OK, spinning 'experts', this one's for YOU!

I like my Schacht and you can get an extra high speed pulley for it that's suitable for spinning fine cotton. I do well enough with the 2 pulleys that came with it, spinning anything from lace weight to bulky. It also has the advantage that you can switch between double band drive and Scotch tension as your need requires. I do also like to spin fine merino on my heirloom flax wheel. The only wheel I don't use for fine spinning any more is my first wheel, a parlor wheel that has only one, fairly low, ratio. I think if I could have only one wheel and never needed to take it anywhere, I'd have the Schacht. But it is heavy, so I take my old parlor wheel to spinning meetings, and the heirloom is a family treasure, lovingly restored from having been almost reduced to a pile of sticks in mother's attic.

Helen "Halla" Fleischer, Fantasy & Fiber Artist snipped-for-privacy@verizon.net

Gonna have to say it Noreen, but in the end it depends on the individual, I have five wheels everyone different, and I use them all, but for very fine yarn, I think it wouldhave to be a double driveband I have on my landing, it's ancient and was made for someones wife in the UK it's been to America for most of it's working life then back to a grand daughter who put it up for sale, and I bought it...it has a large wheel, and asloping table, and the teeniest little foot treadle you ever did see. However this said, I use my Ashford Traditional, with the jumbo flyer all the time thick or thin, that blue multi I sent you was done on the jumbo.. Cheers....Cher

Thanks, Helen, for your input! Duly noted, and more thinking being done on my part! Noreen

Cher, Thanks for your input as well. I guess I'll have to do some more thinking and investigation! Hugs, Noreen

On Tue, 2 Aug 2005 13:06:53 -0500, "Noreen's Knit*che" spewed forth :

Well, you'll get as many answers are there are spinners.

For spinning very fine yarn from very fine fibers I'm really liking my charkha.

I can spin a fine yarn (30wpi maybe, plied) on my old gypsy wheel but I must be very VERY VERY very patient as she's not a very fast girl.

The big Norwegian is about 1/3 faster, but I must still be patient.

Before I traded the walking wheel for a loom I was able to spin singles of about 50wpi that plied to about 30wpi, but it was WAAAAAY too much work.

What's being offered in trade for your "extra" (gawd, is there such a thing?) wheel?

+++++++++++++

Reply to the list as I do not publish an email address to USENET. This practice has cut my spam by more than 95%. Of course, I did have to abandon a perfectly good email account...

Well, it IS an extra wheel, as it's EXACTLY like my first, hand built by my father in law..... and the people over at spin ol o gy offer pretty good trade in bux... anywhere from 70 to 150.... still thinking it over... Noreen

I always think that craft work is a very individual thing, whilst one person may do something one way it looks complicated to another person who does his or her own version of it both with the same results however. Same for wheels, it's how you handle it that counts, some wheels are too low for me, some too high...weird isn't it? cher

individual,

I guess you've figured out that what people are saying is that you can spin fine yarns on any wheel but most people do find they prefer a higher ratio in order to get enough twist into a fine yarn at normal drafting speeds. Ideally, you take yourself to a big wool show or big shop where they let you take a lot of wheels for a test spin. That's how I decided I wanted my second wheel. I did a test spin at MDS&W. Wasn't even looking for a second wheel at the time! But the higher ratio sure saves a lot of treadling and I especially like the wide treadle that I can rest both feet on and work like my treadle sewing machine. The thing is to find out what's comfortable for you. Some people like the action of the separate double treadles, but I find that much less relaxing. If I can't stand to spin on it for a whole evening, then it's not a production wheel for me. It pays to find that out before you buy! Charkas have the highest ratio of all, but for myself, I prefer my bobbins and flyers and having both hands free to play.

Helen "Halla" Fleischer, Fantasy & Fiber Artist snipped-for-privacy@verizon.net

Duly noted, Helen! I know that my wheel has a very slow ratio, my FIL built it following the one his elderly cousin had... and this second wheel I'm getting from my SIL is exactly the same, so... I figure, keep 'mine' as the 'rememberance' one and trade off the second. Hoping to get to a show in Atlanta over Thanksgiving. Thank again for your input! Hugs, Noreen

Hello Helen and Noreen

I have an old Quebec wheel with a very high ratio of 24 to one. I think indeed that it also is a flax wheel. It is great for spinning fine yarns. It has a double drive belt and so the take up is gentle at all times.

My new Lindrum wheel does a good job as well.

I would not use a production wheel where the power is on the bobbin, it tends to pull the fibers out of your hands before you have a good thread.

It is so good to talk about textiles again after 8 weeks of reading your messages but not being able to natter back....

Els

Hi Els I posted ages ago about Dyeing recipes, and was advised to ask you, I'm looking for old weird and wonderful natural dyeing tips recipes, and was waiting to 'see' you on here to ask if you had any.

Wooly kindly sent me a list of recipes, but can always do with more if you have any...like....oh I don't know, Holly or something done anything weird like that?

Nice to see you again.......hugz......Cher

Hello Cher, it is good to be back. Have been away from June 19th.....groan.

I will look for some odd recipies. I do think though that the ones I have used are more or less the well known ones. I was looking just now when we came home an hour ago, at the fennel I have growing on our septic field, and wondering if it is a dyeing plant. Have to look at that.

Have you ever dyed with copper pennies and amonia. It gives a lovely blue green shade. Have to look for the recipe.

stand by and I will see what I can find

big hug back

Els

Hi Els, lovely to have you back, and the recipes sound delightful, I've seen old pennies that have corroded that pretty greeny blue almost turquoise colour, so can imagine the colour you must mean... Never ever thought of dyeing with those those, and I have loads of the old pennies here...used to collect them...

Never tried fennel either, but sounds interesting, I've done sage with alum gives and interesting green...almost moss green. I've got a border of Basil out there at the moment, I ought to try that too...

Look forward to your postings......

hugz .....Cher

19th.....groan.

Cher, the general consensus is that plants with pungent odors are often good dyeing plants. I would just try it out, and play a bit. For the pennies I have to E-mail my friend in Toronto, I can's find my recipe. I will put some fennel with some wool in a pot and boil it up, just to see what comes up, most likely yellows and greens.

I am happy to be home and up to my neck in gardening.....Weather is great so that is no hardship

Els

Here is the recipe for dying with pennies.

100 gram of wool washed and wetted (that is about 4 onz) skeined 1/3 cup of amonia 2/3 cups of water 50 pennies a large glass canning jar with screw lid or a stainless steel pot with good fitting lid.

Mix amonia with the 3/3 cups of water Place pennies in your large container add the amonia mixture and 2 gallons of water, stir. Add wetted wool, gently stir again, and close your jar or pot tightly.

Put your pot in a warm sunny spot and stir twice a day. Take wool out when you have the colour you want. Longer is darker. Wash in soapy water. Note: Do keep your jar or dyepot tightly capped and away from kids and animals.

This recipe comes from Casselman's dyeing book (sorry I do not remember her first name, so someone help me out) She is a great Canadian dyer and lives in Nova Scotia.

Have fun Cher.

Tomorrow, just to do something else than all the paper work I have been doing, I will dye some wool, or rather I will try to dye some wool in fennel...LOL

Els

X-No-Archive: yes "Els van Dam" wrote

Green or bronze fennel, Els? And do you use the leaves or the roots?

Eimear

Els, I'm very intrigued with dyeing. I have 8 or 9 skeins of Lion Brand Fisherman's wool just waiting for me to get going. Could you clarify the recipe for dyeing with pennies? It says "1/3 cup of amonia and 2/3 cups of water." Further down, it says "mix amonia with the 3/3 cups of water." What do you mean by this? And then it says to add "2 gallons of water." That's in addition to the amount already listed, right?

Thanks for your help.

Janise

Janice I am glad you caught that mistake. It should read the same as in the ingredients list " 2/3 " cups of water

The two gallons of water are indeed in addition to the 2/3 cups of water you initially use to mix the amonia with.

Hope it is clear now

Happy dyeing

Els

Eimear this is going to be off the cuff......LOL I have never dyed with fennel before, so I am going to pick some flowers and some stems etc. throw it in a pot and add some wool. Come and see, if you are in the neighbourhood.....I will make you some coffee or tea.....

I have my septic field full with fennel, it is green fennel, at least I have not seen any bronze, but then I did not look to closely either. I am so ready for some fun stuff....LOL

Els