Only had a few minutes to try her out but what can I say? I'm smitten! This may very well be the wheel of my dreams. It is an antique - likely made sometime around the turn of the century - and I don't mean this one...late 1800's to early 1900's. I was told it is a Laurence Canadian Production Wheel. The drive wheel is huge - I didn't measure it but apparently 30 to 32" is common.
I joined a group on Ravelry devoted to this type of wheel and I've been learning more about the typical characteristics of this type of wheel - the spokes are 'three bead' - I think you can just make out the three bumps on the spokes.
This picture isn't great - cell phone camera, after all.
The wheel will reside at the guild room for the time being. It really is a very large wheel and there isn't room in my living room for it right now.
Ooh! It's beautiful! Happy spinning...
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful!
ReplyDeleteAmazing to me how many of those Quebec wheels are still around! Thom & I recently helped a guild member get a similar one going. It hadn't been spun on for quite some time and needed a lot of de-gunking and oiling to spin again. But my, it's got momentum! The only drawbacks that I can see are the small bobbin and the fact that you probably only have one of them. (I can't get by with less than 6 per wheel.) Happy spinning!
ReplyDeleteHi Louisa, yes the orifice is pretty small but Jude provided an orifice hook that fits. :) Only one bobbin but I can wind off onto one (or more) of my plastic spools and ply from there. I'm thinking I need *another* wheel for plying as I've heard these wheels don't like to go the other direction. :-/
ReplyDeletecheers,
Laura
Ha-ha! One wheel begets another - and another...
ReplyDeleteOoh, you will love this wheel! I bought one two years ago from a fellow guild member who likes spinning art yarn and that's possibly the one thing this wheel will NOT do very well. I spin to weave and knit, and this has become my 'go to' wheel. Mine is a Bordua, stamped on the table as such. My husband named it "Antonio" as in Antonio Banderas - sleek and sexy and fast like a Maserati. It has stuck. Happy spinning!
ReplyDelete