It bears repeating....

Yesterday, I answered a question that someone had posted about a spinning wheel on Facebook. Someone had found a wheel for a song and wanted to know whether it was worth buying. Short answer? No. Long answer: the wheel was one of those Canadian SWSO's (spinning wheel shaped objects) that shows up pretty often. I'm NOT an expert but I did recognize the wheel. Anyway, I thought it might be worth trying to pull together some resources that I've enjoyed about buying a used, vintage or antique wheel.

First, my two cents. If you are one of those folks (like me) that enjoy the aesthetics of a wheel and need to like the look of the thing, don't buy one that doesn't appeal to you. You probably won't use it. Second, I believe you can learn to spin on an antique. People learned to spin on those wheels when they were new and you learn on one now. I'm not saying that it will be as easy as some of the "beginner" wheels out there but it can be done. Next, I strongly recommend against buying an old wheel that needs parts. Sure, you might be able to find a wheelwright to make an extra bobbin (about $60.00) but a flyer- bobbin assembly is usually specific to an old wheel and will cost about $250.00 to replace. Last and most importantly, do your homework. Read everything. Learn the anatomy of a spinning wheel; learn the terms, the abbreviations, join a guild, visit a shop that sells wheels, join a Ravelry group, a Facebook group, find a local spinner who can help......just study and learn. A wheel is a pretty big investment and worth every effort in picking one that is right for you and actually spins.

Here's a list with a few resources. This list is certainly not all inclusive and isn't in any particular order:

1. Abby Franquemont is a great teacher and a lifelong spinner:
    http://abbysyarns.com/2008/12/choosing-your-first-spinning-wheel/

2. This video by Abby is a must watch:
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if_cNDFr-xs

3. https://thewoolmerchantsdaughter.wordpress.com/2013/02/23/3-really-bad-examples-      of-antique-spinning-wheels/

4. This is link to a great group on Ravelry. These are nice folks with loads of knowledge that they are happy to share:    
    http://www.ravelry.com/groups/antique-spinning-wheels

5. Another great group on Ravelry; this one specific to CPW's (Canadian Production Wheel):    http://www.ravelry.com/groups/cpw-lovers

6.  And still another great Ravelry group:
     http://www.ravelry.com/groups/working-wheels

7. Here's a list of spinning guilds by state:                      
   http://www.interweave.com/spin/resources/spinning_guilds/

8. A list of fiber events. There are wheels to see and people to meet:
     http://www.knittersreview.com/upcoming_events.asp

9. Amelia Garopoli is another long time spinner with a great blog; "Ask the Bellwether":
    http://askthebellwether.blogspot.com/2009/01/where-can-i-find-used-spinning-               wheel.html#.VYPc8vlViko

Lastly, don't forget the library. There are tons of books on spinning and even if your library doesn't have the one you want, they can probably get it on loan from another library. The bottom line? Do your homework and you'll stand a much better chance of getting a great wheel.