Monday, August 31, 2009

Heart transplant failed :(

Thank you lovely ladies who left a comment. It's nice to know someone is out there ;)

I have bad news; Sadie's heart transplant failed. I drove to the sewing machine shop nice and early... but the guy took one look at the spinner and went out back... and came back with a motor probably older than Sadie itself. I took it home, Roy and his offsider took a look at it, pulled everything apart but couldn't make it work. They're pretty clued on when it comes to things like this so I took their word at it. Drove back to the shop for a refund. Sigh... still no wheel. I am so spin-less; I just don't feel much like knitting.

Plan B: I am in contact with Ashford for a replacement motor heart, so all is not lost... yet.

Also, I will soon have a new Ashford girl in my life; I have just placed an order for an Ashford Joy spinning wheel!

AND, Jolly Jumbuck is now an Ashford dealer :) I am slowly loading the products up at the shop

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Open heart surgery

I haven't posted for so long, I don't think anyone is reading anymore. Anyhow...

This is Sadie:


She is a circa 1990's (???) Ashford "Motorized Spinner" that I recently purchased off the first and only owner. I have been resisting learning to spin for so long, always saying "not till Matilda goes to school", but I had to give in. I bought a drop spindle but was horrible at it, the spindle wouldn't spin for very long before changing directions.

So when Sadie came up for sale in the Hand Spinners and Weavers Guild newsletter, I snapped her up. She's great to spin on, but a little bit like driving an automatic as opposed to a manual car.

Two nights ago, her motor just seized. Roy had a look at it and says the motor is stuffed. Fortunately it was labelled "Sewing Motor" so we've found a place in Perth that services and sells parts for sewing machines. I'm looking forward to heading there tomorrow, and hopefully Roy can wire in her new heart. I've been going bonkers the last couple of days; have some lovely hand-dyed fibre to spin for a swap, but no wheel.
 
Dear Diary Blogger Template