Spinning Wheel Rescue (or, that job I've been putting off for two years)

Thanks for all of the entries for our wool comp. While we regain our composure and gird our loins for the next challenge, I thought that I would share with you a job that I've been putting off for far too long.

About five years ago I bought an old Lithuanian spinning wheel. It's from the mid 1900's and, like me, looked a bit rough. Once I'd dosed the wood for nasties, I decided that it needed a bit of TLC and decided to wax it. The wax I bought was coloured (bad idea!!) - the colour being Georgian Oak - "fantastic" I thought, "it will really make this wood look lovely". No, it made the wood have a hideous greenish tinge, which isn't that apparent in the photo's, but is there, trust me! Anyway, back the wheel went into its box and has stayed there ever since, just waiting for me to strip that awful wax off and give it a loving coat of oil instead. Ha! finally got round to getting all of the neccessaries and making a start (must be the warm spell).

So now I have stripped away the green and I'm waiting for the wood to dry so I can get in there with my wire wool and wood oils.

The wheel is in its natural state in the photo. It all comes apart without any screws or bolts. It was carried from farm to farm by women when the sheep were shorn. I have a strong suspicion that it was also a flax wheel as the diameter of the wheel is small (plus the distaff gives it away a bit)

Now, Zoe hasn't seen this wheel and , as she has a penchant for giving everything a name I want to keep it in pieces till the last minute so she can't sneak in and name it!

Hopefully by the end of the week it will be up and running again, it's a lovely wheel, a real workhorse. So any spinning wheel questions, just let us know.