It's a Small World

A few weeks ago I was web wandering and I stopped by the Spinners’ Weavers’ & Knitters’ Housecleaning Pages, a website for posting and buying used fiber equipment.  I got very excited when I saw an ad for a Reeves upright spinning wheel for sale.  Now, I’ve already got one, but my friend, Sylvia VM, has long coveted mine.

So, I emailed Sylvia and told her about the ad.  Then she called me and we chatted about it.  Sylvia wasn’t really in the market for a new wheel – she’d just ordered a lovely Journey Wheel   – but I persuaded her that the price was right and she should at least email the seller to get more information.

Sylvia emailed the seller, who happened to live in Ann Arbor.  Great!  The wheel did not have to leave the state!  Sylvia then called the seller.  Since Sylvia was not really in the market for a new wheel, she chatted at length just to fill the time.  At one point she mentioned her friend (that’s me) who owns the same wheel and said, “Maybe you know her:  Amy Tyler.”  The seller responded, “Amy!  Why, I roomed with Meg in college!”  Meg, by the way, is my sister.  And the seller was Carol D, one of her very good friends.

Needless to say, Sylvia was compelled to buy the wheel just because of the karmic circumstances.  A few days after she took possession, she brought it over so we could compare our wheels.  They are very close to identical.  Her wheel is a bit taller, and the turning on the front maiden is slightly different from mine.  She also has 3 whorls, for a total of 6 drive ratios, while I only have 1 whorl with 2 drive ratios.

Here’s Sylvia’s Small-World Wheel: