My thoughts were of “Sleeping Beauty” and “Rumpelstiltskin” as Tim I walked down the line of vendors at the Union County Farmer’s Market. We were searching for the lady with a spinning wheel since I was to conduct an interview with her.

“There she is!” Tim pointed, but I still couldn’t see a spinning wheel anywhere; in fact, I didn’t notice it until we reached her tent. You see, I had assumed all spinning wheels were made like the ones mentioned in old fairy tales. I had assumed wrong.

Vivian Wright was working very hard at her spinning wheel. As my Mamaw Jo would’ve said, “She was spinning to beat the band.” Not only was it half the size I expected, but it was also a different design. Her spinning wheel stood vertically with the wheel in the middle instead of horizontally with a larger wheel on the backside.

After we introduced ourselves, I told her the kind of spinning wheel I had expected to see. She said the old fashioned ones used in fairy tales are called Saxony. Her spinning wheel is a Krimski Minstrel-double treadle. Its design is based on the Polish Parker spinning wheel from the 1800s.

Vivian went about pointing out the various components and how they all worked together. To be honest, I didn’t realize spinning wheels were so complex. The treadles are foot pedals that help to turn the main wheel. Based on the design, there can be one or two. Screws are used to adjust the tension of the thread as its being spun. They work with the whorls which are used to alter the ratio in the main wheel’s spin in relation to the flyer. A ratio of 10 to 1 is the best for this. Maidens turn the mother of all, and the mother of all holds many other parts such as the bobbin and the brake system. There are actually more parts I didn’t list.

Being mechanically inclined, Tim nodded in agreement as Vivian explained the workings of the spinning wheel. As for me, most of it went over my head. On the bright side, I can change batteries in a flashlight.

While Vivian peddled the treadles with both feet, she was also working with the thread as she maintained the tension. She accomplished this by tweaking the various fore mentioned spinning wheel components. Let me tell you, this uncoordinated klutz was very impressed. Vivian made it seem so easy as if it was her second nature. So, I assumed she had been spinning for a few years. I assumed wrong yet again.

I was blown away when she told me she had been spinning for about 3 weeks. It gets better. She learned by watching YouTube. Actually, Vivian met Jennifer Beeler online and Jennifer taught her how to spin from the UK via YouTube. When I heard that, I know my mouth had to have dropped open.

I told Vivian I didn’t think I could ever get the hang of spinning. Let’s face it, I still can’t walk and chew gum. She said to start out just working the treadles 3 times a day at 20 minutes each time. Once you are comfortable with that, you learn how to work the other parts as you develop a feel for the tension of the thread.

She compared this as learning how to rub your belly and tapping your feet at the same time.

Then Vivian blew me away yet again. She has lived off the grid for the last 4 years. She made the decision to do this and she has no desire to go back.

On her homestead, she is 90% self-sustainable, which includes 90% of her food. She even makes all of her own milk products, but she can’t sell it since it is illegal to sell raw milk in Tennessee.

Every day, she rises before sun-up. She lets her chickens out, pulls veggies, feeds goats and sheep, and milks the cows. Then she carries water from the 3 cisterns on her property to the water troughs. The cisterns catch the rainwater and they usually hold 10,000 gallons of water at all times.

Vivian told me a really cute story about her cow. One time she was milking cows and lost her glasses. The next day, she went to milk her cow. As she was milking, something hit her head when the cow’s tail swooshed. She investigated and found her glasses still in its tail. I asked what kind of shape they were in. She simply replied that a friend who works in glasses helped her clean them up. I bet that was a spectacle to behold.

As for their electric needs, they use solar power which isn’t much since she doesn’t use electrical appliances. Her clothes washer has a hand crank and she cooks on an Amish wood stove. Well, she does except for in the summer. She doesn’t know how women used to do that in the old days when they all wore those long dresses. I will totally agree with that.

That’s when she told me, “Everything is 100% God given.” To which, I wholeheartedly agreed.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 (KJV)

I so enjoyed meeting and talking to Vivian. The next time you are at the Union County Farmer’s Market, stop by and visit.

Vivian did ask that I mention a couple of meetings where people can learn about spinning as well as other crafts such as embroidery.

*Sit N’ Stitch are free classes held at Sharp’s Chapel Book Station every Friday from 10 AM to 1 PM. This class teaches knitting, crocheting, and embroidery. They also have a spinning wheel. By the way, this event was referenced by Cindy Taylor’s HUC article “Sewing Community Seeds,” published on 05/20/2019.
Vivian requested to please leave the handicap spot open.

*The TN Valley Hand Spinners meet the first Saturday of the month from 10 AM -2 PM at Fellowship Church located at 8000 Middlebrook Pike, Knoxville, TN 37909.
https://tnvalleyhandspinners.org/join-or-connect/new-to-spinning/