Holiday Gifts - Wheels and a Loom!

I have three really nice items in stock that I'm needing to move out before inventory.  Do you know anyone who is in the market for a lovely little spinning wheel or portable loom?

The Louet Victoria Folding Travel Wheel is on sale for $665 ($100 off retail) plus $10.99 FedEx shipping, and I will include two extra bobbins (for a total of 5).  It comes with full warranty and a Lazy Kate.  This is the oak version, see my previous post for photos.

Ladybug!  I've got one LB in the box, ready to fly to her new home.  Regular price is $575 but I will let this one go for $524 plus $12.99 FedEx shipping.  It comes with three bobbins, an orifice hook and both belts for double drive and scotch tension drive.  A WONDERFUL, sturdy little wheel that can do anything the big ones can do.

Schacht FLIP LOOM, 15" Package.  This includes the FLIP 15 loom, THREE reeds (5, 10, 12 dent) shuttles, pickup stick, warping pegs, table clamps, Flip Trap (cloth tray at the front) and the wonderful trestle stand that makes the loom portable from room to room or out on your sunny porch.  The total for this package is regularly $522 (I include some other free goodies as well).  Your price - $439 plus $14.99 FedEx shipping.  This is a perfect loom for handspinners as there is very little loom waste.  See photos - I've got handspun as warp so you can see what it looks like warped.

E-mail me if you have questions!  Thanks for looking. 

Majacraft Aura: At Last! Photos and a Review

The Aura arrived here in Minnesota on Thursday.  I invited my spinner friend Kerry over to help me assemble the wheel and take photos, so THANKS to Kerry.

First impressions:  The box was much smaller than the boxes that the Rose and Suzy come in.  Here is what I saw when I opened it up, removed the top piece of styrofoam.

I lifted up the wheel and gasped.  It is GORGEOUS, SOLID bamboo, and very heavy.  In my opinion it is the most beautiful of all the drive wheels Majacraft makes.

Next we unpacked the pieces.  The treadles are lovely, and have a curvy new look.

The spinning head has been completely redesigned.  The only thing that looks the same is the shaft.  There are two whorls in place of the one whorl in previous models.  They rotate independently.

The jumbo flyer has the aerodynamic wooden crossbar, jumbo sliding hook, and a unique orifice called a "pigtail".  It is very easy to thread and has options for threading fine or lumpy yarns.  It is quite easy to spin at an angle to the pigtail.

The jumbo bobbins are bamboo!  That was a surprise. 

And of course the signature at the base is very important.

 

Here are some photos of the wheel after assembly.

 

And here is a close up of the spinning head with the pulleys and whorls and drive wheel connected by bands.

The white band is not stretchy.  It goes from the front whorls (which rotate at the same speed as the bobbin) to a "holder" pulley (small pulley on the opposite side) and then down to a special, deep groove on the drive wheel.  The green stretchy band goes from the whorl groove to the wheel, as in the other Majacraft wheels.  This whorl is very large and has three grooves.

The tensioning requires a paradigm shift in thinking about how spinning FEELS.  Adjustment of the white band controlls the amount of pull, or tug on the wool during spinning.  The green band adjusts the speed of the takeup, and the difference in size between the first and second bands is how one arrives at the correct tension/pull/takeup for the wool one is spinning.

Here are some answers to common questions about the Aura.  

Q:  Will my other Majacraft bobbins work on the Aura?  

A: No.  The Aura bobbins have holes that fit into pins on the spinning head to keep it in pace with the first (white band) whorls.  I tried to drill holes in one of my lace bobbins in order to make it work - first attempt at mod was not a success, but I haven't given up.  Right now, the only bobbins that are designed for the Aura are the jumbo Aura bobbins.  The wheel comes with three jumbo Aura bobbins.  Additional bobbins cost $45 USD.  BUT these are such large bobbins that having many extra bobbins is not essential.

Q: Will my high-speed head fit on the Aura?  

A.  No.  The spinning head on the Aura is mounted with a bolt that passes through the head. 

Q: How is the tensioning different from other Majacraft wheels?

A: Scotch tension requires tweaking as one spins.  As the bobbin fills the pull and takeup change and tension has to be increased in small increments.  With the Aura tension system, one only has to set it for the type of yarn and GO.  No readjusting.

Q: Is the Aura only for art yarn?

A: No.  The Aura can spin anything, although as it is set up now (huge bobbins, large whorls) it is perfect for art yarn, bulky yarn, or worsted weight soft singles.  I was able to spin laceweight once the bobbin was half full.  More about that later!

Q:  Would this be a good wheel for a new spinner?

A:  YES.  More about that with the review!

Q: What does the Aura cost?  

A:  It is listed at $963 USD.  It is definitely the top of the line now.

Q:  Will Majacraft make other whorls/setups for this wheel?

A:  Yes, but there are not dates on this yet.  Glynis mentioned to me that they will probably make a lace flyer with standard orifice next, but she was thinking out loud, not announcing a fact.  Right now they are busy getting the pre-orders out!

Ok, my review!

Kerry and I spent about four hours spinning, between the two of us.  Kerry spun fine merino top from the fold.  I spun Romney, Romney blend, mohair, merino, CVM from rolags and merino/bamboo.  We spun as fine as we could and I spun fat art yarn.  We took it up to speed and raced it (my job), and we tested how leisurely we could spin (that was Kerry's job).  We also brought over Kerry's son Josh who is 15, and has never been able to get the hang of spinning on the family Rose.  He was able to spin immediately.

It took a while for me to adjust to the new feel of the wheel.  I did a lot of adjusting.  Like I said above, spinning on the Aura requires a change of mindset.  The side knob controls how HARD the wheel pulls against the wool, but NOT how fast it takes up.  Changing the position of the green band up and down the whorls changes how fast the yarn takes up.  I am not used to thinking of tension and takeup as separate functions, so...being middle-aged, it took me a while to stop breaking the yarn.  

Once I got the hang of it I found my sweet spot setting and was able to spin for an hour solid making perfect, even Romney singles that would knit at about DK.  I was AMAZED at how smooth the treadling and tension are.  When I speeded up my treadling I was able to make consistent sockweight, laceweight singles, though this was nearly impossible until the bobbin was half full.  The bobbin is so large that the slightest pull would snap those fine singles.  Once the bobbin was essentially a "fat core" the fine spinning was possible and easy.

Bulky spinning was great too - no overtwisting.  I didn't have to work so fast that I lost control.  I could make slubs, twits, add in fluff, whatever, at a nice, steady pace.  The orifice can handle all manner of blobs with ease.  This wheel will make the art yarn spinners jump up and down but the rest of us have plenty to be happy about too.

The wheel is slow.  It will require gearing up for me to spin lace at the speed I want to go.  I can spin lace, but not fast.  This would be a good wheel for a tense person (that would be me) because the pace is so relaxing.  

I'm just getting used to Aura but I give her a hearty thunbs up.  I know Majacraft is going to expand the wheel in time and it will be THE spinning wheel everyone wants to have because of the versatility.  Right now (May 1, 2010)  it is already PERFECT for 1) spin control 2) soft, even singles 3) bulky, funky, lumpy, happy yarns, 4) learning to spin/draft 5) leisurely spinning of very fine yarns, once there is a bit of a core built up on the bobbin.

Please feel free to comment, to ask questions, or e-mail me for more info. stseraphinaknits at msn.com

MAJACRAFT ROSE: A Thorough Review

My friend Kerry sent me this link. It's a very nice review of the Majacraft Rose. Keep in mind that the review was made in 2007 - several improvements have been made since then, for instance, the flyer bars have been made more aerodynamically efficient. The standard orifice is now made of stainless steel, and the bearings (which were always great) have been improved. Hinges have been upgraded...AND the price has definitely gone up :-)

It is still one of the nicest "everything" wheels available. Dollar for dollar, I believe it is the best spinning wheel in its class.

This month every Rose wheel comes with ALL the Majacraft whorls. Spin thread, spin rope. You choose!

MAJACRAFT PIONEER: UPDATED!

Some spinning wheel companies create a wheel and never change it except to use cheaper and cheaper parts over the years. I will not name any names, but you know who they are. Majacraft craftsmen and women are constantly working to make the best possible spinning wheel in the world. If they can make a part better, they do it. That is one of the reasons I'm a Majacraft user and dealer.

Here is the breaking news - just came in tonight! The Pioneer has a new look. I've got one on the way and can't wait to put it together.

From Majacraft:
Majacraft as always, are trying to make craft tools that work great and look fantastic too. So based on this philosophy, we have set about changing and improving the aesthetics of the Pioneer.

The base and pedals of the Pioneer are now in solid pine (pinus radiata), similar to the stem. It is a heavier wood than the original plywood so the overall look of the wheel is much more solid. We have changed the finish from a cream wash to a warm honey coloured oil which accents the natural lustre and grain of the timber.

It also comes standard with our new aerodynamic flyer and 5-ratio whorl. And as with all Majacraft wheels it has the ability to fit all of our accessories.

All of our pine timber is sourced directly from our NZ supplier, which is all grown sustainably here in New Zealand.

Pioneer, Suzie Pro, Little Gem - Compare Sizes

Today a fellow spinner contacted me and asked for information about a couple of Majacraft spinning wheels. She wanted to know how the Little Gem and the Suzie compare in size, thinking perhaps that they weren't that much different. After all, the Suzie is marketed as a "folding" wheel, and that makes it sound very portable.

I took this photo and sent it to her. Yes, the Suzies (and the Rose) SORT OF FOLD, but they are heavy and cumbersome to move around. The Gem (and the Pioneer, to a certain extent) are much more portable. Both come apart in two pieces, and the Gem folds in half.

FYI!

Suzie Gets a New Look!

NEWS FROM MAJACRAFT: New Suzie Drive Wheel - Kowhai Flowers

At last, what you've all been waiting for - Andy's latest creation using our new laser engraver - The new Suzie wheel, adorned with stylized Kowhai flowers (pronounced 'Kor-fai'), which is one of New Zealand's most beautiful native flowering trees. Click here to learn more about the Kowhai tree!

My First (And Hopefully Helpful) Spinning Video!

I am paranoid about dinging up my treadles. Call me fussy. Here is a way to take the flyer off and put it back on without risking that lovely Rimu wood or bruising up your feet.

Should I Buy My Wheel in New Zealand?

The exchange rate between New Zealand and the US is low right now. That means our dollars buy a lot of NZ dollars. Things are cheaper. A lot of people are buying their spinning wheels from New Zealand dealers, and why not? Who doesn't want to save money?

Here are a few things to consider before you send your VISA number to the Land of the Kiwi.

1. You are buying from a dealer who cannot service your wheel. If there is a problem during shipping or customs it is YOUR problem, not the NZ dealer's problem.
2. You are buying from a dealer who doesn't have a toll-free number and doesn't keep USA hours.
3. Your NZ-purchased spinning wheel is not as cheap as it seems. You will pay hefty shipping charges, custom fees, insurance, and a 3% foreign currency exchange surcharge from your credit card.
4. You are sending your money overseas at at time when we desperately need to keep it here in America. One of the reasons for rising unemployment is that it is cheaper to do business overseas.You can choose to be part of the solution by purchasing your spinning wheel at home.
5. Your spinning wheel dealer can also take advantage of a favorable exchange rate giving you a fair price without sacrificing the service and ongoing relationship you deserve. She may have exactly what you want on hand. Why wait? And if she does have to place an order, she will be responsible for your spinning wheel's safe arrival.

Before you buy from New Zealand, ask your USA Majacraft dealer for a quote.