The Ashford traditional spinning wheel

The Ashford wheel is a beautiful integration of form and function. The spinner sits behind the wheel, giving the wheel a spin and then maintaining the rotation with the foot treadle (A) so the footman (B) can impart force to the crank, connected to the wheel hub.

The drive band (C) now rotates the spindle whorl (D) (or pulley) causing the attached flyer arms (E) to rotate around the bobbin (F). The hollow spindle shaft is carried on the two maidens (G) mounted on the ‘mother of all’ (H). A knob (I) is then used to tilt the mother of all to set tension on the drive band.

To start spinning, the operator ties a length of yarn around the centre of the bobbin shaft. The free end is then taken over one of the hooks on the flyer arm, into the hole (J) and out the end of the hollow spindle shaft. A few turns on the wheel (K) should wind the leader on to the bobbin. A 30 cm piece will be left hanging from the spindle orifice, and is used to lead the new yarn on to the bobbin.

Next, a ‘draft’ is pulled from the carded batt of fibre and twisted on

to the end of the leader, the wheel is spun and the spinner continues to draft and pinch fibre as it is drawn into the spindle. This ‘draft, pinch, release’ action is repeated until the bobbin is full.

At this point, you may be wondering how the flyer can deposit yarn on to a bobbin rotating at the same speed. The bobbin whorl (L) is braked by a nylon line (M). Brake tension is set at knob ‘N’ so that the bobbin rotates slower than the flyer, allowing the spun yarn to coil around the bobbin.