The Wheel

My crazy fibre crafting really took on a mind of it's own, when earlier this year, I splashed out on a shiney new spinning wheel.  This is an idea I've had for a while, probably since about this time last year, but I always thought it would be an expensive waste, as I didn't have access to lessons.  So, I successfully managed to put it to the back of my wish list, thinking they were too expensive to fool around with.  Over on Ravelry, I'm a member of the Wildcraft group.  I get my spindles from there and a lot of my spinning fibre, and it was always making me a little envious seeing all these wheels and the things people did with them.  During one of these moments, I posted a comment about my wheel envy, and I got a lot of good natured replies, which set me off on a slippery slope.  I realised two things, one - there are wheels out there that aren't as expensive (even new) as I thought and two - perhaps I didn't need access to lessons.  I discussed these on the forum, and got a lot of encouragement, and dare I say, enablement.  It was pointed out the me that I had taken to spindle spinning really well, and it had given me a good grasp of the fundamentals of spinning.  And youtube was there for the rest.  And then in January, I came into a little extra money when I assisted one of the surgeons at work on a couple of cases, giving me nearly half the money that I'd need for the wheel I had set my heart on... and the rest, as they say, is history. (And I can't believe it's taken me up to now to blog about it!  Mainly because between it and my knitting, soon all my spare time was absorbed!!)

 The box has arrived!

 First tantalising glances - including some lucky dip fibre - I got a £15 fibre voucher with my purchase and asked them to pick a variety of good newbie fibres.

 The Wheel with it lovely turned spokes

 All the pieces laid out ready to be waxed

 Unable to resist that first treadle, even though the wheel wasn't ready yet.

And the finished article with my first attempts at spinning.

I tried to give her a name, but it never really stuck, she's just "The Wheel".

And I really haven't looked back since.  I've spun literally kilometers of finished yarns on it, and have never once regretted my decision.  I have read a couple of books, discussed it with the various forums and watched lots of youtube.  I really haven't needed lessons after all!