Another One?????
Heh. Yep. I bought another spinning wheel. If anyone is keeping track, this makes wheel number 9. Not including the two I sold a couple years ago. Yes, I currently own 9 spinning wheels. One lives with my sister not too far from Philly. But, ya know, each wheel serves a different purpose. First, and the one living with my sister, is an Ashford Traditional, a decent wheel, and as my first, it holds strong sentimental value. It's not a good travel wheel, though. Wheel number 2: Majacraft Rose. Until a couple days ago, it was my favorite all around wheel. Rose can do it all, and travel too. Then my mother gave me a Roberta, an electric wheel. I love it for plying, and the fact that it has a history. My mom inherited Roberta from an elderly spinning guild buddy. This woman loved her fiber friends and when she died, she left each of them a portion of her fiber stuff. My mom got the Roberta and a handspun, handknit lace half circle shawl. Mom still snuggles in the shawl but never really got attached to Roberta. I love Roberta for plying. She is unfortunately in need of a bit of repair - something to do with the speed control. Then because it was so cute, I got a Kromski Mazurka and then my husband bought me a surprise Christmas present, a Kromski Polannaise. Both are lovely wheels, but require more fiddling than my mind can handle, so I sold them both. Soon after that, I discovered the delights of a Canadian Production wheel, and the evil woman who introduced me to that delight also pronounced those magical words: it's for sale. That coincided with an unexpected bonus so the wheel came home with me. After that, my wheel population kind of stablilized. Until Molly joined my house and cracked up my sweet Rose. I needed a travel wheel in a hurry for a pending spinning demo, and in the "need to buy a wheel" mindset, stumbled over a lovely antique wheel that's really much more eye candy than practical spin on it wheel. And since it wasn't that expensive, I bought it. And then found a Kromski Sonata within driving distance, and at a good price, and that fit the need for a travel wheel. Of course, while searching for a replacement spinning wheel, I stumbled over another can't miss deal. An original Rick Reeves saxony. When your soul needs feeding, how can you pass on such a find? And immediately after that, the Bosworths presented a program on charkha spinning and under the spell of the magic created by introducing that sweet little book charkha to the angora blend roving in my hand - well. Yes, I ordered one. With the purchase of the charkha, I figured my wheel buying days were done. With that assortment of wheels, what could I fall in love with that I could justify the cost? W E L L. When I got home from SAFF last October, I found an email in response to a blog post about needing a new wheel since the dog broke my primary wheel. Blogless but Raveler Kim had a wheel. But no, not just any wheel. A delicious treasure of a wheel, one I thought I could only dream about someday owning. And Kim lives within easy distance of my sister who has my Ashford Traditional. Just a couple phone calls and the plans were set. On Saturday, my sister and I drove over to Kim's and I fell in love. It took about 2 seconds. The wheel came home with me. How convenient that barely an hour after I got back home with the wheel already in my car, it was time to go to spinning guild and show off. So here you go, my new wheel:
This beauty is a 1983 Norm Hall Norwegian wheel, in solid cherry. With three big huge bobbins. I. Love. This. Wheel.
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Oh you lucky duck!
Posted by: Carole | January 15, 2008 at 05:15 PM
Oh wow! Fantastic find. Can you guess that I'm not counting along with you?? What does number have to do with this? That is a beauty.
Posted by: Laurie | January 15, 2008 at 06:45 PM
The new wheel is a beaut Chris!
Posted by: Christine | January 15, 2008 at 06:54 PM
Hum dinger at that! Hope to see it at the guild someday. Congrats!
Posted by: Diane | January 15, 2008 at 07:31 PM
OMG! I*WANT*THAT*WHEEL!
Really, what's wrong with so many wheels? It's not like you had 9 cars or 9 houses, right? I'm in the market for my third wheel, and I want a traditional style. This one you just got is gorgeous. Nice choice.
Posted by: Dave Daniels | January 15, 2008 at 09:03 PM
You and Amy King have the most fabulous collections of wheels! And yes, they each have a purpose! Congratulations, Chris.
Posted by: Dianna | January 15, 2008 at 09:58 PM
WOW! Just wow! Lucky you and all of that. Please show us pictures of what you spin.
Posted by: Heide | January 15, 2008 at 10:50 PM
Sheesh! Found your link through Ravelry. I need some of your deal-finding fu, for sure! Beautiful find!
Posted by: Cheryl | January 16, 2008 at 02:20 AM
Gorgeous, simply gorgeous.
Posted by: DebbieB | January 16, 2008 at 07:26 AM
This is similar as to how my husband justifies every new radio that he brings home! He's an amateur radio operator. I'm not a spinner .... yet ... :-) ...
Posted by: Dawn | January 16, 2008 at 09:30 AM
Oh, I'm so jealous!
Posted by: susan | January 16, 2008 at 10:02 AM
Cherry? Norma Hall? OMG!
So envious!! *drool*.....*sob* rinse, repeat.....
Congratulations!
Posted by: Manise | January 16, 2008 at 01:32 PM
OOps! I meant Norm Hall!
Posted by: Manise | January 16, 2008 at 01:33 PM
Congratulations!!
I like the name Norma for your wheel but only coz I'm swearing in jealousy here. ;-)
Posted by: Cathy | January 17, 2008 at 10:20 AM
Good lord it's freekin' gorgeous!! Congrats!!
Posted by: Jessica | January 17, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Whoo Hoo....I am SO glad you were able to scoop that up! You will find that all of the other wheels will sit in waiting to Norma (yep...that is a fitting name indeed).
Yayyyyyyyyy'`````````````
Posted by: Kim | January 17, 2008 at 05:37 PM
What a beautiful wheel! I thought I had a lot with 4 wheels.
Posted by: Kelly | January 21, 2008 at 09:03 AM
OMG that wheel is gorgeous! And I get to come visit it today too! And you too of course. haha
Posted by: Karen | January 22, 2008 at 09:06 AM
Wow, that is truly a beautiful wheel!
Posted by: Kim M. | January 22, 2008 at 09:32 PM
Somehow I missed this post. But I think you now outnumber me in wheelcount :) This one is a masterpiece. I so don't blame you for it and would sell not one but both of my kids for it :) Mazel tov. Use it in good health.
Posted by: Risa | January 24, 2008 at 05:09 PM
Holy cow that's beautiful! I love anything in cherry, and that one is a doozie. Congrats!
Posted by: moiraeknittoo | January 27, 2008 at 06:13 PM