No, not me! I may have had a little too much Thanksgiving dinner, but it’s not THAT bad….
Back in February 2010 I attended spinning camp on Orcas Island with Judith Mackenzie, and the theme was “Ethnic Spinning and Knitting: Cowichan, Aran and Icelandic.” We spun Icelandic fleeces for Icelandic lace or the more bulky Lopi-style knitting yarn. We spun Clun Forest wool to make a 5-ply yarn for traditional Aran sweater knitting. And we spun on an Indian-head spinner to make the loose, thick yarn used for Cowichan sweaters.
Here is a picture of Judith spinning on her Indian-head spinner at that workshop:
Later that year we took a trip to Sacramento, CA to attend my niece’s wedding celebration. On the way down we camped in our pop-up trailer. From Mt. Lassen NP we went through Chico, CA and in an antique mall there I spotted an Indian-head spinner! There had been a fire at the antique mall about a year earlier, and it was sitting forlornly in a back room all covered with ash – they hadn’t even bothered to clean it off. I was tempted but didn’t buy it that day. But it kept calling to me, so on the way back north we stopped into Chico again and the bulky spinner came home with us.
Here is how it looked when we got it home and before it was vacuumed:
Since then it has just sat in my studio. Last week Rick took it down to the shop and really cleaned it up – put on new finish and everything. It is beautiful! Looks like black walnut.
Underneath the treadle he found the maker’s mark.
It turns out these wheels were made by Sid Sharples and another man in California in the 1970’s. They are retired now. They were made from black walnut or dark maple. It was called the California Bulky Spinning Wheel and also known as a “Cowichan Spinner”. I have found a few pictured on blogs or Flickr on the web – and one was listed on eBay last January, but the guy didn’t get any bids on it. As an added surprise, I was talking to my friend Sara down in Twisp last week, and it turns out she used to have one of these – it was the very first spinning wheel she owned!
So now it is going to live with Judith Mackenzie. Why? Because my teacher and mentor in all things spinning, weaving and generally fiber-related suffered the loss of her ENTIRE STUDIO due to a catastrophic fire in Forks, WA in late October. I mean everything (it was a teaching as well as a personal studio). Looms, spinning wheels, all kinds of related equipment, not to mention all her fiber (fleeces, yarn, etc). Due to the age and nature of construction of the building she was unable to get an insurance rider.
Three of her friends immediately put together a website and are spearheading an effort to raise money and donated equipment to help her rebuild her studio and continue with her career as a fiber artist and nationally known teacher:
Check it out – and donate a little if you feel so inclined, to help this wonderful woman recover from a real blow.
Twisp of Fate 
That’s so generous. Good for you!
Hello! I realize this is an old post, but worth a try. I have the exact spinning wheel, the California Bulky. I use mine daily, and enjoy it! I have many physical disabilities and find the construction of the Bulky useful to me. I spin wool, silk, mohair, and quiviat on it, anything I can get my hands on! With patience, I am able to spin thread on up to big bulky. I hope whomever has it now is able to enjoy it.
HI, I am looking to purchase one of these wheels and was interested if other fiber weights could be spun on these wheels beside bulky weights..Thank you for giving me the answer. There isn’ t much info out there on these wheels.
My mother has a Sid Sharples Jack Daniels spinning wheel for bulky/novelty yarn. It needs a drive band, but is otherwise in great shape. Contact us if interested. My mom is Iris Larsen, 562 429 4013.
I am also interested in a bulky head spinning wheel. If anyone knows of one available, please steer me in the right direction.
Ellen Desert Hot Springs, CA
Ellen, We have a Sid Sharples bulky spinning wheel for sale that looks very much like this one. It is at the Weavers Barn at the Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum in Vista, CA. We actually have two bulky spinning wheels and need to find a home for one of them so if you are interested contact AG&SEM.
Surprised by the amount of interest in purchasing the Sid Sharples bulkey spinner! Having learned more about their history and provenance, the Museum has decided to keep both wheels in the collection and has no plans to sell them.
A slightly different style was made by Thomas Ricci of Indian Valley, Kentucky, under the name “Indian Valley Spinning Wheels” in the same time period. I just acquired a model dated January 4, 1980 Ricci used a cast iron wheel which has “RICCI” cast in one of the spokes, and is marked “T.R.” under the treadle. Mine also has the date there, but I don’t know if that’s universal.
I acquired it for no cost, just the request that if I resell it to donate half of the proceeds to one of two local charities in the name of the former owner’s deceased son. It was persistently throwing its drive band and I have since corrected that.
Addendum: Thomas Ricci is the other maker from California – he began there and later moved to Kentucky. He saw Sid doing them in 1974 and began himself. Both used old steel-only wheelbarrow wheels for them at that time. Clearly Sid switched to wood and, at some point before 1980, Thomas switched to cast iron.
Thanks for the information. I picked up this exact same wheel at a yard sale many years ago. I was knitting at the time and had the desire to learn spinning but only recently got started. I pulled the wheel out of storage and started researching. So glad I found this post, it has helped me to identify but also the pictures helped me to figure out I’m missing a piece at the end of the bobbin area, above the actual wheel. This is causing the bobbin to slip around and in turn the drive band to slip off. I’ll have to fix that somehow since I’d really love to use this wheel as I’m getting into bulky and art yarn spinning.
Thanks again for all the info…these are such nice sturdy wheels it’s a shame not to use
I have the one with the iron wheel as well. I love using it. In great shape too. Heavy to pack around.
I was just looking at mine again, it was made in California as well, and my iron wheel has a lot of iron spokes. It sure is heavy. I need to make a new drive band, Leather does keep stretching.
Glad I stumbled across your blog post. I just found one of these at an antique store. The owner said it had been there for awhile and so made me an offer that was too good to refuse. This one is missing the brake band and has a little nick in the the shaft that doesn’t affect its function. But other than needing a little cleanup and lubrication it’s in great shape. Now I have a good idea what it is.
Hi, our local history museum has one of these wheels but it is in desperate need of restoration. As the spinner at the museum I’ve been tasked with getting it in working order. The flyer is broken and needs to be replaced. Also a tension screw is broken off. And it needs a new drive belt. Can you tell me where I might find these parts for this wheel? Poor thing must have been left out side or in a barn for years because the wood is all weathered and dry. A woodworker friend says I could bring it back with lots of linseed oil. Your help would be appreciated.
Cathy, I am sorry but I have no idea. Also, I gave this wheel away many years ago.
Hello. I wondered if someone could post some pictures of the brake system on these bulky spinners. ? I am just setting up a Salish spinner that I bought years ago in BC. There is one small hook in the back but nothing to attach it to in the front. I am trying different tensioning systems so any info would be appreciated. I clamped on a test device and it worked fine. I am going to try one with a tuning peg for a guitar as that would give greater tensioning control. Not sure if this is really necessary though. Thoughts?
Also, does anyone have suggestions as to what is the best material for a drive band? The base is an old treadle sewing machine. Does the size (thickness) or material of the drive band have effect on uptake? Thanks for any input! Not sure how to upload pictures.
A standard leather Singer treadle sewing machine belt is what you need for the drive belt. They can easily be purchased on line. I have both a Tom Ricci and a Sid Sharples Jack Daniels. My Tom Ricci keeps throwing the belt; but I haven’t put a new belt on it yet.