Tools of the Trade: Little Peggy Spinning Wheel
Written by spiraling on September 13th, 2008I was a spinner years before I was a knitter and one of my favourite spinning wheels to use is my antique Little Peggy wheel by John Rappard.
Rappard is long retired from wheel making, but from what I can gather, he made a few different wheels in his time, including another, later portable upright called the Wee Peggy and a Norwegian style called Mitzy.
This is a Little Peggy, the reciept shows it was bought for $120 in 1976. It’s a copy of a very old Shetland wheel, and was sold assembled and polished.
It’s an upright and very easily transportable, with the onboard lazy kate there at the front. This one fits strapped into the front seat of my old Lancer, making it a great wheel to take to spin ins and guild meetings.
It can be used with a Scotch or Double Drive tension.
16
AM
do you happen to know if the bobbins are interchangeble between the Wee and Little Peggy? I am
searching for bobbins for my Wee Peggy- with NO success. My wheel is dated 1978.
Hoping someone will see this and willing to provide some info.. thanks.
16
AM
We have a Little Peggy and a Mitzy, both by John Rappard. The bobbins aren’t exactly the same, but the orifice is (as is the metal bit that holds the bobbin, the name of which escapes me), so they do work on each other (with a wee bit of wobble) even though the mitzy bobbins are double ended. I don’t have a wee peggy (it’s on the list, though) but I would assume that, if they’re not exactly the same, they would be similar enough to interchange.
My thinking is that, for things like boring the hole in the bobbin, they wouldn’t have two machines that would cut different sizes.
I hope this helps. The Rappard wheels are so lovely and it makes me really happy that there still seem to be so many of the originals around, still being used and loved.
25
PM
It seems that the standard Asford bobbins fit the Wee peggy. I have done it to a couple of similar aged wheels at our Guild meetings and there has been no problems at all.
It’s probably best to get the double drive bobbins athey can be used for both double drive and scotch tension.
19
PM
I have recently bought a Little Peggy and I would like to know how old it is and where it was made. Also does anyone have an instruction manual for it please?
24
AM
I have a little peggy thats missing the flyer, wondering if anyone knows where I might be able to get one or if any modern ones fit the little peggy?
25
PM
I have lost my ‘Wee Peggy” Instruction manual and have not spun for some 30 years and forget how to ply the wool - have started spinning Alpacca Wool but need to start plying. Please help if you can. Cheers, Kaye
21
PM
I am wanting a Wee Peggy Manual too please.