A Different Sort of Dye Job

This is my spinning wheel.

It came unfinished. When I bought it four years ago, I spent a long time standing in front of the wood stain display, debating between China Red and Antique Maple. I love red. Really love it. But I wimped out and went with the more traditional maple.

I've regretted it ever since. Unfortunately, I used paste wax over the stain, so I didn't know how I could ever refinish it.

On Saturday, I went to a local fiber festival and hung out with my wheel in the spinners' circle. There were lots of different wheels, and they were all lovely. But my little Ashford Traveler just looked a little...drab. I thought again how much I wished I had stained it red when I had the chance.

Since Seashells was also there spinning, and since I know she is a woodworker, I asked her if she knew a way to remove paste wax for refinishing. She suggested denatured alcohol or mineral spirits, which is just what I needed to know.

The alcohol didn't work very well, but the mineral spirits was just the ticket--took the wax right off. So I got out the red stain and got to work.

I'd like to say it went off without a hitch. I don't know if any of you remember the paint incident from when I was painting the ceiling of my knitting room, but suffice it to say, we had a repeat, only this time with a full can of red wood stain on the green wool rug in my knitting room. Yes, I was refinishing the wheel in my knitting room. All I can say is, it seemed like a good idea at the time. I blame the Knitting Goddess. I was trying to stain the bottom of the wheel, it tipped over on the worktable onto a rag soaked in mineral spirits, and I exclaimed, "Well, that's the worst thing that could have happened!" as I grabbed for the wheel. Then my elbow hit the stain can, knocking it onto the carpet, and I heard the Knitting Goddess giggle, "Uh-uh! This is the worst thing that could happen!" And she was right. Three gallons of water and two hours with a carpet shampooer later, it didn't seem like such a good idea, there is still a pink splotch on the green rug, and my back may never recover.

But look!


A beautiful, glossy red.


Just what I wanted, and no one could ever call it drab! I never named my spinning wheel, but now I'm afraid I have no choice. It's just so obvious. Can't you guess?


Rosebud, of course!