Frequently Asked Questions

Dutch tension is Irish tension improved by Jan Louët Feisser: the spinning wheel is bobbin-led, but the aerodynamic design of the flyer allows you to spin with very little pull on the yarn. As a result, Dutch tension is great for spinning both thin and thick yarns. As a result, Dutch tension is great for spinning both thin and thick yarns.

You can only order products through our dealers. They are all mentioned on the dealer overview page. We are very good at making products. We leave the selling and customer service in the more capable hands of our experts.

No, they are different companies. Louët bv is founded 1974 by Jan Louët Feisser and a former classmate. Lojan bv is founded in 2023 by Jan Louët Feisser his daughter Loes van Aken.

Jan no longer owns the Louët company. You can read more about it at the webpage of Jan Louët Feisser.

The plastic we use, POM, is known for its strength and durability. It is designed to withstand abrasion and impact, which means it does not become brittle or break easily. In addition, it has a low coefficient of friction, allowing it to move smoothly without wearing out. This makes it well suited to our application, where durability and resistance to abrasion are important.

The name is a combination of Lo (from Loes van Aken) and Jan (Jan Louët Feisser). In Dutch, Jan is pronounced “Yan”, because the Dutch J sounds like the Y in yes. That’s why Lojan is pronounced “Lo-yan.”

If the flyer isn’t turning, there is usually nothing wrong with your spinning wheel.

First, check whether a leader is attached to the bobbin. On the Buddy, you can easily tie the leader to one of the three wooden slats of the bobbin.

Next, check that the leader isn’t slipping around the bobbin. If the bobbin turns but the leader slips, the flyer may not turn properly.

Finally, check the brake tension. If the brake cord is adjusted too tightly, the spinning wheel pulls harder on the yarn. This can make the flyer turn less easily.

If your yarn isn’t winding onto the bobbin, the cause is usually a simple adjustment.

Check that:

• the leader is securely attached to the bobbin and isn’t slipping;
• the yarn is correctly threaded through the flyer hooks and the orifice;
• the brake tension isn’t set too low. If the brake cord is too loose, the spinning wheel applies less pull to the yarn, making it more difficult for the yarn to wind onto the bobbin.

The brake tension determines how strongly the spinning wheel pulls on the yarn.

• More brake tension means the elastic in the brake cord is stretched further. This increases the pull on the yarn, causing it to wind onto the bobbin more quickly.
• Less brake tension means the elastic is stretched less. This reduces the pull on the yarn, giving you more time to draft the fibres before the yarn winds onto the bobbin.

Start with light brake tension and make small adjustments while spinning until the yarn winds onto the bobbin comfortably.

If your yarn has too much twist, it will become hard and start to kink. The most common cause is treadling faster than you can draft the fibres.

Check the following:

• Try treadling more slowly, or stop treadling for a moment if you can’t draft the fibres quickly enough.
• Check the brake tension. If the spinning wheel isn’t pulling firmly enough on the yarn, the yarn remains between your hands and the flyer for longer, allowing more twist to build up. In that case, increase the brake tension slightly.
• Try using a lower ratio. A lower ratio adds twist more slowly, giving you more time to draft the fibres.

With a little practice, you’ll naturally develop a good balance between treadling, drafting and brake tension.

The ratio indicates how many times the bobbin and flyer rotate with each revolution of the drive wheel. A higher ratio adds more twist with each revolution, while a lower ratio adds less twist.

The right ratio depends on the thickness of the yarn you want to spin.

In general:

• Lower ratios add less twist with each revolution. They are ideal for thicker yarns, beginners and art yarn.
• Higher ratios add more twist with each revolution. They are ideal for finer yarns.

If you’re just starting to spin, begin with the lowest ratio. On the Buddy, this is the largest whorl on the bobbin. This gives you more time to draft the fibres and produce an even yarn.

As you gain experience or want to spin finer yarns, you can switch to a higher ratio by moving the drive band to a smaller whorl on the bobbin.

The Buddy offers five ratios: 1:4, 1:6, 1:9, 1:13 and 1:18.