Issue 36 Detail

	*Issue: #36 - April 2002* This issue can best be described as "a little bit of this, a little bit of that." It includes a strange wheel in India, unusual bobbin winders, book reviews, and how to accomplish quick fixes on spinning wheels. The Ranee Spinning Wheel by Peter Teal While he was working in India, Peter Teal of Taunton, England, kept hearing about a device called the "Ranee" or "Queen" wheel. After much searching he came across one. He describes how this strange hybrid machine works. Ranee wheel, courtesy of Peter Teal A - Spinning eye B - Ring and traveler assembly C - Heel rest D - Treadle E - Belt tensioner F - Footman
	Bobbin Winder Basics by Florence Feldman-Wood The tool used for winding yarn onto spools or bobbins, often called a bobbin winder or quiller, is the only "related tool" that we have not discussed. I look at some examples to explain the basic design and where it fits into the general process of turning raw fiber into yarn and then cloth. Woman with bobbin winder Kashmiri spool winder and portable creel Photograph courtesy of Peter Teal
	Three Unusual Bobbin Winders by Florence Feldman-Wood Three unusual bobbin/spool winders in the collection of the American Textile History Museum in Lowell, MA, were originally part of the Samuel Dale Stevens Collection. I describe these strange devices, including the notes Stevens made about them. Photographs courtesy of the American Textile History Museum Spool winder with cross-frame swift Spool winder with squirrel cage swift Spool winder with accelerating wheel
	Six Quick Fixes by David Bownas Frequent inquiries from readers about fixing spinning wheels prompted me to ask David Bownas of Poughkeepsie, NY, to write about "easy fixes" that almost anyone can do. He describes six quick and easy repairs based on his experience caring for his and wife Pat's extensive collection of spinning wheels (more than 90).
	Two Book Reviews The two books that I review were designed for very different readers but, surprisingly, complement one another. The Age of Homespun is a scholarly work by historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich and contains extensive notes. Amasa Walker's Splendid Garment, based on a historical document, is written for 4th and 5th graders.

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Š2002 The Spinning Wheel Sleuth