change..majacraft millie? for my birthday

dustinac · 03-11-2009, 04:11 PM

My mom told me today that she and dad are getting me a spinning wheel for my birthday

.

I'm a very big beginner and have tried hers once and couldn't get my feet and arms to work together. I ended up getting her wheel into a mess

Anyways she wanted me to ask on the forum if the Hitchhiker is a good wheel? Is there a better beginner out there (but I don't want them spending a lot at all so it has to be close to the hitchhikers price)...

She wanted to know if ya'll thought she should get a single treadle or double for a beginner since I had so much trouble with hers? And do you think if it is single that I should have a right or a left? One more question she had for you guys...do you know of an honest company selling them that could get it to me by the 12th of April (she will be up for my b-day and wants to get it set up for me and show how to use it)

She also likes the Hitchhiker 'cause it seems small enough that I could pack up when I go home to visit her...

Thank you for any tips

Foxyie · 03-12-2009, 01:22 AM

oh how nice to be getting a birthday wheel!

i have to say that i think it may be best to actually try out a few wheels..perhaps there is a spinning shop or guild in your area where you may be able to.

every wheel is different for every person.. so it's hard to say which would be best..single or double..left or right..it's what is most comfortable for you

i've heard many times though that double treadles are good for beginners..but i learned on a single and i love it.

there are a bunch of nice wheels in that same price range ..the hitchhiker, fricke, babe, heavenly hand spinning.. is what i can think of right now.

the hiker i believe is the most portable out of those the ones.

and before i decided on my 2nd wheel i watched alot of youtube vids of people using the wheels i was interested in

okay my brain is foggy cause i need a nap..heh.. i hope that helped a bit

dustinac · 03-12-2009, 12:40 PM

Thank you, I'll have to check around and see if we have a shop around here and go from there.

dustinac · 03-12-2009, 01:54 PM

Mom wants to know if you guys have tired or used the majacraft mile?

fibrenut · 03-12-2009, 07:37 PM

Hiya Dustina and CONGRATS hun!!! Welcome to the dark side, we have cake!!!
The hitchhiker only has one treadle because of it's design but can be configured by the makers to be either left or right foot.
It's a lot different than belt driven wheels as it's a direct drive (the whorl sits directly on the wheel and is driven by friction)
Spinolution just came up with the neatest little travel wheel. It folds up really small but has the traditional type of flyer apperatis (sp?) It is belt driven. Don't know the price right off hand but it's called the spinolution bee.

Most single drive castle wheels you can interchange your foot any time the other one gets a little tired. Can't do that with double treadles. I've also found that with double treadles you have to sit facing it straight on. That might not be a prob for some, but I like to move around and I face mine at an angle (single treadle) I don't have to twist my torso so much that way. I can reach all the way across my front to do long draw.

If you're really jonesin for a traveling wheel, look at the ashford kiwis. Unfinished they run about $300 finished about a hundred more. Also check out craigslist and ebay for good used wheels at a decent price. Also check Ravelry in the Used Equipment forum and the Spinner's marketplace. There are always good deals to be had.

I know, I know, not really any concrete answers but some things to consider though.

Congrats hun
Tami

dustinac · 03-13-2009, 05:06 PM

Thank you Tami!

I think now mom is looking into the Bee Travel Wheel, it's more but she thinks it would work better for me

...all of it is kinda confusing to me, it could be interesting that weekend, learning how to spin

fibrenut · 03-13-2009, 06:53 PM

Yeah, I went to the SpinOlution site and saw that. They didn't have a price on the spinolution site so I took a gander at the vendors sites and Yeowzers!!!
I wouldn't exactly call it a double drive (as you can just as easily use one foot or the other to drive it) I like to refer to it as "pivot drive"
I know, I know, no one else calls it that. O well!

What I've seen of the spinolution wheels is really quite impressive. And the whorl speeds on that little bugger are like awesome!!! Really slow to dang that's fast. It's also a scotch tensioning system (the brake is on the bobbin and the drive is on the flyer. If I had that much money just hanging out I would sooo get it cause it would definitely fit on the bike!!!

Congrats hun!!!! Yer gonna have fun!!!! With those kind of ratios you'll be spinning sock yarn in no time!!!

dustinac · 03-13-2009, 10:11 PM

Yeah I feel like that is just too much to spend on me but she didn't listen to me

...when she sent me the link this morning I was in shock about the price and called her up to say but that's too much!! She called and talked to someone about the wheel to see if being a beginner would I have trouble...they didn't think so and said it was a really good wheel...so she told me to keep an eye out for it, I guess since it's new it could take some time to get though.

I'm excited and hope I can figure it out!

fibrenut · 03-13-2009, 11:49 PM

Well, ya know what they say. "Mommy knows best!!" (wink wink)