Coming Attractions . . .
It has occurred to me that I might have lost my marbles.
On Friday, I bought a Lendrum Saxony spinning wheel. If you're not a spinner, this probably isn't going to thrill you or make a whole lotta sense - but if you are a spinner, you can pick yourself up off the floor now, please ;-D
I don't need another wheel. My portable Lendrum (which I adore) does pretty much everything except the dishes. But for some reason, I have been longing for a traditional style wheel (they call them saxony wheels). I really wanted a Lendrum because I so love how they spin, and their ease of use. However, a Lendrum Saxony is one of the hot wheels right now, and Gord Lendrum - the guy who makes them - is a one-man band. The waiting list to get one is years long, unless you happen to find a dealer who has some in stock or who just got an order (that wasn't already spoken for).
Since I hadn't been able to find one, I was starting to think about a Schacht-Reeves, which I had a chance to try out at Toni's (The Fold) booth at the Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair. The flyer was on the wrong side for me, and I was not seated well in front of the wheel - thankfully Darthknitter was close by and helped me steady it! Even with the flyer on the wrong side, I could tell that spinning on a saxony would be an amazing experience. The Schacht-Reeves wheels are much easier to find, and they are usually finished (most Lendrum Saxony wheels come unfinished - that means you have to finish it yourself - which can be about a month-long process with hand-rubbing, etc.).
And then I was on Ravelry, in the Lendrum group (The Cult of Lendrum for those of you so inclined), and someone posted there that Lambspun in Fort Collins, Colorado had two Lendrum Saxony wheels. Then, later, that there was only one (these wheels usually go immediately). I didn't actually notice the thread for awhile, but on Thursday night, I did, and saw that it said that there was one still. Well, you never know about stuff like that because people post that there is Wollmeise on The Loopy Ewe site, and you go and realize that the thread was old and it's all gone.
Anyway, it was so tempting, but it was too late to call on Thursday night. So I rang them on Friday - minutes before the store opened - and got the machine. I didn't get to call back until around lunch time, but I figured that if that wheel was meant for me, that it would still be there.
Score!!
It's a double treadle (I had wanted single (an option on the Schacht-Reeves) because I don't like being forced into one position while spinning (which is what a double treadle sort of does to me), but was very willing to go with the versatility that a double will give me, because you can always use a double as a single treadle). It's cherry wood, and how great is this?! It's FINISHED (oh joy! oh rapture!). I was so excited that I didn't even ask if the head was a double drive or a single, but it doesn't really matter to me either way :-)
Shirley had customers in the store and asked could she ring me back - I said yes if she promised not to sell it in the meantime ;-) She rang me back within 10 minutes with a price for the wheel, its accessories and shipping to Chicagoland - and I whipped out the plastic. It will be on its way to me on Monday. I had it shipped to my office (I need to alert the mailroom) and will drive in on the day it arrives to be able to get it home. Didn't make sense to have it delivered and sitting on the porch all afternoon . . .
I'm so excited =====:-O <--- that's me, with my hair standing on end (more than usual :-D)
Stay tuned, there will be photos :-)
On Friday, I bought a Lendrum Saxony spinning wheel. If you're not a spinner, this probably isn't going to thrill you or make a whole lotta sense - but if you are a spinner, you can pick yourself up off the floor now, please ;-D
I don't need another wheel. My portable Lendrum (which I adore) does pretty much everything except the dishes. But for some reason, I have been longing for a traditional style wheel (they call them saxony wheels). I really wanted a Lendrum because I so love how they spin, and their ease of use. However, a Lendrum Saxony is one of the hot wheels right now, and Gord Lendrum - the guy who makes them - is a one-man band. The waiting list to get one is years long, unless you happen to find a dealer who has some in stock or who just got an order (that wasn't already spoken for).
Since I hadn't been able to find one, I was starting to think about a Schacht-Reeves, which I had a chance to try out at Toni's (The Fold) booth at the Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair. The flyer was on the wrong side for me, and I was not seated well in front of the wheel - thankfully Darthknitter was close by and helped me steady it! Even with the flyer on the wrong side, I could tell that spinning on a saxony would be an amazing experience. The Schacht-Reeves wheels are much easier to find, and they are usually finished (most Lendrum Saxony wheels come unfinished - that means you have to finish it yourself - which can be about a month-long process with hand-rubbing, etc.).
And then I was on Ravelry, in the Lendrum group (The Cult of Lendrum for those of you so inclined), and someone posted there that Lambspun in Fort Collins, Colorado had two Lendrum Saxony wheels. Then, later, that there was only one (these wheels usually go immediately). I didn't actually notice the thread for awhile, but on Thursday night, I did, and saw that it said that there was one still. Well, you never know about stuff like that because people post that there is Wollmeise on The Loopy Ewe site, and you go and realize that the thread was old and it's all gone.
Anyway, it was so tempting, but it was too late to call on Thursday night. So I rang them on Friday - minutes before the store opened - and got the machine. I didn't get to call back until around lunch time, but I figured that if that wheel was meant for me, that it would still be there.
Score!!
It's a double treadle (I had wanted single (an option on the Schacht-Reeves) because I don't like being forced into one position while spinning (which is what a double treadle sort of does to me), but was very willing to go with the versatility that a double will give me, because you can always use a double as a single treadle). It's cherry wood, and how great is this?! It's FINISHED (oh joy! oh rapture!). I was so excited that I didn't even ask if the head was a double drive or a single, but it doesn't really matter to me either way :-)
Shirley had customers in the store and asked could she ring me back - I said yes if she promised not to sell it in the meantime ;-) She rang me back within 10 minutes with a price for the wheel, its accessories and shipping to Chicagoland - and I whipped out the plastic. It will be on its way to me on Monday. I had it shipped to my office (I need to alert the mailroom) and will drive in on the day it arrives to be able to get it home. Didn't make sense to have it delivered and sitting on the porch all afternoon . . .
I'm so excited =====:-O <--- that's me, with my hair standing on end (more than usual :-D)
Stay tuned, there will be photos :-)
Comments
I really don't have wheel lust, as I can only spin on one at a time and I love using my Louets. Looks don't matter because a wheel can't sit out as decoration here when idle. So I am supremely happy for YOU, and glad it's not on my plastic! :-)