Why is old stuff so much better than new stuff? While that isn't the case in every instance, but when you are talking about making yarn, old stuff just has a way of giving an antiquated craft more character. Last week, Mr. Cutthroat and I made it out of the big, bad city to take a weekend away. I took Mr. Cutthroat to every antique store in town to find a new old wheel. In and out, in and out, we saw tons of crap and very few gems. Each store owner would say, "a wheel?? I haven't seen those in ages!" But, in the very last store tucked in between two old pieces of furniture was this beauty. I fell in love and sent Mr. Cutthroat to the ATM to make this wheel a part of my family. We buckled it into the car seat, much like a baby. We carefully carried it up the stairs. I took it apart, oiled it, and dusted each part.
Then, I flipped it over to check for a makers mark. I broke it. A small piece of wood that connects the wheel to the pedal snapped in two. Granted, these parts of the wheel are hardly ever original because of their fragility, but I cried as I glued it back together. I will find a replacement part and it will spin beautiful yarn. But, sadly not in time for the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.
