Spin Off Fall 2011 Preview

The Spin Off preview popped up today, which is interesting to me for a few reasons.

About a year ago, I started talking to small production wheel makers about whether they saw themselves still making custom wheels as time went on. I thought this was a provocative topic to pursue because I often hear complaints from spinners about the future prospects of being able to find a dream wheel. There's a lot of doom and gloom around the subject of wheelmaker longevity, and I wanted to know for sure. It's a story with a happy ending. You'll see.

 

In researching the piece, I also had the enviable opportunity to become aquainted with a number of the sometimes elusive guys who design and make contemporary spinning wheels. A few of their stories are worth more than what I could cover in a survey article. The first of a few in-depth articles is also in this issue, about a 2000 year-old spinning wheel design that Jonathan Bosworth built from Chinese Han-era stone carvings. You can see one of the photographs I took of his beautiful wheel there on the contents page. There's more to come.

Ooh, I can't wait.

Comments

[Judy]

I do hope you are considering writing a book on this. I'd really love reading that.

[kim in oregon]

I can't wait either!

[Mel]

Agreed; a book would be most welcome on the topic! :)

[Lorette]

This looks like a terrific issue! I'm anxiously waiting for my Marie by Andrew Watson to come up in the queue!

[Mickey]

Articles are very nicely done. You did an excellent job of explaining how the Han wheel operates. The procedure was not readily apparent by looking at the pictures. Give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.

[Brittany Whittenberg]

Hi, I run a non-profit group called W.E.L.L. (Women Empowered and
Loving Life). We've got a craft event going on until the end of
October making slippers for women and kids in battered shelters. We're
coming up pretty shy on the number of actual slippers donated, and so
we're trying to involve local teachers and groups. Please check out
the event, and please pass the info no to any/all people you know who
might be interested. It's easy to help and a great cause.

Thanks for your time,
-Brittany Whittenberg
well.neworleans@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/?sk=inbox&action=read&tid=id.233097890055634#!/event.php?eid=228661383821823
http://womenempoweredandlovinglife.weebly.com/index.html

[June]

Congrats on your 2 articles! Thanks for telling us the outcome of your investigations. For those wheelwrights with no familial heir to the wheelmaking legacy, I wonder if or wish they would consider an apprentice! Surely there are willing students out there? That's a skill I would love to learn!!!

[kmkat]

Trivia for you: the Han Chinese invented (not the wheel) the bell.