A Bobbin Boy How-To! Modes of Tensions: double drive, flyer led, & bobbin-led

Double drive wheels, where both the flyer and the bobbin are driven by the drive cord from the wheel, can ALWAYS be spun in two other tension modes: (1) "Scotch tension"--seen in a number of non Scottish cultures and therefore better called "flyer-led", as only the flyer is driven by the drivecord and the bobbin is slowed with a string brake; or, (2) "Irish tension"--seen in a number of non-Irish cultures and better called "bobbin-led", as only the bobbin is driven by the drivecord and the flyer is slowed with a string brake.

This wheel came in for a repair and is working, but the draw on is not good in double drive mode. Milissa experimented a bit and found which mode suited it better. The wheel is a perfect one for demonstrating the tension modes...so a video was made. 🙂

Like a lot of vintage wheels, this wheel has a lower whorl-to-bobbin ratio than most double-drive antique wheels. The le Clerc wheel, a vintage wheel that operates with tilt-tension rather than screw tension, almost always has poor bobbin takeup despite having a larger ratio than this one.

Regardless, the point holds: when you have a situation where you need to change your tension mode, such as when plying or as your bobbin gets loaded, you can. It's all about choice, and having choices. Once you have choices, then you can learn enough to make them. 🙂 That's what this is all about.