#ashford kiwi 3

[guardevoir]

Fiber arts update!

The postal service gods have smiled upon me and gotten me my wheel a day early, huzzah!

I might just be developing kit-based stockholm syndrome, but putting this thing together was actually kinda fun. Easier than the loom and, hilariously, less frustrating than the fucking bobbin winder, even if it did take absolutely forever. Also, I like the way it sounds (or... doesn't sound like much, as the case may be), I like the way it looks, I like how sturdy it is. And I think I'm starting to really enjoy the way it spins, too.

On the other hand? I have thoughts.

Why is there no convenient place to put fiber. Why are the sliding hooks so goddamn hard to operate smoothly. And, honestly, I don't mind the double treadle, but I also still do not understand why it exists. It makes direction control harder, with no notable upside that I can see.

I'm also fighting a desperate battle against the concept of scotch tension. I mean, I did pick a single drive wheel kind of deliberately, because there's upsides to it that double drive does not have (like how the drive band isn't a non-euclidean nightmare of horribleness)... but goddamn it, I really didn't appreciate the smooth, incredibly even take-up of my old wheel enough until now. You put the tension somewhere, and unless something catches in the orifice, that's the tension you're gonna get, no ifs and buts. The Kiwi 3, meanwhile, likes to periodically tug at my fiber and it's weirding me the fuck out. At least tension's about as easy to adjust as my double-drive wheel (which, thanks to its center-screw setup, is probably a great deal easier than average for double-drive), but also just as finicky.

The "no convenient place to put fiber" thing is annoying, though. The vintage wheel has all kinds of bits and bobs that you can fix your WIP to in a pinch, plus a nice handy distaff, while the Kiwi 3 spins, and anything beyond that single function is kind of a "not my goddamn job" kinda deal.

I do appreciate the orifice hook slot, though.

I have also somehow STILL MISPLACED the orifice hook about half a dozen times in the last few hours. I am incorrigible.

The most interesting takeaway is that I was kinda scared that I'd get a new spinning wheel and realize that my old one is crap. This is definitely not what happened. Despite all my grumbling, I do like the Kiwi and I'm very happy to have it, but I'm also realizing all the upsides of the vintage wheel that I took for granted. Like how easy it is to get it started in the right direction with barely a tap of my foot, (almost) no matter which position it's in. The even take-up. The feather-light tension. The distaff. The nub I can wrap my spin around when taking a break. The fact that, when I stop treadling, both flyer and bobbin stop at the same time.

On the other hand, I will admit to never taking the bobbin off of that vintage wheel unless I absolutely have to. To wind off, I usually just lower the tension all the way and let the bobbin free-spin, because fuck that. And the Kiwi also doesn't make me smack my shins into a wooden base on a regular basis. AND I got the high-speed whorl for it so now I have ratios from 5.5:1 all the way to 15:1, and it's glorious. Plus, it's a whole lot quieter. And as much as I don't like the specific way they set up the sliding hooks, they're still much, much more pleasant than the double-threaded nightmare I had to pull off on the vintage wheel half the time.

TL;DR: new wheel good, once I get my blending board and really figure out the tension on the Kiwi, I'll be so fucking powerful you folks

[jos-has-too-many-hobbies]

Guess who now owns a spinning wheel!!

[viciousewe]

Hmmmm

I'm getting a spinning wheel sized tax return this year so obviously.....I want a spinning wheel. But I have a lot of options, I've never spun on a treadle wheel, and have some chronic pain in my knees and back so I need advice.

My top choices are:

Ashford e-spinner 3: (my top pick currently)

Pros: Ive developed the habit of spinning lying down and this is the best way to continue that. It's small and I will easily find space in my already yarn stuffed bedroom.

Cons: expensive.....there goes most of the return...I've always wanted a treadle wheel so I'll still probably get wheel envy....

Ashford kiwi:

Pros: cheap. At the price of one kiwi I could use the rest of my return to get......another kiwi? (Or save it I guess)

Cons: it’s not….that aesthetically pleasing. I know that doesn’t mean much and I would finish it myself in a pretty color but still. I don’t see a lot of people with one so that makes me nervous. I can’t spin in bed and I would be limited to 15-30min sessions between breaks which kind fucks w the flow of spinning. Also where am I putting this thing

???: if it comes unfinished I am finishing it myself but that means I’ll have to do the walk of shame into my old job at the Lowe’s AND go to the section where I used to work idk if I could handle that. The small hardware store down the street probably doesn’t have the pretty blue gray finish I would want thoooo

Kromski ministrel:

Pros: oh my god this has been my dream wheel for the whole 15 years I’ve been spinning. It’s pretty….and the walnut stain?

Cons: expensive……also the same as the kiwi in terms of needing breaks and taking up space.

???: I kinda do wanna finish it my self and I could get a pretty dark stain at the local hardware store….

Book Charkha:

Pros: the cheapest by far. Easy to store. I bet I could work out a way to spin lying down with this thing.

Cons: it’s strongly associated with Ghandi which as a non Hindu Indian makes me feel some kind of way.

???: honestly could save up for this easily so I’d rather spend my tax money on something I can’t normally save for

If anyone has experience w any of these (or with both e spinners and treadle wheels or thought of smth I didn’t) please chime in. Right now I’m leaning toward the espinner due to the agonies but I also hear that treadling is mostly in the hips and my knees aren’t that bad so it’s mostly my back that’s the problem.

[shadybaby22]

Start to finish my first project on the my first ever wheel, an Ashford Kiwi 3. With some bonus kitten content!

Using 2 nationally dyed sampler bags of carded wool from WoolFarmCrafts I lined up a rainbow gradient side-by-side and spun each single on a bobbin

Once it was all spun up, I washed, snapped, and dried it (in my bathtub, it was sooo much water so I bought a salad spinner for future projects

Since the gauge was inconsistent, I wanted to make something where the exact size didn't matter so I landed on the Saroyan Shawl by L. Abinante and I love the edging!

I learned a ton about my wheel in this process! I'm glad I had so much time with my drop spindle before I got the wheel and before using strictly carded fiber, I think I would've gotten frustrated with drafting while the wheel's mechanics. My only real regret was starting with blue and working down the gradient in that direction. I was too excited to work the blue-pink colors and didn't think how that meant green would be one corner. I wish I'd had purple and red as the corners.

[leveragehunters]

I'm so excited, I need to share my new (first!) spinning wheel, Lipwig. It's an Ashford Kiwi 3, named after Moist von Lipwig from Pratchett's Going Postal, because at the heart of every grift is someone spinning yarns. (With bonus needle felted Aeslin mouse checking it out.)

[bumblebeeappletree]

Learn how to spin yarn on an Ashford Kiwi 3 Spinning Wheel.

In this video, we are using an Eri silk cocoon. Eri silk is the most sustainable silk which is soft and comfy. This particular silk breathes in summer and warms you up in winter.

Eri silk comes from a small region located in Meghalaya, Northeast India. Visit our website to know more about Eri silk.

https://www.muezart.com/

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFJY...

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Muezart.Brand/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muezart_yarn/

Pinterest: https://in.pinterest.com/muezart/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/muezart

Visit: https://www.muezart.com/

[theoriginalladya]

Tour de Fleece - Day 9 (I may have mislabeled yesterday's lol)!

Left hand side: Drop spindle, well into the next big segment of the Starry Night roving. Making progress!!! Got a large part of it done today!

Right hand side: My spinning wheel (Ashford Kiwi 3). So, okay, I have some issues with this thing. I took a picture of this because it is the first time since I started using it that I actually managed to get some of the wool onto the spindle - so yay, progress.

(rest is under cut because it got a bit long)

It's horribly uneven and it kinks up a LOT in the twisting, and shortly after this I had issues drafting and it just stopped pulling onto the spindle, which led to tangling and me getting frustrated, and so I finally just stopped. I'm not sure what I expected from a spinning wheel, but all of this trouble/difficulty was not it.

One of the reasons I got this particular model was because many of the reviews on it said it was a 'good beginner spinning wheel.' Well, I'm here to say that's a bunch of BS. And not just because of my difficulties. So far as I can tell, there is no specific manual or tutorials out there for this wheel. Even the pamphlet they sent me is one of their fancier, nicer, more expensive versions that is set up entirely different. I've looked for videos on their site to show me how to do this: same thing. Other wheels, not this one.

Maybe it's me and the wool I'm using? (rovings) Maybe it's something else. I need to see about finding a spinning class, maybe, or something because right now my frustration level is high enough I was ready to toss this thing into a bonfire after today (I'd tried it several times back around Christmas when I started and had equally bad results). I mean, am I missing where the videos and tutorials are? I've done Google searches, I've looked through Ashford's site, I've looked everywhere I can think of for help on this, and I'm not finding anything.

Anyway, for now I will stick with the drop spindle method. If nothing else, it'll help me calm down after frustrating moments like today, and at least that I've got enough control over I'm comfortable with it. Honestly, if i could go back and get my $500 back from this spinning wheel I would and use it on some more drop spindles. I have a lot of rovings to spin up, after all! lol

[yarnonline]

Ashford Handicrafts Archives

Ashford Handicrafts Company has become a world leader in the manufacturing of quality spinning wheels, weaving looms, and textile equipment. They use only the finest hardwood, sourced from sustainably managed forests. The wheels loom, and carders made by Ashford Handicrafts are the result of over 80 years of experience, consumer feedback, and research and development. Natural wood or eco-friendly water-based lacquer finish options are available here. They're made to be easy to put together and finish, as well as fun to use. Use Ashford Handicrafts wheels, carders, looms, fibres, and yarns to create your own unique yarns, fabric, garments, and homeware.

Our Ashford Handicrafts archives have: •Ashford Handicrafts Bobbins – it is used for Joy spinning wheel Traditional single drive spinning wheel Traveler single drive spinning wheel Joy 2 spinning wheel Electronic spinner Kiwi spinning wheel Kiwi 2 spinning wheel •Ashford Handicrafts Corriedale fiber packs-

Corriedale wool is smooth and easy to spin or felt, with a definite, uniform crimp. Corriedale has good flexibility and will bulk up after washing. It's perfect for baby clothes that are woven, knitted, crocheted, or felted. We only use wool that has a decent length, is free of breaks, has a lot of bulk, is bright, has a lot of vegetable matter, and has the perfect micron.

•Ashford Handicrafts felting needles Needle felting is a simple and quick way to make stunning, one-of-a-kind flat and 3-D art forms. Fibre and felting needles are all that are required for this type of dry felting. The needles are made of carbon steel of the highest grade. •Ashford Handicrafts hardware and maintenance With this quick and easy to apply eco-friendly, low gloss finishing wax polish, you can preserve, protect, and enhance wheels, looms, and all other craft accessories. Our maintenance kit keeps your spinning wheel well maintained and it will last a lifetime.

•Ashford handicrafts luxury fiber packs White Silk / Merino blend - 30% Mulberry Silk 70% Merino 19 micron – 100gm 20% White Silk / 30% Alpaca / 50% Merino Blend Silver – 100gm

•Ashford handicrafts merino fibre packs Merino wool has a crimp that is closely spaced and is very soft. Merino wool is perfect for fine knitting, crochet, and lacework. You can use the long draw to spin a fine woolen yarn or the short draw to spin a worsted yarn.

•Ashford Handicrafts needle felting kit This kit has everything you need to get felting. Kit includes 4 types of needles, 15 colors of fibre, foam block, washaway fabric, and The Ashford Book of Needle Felting by Barbara Allen.

About us A Yarn Trader is an independent yarn store in Port Adelaide, South Australia. We love natural fibres and have a large selection of Australian-made goods. We are committed to bringing you the best in locally made yarns and accessories, as well as carefully curated natural fibre yarns from around the world, at Yarn Trader.

[rachelfolkster]

Plying is done! 322 yards of a light worsted weight that is crying to be a cowl. A few things: 1. The Ashford Lazy Kate is....not great. I do not recommend it. 2. I love spinning #polworth - #merino is good but the Polworth is my favorite. 3. I'm gonna need more bobbins for my Ashford Kiwi 2 - any suggestions? 4. Tomorrow is my endurance test so 3 hours of plying was probably a bad idea 😂 5. I LOVE SPINNING! My stupid #mswarrior legs are holding up pretty well - it's empowering! . #spinnersofinstagram #handspun #hygge #ravelry #ashfordkiwi2 #lazykate #spinlove #tourdefleece #tourdefleece2017 (at Hilliard, Ohio)

[kinfolkyarn]

I'm so excited! I just finished assembling these 2 lovely Ashford Kiwis that we'll be using for the "Intro to Wheel Spinning" class I'm teaching at my LYS @baaadannas this Sunday. The course fee includes 3 weeks of wheel rental. Fun, fun, fun! #ashfordkiwi2 #assemblyrequired #learntospin #handspinning #spinningwheels #makingyarnbyhand #baaadannasyarnstore

[guardevoir]

Fiber arts update!

Didn't get around to actually working on stuff much, because someone got smacked in the head by the deadline they set themselves for their own fic exchange which they run once again, so I had to make sure I got that done in time first (in my defense I spent December mostly out of commission due to work, but still. lol. lmao).

Still, exciting things are happening!

I ordered myself a small blending board, a modern-day spinning wheel, and a 10-dent heddle for my loom, all of which should get here later in the week.

As per usual, I absolutely love my fairy tale spinning wheel and I'm not planning to let go of it any time soon, but it just really doesn't wanna do any kind of woolen spin, long draw, bulky or high-twist stuff, all of which I would like to work with occasionally. So, got myself an Ashford Kiwi 3, and the fairy tale wheel will be relegated to things it's actually good at - worsted, medium-twist things that I need less than 50g of each single for.

The blending board was really only a matter of time. Fucking colors, heck yeah!

I also predictably ordered myself like three different colors of sparkle to go with it, lol

The heddle decision was actually kind of a pain - I was tempted to go for another 7.5 dent, for two-heddle setups and twill and stuff, but I also think that threading diagrams look horrifying and patterns will probably come out better on a finer weave anyway. So, 10 dent for now, and probably a second one once I can justify the expense.

... I am not looking forward to the setup on that Kiwi 3, by the way

[revelationashford]

‘Artist in the Hotseat’ - Paul Sartin of Belshazzar’s Feast

We catch up with Paul Sartin (on the left with the shears!) to find out more about what’s being served at Belshazzar’s Feast’s 6th May gig at Revelation...

1.       How did you and Paul [Hutchinson] meet and what inspired you to start playing together?

We were enlisted into a band called the Life of Reilly, and first met at a rehearsal in a container in a field in rural Oxfordshire. We didn’t really speak to each other (if only things had stayed that way), until after our first gig, when we discovered a mutual love of humour and wine, and a mutual need to earn a living – hence the duo.  

2.       What do you enjoy most about performing in your duo Belshazzar’s Feast compared to Faustus and Bellowhead?

The humour, musical and otherwise, is an enormous part of it. Plus a certain freedom in performance which seems to diminish the larger the ensemble. And I’m the only singer, so my ego gets a little rub down to boot.

3.       You and Paul are known for your on-stage banter and wry humour when performing together, has this developed over the years or did you both just hit it off instantly?

See above – although we have had to work hard to hone our presentation, and make sure the audience is amused too, if only occasionally.

4.       Do you have a favourite Belshazzar’s Feast album?

Our latest one, The Whiting’s on the Wall, is, being a live double album, the best representation of our act. I quite enjoyed arranging our two albums of dance music from the 18th century Kynaston collection. Paul H recorded the melodies and bass lines then disappeared, leaving me a free hand to smother his playing with whatever arrrangements took my fancy.

5.       How do you balance keeping up your skills on the violin, oboe and singing?

Frequent practice - a little often, so I keep my hand in and my vocal muscles exercised. I have to be disciplined about this, and also plan in advance so that I am learning new repertoire well before deadlines.

6.       Who is your favourite ‘non-folk’ artist that you are listening to at the moment?

I’ve recently been put onto The Mutton Birds by a Kiwi friend, and they’ve been a hit with son no. 3 and me. Quirky, both musically and lyrically – but also much beauty, and an evocative sense of place.

7.       Is there another musician or artist that you would really like to collaborate with?

Stevie Wonder. Although I’m not sure the world is ready for us.  

8.       You and Paul have toured Europe and America and all over the UK, what has been your most memorable performance so far and why?

The mainstage at Sidmouth Folk Festival in about 2000, when Paul H forgot to pick me up from our digs and left me stranded in the countryside without a car or phone reception. I managed to get to the gig 20 minutes after he had started without me, to the biggest round of applause I’ve ever received. 

9.       What advice do you have for young musicians trying to catch their break in the ever-changing folk scene?

Work your backside off, don’t try to copy what’s already been done, and have a plan B and/or backup career or you’ll starve.

10.   What’s next for Belshazzar’s Feast?

We’re visiting Ashford during our annual spring tour, which this year covers a few English festivals. Then off to Costa del Folk, a festival by a swimming pool in Ibiza. Mankinis at the ready!

Visit revelationashford.co.uk to find out more and book your tickets!

Doors open at 7.00pm

Support act to be announced...