Sprite64
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Uh oh - I feel a purchase coming on!I visited my local guild of spinners etc. today - we have something called 'art weeks' round here and they had an exhibition. I had already chatted with one of the ladies on ravelry - she only lives about 12 miles from me. She let me have a go on her ashford traveller - I also got to try a Joy and a schacht ladybug. OH had a go on the traveller too and he got on really well - the ladies were very impressed! They were all really friendly and keen to help and showed me some lovely yarns which they'd made.
So - I think I'm going to take the plunge and get a wheel. I guess I don't really need another hobby - but it's not *really* another hobby is it? I thought I would find it easier to choose a wheel once I'd had a go - but I'm finding it really hard 
I have a budget of £400 ish - I really don't think I can spend more than £450. I've been trying to decide by writing down what I want to make and what I think I want from a wheel. It hasn't helped much!
I definately want to make sock yarn and I'd like to try lace too. I guess i'd make bulkier yarns too - although at the moment I tend to knit mostly socks. I'm not too worried about having a really portable wheel - although I would like to take it with me to guild meetings etc. I liked the Joy but I think it's a bit too small - I won't have to hide it away at home so I want something nice to look at too. I have to say, although I found the traveller nice to use I'm not overly in love with it's looks (although OH really liked it!). The ladybug is really cute - but I did find it more tricky to get it going than the joy or traveller (they were both single treadle) - but then I only spent a short time on it.
ARGHHHHHH.
Now - I've also been looking at the majacraft suzie which I really like the look of - it's really at the top end of my budget though - and I haven't tried it out.
So - I'm totally stuck. I'll have to write another list and do a bit more research. P&M woolcraft aren't too far from me so I might give them a call and arrange to go and visit.
Any thoughts, advice etc. please?!
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CJ
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well, I'm a beginner too, but I have a single drive single treadle ashford traveller. I do like it, but it's not the most comfy for me to use as I find I bash my shins on the bar at the front. I've also found out that ashford no longer do the lace flyer kits, so it might be hard to spin lace on mine.  Although I'm sure a more experienced spinner could. 
I tried out a double treadle lendrum, and all I can say is wow - that was very smooth. But the best advice given to me was to buy a cheap second hand one first to practise on whilst you decide how you want to spin.
hth. I'm saving up for a new wheel too. 
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n
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Get a suzie pro!
majacraft are the Rolls Royce of spinning wheels.
littleberry has a rose which is also a nice wheel, and the little gem is the foldable version of the suzie, but really, unless you are planning on transporting it around the place, I'd go for a suzie... as long as you like the look. You'll never want another wheel. The inertia on that big chunk of green is fantastic, it just goes and goes and goes, it's effortless.
I waited 18 months to get mine, I had a Kiwi first, and it was well worth the wait.
If you can bear to wait there will be wheels at Woolfest which is only 5 weeks away.
n
(not that I'm biased or anything!)
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Sprite64
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Thanks! I do want to be able to do lace (I think!) so it's a shame if the traveller won't be able to do that.
I don't think we will be able to go to woolfest this year - it's a long ole drive for us (South Oxon). I'm going to contact PM Woolcraft and see if I can visit and try some different wheels - they aren't too far from us. I really like the look of the suzie.
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n
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You can set up the head with the flyer on the right or the left. Conventionally they're set up with the flyer on the left, but if you look on my blog at the last photo with the greeny fibre you can see that mine is set up with the flyer on the right (as it faces you)... managed to get the photo to load so it's at the end of the post.
This is because I spin with my left hand at the front and my right doing the backward draw.
It's a small thing but I liked that the suzie could be set up either way. I think louet wheels have an exactly central flyer.
n
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Sprite64
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I saw your post on Ravelry - I love that green - it looks fab!
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janice
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I bought the Ashford Kiwi for a couple of reasons, number one was that I found it easy to spin on and secondly, it wasn't dear so if it was a total disaster then I wouldn't have lost too much money lol
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Sprite64
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I know what you mean about not wanting to lose money - I'm in two minds really. I've got enough for the suzie or suzie pro and I don't mind spending the money on it (as it's sort of 'extra' money - my yarnimals profits from the last year - and I wanted to get something from it which I will notice rather than just frittering it away). Fingers crossed I'll be able to go to PM Woolcraft next weekend and try one or two wheels.
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CJ
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oh, let me know how you get on, cos I'm thinking of going to PM too sometime to try out a few. they might even have some second hand ones, as I think they do from time to time. 
I'm leaning towards a lendrum DT or louet victoria if I can try them out again. I don't think I'd go for a majacraft though as can't justify the extra money. 
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Sprite64
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I'll let you know how I get on! I've emailed them so hopefully they'll get back to me tomorrow sometime. They're probably the closest to me so I hope they are good! I'd prefer to buy in person really.
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CJ
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a friend bought her lendrum from them, and she said they're really nice/helpful
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Sprite64
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| CJ wrote: | | a friend bought her lendrum from them, and she said they're really nice/helpful |
Ah, that's nice to know. I'm trying to to get too excited now. Must go and do something useful - I keep looking at all the spinning groups on Ravelry.
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LittleBerry
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I love my Rose, it was a toss up between that and a Suzie Pro but it boile ddown to I just prefered spinning on the Rose...
Any Majacraft is a beautiful piece of 'furniture' to look at and well engineered, I catch DH just watching it when I spin... when you look at what you get for your money they aren't expensive really... oh and the bobbin capacity is fantastic.....
She was worth saving up for 8 months  )
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Sprite64
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Well, unfortunately PM didn't have a suzie or a suzie pro. I spoke to a nice lady at Hedgehog Equipment which is in Wales - not too far from us - she only has a suzie pro in stock but has ordered more stock which should arrive in about 2 weeks so I could go and try all of them then. This whole wheel-choosing thing seems to be getting harder instead of easier! My dear OH has said maybe going to Woolfest isn't a bad idea - but it's a really long drive from us (about 4.5 hours) so we'd have to stay over for a couple of nights too.
I'm not sure what to do now. I might just go up to Wales when the wheels are in stock - maybe even see if I can have a lesson while I'm there as I see Sarah teaches spinning too. I'm a bit worried it might be a bit hectic at Woolfest. I spoke to someone at fibrecrafts in Guildford and they had 7 wheels out as demos but they don't do majacraft and I really do like the look of them best (shallow, yeah!!).
I'm hopeless!
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CJ
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I know what you mean. I had it in my mind I wanted a traveller, so I got a secondhand one. And now that I do have one, I want something a bit more portable, so am looking at the two I mentioned.  Don't have one in your mind just from looking at it, as you might get on better with another wheel when you try them. And make sure you decide if you want portable or not as some of the wheels are heavier than others.
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pictish
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The Majacrafts are gorgeous!! I borrowed one while I was waiting for my Lendrum - it might have been the Suzie Pro and it was beautiful to use. Couldn't afford it tho
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Sprite64
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I'm not too bothered about it being really portable to be honest - and they are expensive it's true - but I decided to treat myself to something which will last ages
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CJ
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Lucky you then
I'm going to try out the ones I like the look of, then go for the one I get on with the best - regardless of cost.  actually, it all depends on how much I can save up and how much money I get for my birthday/xmas. maybe I should start looking for a job, but then I'd have to pay for childcare.
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Sprite64
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A couple of spinning books and a copy of 'Spin Off' magazine just fell into my basket when I was looking on PMs site. Oops. Thought I might as well do a bit of reading before I get to try out the wheels
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modelwidow
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Well of course, it is only sensible to prepare as much as you can didn't any fibre fall in as well?
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n
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n
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Sprite64
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Oi - stop laughing n!
No fibre got anywhere near my basket. I'm not buying any. Not until I get my wheel. It's going to be hard enough waiting for 2 - 3 weeks as it is - although last night I must admit I started wondering why I want a spinning wheel and maybe I should buy something else instead. I think that moment has passed now haha!
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CJ
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ah, but you could always use the time to practise pre-drafting your fibre, then it would be ready the second your wheel arrived.
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Sprite64
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| CJ wrote: | | ah, but you could always use the time to practise pre-drafting your fibre, then it would be ready the second your wheel arrived. |
I'm not listening!
Actually I'm knitting at my desk. Just had my sarni. Feeling quite stressed at work today - things aren't working (I'm a computer programmer) so I thought I'd knit for a while. I'm making a scarf in some of n's lovely Lochan - it's very nice.
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