I bought myself an ashford traditional kit kraft wheel
used from ebay…a really great deal
i couldn’t pass it up because i hear good things about this wheel!
i was looking for something more like an ashford joy but i’ll be very happy with the one i’m getting… that is if i can master it 
it didn’t take long for this addiction to kick in! :teehee:
can’t wait to get it!
oh! me too!:woohoo: but I got mine here in town,& then I went right to the yarn shop to see if it needed anything but they said that though it was old it is in like new condition! I love it!!!
now I just need to learn how to use it:thumbsup:
First thing I recommend to my students is to simply sit in front of the wheel and master the treadle. Making it go fast is easy, but you won’t be able to spin while treadling fast!
You’ll want to be able to treadle slow (and in the same direction!)
Once you’ve mastered that, stop the wheel (using only the treadle) and go in the opposite direction.
Next, tie on a cheap acrylic yarn and ‘spin’ that on to the bobbin. The lesson here is to get used to the fiber going through your hands and being able to adjust the tension to fill the bobbin.
After that, predraft somve roving, so you won’t have to draft during your spinning, and spin that on!
You can do it!!
I have 3 Ashford traditionals and love them, they were all bought used. Different size flyers are available so that you can spin anything from lace weight to chunky. And I agree with mullerslanefarm, practise treadling, you want to be able to treadle slowly without stopping.
thanks for the tips mullerslane and hcons!
and here’s to learning red mom! :clink:
I’ve been so busy dying and drying roving, spinning yarn on my spindle and learning a bit on my new wheel i forgot to post pictures!
here is the ebay photo 
a pic of it set up in my house
and a fun pic of my cat thinking he was sneaking into my box of alpaca seconds
i got a lazy kate missing one of the metal pins, 4 regular bobbins, a jumbo flyer, 4 jumbo bobbins, another MOA that has one broken but fixable madien and some old yarn that was left on which i’ll be using to practice plying for under 300 bucks!
it’s an ashford kit kraft from the 70’s
it was well loved and used but still in great condition
i’m really happy with it and now i can see why people own more than one wheel… having one of these sitting around is very comforting!
I see you have a jumbo flyer. I think the jumbo flyer alone is about $150 new. I think you have quite a deal.
You might find it easier to learn to spin with the jumbo flyer and bobbins, as everything will be moving more slowly than with the regular flyer. Have fun!
The wheel looks great! I’m happy for you! Have fun spinning!
[SIZE=“1”]Just like your cat I’d like to sneak into the box of alpaca to play…[/SIZE] :teehee: cloud9 
:cheering: :cheering: Congratulations!
I have an Ashford Traditional as well and just love it.
Happy Spinning!
WOW you got that bad boy for steal. I too just bought a used tradional for under $300. Also got a pound of fiber with the wheel. I bought my wheel with out ever sitting at one to spin.
CONGRATS!!!
thanks and congrats to you too!
i hadn’t ever sat behind one before i bought mine either but i did have almost a whole month of spindling under my belt. heh
it was def a good choice for me! I love spinning!
I bought my wheel sight unseen and never sat at a single wheel. BUT I’ve been using a drop spindle s0nice February of this year. I do have the basics of spinning down and mastered. The wait for my wheel to show up is killing me.
It’s pretty! Love the cat getting into the fiber. They can’t resist!
yay Foxyie! Congrats on your wheel…I was just going thru the stash a bit and saw the orange yarn you dyed for me…think I’m going to make headbands. I’ll send you a pic when I do them!
Bethany
fun fun! can’t wait to see!
that is such a beautiful wheel! What a great deal! I am hoping to be able to afford a woolee winder later this year for my Babe Garden wheel
ETA- your ‘Beet’ yarn is sooo purty (really hard to resist!)
oh this one loves alpaca… he won’t bother my wool but anything alpaca drives him batty! :teehee:
thanks so much jeanius! i also really like that yarn… i’m pretty sure that was spindle spun.
and i hear good things about the woolee winder but i don’t really have a use for one at the moment… hope you can get yours sooner rather than later! 
Foxyie did your wheel come with any paper work. Your wheel is just like mine. I had make tension knob and add a rubber band sine this parts where MIA and the sell had NO clue what I was talking about. Going to order the right things after the 1st of the month.
Also have you spun on it yet? I can’t get the draft to stay on the leader to prduce anything worth while.
hi mitchie
no mine didn’t come with any paperwork… but if the maidens and spokes i guess they are called… are exactly the same shape then you’ve got yourself a 70’s ashford kit kraft wheel… mine still has the little metal plaque on it that says what it is.
i’ve spun on it tons…almost everyday since i’ve got it
what kind of leader yarn are you using? i have some bobbins with cotton that don’t work well and others that have acrylic leaders that work well
sometmes though it’s really hard to get superwash or softer yarns to stay so i just get the end going and then tie it on to my leader
mine came with springs for the tension that were really out of shape so i used a hair band and it works for me.
also i had to tweak my tension alot when i first used it but once i figured what i needed for my treadling it got alot easier to adjust
I’ve got some highland wool for my leader. Its fingering weight I may need to change it over to something else. I guess I jsut need to practice practice