It has been a crazy couple of weeks. It seems I have gone down a rabbit trail and there is no turning back! Don't worry it's a good rabbit trail and I am excited to share it with you!
At my last spinning guild meeting we were discussing great wheels and antique spinning wheels. I adore looking at them and thought I would really love to have one some day. A working one that I could get my husband to help me restore and make it useful again. Hubby is a wood worker and loves projects! But I did not think I could get one right now.....too much money......no space.....no time! But I decided just to look around on Ravelry.......on Craigslist........and just dream.
I ended up on the CPW Lovers forum on Ravelry. (Canadian Production Wheels) and found a thread about Alvin Ramer. He and his wife have been finding and refurbishing old wheels in Ontario for over 20 years. She is a master spinner and he loves to build spinning tools. They had a museum for CPW's in their home for many years. He is retiring and they are selling a lot of their wheels to loving homes. Hundreds of wheels.......his collection is amazing and the wheels are gorgeous. Scrolling through the thread I fell in love with this one wheel. It has what they call a Christmas Tree Treadle. It's cast iron and is just so unique looking and totally refurbished and spins like crazy......it was calling my name. No really it was!! I showed it to hubby and he loved it an the next thing I know he bought me that wheel!!!!
It just so happens that I will be traveling to Ontario the end of October to pick my daughter up and at that time we will visit the Ramer's shop and pick up my wheel........I am still doing the happy dance!!
But wait the rabbit trail does not end there.......no!!! The CPW Forum is addictive and they are also a group of enablers! They post wheels that they find from all over to see if someone can give them a home. Someone posted about a wheel they saw in a flea market in NJ and it just happened to be one I pass driving to my moms. I was heading that way last Saturday and my husband told me to just go in and look. Maybe it could be a project we could both work on together. So of course I listened to him and can you believe this wheel is now sitting in my living room??? It's in great shape and does not need much work at all and she is just beautiful!!! The best part was the price! They were asking $125 which was great to begin with but I was able to walk out with the wheel for $85!! After a little research I've found she is a Vezina wheel made in 1877.
In between buying wheels there was some spinning and some knitting but it's hard not to just sit and look at this beautiful wheel! We should have her up and running in a couple of weeks. Right before we bring home the other wheel! Looks like my husband and I have found a new hobby!! Hope you are having a great week of knitting and spinning!!! Joining Ginny in the yarn along.
