Did you know that I’m the kind of savvy shopper that will buy a car because I like the cup holder? That I may do some comparison pricing, but no matter how much research I do ahead of time, the cup holder will get me every time?
At some point last year I read an article about a spinning wheel, The Merlin Tree HitchHiker. Blah, blah ratio, flyer, compact, blah …. what immediately caught my eye was the cute little foot shaped treadle and the hitching thumb cutout for a handle. How cute is that?! When I saw them at Rhinebeck, I knew I had to at least try one.
And so I did. And I thought, “wow, I like the way it spins!”
And then I thought, “Ann, you are a goofball, you just want the foot treadle.”
And right at that very moment Carol & Ricki, two very, very advanced spinners from my guild who are much more scientifically minded than I, happened to come along. They too wanted to try the wheel. Sure they liked that foot/thumb thing. But they had questions. Real questions. Parts were discussed and tried. And tried again. And then tried some more. More questions. More happy answers. After about an hour of rigorous testing, Ricki & Carol proclaimed it divine.
That was enough for me …… I bought a foot/thumb thing of my very own!
Did you think that was the end of my story?
….. Ricki ordered a left treadled model and Carol bought one too. Carol had the brilliant idea to ask Dave if he signs the wheels. He was more than happy to oblige and said he had never been asked before.
Naturally, I needed a signature too. Pen in hand, Dave asks my name and then if I put an ‘e’ on the end. I tell him no, no e, but I’ve always kind of wanted an e. And then he says, “Just like Anne of Green Gables”.
and then I fell in love just a little.
purlingswine 
HA! And I thought I was the only one that walked into a car dealership and when asked what I was looking for in a car told the salesman, “A decent cup holder is a deal breaker!”
I can’t wait to see what you spin on that baby.
I still remember a coat I had to have when I was about 12 — it was pretty ugly, really, but it had THE COOLEST BELT and I just had to have it.
I hitched my first spin on that little foot/thumb thing. ; )
I was thinking of writing something to the tune of “you’re such a freak”. But again, I hardly know you. BUT. In my defense, you DID lick my cheek. And I believe you declared that I taste like butter, was it?
So, you are a freak.
;D
I think you are perfect, without the “e.” Just sayin’.
Please give my love to Onslow and his cup holder.
I love the foot and hand too! (I guess you didn’t mind that I added an e, then?) I also love how compact it is. :) However, I’m not letting myself try wheels until I get the spindle thing down… must learn to use the tools I have first, before buying more. ;)
Dave is a wonderful guy. One of these days I’m going to get me a HitchHiker, too. Hmmm. Christmas is JUST around the corner.
Hey, I bought one of those too! Only without all those pesky questions. I’d fallen in love with Dave a little at MDSW and knew I wanted one of these, so basically walked in Saturday morning, picked one out (mine’s got a purpleheart foot, although the butternut was calling me fairly strongly too) and handed the nice man my credit card.
Now I just need to learn to spin.
I’m terribly in love with the hitchhiker myself, though I haven’t had an opportunity to take it for a test drive.
I do need a portable wheel though, as my Baynes, however light it is, is cumbersome.
Have fun hitchin’ a ride “Anne” ;)
Dave is my spinning wheel hero. Welcome to the FootSpinner’s Brigade!
I’m sticking out a finger, but it ain’t the one you think…. ;-)
I’ll take a ride with you any day chica my love.
And cupholders are DEFINITELY deal breakers. Ask G about the 87 cups/bottles he brought to the dealerships when we bought our last car. I’m not kidding.
You are a wacky lady
wooo! I wondered if you got one when I saw all of the pictures you took of them in your Rhinebeck gallery. :)
congrats! they are super cute. :)
LOL-I would but of those, & I can’t even spin….yet. I’m notorious for taking the car in for an oil change & coming home in a new car. Go figure.
Wish we did the cup holder test before our recent purchase. First time driving the new car, bottle of water flew outa the holder and all over the bank deposit for work! Not cool! Love the new wheel and having Rikki and Carol shop with you must have been a blast! See ya!
When we went to the auto show to decide what car I wanted, my husband did all the scientific, pseudo-practical questions. (“Pseudo” because what practical really means is, “How well do the seats fit my bum / how convenient are all the controls / how well-designed are the cupholders.”) My then-9-yo son and I climbed into all the seats and counted the cupholders. The winner in the cupholder competition was, iirc, some 9-passenger behemoth with about 20 cupholders. I bought an Isuzu Oasis, however; comfy, one cupholder per passenger, electric everything, and a 5-CD changer. Happy, happy.
I bought a Ford 500 just because it has 8 count them 8 cup holders and according to my grandtwins there is a FF and Nuggets holder built right into the rear console in the back seat. But beside that, I wish I had been with you when you bought the wheels.
Oh! Oh! Anne! Yes! I think I’ve blogged about my Anne thing, so I won’t repeat. But that would’ve had me, too.
Lucky grrl! My wheel is now assembled and waiting for someone to show me how to use it. Thanks for the waffles…but my memories of you and the gang are much better…just sayin’.
XOXO….liiiick;-)
hmmm you like the cup holder in the mini? hmmm. good thing the car is wicked cute, because i’m less than satisfied with the cup holder. the one in the back isn’t bad.
cute hitchhiker. i didn’t get a chance to try it out. i feel as if i missed a lot. maybe next year.
that wheel is so cool! can’t wait to see it in person. :)
My mini cup holder has had to be replaced after going to the car wash where they pushed the passenger seat so far up and broke it. But Mini was great about it.
I would pick a spinning wheel out by looks for sure just like I did with my Mini Cooper and my Pugs,,,small and compact,
wow- this spinning wheel has me intrigued. I went to Rhinebeck to look for and try wheels but it was just too crowded for me to think. Would this be a good one for someone just starting? My new knitting friends are all spinners and want me to join the guild. but mnot sure yet…The price is good ..
Congratulations! I stopped to look at those, but didn’t dare sit down in front of them. I love their design, though–playful spinning wheels are GOOD–and have heard nothing but good things about them. You’re going to have many happy miles (of yarn) together!
So jealous! I went to Rhinebeck looking for wheels, but I couldn’t bring myself to wade through all of the people to test them. Luckily I have a good LYS with spinning wheels, so I’ll check Hitchhikers out – I love the little thumb!!
Your story made me smile. Nice to know you’re a little in love too. I’m not sure if it’s the wheel or Dave, either way you got that warm fuzzy feeling, didn’t you?!
Hey, I’d buy it for the foot and the thumb, too! Do they make a double treadle? That would be tooooo cute!
I must have been standing there when you were and never known it. As we were standing there looking at the Hitchhiker, for my friend Gayle who is a new spinner, I overheard someone purchasing one of the wheels ask to have it signed.
If I had been on the ball enough to recognize you, I would have said hi.
And no, Gayle didn’t buy a wheel this trip, but she bought a Golding spindle. Me- I bought fiber.
What a cool wheel! And I know what you mean about the little details being the biggest selling point. Enjoy!
Those spinning wheel boys, they’re charmers all right.
We are on our third car of the same manufacturer because I like the way the radio knobs work. Just saying. They’re all cars, right? With 4 wheels? And a crappy cup holder can just ruin the ride. I wonder how many people are driving Bugs because of the bud vase. xoxo Kay
OMG, I love this story!!! LOVE.
And now I am ONE STEP CLOSER to buying a Hitchhiker. Did I say one step? No! THIS entry has pushed me only ONE STEP AWAY from buying one.
Miss ya, Ann(e)!
Your Hitchhiker looks just like mine! I went to Rhinebeck with my mind pretty well made up to get one, and I’ve been using it quite a lot since I got home. The big selling point for me was that I can take it to work with me for something to do when I have down time.