Learning to Spin and the Electric Eel Wheel 6.1

After getting very into knitting and particularly loving Andrea Mowry's use of fractal yarn I started to take an interest in spinning. Firstly, I had no idea what that meant or that it was something you could do at home yourself. Spinning is the process of twisting the fiber to become yarn. And actually it's a really fun hobby to compliment any knitter or crocheter, and the barrier to entry is low...at least to begin with.

Beginnings

I originally started by buying an introductory kit from Etsy which contained various samples of fiber and a drop spindle. A drop spindle is how most people begin spinning. It's basically a stick with a hook on one end and a circular disk to weight the spindle.

• 

• 

My drop spindle and starter kit (left) and my first yarns (right)

I won't go into the technique behind learning to use a drop spindle, but I found YouTube very helpful for this, particularly JillianEve videos. This one I watched quite a few times! You can see from the picture that my first attempts at spinning were not particularly even but that was fine, they were fun and I picked it up more quickly than I expected which I was pleased about!

Enter the e-spinner

After a few small skeins using a drop spindle I decided to invest in a spinning wheel. This is where the Electric Eel Wheel comes in. If you've ever been interested in spinning you've probably come across these wheels as they are good entry-level options. They have two models. One is the nano which is very small and a good travel option. I'd also watched Knitty Natty use this wheel but at the time I was looking they weren't easily available in the UK. I also wasn't super keen on the bobbin size as the nano bobbins don't hold too much fiber (bobbins are basically reels that hold the spun fiber). Instead I opted for the more expensive EEW 6.1. This wheel is larger, weighing 1.3kg, and the bobbins hold much more fiber (225 grams or 8oz per bobbin; more than enough for me). I would've loved to have splashed out on an Ashford e-spinner or similar but couldn't justify it at the start of my hobby.

Still a compact size and sits on the side of my desk so I can sneak in a few minutes of spinning between working.

For me in 2025, it cost £340, it's increased a little in price since then but is still around this pricepoint. I bought mine from Farmhouse Fibrecrafts, though at the time of writing they are currently out of stock. This can happen with the EE wheels in the UK since it's dependent on when the shipments come in. I have since found out about a UK-based e-spinner called the Argonaut which looks similar and I know a lot of people rate it. I've had to talk myself out of buying that one a few times!

Onto my thoughts on the wheel. Well, I still own it and use it consistently a year later so that should tell you my general thoughts. For me, I think it was worth every penny, and I haven't touched my drop spindle since. Maybe that makes me a lazy spinner, but the e-spinner is so much faster and more convenient, even though a skein from the spindle feels like more of an accomplishment! The set-up and learning process was really smooth. I watched the Electric Eel setup videos on YouTube and away I went. Some of my first few skeins were definitely overspun, and some of my current ones are still not perfect in that sense. I've come to terms with the idea that handspun yarns are not going to be perfect like the factory yarns, but that's the point. I haven't had any issues with the wheel breaking or anything like that. It is sturdy and I'm sure will last me a long time. One of the benefits of this wheel is that replacement parts seem easy to find, which should add to its longevity. Also, if you have a 3d printer I believe you can print your own bobbins and other accessories. My brake tension thread all wore through by this point. This happens after a while since they provide you with some cotton yarn or something like that. I now use some paracord I bought on amazon. It's a bit firmer and thicker than what was originally supplied, so the tension knob is now very sensitive to small changes. I need to replace it with a thinner version, but for now, it's doing the job.

Some yarns I've spun this year. My consistency has definitely improved and I'm so pleased I can now spin my own fractal yarns. The one in the photo was from fiber I also dyed myself.

One day I hope I can get another wheel, but for me, the EEW 6.1 is more than capable for all the projects I'm spinning. If you're considering one, it's worth the investment in my opinion. Or if you're in the UK, maybe try the Argonaut I mentioned above. Getting into spinning has also branched me into dyeing my own fiber for my spins. My partner has started saying he will come home to find a sheep in the garden but I think this is enough for now!

Corriedale fiber I recently dyed for a future spin.