One evening recently, a good friend of mine popped over. When I say ‘popped over’, you need to understand that both she and I are knitters/crocheters, so there is no version of ‘popping over’ that ends quickly or without a drink, a gossip, and a spot of knitting. It was good to see her. (I’m sure you two would like each other if you met.)
Amongst several reasons for her visit, she wanted to meet the new addition to our household. Look!
This beauty was a joint birthday-Christmas gift from several branches of family, and to say that I am ridiculously excited and grateful scarcely even begins to describe the situation. (It’s an Ashford Traditional Double Drive, with Double Treadle kit, fact-fans, and it’s nothing short of splendid.) Much as I was enjoying using the drop spindle…
…I craved the speed and possibilities of a wheel. And wow, is it fast.
Yes, I am very much a beginner. Yes, I can see you sitting there thinking, “What? She hasn’t even managed to [insert name of skill that I’m not even aware that I lack]”. But we all have to start somewhere.
As I said, my friend visited. For the purposes of this blog post, we’ll call her ‘Jo’ because… well, because that’s her name, and it seems a pity to waste it. (You’ve met her before, so I reckon that you’re probably on first name terms by now.)
Jo admired the spinning wheel. Jo and I chatted about the spinning wheel. And then Jo asked the crucial question, “What have you named it?”
Egads! I hadn’t even thought of that. I’m not sure why I hadn’t thought of that, given that I’m prone to naming everything else. Our fruit bowl is called Fergus, and the sieve is Zeldin III. (RIP Zeldin I and Zeldin II, who were long ago dispatched to the great kitchen drawer in the sky.) We’ve even named the children.
But the spinning wheel had no name.
“Jenny, maybe?” suggested Jo, but half-heartedly, because that’s a name that’s probably already been bestowed on a lot of spinning wheels. We pondered for a while, and sipped our drinks. But neither Jo nor I could think of an alternative name.
Are you currently experiencing that uneasy feeling that you’re about to be asked a favour? Well pay attention to that feeling, because it’s accurate. Please will you help me name my spinning wheel? I wouldn’t have troubled you, but I’m so new to spinning that I can’t even tell whether it’s male or female, let alone whether it’s a Miranda, or a Hieronymus, or a Sid, or a Clementine, or a Jane, or a Sir Archibald Mangelwurzel.
Any suggestions would be very gratefully received. Then possibly, we should have a vote. Thank you.
And no, I’m not going to call it Spinny McSpinface.*
∗ (BBC News story here, in case you missed that one.)
How about Spinderella?
I have 3 wheels… all namelss. Or at least they have yet to speak their names to me. I’ve had them long enough that they should have. So they are nameless. I love them all though.
So many great name suggestions! You may have already chosen one, but my suggestion would be Peggy or Peggy Lee in honor of her song… https://youtu.be/8i-WHtdvOjM
I really enjoy listening to classic oldies from the 40’s to 60’s, my grandmothers era. Probably Peggy Lee’s most famous song is Fever, but she had many great ones including Spinning Wheel.
Sadie or Sally
I think she may be a Mathilda!
Arryackneed!
Spinderella
Love this one!
Great idea going to call mine Or as I am as she is a Haldane Orkney. I love “arryackneed” for yours.
Minnie! Just seems to fit
I’d go with “Sissy” Thought process – your blog name always makes me think of the band Twisted Sister (and no, I’m not into heavy metal music – just word association!) I love your work and your sense of humour, so somehow that seems to fit ????
Aww, I’m blushing now!
Neesa! (I have no idea for *why*, tho O.o )
Does it sing when the the treadle is flying? My Nana’s old singer sewing machine would sing Et-hel-Et-hel-Et-hel Ethel 🙂
Kylie – as in: ‘our spinning around, get out of my way’!! PS, sorry if this has already been suggested, but not all of the older comments are showing up!
errata: ‘I’m spinning around, get out of my way!’
She looks like a snail, so I would suggest Snailly.
Charlotte sounds like a great name for a spinning wheel!
My best guess as to why I think that is Charlotte’s Web.
DeeDee or DeeDee DeeTee
How about “Sensei”? I named my Kawasaki Ninja Motorcycle “Sensei” because I knew I was going to learn mainly by getting my backside kicked by a machine with more capability than I could use and control. (and she kicked me around the block initially, but I did learn fast.) I’m also thinking “fuzzy” or “fluffy” (obvious probably).
How about Daisy Wheel in honor of the original that so sped up typing, and led to the invention of the correcting typewriter?
That’s a difficult request. It’s like when you plan on calling your newborn George and when you first set eyes on him and he just looks like a Humphrey. When we got our new car I just took one look and said Matilda, but when my husband got a tablet we called it the machine. I think you’ll have to walk in the room, look at it and say the first name that comes into your head.
My first spinning wheel was instantly called Sarah but I can’t for the life of me remember why! I did pick up another one, a real secondhand bargain which has never actually had a name until now when Winnie Spinny has suddenly come to mind. Not sure this helps you at all but Winnie will be much happier now she has a name.
I would call it jacob or oscar
I would love you to call it Megan a good Welsh name that conjures up a lady spinning. Sheer coincidence that it’s my name ! Joy might also be good since it has already given you so much and will give you much more. enJOY it.
I have an Albert, named and pyrographed by his maker, Johnny Shiels of Inishowen. Albert is made of ash: the other wheel Johnny had was Brian, in beech, but I was barred from buying that one by my daughter who is marrying a Brian! And I also have a much smaller and daintier, antique wheel, which I felt could be called Lucy. But my first wheel was an Ashford traditional, which doesn’t have a name. It did start a habit, though. Look out!
Albert and Lucy are not far from you if you ever want to take a look or have a go…
Oooh, that sounds rather tempting…
Take a little time to get to know each other and develop an understanding. Then a name will ‘come to you.’ It’s much the best way. You don’t want to find that you’ve ended up with a name that doesn’t fit. A case in point; most wheels are female but the previous commenter has an Albert.
I was just about to post exactly what Helen wrote. Names have to be arrived at by a process of gaining familiarity.
PS congrats!
Also, Loïe Fuller was an amazing spinning dancer, so maybe Loïe?… Her real name was Mary Louise :p
Love this, such a good read!! Could you possibly read my post on how to tackle political problems and give your insight? I’m new to blogging and was hoping I could get some feedback.
Thanks, I’m glad you like my blog, please keep reading and please share with others. I read your blog about political problem solving. First let me say I am completely out of my comfort zone and away from my knowledge base with this one. Despite this I found your post clear, interesting and easy to read. You’d obviously thought it through and avoided insider jargon, so that it remained accessible to an ignoramus like me. I did notice that there were a lot of typos/errors. I’m not a grammar fascist but I believe a high level of accuracy does make readers more likely to respect you as a writer. This wouldn’t matter so much if you were just posting a your diary, or flippant remarks about your life. I recommend double checking everything, and after you’ve done that also asking someone else to check it for you, a fresh pair of eyes will always see things that you’ve missed, which is why publishers use proof readers to check work. Regarding the content, I have no real opinion on the subject. However I do have extended family in Indo, and so I know that for the ordinary citizen it doesn’t feel like a fair country at all. Of course I’m sure it could be much worse. I think you’re an excellent blogger, good luck with it.
Firstly, thank you so much for saying that. Sometimes I feel as though I have dragged out a point that is so much harder to articulate but was so clear in my head! What I hate is when I read something and you’re left with more questions/confusion than when you knew nothing! Which is why when I am writing I always think about how to present it in a clear and easy way. So for you to appreciate a technique that I consciously aim for is very encouraging.
Secondly, yes you’re absolutely right it’s literally my WORST habit! I sometimes get so overwhelmed by all the thoughts in my head that I scramble to get it all down and think it is presented exactly as it is in my head! Will definitely try to make more of an effort to read over my posts!
Thank you and good luck to you too.
I would name it “Fidgit” after the fidget spinners that are so popular now. Those are meant to help calm those who play with them, and doesn’t spinning yarn also calm the participant like hand-knitting and crocheting? Besides that, I think it’s cute. Hope you find a good name for her.
Dervish, as in whirling
if that’s your worst habit you haven’t got much to worry about. Just allow a bit more time for checking things. I will just remind you about the difference between Less and Fewer. If you can count something then it’s Fewer, if you can’t then it’s Less. So:
Less meat, fewer chips
Less laughter, fewer comedians,
You were using less for everything I think.