New Toy!!! Need help...
Ok so I haven't posted in a while. Mostly because the spindle spinning was taking too long for me, and seemed too fussy. I like it, but it's also a pain. Anyway, I have been keeping my eye out and found that a lady about five mins down the road from me had a wheel for sale. So when I got the money for it, I checked, and she still had it. Here it is! It's an Ashford Traditional that's been updated with a three speed flyer. Since I'd never used a wheel before she gave me a good detailed how to, and what's what on the wheel. It's no problem, I've picked up on how to use it. I was having trouble with spinning the practice fiber she gave me (not sure what it was, but it was tough to draft), so I switched to my merino that I'd been using to spindle spin, and in no time was spinning along nice lace weight yarn. All was well till I broke it b/c I accidentally drafted too thin.
So here's the issue. I can't get it to reattach, it just keeps unwinding and pulling off more and more. I figured with so many lace spinners here, maybe someone could give me tips or something? I'm going nuts. Please help!!! :D Oh and as a side note I've switched to the smallest wheel for a higher twist? Is that right? I was told that was better for fine yarns.
Here are the pics, please ignore everything around it, I'm in the middle of reorganizing the whole area.
Back:
Flyer:
Front!
I'm seriously in love with this already though, even with the speed bumps, I've spun a good bit on it before that and it's better than I ever imagined!
6 comments:
Hi, Hattie. Congrats on the getting your wheel. I love mine. Anyway, your issue on reattaching is common. Sometimes, if you can release the bobbin tension brake (the one with the spring), that will let the bobbin spin freely so that there is no pull while you are trying to pull the thread through the oriface. Also, sometimes the newest stuff will unwind faster than stuff you spun an hour or more before, so maybe if you unwind a little more, you will find some that will hold together better. You are correct-smaller whorl-faster the flyer. Hope this helps.
COngrats on the wheel! All of what Tracy said, and I will add that their might not be enough twist in the yarn. Lace loves to be overspun. Don't worry about being too twisty, it will all come out in the plying/setting stage of the process.
Ok guys thanks, it's just that the wheel moves too fast for me at this stage, and I end up pulling on it a bit to try and draft more and it breaks...Ah well. I'll get it!
If it feels like the flyer is turning too fast for you just move it to a larger whorl. You will have to treadle longer/faster to achieve the same amount of twist, but it will give your hands more time to do the necessary drafting.
When you lose an end either through breakage or having it slip from your fingers, the end that you just lost comes unspun a bit when the tension is released from it. You have to avoid letting it unspin further as you unwind a bit and rethread it. After getting it rewound hold the previously made yarn several inches further back than usual and re-add the misssing twist before you join in new fiber and keep spinning.
Agreeing with Marlene and going further. It happens to all of us. When I am trying to unwind from the bobbin so I can rethread and go again, I add twist to that end yarn by hand, before I even rethread the hooks. It does untwist, weaken, the second it separates. If you don't put twist back in down that far, you leave a weak spot that breaks just as soon as you get going again.
Thanks guys, I found that part of my problem was the tension around the bobbin was too tight and when I would hold on to the yarn it would snap because it was trying to wind the yarn. Just like Tracy said, I just didn't understand what she was saying at first! I loosened that and have had no more issues with breaking unless I get it wayyyy too thin, and joining has been easier as well!
Thanks everyone for the help!
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