Tuesday, October 17, 2006
It's an Ashford!
Lookie what I got! No I did not run out and buy a spinning wheel. It's on loan from a very generous woman in my guild - I love her. I've learned something very important since aquiring this wheel. I can not walk and chew bubblegum at the same time. Seriously guys how in the world to you treadle and draft at the same time?? I keep winding up with this. 
I know more than a few of you guys spin so - help!!If possible I'd like to become respectable at this by Saturday - well maybe respectable is aiming a little high - I'd like to not look like a total moron when I start to test drive wheels at Rhinebeck so any helpful hints you could shoot my way would be great!
Don't forget my bloggy birthday party! You've still got a couple of days to get your name in the hat - all you have to do is DE-LURK!! Leave a comment send an e-mail SHOW YOURSELF!! Walaa name goes in the hat - what could be easier. I'll be picking the name on Thursday so hurry hurry de-lurk now before you forget!
// posted by ~Jody @ 8:02 PM 
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this is going to sound weird: treadle more slowly. You probably don't need to treadle as fast as you are (but it's so fun!) and it'll help you find some extra time to draft. :)
good luck finding your perfect wheel at rhinebeck! wish I could go! :)
good luck finding your perfect wheel at rhinebeck! wish I could go! :)
# posted by 
: 9:39 PM
: 9:39 PM
So cool!
We can test drive wheels together.
FP has my wheel yarn - she's washing it and putting it into a ziploc for me - I'm allergic. Poop.
We can test drive wheels together.
FP has my wheel yarn - she's washing it and putting it into a ziploc for me - I'm allergic. Poop.
That looks like fun. Good luck with finding a wheel.
I WANNA GO TO RHINEBECK TOO!
I WANNA GO TO RHINEBECK TOO!
# posted by : 9:56 PM
: 9:56 PM
What a great loan! I also have an Ashford Traditional and like you, I tend to get an overtwisted single.
Jess' suggestion to slow your treadling speed is very good one. It should feel almost painfully slow, but with practice, it will become rythmic and almost hypnotic. The other thing I noticed is that the drive band (assuming a single band wheel) looks like it is on the small whorl on the flyer. Move it to the larger wheel. What this does is reduce the number of twists that go in the yarn with each revolution of the wheel. You'll have to adjust the drive band tension, which is done with the round knob that points up towards the flyer.
If you are still having problems, try loosening the Scotch tension. You'll do this using the round knob that points towards the wheel. Getting the tension right might be a bit fiddly; what you're looking for is the flyer to not move when you are winding on to the bobbin.
One other thing that helps is to pre-draft the roving. Separate it into narrow strips, almost as narrow as the yarn you want to spin. Doing so prevents you from having to draft as you go, which mean that you can work on treadling speed and such.
Sorry for the long comment. If you have any questions about it, email me at TLHSimondsATverizonDOTnet.
Happy spinning!
Jess' suggestion to slow your treadling speed is very good one. It should feel almost painfully slow, but with practice, it will become rythmic and almost hypnotic. The other thing I noticed is that the drive band (assuming a single band wheel) looks like it is on the small whorl on the flyer. Move it to the larger wheel. What this does is reduce the number of twists that go in the yarn with each revolution of the wheel. You'll have to adjust the drive band tension, which is done with the round knob that points up towards the flyer.
If you are still having problems, try loosening the Scotch tension. You'll do this using the round knob that points towards the wheel. Getting the tension right might be a bit fiddly; what you're looking for is the flyer to not move when you are winding on to the bobbin.
One other thing that helps is to pre-draft the roving. Separate it into narrow strips, almost as narrow as the yarn you want to spin. Doing so prevents you from having to draft as you go, which mean that you can work on treadling speed and such.
Sorry for the long comment. If you have any questions about it, email me at TLHSimondsATverizonDOTnet.
Happy spinning!
well, you can always pull it out, take out some twist and then rewind it back onto the bobbin manually. ;) hehehe. or better yet, predraft and make laceweight where lots of twist is preferred anyway. har har har.
so. much. fun! you wheel whore, you. look at you! i don't think you can even blame me for your spinning obsession now. nope! i'm not the scapegoat this time. :)
so. much. fun! you wheel whore, you. look at you! i don't think you can even blame me for your spinning obsession now. nope! i'm not the scapegoat this time. :)
Ooh.. you got one.. even if it is only on loan..
Now, go have some fun with it! I can't wait to see what you spin!
Enjoy! :)
Now, go have some fun with it! I can't wait to see what you spin!
Enjoy! :)
# posted by : 5:08 AM
: 5:08 AM
I think Jess and Teri pretty much said it all! Good luck. Hopefully I'll see you at Rhinebeck!
# posted by : 7:35 AM
: 7:35 AM
Wohoo! Nice wheel! Spinning is something I haven't succumbed to yet, but it sure is temptimg when the tools are so durn pretty...
BTW - I sent you a little something in the e-mail, but it might've gone to your junk mail folder. Let me know if you didn't get it. Your first real live package will be in the mail this week.
Your Sockret Pal
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BTW - I sent you a little something in the e-mail, but it might've gone to your junk mail folder. Let me know if you didn't get it. Your first real live package will be in the mail this week.
Your Sockret Pal
# posted by : 12:28 PM
: 12:28 PM << Home
