All of the notebooks look so Great! My students used their wet felted wool to create these amazing notebooks. Since there were a few issues with thin spots on their felt and a desire to add decoration I introduced some needle felting techniques to the process so that they were able to create the notebooks of their dreams!
Since our spinning class is coming up in a few weeks I decided to look into the plans available for the inexpensive ‘DODEC’ wheel. They look very easy to use if you are, or know, a woodworker. However, the gentleman that created the plans also sells the wheels already made. At $178 for his 2 wheels and 4 spindles you might think that expensive. Consider this however, an Ashford Kiwi (single drive, bobbin/flyer wheel) starts at $450. Given this information I have ordered his complete package to be sent to the Library. These are similar to the old fashioned ‘great wheels’ insofar as they use a spindle instead of a bobbin and flyer to add the twist into the fiber and to store the fiber. Honestly, for me, they are a beautiful step in between the drop spindle and a wheel, they allow the mechanics of a bobbin flyer wheel to be introduced gradually to the students instead of going from a drop spindle to this complicated looking wheel.
I do hope that they are simple to use, or at least that I can get the hang of them quickly. I will let you know when they arrive and I stain/assemble them! The link below is to the store, from there you can purchase a wheel or access the plans.
http://porterthreads.weebly.com/store/p4/Dodec_Spinning_Wheel.html
Happy Crafting!