I keep getting drawn into these discussions and question in on-line forums and groups about choosing spinning wheels. I know I've written about this before, but for some reason, I get almost fired up about this topic.
I think my real issue is that I find the way some spinners approach this to be essentially gatekeeping.
'"You HAVE to try out wheels before buying one."
"THAT [affordable] wheel is a beginner wheel."
"THAT wheel ($) isn't as good as THIS wheel ($$$)"
Spinning wheels can be expensive. Maybe for some people spending $500-600 isn't that different that $800-900, but it can really make the difference between being able to get a wheel or not for other people. It makes me upset when new spinners are being steered away from perfectly good wheels because of someone else's preferences or snobbery.
I don't want new spinners to get a good working wheel and then feel like they aren't enough because someone else makes snide comments and turns their nose up at it.
So here are some things I think new spinners looking for their first wheel should know:
- It is great if you can try out some wheels before buying, but it is also ok if you aren't able to. I wrote a whole post about this.
- Definitely listen to that advice about staying away from antique wheels that you randomly find for sale. There are so many potential issues and challenges with them. Secondhand is fine, but I would recommend only considering wheels that are still currently in production (so you can get replacement parts if need be) and I would recommend only buying them from a spinner and purchasing in person so that the seller can demonstrate that the wheel is in working order. Non-spinners selling a wheel they have somehow acquired often don't know enough about wheels to know whether they actually will spin yarn. Sometimes they assume it works as long as the drive wheel spins by moving it with their hand. Plus, there are a lot of scammers hitting FB fiber arts groups lately, so you really have to be careful about that.
- If you are buying new, please know that there are many different wheels available and they are all valid and just a little bit of basic research should give you a good idea about whether the wheel will meet your basic needs. It is helpful if you know what type of yarn you want to produce, if you want to spin mainly really bulk, high texture "art" yarns or know that you are going to want to spin a lot of super fine laceweight, you are going to need to be a little more choosey about your wheel, but if you just want to make fingering to bulky yarns, most wheels out there are going to let you do that.
- I don't like wheels being labeled as "beginner" wheels, I think it gives the wrong idea. I think I've written a blog post about this too. Here's the thing- some wheels are more beginner friendly than others. That doesn't mean that they are only good for beginners and that after you've been spinning a few months or even a few years, those wheels won't work for you anymore. It just means that those wheels are ones that it is easier to learn on.
- What is a good beginner wheel? I feel like that is another blog post, and this is my own opinion, but basically one that is affordable, currently being produced, I lean towards single drive, flyer-led (aka "Scotch") tension, and an "upright"/"castle" style wheel that is easier to transport. I would lean towards something that is simpler rather than a wheel that has all the bells and whistles right off the bat. Not only are those wheels more expensive, when there are so many things to adjust it can be overwhelming to figure out what needs to be adjusted. For example, I love my Flat Iron, but I can adjust so many things on there, I think it would have been totally overwhelming for me when I was just getting acquainted with a spinning wheel.
- When you are asking for advice about wheels, a lot of times you may be getting advice from someone who has a lot of experience. Sometimes people forget what it is like to be a beginner though, so sometimes I see them recommending wheels with features that they like now that they've been spinning for many years, but may be overkill for someone until they reach a point that they decide that is something they would also really like. For example- high ratios. If you get to spinning and realize you are one of those people who really likes to draft super fast (and probably super fine as well) and you like to have ratios that get to be >20:1, then yes, you want a wheel that can offer you those ratios. Not everyone is going to want or need that though, and it is silly to suggest that everyone needs to have a wheel that offers that, especially starting out.
- Which brings up another point- I said there isn't such thing as a "beginner" wheel. There is also no one, true, perfect, be-all-end-all wheel. I get it though. When you are starting out spinning, and you see the price of spinning wheels, it is enough money that purchasing a wheel is a big investment, so the idea of purchasing multiple wheels can be really hard to swallow. Therefore, when considering that wheel purchase, a new spinner wants to be sure that they are making a wise investment. They want to know that their wheel is going to meet their needs. They don't want to have to turn around and buy a different or additional wheel in the future. The good news here is that many spinners do have only one wheel and are perfectly happy spinning on it, and it will basically do what they want it to. It is also not unusual at all to find spinners with multiple wheels, and it usually isn't because they made a poor choice with their first wheel. Sometimes it is because they just wanted to have something different and expand their range of what is possible. Sometimes they thought they wanted one thing and found they really like spinning in another way that a different wheel can help them achieve more easily. Sometimes people need a wheel that will travel easily, or perhaps one that accommodates an injury better. And sometimes people just like collecting them, although that is less to the point. I guess my point is, I know we don't want to scare off new spinners by suggesting that eventually they might want to own multiple wheels, but it is worthwhile to understand that no wheel can be everything and do everything well, and maybe it isn't reasonable or necessary to expect that of your wheel, so go with one that will do your average, "typical" spinning well and then expand later if your spinning leads you in that direction.
- Speaking of opinions, while I think it is good to have an idea of what people to like or recommend, you do need to take some of it with a grain of salt. People have their favorites and their brand loyalty and that is going to color what they suggest of course. I don't have any evidence of this, but I do think there may be some people out there who dealers for one company and like to bad-mouth some others, because sometimes there is incorrect information being repeated out there about wheels. I would always take the opinion of someone who actually owns and spins on a wheel over the opinion of someone who has just heard something or is only looking at specs without actually experiencing the wheel. Also sometimes I think personal preferences for aesthetics play into this. Which by the way, it is completely valid in my opinion to let the looks of a wheel be a factor in your decision. It shouldn't be the only factor, but you should get a wheel that you like looking at and enjoy having in your home.
- One final thing I would maybe keep in mind- if someone does express a poor experience with a particular wheel, it is possible it was just that individual wheel. If you hear it a lot, from multiple people, then let that hold more weight. But if someone sat down to try out a wheel once and reports that they found the wheel "clunky" or "unstable" I think there is a really good possibility that the particular wheel they tried had something that needed loosened or tightened or needed some oil somewhere. In fact, you may want to keep that in mind if you do have an opportunity to try a wheel. If something feels off, maybe it is just that wheel. If something doesn't fit your body right, that is going to be the same across multiple wheels. So if you had your heart set on a wheel but then try it out and don't like it, maybe see if you can try another one before writing it off. Also, do keep in mind that it can take a minute to settle in with a wheel especially when if you aren't used to spinning on any wheel.
I think that is all I have to get off my chest for today. Stay tuned because I have some thoughts about handspun yarn and am just struggling to get those thoughts out on the page in a coherent manner.
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