Best Spinning Wheel for Art Yarn: 5 Wheels Compared
The short answer: which wheel suits your art yarn?
For a wide orifice and a 3 lb bobbin: Ashford Country Spinner 2. To fold it away: SpinOlution Bullfrog. For a choice of flyer sizes: SpinOlution Echo. For jumbo bobbins and separate bands for flyer and bobbin: Majacraft Aura.
Art yarn is textured handspun, often thick, sometimes with ribbon or fabric spun in. It asks three things of a wheel.
- The yarn has to fit through the orifice. That is the hole at the front of the flyer, the part that twists the yarn.
- The bobbin has to hold a lot. Thick yarn fills a bobbin fast.
- The ratios should run low. A fine yarn needs more twist than a thick one. A ratio is how many times the flyer turns for each turn of the wheel, so a low ratio puts in less twist.
New to the parts? What is a spinning wheel? shows each one.
- For a very large orifice and bobbin: Country Spinner 2. The orifice is 1 1/8 in and the bobbin holds 3 lb. Ratios are 3, 4 and 5. It lists at $1,149.
- For a wheel that folds: Bullfrog. It has a 16 oz flyer and six speeds from 2:1 to 13:1, and it folds to the side. SpinOlution prices it at $995.
- For a choice of flyer sizes: Echo. Five flyers run from 4 oz to 32 oz. The Echo costs $745 with the 4 oz flyer and $1,195 with the 32 oz.
- For separate flyer and bobbin bands: Aura. It comes with three jumbo wooden bobbins and a double drive. It lists at $2,179.99.
- For a boxed set with an art yarn flyer: S10 Concept Fully Loaded. It lists at $2,117.
Prices on this page checked 31 Oct 2026. The price at checkout is what counts.
Side by side
| Wheel | Suits | Largest bobbin or flyer | Ratios | Weight | Price, 31 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashford Country Spinner 2 | A 1 1/8 in orifice, slow ratios | Bobbin holds 3 lb | 3, 4, 5 | 17.5 lb | $1,149 list at The Woolery |
| SpinOlution Bullfrog | A wheel that folds to the side | 16 oz flyer | 2:1 to 13:1, 6 speeds | 14+ lb | $995 at SpinOlution |
| SpinOlution Echo | Changing flyer size as projects change | Flyers 4, 4A, 8, 16, 32 oz | 32 oz flyer: 2:1 to 9:1, 6 speeds | 14 lb | $745 (4 oz flyer) to $1,195 (32 oz flyer), at SpinOlution |
| Majacraft Aura | Setting flyer and bobbin bands apart | 3 jumbo wooden bobbins | 4.1 to 7.3 with the supplied pulley | 16.5 lb | $2,179.99 list at The Woolery |
| Louet S10 Concept | A set with an art yarn flyer and bulky bobbins | 3 bulky bobbins in the Fully Loaded set | Irish tension 5.5, 7.5, 10.5. Scotch tension 6, 8.5, 12.5, 19 | 13 lb for the wheel alone, per Schacht Spindle Co. | $2,117 Fully Loaded, list at The Woolery |
Each Echo price includes three bobbins.
Ashford Country Spinner 2
Ashford designed this one for art yarn, extra bulky yarn for rugs and chunky knits, and plying large amounts.
The orifice is 1 1/8 in across. By Ashford’s account, the huge orifice, flyer and bobbin make spinning and plying art yarn easy. The single super jumbo bobbin holds 3 lb, so you spin for a long time before it fills.
The three ratios are low, so they put in little twist. That suits thick yarn. The wheel has two treadles and a leather flyer brake, which sets how hard the yarn is pulled onto the bobbin. It weighs 17.5 lb and needs assembly. It has a built-in lazy kate and a Learn to Spin booklet.
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Who it suits: a spinner whose thickest yarns must pass freely, and who will not spin fine yarn on this wheel. Check today’s price at Woolery.
SpinOlution Bullfrog
The Bullfrog folds to the side. It stands 28 in high and 11 in deep, so it puts a large flyer in a wheel you can move.
Its flyer has a 16-ounce capacity and can also take 8 oz bobbins. Six speeds run from 2:1 to 13:1. The maker’s page names its deeper treadle motion a favorite with art yarn spinners.
The price is $995 for the wheel with the 16 oz flyer and three bobbins.
Who it suits: a spinner who wants a large flyer and a wheel she can fold.
SpinOlution Echo
The Echo lets you change flyer size as your yarn changes. There are five sizes, from 4 oz up to 32 oz. The 4A is an accelerated 4 oz flyer. Larger flyers generally hold more yarn, so you pick the one that matches the project.
Ratios fall as flyers grow. The 16 oz flyer runs from 2:1 to 13:1, and the 32 oz flyer from 2:1 to 9:1. The orifice can be bypassed for art yarns, and the magnetic bobbins swap quickly.
The wheel weighs 14 lb and has a built-in handle. The price rises with the flyer. The table shows the range. A flyer bought later costs extra.
Who it suits: a spinner who wants thick yarn some weeks and finer yarn others, on one wheel.
Majacraft Aura
Majacraft says the Aura allows very precise control over how yarn winds on. It has two bands, one for the flyer and one for the bobbin. The flyer band has three ratios. The bobbin band has two, plus a setting you adjust without steps.
Its orifice has two parts. Majacraft says the inner part holds fine or coiled yarn still. A very thick yarn bypasses it through a large halo ring. Three jumbo wooden bobbins come with it, and the wheel weighs about 16.5 lb.
It was developed with the spinner, teacher and author Lexi Boeger, known as Pluckyfluff. The supplied pulley sets the ratios between 4.1 and 7.3. Check today’s price at Woolery.
Who it suits: a spinner who wants to set the pull on the yarn and is happy to spend more for it.
Louet S10 Concept Fully Loaded
The S10 Concept comes in many versions. The Fully Loaded set is the one with art yarn in its box. It holds an art yarn flyer, three bulky bobbins, three standard bobbins and three Scotch tension bobbins. A high speed set and a carry bag are in it too.
The ratios depend on the tension you choose. The table shows the Irish and Scotch sets. Schacht Spindle Co., a Louet distributor, prints about 13 lb for the wheel alone. The wheel comes apart to fit in a bag. Check today’s price at Woolery.
Who it suits: a spinner who wants art yarn and ordinary flyers together in one wheel.
Look elsewhere if
- You spin fine yarn most of the time. The Country Spinner 2 tops out at a ratio of 5, which suits thick yarn. A wheel with ratios into the teens, such as the Ashford Joy 2, suits fine yarn better.
- You want a lower starting price. The Echo with the 4 oz flyer is $745. Larger flyers cost more.
- You would rather add a jumbo flyer to a wheel you have. Kromski sells a jumbo flyer kit for the Prelude and Sonata Encore, with a larger orifice for yarn up to super bulky.
- You want your fiber prepared for art yarn too. A drum carder blends colors and extras into soft batts. See the drum carder guide.
FAQ
What is the best spinning wheel for art yarn?
It depends on how thick your yarn is. The table sets out each wheel’s bobbin or flyer and ratios.
What size orifice do you need for art yarn?
Choose an orifice larger than the thickest part of your yarn. The Aura and Echo each offer a way around the standard orifice for big yarns.
Can I spin art yarn on an ordinary wheel?
It depends on the yarn. Whatever you spin must pass through the orifice, so check your wheel’s size first. On some wheels a jumbo flyer kit brings a larger one, such as Kromski’s Prelude and Sonata Encore.
How much does an art yarn wheel cost?
Prices start at $745 for the Echo with its 4 oz flyer. The table shows each one, as priced on 31 Oct 2026.
Related
Further reading
- Ashford: Country Spinner 2
- Ashford: Learn to Spin booklet
- SpinOlution: Bullfrog and Echo
- Majacraft: Aura
- Louet: S10 Concept
- Kromski: Prelude
Most watched
Country Spinner 2
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9:49Ashford Country Spinner 2 - Go Big or Go Home, video, 10 min
8:03How to Start Spinning on an Empty Bobbin, video, 8 min
