Although they’ve been around for some time, electric spinning wheels (or e-spinners) have been rapidly gaining popularity in the spinning world. I decided to find out why – and here’s what I learned…
I’ll admit, it took me a while to be sold on electric spinning wheels. “Isn’t that cheating?” I would ask, as I gave the Ashford E-Spinner 3, Electric Spinner the side-eye. But then I started seeing articles about e-spinners in all my favorite spinning magazines, and I couldn’t stay aloof any longer. These powerful little machines are portable, versatile and easy to use. Their design is relatively simple, so using and caring for them is more approachable than you might think.
There are a lot of perks to using an e-spinner, from faster production to more consistent yarn. How do I know all this? My Dad made me one! And while I’m lucky enough to have this unique, one-of-a-kind model, its design doesn’t vary too much from Ashford’s popular e-Spinner 3. Check them out:
The beautiful handmade e-spinner my dad created. He salvaged the wood from part of a grand old dining room table that’s been in my family for generations. The flyer is the one from my Louet – I just swap it out on whichever wheel I want to use. There’s even a place to store the power supply and an extra drive band. Very clever!
The Ashford E-Spinner 3, Electric Spinner. You can see the controls are located at the front, the tension knob at the back, and everything is just about as compact as you can get it.
Electric spinners may be smaller than traditional wheels, but they’ve still got all the necessary bells and whistles. A simple switch allows you to choose which direction to spin, and you can also adjust the speed of the motor – just like treadling a little faster or slower. There’s also a tension knob, which probably doesn’t look all that different from the one on your foot-powered wheel. These small but important pieces allow you to spin a whole world of different yarns, from fingering weight to bulky, single ply or multi-ply.
Can you tell which yarn was spun on the e-spinner? I can’t, and I’m the one who took the picture! Fortunately, I labeled them: the yarn on the left was spun on my treadle powered wheel, and the yarn on the right was spun on my e-spinner. Their differences are subtle, but the main thing I noticed is that the wheel-spun yarn has a tendency to get over-twisted (which is entirely my own fault, not the wheel’s). The e-spun yarn is slightly smoother and loftier as a result. Here’s a closer look – remember, wheel-spun on the left, e-spun on the right:
Pros and cons? Every spinner is different, so I can only speak for myself, but I love the control I have when using a treadle-powered spinning wheel. Using my feet and my fingers to make any subtle adjustments to speed or tension is such a natural, harmonious feeling.
That said, the e-spinner offers some benefits that can’t be overlooked (which is why I asked my dad to make me one).
- It produces a much more consistent yarn, especially for those prone to over-twisting (like me).
- I found it way easier to use the long-draw technique, likely due to the e-spinner’s steady speed.
- I can place the e-spinner on a countertop and spin while standing up, which is much better for my back than hunching over my wheel.
- Even though I have to plug it in when I want to use it, the e-spinner is much more portable than any other wheel I’ve ever used.
While I don’t think e-spinners can ever replace treadle wheels, I do think they’re wonderful. If you’re exploring the options for your next big wheel purchase, I highly recommend adding electric to your list!
…Psst! Did you know that when you purchase a spinning wheel from us (including the Ashford E-Spinner 3, Electric Spinner), you get a FREE Fiber Starter - spinning sample pack too?! That’s over a pound of fiber to play with!
Happy spinning! ~ Sierra
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