Ashford Joy 2: Owner Reviews and Who It Suits
The short answer: is the Joy 2 right for you?
The Joy 2 suits a spinner who wants a wheel ready the day it arrives, with room to move from medium yarn to finer. Both versions come assembled, with three bobbins, a built-in lazy kate and Ashford’s Learn to Spin booklet, and the treadle design folds.
Choosing between the two? Start with the double treadle: two treadles, a 45 cm wheel and a padded carry bag in the box. The closest wheels to compare are the Ashford Kiwi 3 and the Kromski Sonata, both below.
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One treadle or two?
Ashford lists the same ratios and the same 10 mm orifice on both versions, with a 45 cm wheel on the double and a 40 cm wheel on the single. The rest comes down to how you treadle and what’s in the box.
- Your feet. The single suits you if you like to pedal with one foot, the double if you like to alternate.
- The weight. 5.1 kg on the double, 5 kg on the single.
- The bag. Ashford’s list for the double includes a padded carry bag. Its list for the single doesn’t.
What it means for your spinning
The yarn you can make. Ashford gives ratios of 6, 8, 11 and 14. A fine yarn needs more twist than a thick one, as Ashford’s booklet says, and the 14 gives you room for it. Start on the 6 and 8 with medium wool. The Kiwi 3 stops at 9.5.
Threading up. The orifice is 10 mm on both versions. Check it against the yarn you plan to spin.
Plying. Three sliding-hook bobbins hold 130 g (4.6 oz) each, and the lazy kate is built in.
Moving it. The treadles fold, and the double treadle comes with its bag. At 5.1 kg it sits between the 5 kg Sonata and the 5.5 kg Kiwi 3.
Who it suits
- A new spinner starting on medium wool. The 6 and 8 ratios are at the low end of the range, and three bobbins come with it.
- A spinner who wants to go finer later. The 14 reaches further than the Kiwi 3, though the Sonata lists 15 and, as additional ratios, 20 and 22.
- Anyone who’d rather not build a wheel. Ashford lists both versions as assembled.
Look elsewhere if
- You want double drive. The Sonata offers it. The Joy 2 is single drive.
- You want a carry bag or a 45 cm wheel on a single-treadle Joy 2. Those belong to the double.
The Joy 2 beside two others
| Wheel | Suits | Weight | Orifice | Ratios | Drive | Treadles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashford Joy 2 double treadle | Two-foot spinning, ready to spin | 5.1 kg | 10 mm | 6, 8, 11, 14 | Single | 2, folding |
| Ashford Joy 2 single treadle | One-foot spinning, ready to spin | 5 kg | 10 mm | 6, 8, 11, 14 | Single | 1, folding |
| Ashford Kiwi 3 | Medium wool, building a kit | 5.5 kg | 10 mm | 5.5, 7.5, 9.5 | Single | 2, folding |
| Kromski Sonata Encore | Widest ratio range, choice of drive | 5 kg | 10 mm | 5.5 & 9.5:1, 10.5 & 15:1; additional 4.5 & 6.5:1, 20 & 22:1 | Single or double | 2 |
Ashford’s Kiwi 3 page; Kromski’s Sonata page, which now shows the Encore.
Owner reviews
- The Bitten by Knittin blogger, 2018, chose a double-treadle Joy 2 over the Minstrel for its simpler assembly and disassembly, and says it takes very little space folded.
- Sheryl Lan, on The Good Yarn, writes “It is not ready to spin”: she found parts to put together, which the listing hadn’t told her. She doesn’t say which version she bought. Ashford lists both as assembled, so check with your seller.
Joy 2 details
Ashford’s pages for the double treadle and the single treadle.
| Double treadle | Single treadle | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 5.1 kg (11.2 lb) | 5 kg (11 lb) |
| Wheel diameter | 45 cm (17.7 in) | 40 cm (15.7 in) |
| Orifice | 10 mm (0.39 in) | 10 mm (0.39 in) |
| Orifice height | 60 cm (23.6 in) | 60 cm (23.6 in) |
| Ratios | 6, 8, 11, 14 | 6, 8, 11, 14 |
| Drive and tension | Single drive, Scotch tension | Single drive, Scotch tension |
| Treadles | 2, folding | 1, folding |
| Bobbins | 3 sliding-hook flyer bobbins | 3 sliding-hook flyer bobbins |
| Bobbin capacity | 130 g (4.6 oz) | 130 g (4.6 oz) |
| Also in the box | Built-in lazy kate, Learn to Spin booklet, padded carry bag, wooden threading hook | Built-in lazy kate, Learn to Spin booklet, wooden threading hook |
| Assembly | Comes assembled | Comes assembled |
| Material and finish | Plywood, factory lacquered | Plywood, factory lacquered |
| Product code | JSWDT2CB | JSW2CB |
FAQ
Is the Ashford Joy 2 worth it?
If you want to spin the day it arrives, it comes ready, with three bobbins, a built-in lazy kate and Ashford’s booklet. Its ratios up to 14 leave room to move from medium yarn to finer.
What ratios does the Ashford Joy 2 have?
6, 8, 11 and 14 on both versions. The Kiwi 3 has 5.5, 7.5 and 9.5. The Kromski Sonata Encore has 5.5 and 9.5:1 and 10.5 and 15:1, plus additional ratios.
What is the difference between the Joy 2 single and double treadle?
The single has one treadle and a 40 cm wheel at 5 kg. The double has two treadles and a 45 cm wheel at 5.1 kg, with a padded carry bag. Ratios and orifice match.
Does the Joy 2 come assembled?
Ashford lists both versions as assembled. Sheryl Lan, on The Good Yarn, found parts to put together, so check with your seller.
What is the orifice size on the Joy 2?
10 mm (0.39 in) on both versions. Check that against the yarn you plan to spin.
How much does the Ashford Joy 2 cost?
See today’s price at Woolery or ask your local dealer.
Related
Where it sits
This one Other spinning wheels
Each dot is a spinning wheel whose maker lists both weight and top ratio. Ashford Joy 2 Double Treadle sits at 5.1 kg and 14:1. Where a dot sits shows size and build, not how good a spinning wheel is.
See the numbers behind the chart
| Spinning wheel | Weight, kg | Top ratio: flyer turns per wheel turn |
|---|---|---|
| S95 Victoria | 3.6 | 13 |
| Prelude Spinning Wheel | 4 | 13 |
| Joy 2 Single Treadle | 5 | 14 |
| Joy 2 Double Treadle (this one) | 5.1 | 14 |
| Kiwi 3 | 5.5 | 9.5 |
| Fantasia Spinning Wheel | 5.7 | 8 |
| Traveller 3 | 5.8 | 14 |
| Country Spinner 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Traditional Single Drive | 8 | 17 |
Your path
These are stages of what you might want to make, not a ranking. Each step is a different kind of project, and every one is a good place to be.
Step 1
Spinning away from home
Yarn at a class, a guild meeting or a friend’s house, with a wheel that folds.
This one. Listed as folding.
Step 2
Spinning at home
Everyday yarn on a wheel that stays set up, with a standard orifice and bobbins.
Step 3
Big batches and thick yarn
Thick and art yarns, and large amounts at a time.
Close alternatives
Ashford
Joy 2 Single Treadle
Ashford
Kiwi 3
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