Country Craftsman Spinning Wheel

I must admit that I am drawn to Saxony style spinning wheels. There was a Saxony in my bedroom when I was girl, maybe that's the reason. Also, a super fast wheel (like a Saxony style)  is just plain fun to use.  Well, spinning wheels are expensive and some of the current Saxony style wheels are among the most expensive wheels out there. There are also some amazing handmade wheels that are really expensive and have waiting lists of up to several years. One day, I am going to own one of those wheels. In the interim, I have found a way to satisfy both my aesthetic and the functionality of the Saxony for a reasonable sum. 

The Country Craftsman spinning wheel was built in Littleton, MA, near my home. It has been out of production since 2003 so it is not an antique thus parts are fairly readily available. I got mine from the delightful Jen at @Lupine Blossom Fiber Arts in Center Sandwich, NH. She sells wheels and other spinning and weaving stuff on consignment (and has a great yarn/ fiber shop in one of the prettiest places in all of New England) and is super knowledgeable.  Here is a link to her shop: http://lupineblossomsfiberarts.com/index.html.  I have seen them selling for $50.00 all the way to $500.00. Craigslist has one show up fairly often around New England and there is a group on Ravelry dedicated to these wheels (http://www.ravelry.com/groups/country-craftsman-lovers).

Some history:

"From 1969 to 1971, Jerome Rooney made spinning wheels for display. He was not aware that people were spinning and that there was a market for dependable, functioning wheels. Upon learning of this, he visited the Museum of American Textile History, North Andover, MA. The curator of the museum provided Rooney the opportunity to see their large collection of spinning wheels, many of which were in storage. One wheel in particular, a 1700#700;s Saxony flax wheel, caught his eye. After much measuring, comparing, and design work, the Country Craftsman spinning wheel was born. It was a beautiful, smooth, and responsive wheel, and a joy to spin on. It excelled in producing medium to very fine yarn.

Joseph Franzek started working with Rooney in Sept, 1972. When Rooney retired in 1982, Franzek took over his business. The Country Craftsman was built and distributed by Joseph Franzek, and his wife Cindy, until about 2003, when they decided to retire from custom woodworking."

Here is a picture of mine:

This was taken as I started using some Howard's Restor-A-Finish (great stuff!).  There is a small separation in the drive wheel but the wheel is true and the separation doesn't cause any problems.  It came with just one bobbin but Detta's Spindle still carries them ( http://www.dettasspindle.net/ ) so I was able to get another bobbin easily.

Here is a single ply alpaca that I spun last week. The wheel spins like a dream and I am seriously enjoying spinning on it.  As an added bonus, the original distaff is intact so one day I'll have a go at spinning flax.  I really am enjoying the freedom of movement that I feel with a single treadle too. My goal? Spin 1000 yards of sock weight yarn. Now, the only thing holding me back is deciding on the perfect fiber.