So I have accidentally bought a spinning wheel - and given that we are feeling slightly anxious about the last payment on the house the timing seems a little off - but couldn't resist. Herbie is a ladybug bought from The Threshing Barn. I went there on a day of tying wheels - firstly an ashford joy, ashford traveller and kromski fantasia at Wingham Wool Works - great place for browsing and accidentally buying all sorts of fibre! Then, having not liked the joy which I thought I would, and liking the Kromski but recognising its limitations we went on to the threshing barn where I tried the Schacht ladybug and a louet julia. I really liked both, felt the Julia was a bit easier to spin - but it had been a trial machine for 6 months, unlike the bug which had been out for 2 weeks only! After oiling the bug and trying again I really liked it, and think with the option of double drive as well it will take me a lot further. So I bought it - with money I got from teaching 300 GPs!
It seems that wheels, like bikes need names, so I would like to introduce Herbie;

complete with tensioned Lazy Kate.
I have spun a variety of things over the last week - all very beginnerish, which is odd after having cracked things on the spindle - but part of the fun is learning more! Most of the stuff has been rather overspun, but I have managed one successful although somewhat uneven skein;

after a variety of rather shambolic few skeins!


Now might start on some of the fibre I got at Wingham wool works to see if I can be doing something slightly more successful for my fist Guild meeting this saturday - may have to go back to a spindle!?