Learn how the parts of the wheel work together and the relevant terminology.

1. Fly Wheel or Drive Wheel is the large wheel that is powered by the treadle and also turns the flyer assembly.
   
2. Drive Band - is a string or band that connects the whorls or bobbin to the fly wheel.
3. Flyer and Bobbin assembly - This part winds the yarn onto the bobbin which collects the yarn.
4. Maidens - These two upright posts hold the bobbin/flyer in place.
   
5. Tension Knob - this adjusts scotch tension, it is attached to a line that travels over the bobbin and causes it to take up the yarn.
6. Treadle - a pedal used to make the wheel spin.
   

These are the most relevant parts of the spinning wheel. This is a traditional style spinning wheel, and most of the parts will be located in a similar place on a traditional style wheel. If you have a different style wheel, you should still be able to find and identify all the parts.  Look closely and compare the picture to your wheel and you shouldn't have too much trouble.

1. Bobbin - You can see the yarn wound around the bobbin, these allow you to gather the yarn, and also to store it, and canbe put on alzy Kate to ply.
2. Flyer - The flyer is a U shaped peice with a hollow tube (see where theyarn goes inside?) for the yarn to pass through.  THe hooks allow you to wind the yarn on evenly as you spin.

You can see how the yarn comes off the bobbin, the flyer rotates around the bobbin, and this creates the twist to make the yarn.  As this happens the bobbin spins at the same speed as the flyer.  When you move your hands toward the orafice (pictured below) the tension stops the bobbin movement and the yarn winds on like magic, because the flyer continues to spin and the bobbin stops or slows.

After you spin a little you need to move the yarn to the next hook, so that the bobbin will wind evenly.  The amount shown here is about the maximum amount you should accumulate before switching hooks.  There are also hooks on the other arm of the flyer but they are not visible as they are on the other side.

1.  The bobbin, but it isn't labeled here
2. The flyers whorls -  on this wheel the flyer has whorls for the drive band to turn.
3. These are the maidens that hold the whole assembly.
4. Orifice -  this is where the yarn comes out and this is what you will look at when you spin.

I hope that you know what each part does now, I want to point out that not all the parts are shown or labeled here.  The parts discussed are those necessary for discussing the spinning process, and are not intended to be complete, but an overview of the parts that you will regularly adjust and interact with.

Happy spinning!