still like her very much. In fact, I generally like all of the Majacraft wheels, it's just that I have discovered that for my type of spinning, I really like double drive, realtively fast wheels. I have 3 Majacrafts (one's out at the farm, so I'm not sure that it really counts), but they are all Scotch tension.
So, the latest 3 wheels are all double drive, with ratios that are on the higher side of average. I use them all, but for different things. The newest is a Timbertops Suitcase wheel, which is a saxony that completely comes apart for travel - the largest piece being the 18" rim-weighted drive wheel. It is good, but does take a few minutes to put together. I carry it around in a large tote-style basket, and the next time I get a chance I'll take a picture of it in the basket, it's pretty funny looking.
But Normie, seen above, is definately the most pleasurable wheel to spin on for extended periods of time. I don't even mind that he is single treadle, though I am a double treadle kind of girl. For anyone looking for a wonderful wheel about 7-10 yars from now, get on Norman Hall's list to be on the deposit list. Yep, he now has 2 lists, you need to be on a list to get on THE list. But hey, what do you have to lose? These wheels appreciate in value after you have them, and you won't even have to give him a deposit for at least 3-5 years.
Now you can see why the blog is titled as it is - I don't just stash yarn (1348 skeins and 20 cones at the latest count) or fiber (about 90 pounds right now, I really need to set up a spreadsheet for this as I have for my yarn) but I even stash wheels!
posted by Shelia at 4:08 PM
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