About 4 or 5 years ago I bought a second-hand spinning wheel (a Louet S10, that I named Charlotte) and fell in love with spinning. I love how when the knitting gets too hard on my hands I can spin and be creative while using a totally different set of muscles. I love hand painted fibre and how it never spins up the way you think it will. I love looking over my handspun stash and seeing my progression as a spinner.

Oddly enough, I don't often knit with what I spin. It's almost as though the yarn is the finished product for me, needing no further crafting for it to be "done". I'm working on that.

Around 2 years ago my mom and dad bought a wheel for me from an antique shop. After looking it over, I realized it's probably not as old as initially thought, but the price was good regardless. Unfortunately, it wasn't something I could spin with as it was missing key elements, the flyer being the most important. I knew the wheel was in the Ashford Traditional style (probably not bought from that company, but built from those plans) and that I could purchase what was needed easily. While I half-heartedly shopped around for a flyer assembly, the wheel sat in the craft room...pretty to look at but largely useless.

Then a friend of mine got a homemade wheel with the same dilemma...needed a flyer assembly. She found one at a sort-of local yarn shop and got set up with her first wheel. Inspired by her, I got spinning on Charlotte and made some yarns happen. Then I got curious about her new flyer assembly. Not long after, my husband was scheduled to help his mom move, and his route would take him right past the shop. And we had just gotten our tax return...and mother's day was coming...

(side note...how awesome is my husband? He takes a side trip to walk into an unknown yarn shop and purchases a flyer assembly. I love that man)

Next dilemma...my wheel was a reddish-brown colour and the new flyer assembly was lighter natural wood colour. I always figured if I was going to get this wheel ready to go I would likely paint it. I considered stains and while talking to my friend Ann decided on blue. I headed to Home Depot and explained what I was doing to a very helpful staff member. He got excited about my project too and helped me choose all the supplies I'd need to make this happen.

And so began the spinning wheel transformation

Before:

I carefully took the wheel apart, taking pics of each piece and how it fit together and what screws went where. Even with the prep, seeing it laid out like this made me a little nervous

After an afternoon's and evening's work, all the parts where painted and sealed and waiting for re-assembly. The following evening I reassembled the wheel, assembled the flyer. I touched up the wheel itself and left it for another day to set.

And the result

is a beautiful blue wheel.

But I wasn't ready to congratulate myself just yet...what if it didn't work? Sure the parts all went round when I treadled but would it make yarn? My husband had said he was fine with me painting it and getting it ready, but I really shouldn't play with my new wheel until after Mother's Day since the flyer was my present But..he's not home right now I needed to test it.

Success!

So now I have two wheels and I am one happy spinner. I haven't named her yet, waiting for when I can really play. My wheel came with a lazy kate that I still need to paint (it should match after all). I have 4 old bobbins and 4 new ones to play with.

Happy mother's day to me!