26 October 2010

Restoring history

The Canadian Production Wheels, like Jaqueline, the newest addition here, were built mainly in Quebec. The Canadian Production Wheel Lovers, on Ravelry believe that this wheel was made by Frederic Bordua in Quebec, likely between 1875-1908. My aunt reminded me that Apple Jack, my beloved grandfather, was born in 1909 – so this wheel is about even a little older than he would be!
With much help from the people on the Ravelry group and other spots on the web, I have jumped in and done the refinishing and repairs on the wheel … and this is the result:

Before & After shot:



Close up of the wheel uprights (and you can see the Babe in the background!):



Cobbled together for a test run:


Close up of the repaired flyer:


… yes, that is yarn on the flyer.
You know what that means? She works.
29 hours after arriving here, Jacqueline spun yarn. The Boy took video … have a look.

4 comments:

  1. Very cool.
    Seems like a practical piece of old gear to have kicking about - lucky you!

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  2. You make it look so easy! You'll be using up all your yarn really quickly at that rate. I still haven't practiced much with the spindle, nor have I made our felted hats. I'm way behind on my fibre arts this year. Sigh...

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  3. Wheels are very practical pieces of gear - especially for people like me who love to knit and have sheep in the yard. :) The wheels keep me from spending a fortune at yarn stores, and I love the soothing rhythm of spinning.

    Ev, you'll get the hang of it - it took me a year and half with the drop spindle maybe more, to get decent ... then another year with the wheel to get fast. I'm one of those people for whom fibre work comes fairly easily though, it just "feels right" ... the way some people are with drawing (I can barely make recongnizable stick people) or wood work (my husband will tell you that I can barely cut a straight line with a saw). My sister found out recently that my ancestors worked in the textile mill in Scotland, so maybe that explains some of it. :)

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  4. Anonymous4:51 pm

    This is awesome and so nice to see the photos - I'm glad you have this creative pleasure in life!
    Mom

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