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I want to make these wonderful cards with wheeling in white craft ink. I think it is a BEAUTIFUL look for backgrounds. So soft and pretty...but, alas.....I am wheeling IMPAIRED!!! I am dead serious here. I cannot wheel to save my life.
My sweet sweet upline Amy tried to help me. When I got my starter kit she steered me to the dot to dot wheel because it is easier and you can do it diagonally. She tried to show me how to do it diagonally.....still impaired!
*sigh* someday I will make these lovely backgrounds....meanwhile, I will look for them in the gallery so I can drool over them.
I was wheel challenged for a long time too! Then I practiced what I preached to my daughter...practice makes perfect.
I practiced on printer paper...probably 10-12 sheets completely covered them front and back and I cna now wheel straight, and get an even image.
Some tips...(I assume here that you might want these.)
Wheel in long strokes pulled toward you. You can still wheel on an angle just turn the paper so that the wheeled image ends up straight on that. I am right handed so I start with the wheel on the table somewhat in front of my left shoulder then pull on an angle towards me so that my right elbow ends up at my right side. Kind of like opening a door. I use my big stampin up graph paper as a base, so that I can wheel about 3-4 inches on that before I actually get to my cardstock.
The other thing I do is put my index and middle fingers on top of the handle over where the wheel is. This helps to get even pressure over hte enitre wheel surface that is in contact with the paper.
And lastly, if my cartridges aren't well inked then forget about it...the images stink!
I know that these are probably all things you know/have previously heard. I feel a little silly, but it might help you...or more than likely some newbie who happens upon this thread!
Ok, I have done all of those except wheel towards myself. I'll have to try it. I just can't get it straight. And I have used the little guide thingie and it didn't help my crookedness!
I was also wheel impaired until I got my Wheel Guide!!! I love it and now can actually wheel card backgrounds! I also don't usually use the cartridges, since I don't have many.....I just run the wheel several times on an ink pad and it works great for cards--repeat every time you wheel across. HTH!
Sue
__________________ Take a peek at my gallery and my new albums!
Emily, I feel you pain! I'm am wheel impaired also. Bought the wheel guide thinking it would be the best investment. But, like allidee said, practice...I have not done this. I make a card and think I need to wheel something and try and get frustrated.
I don't like to wheel diagonally.. I mess it up every time.. I always wheel left to right on the paper. Some things I can think of to help... stand while you wheel... when you hold your wheel.. keep your pointer/index finger out when you are holding the wheel... this tend to help steady the wheel itself.
And yes try pulling instead of pushing. That sometimes can definitely help.
I have found that either people love the wheel or they hate it.. BUT I have a few converts in my circle as well ;) practice on tissue paper.. who doesn't need pretty tissue for gift bags and who cares if its a little crooked when its all bunched in the gift bag
Emily, I'm shocked that there is something that your talented hands can't do! ;)
You have received some great advice. I'll have to print this & put it with my wheels. That way I'll have it handy when I want to wheel anything! I bought the wheel guide when it was first available, and I have never used it. I'm not even sure where it is. I'll have to look for it--one of these days.
Personally, I think Dot to Dot is one of the harder wheels! There is so much excess rubber on each side, it is way too eady not to run that edge on the paper. Anytime I use that wheel, I have to toss at least half of what I've wheeled out! Dont' really have too much trouble with the other wheels. Just keep a firm, but even pressure on both sides of the wheel.
My impairment lies with embossing powder! Always end up with stray specks. Even though I already had an embossing buddy (other vendor), I ordered the SU version, which is actually due to arrive today! YEAH MR. BROWN! ! !
Just remember, keep on trying, eventually you will find the little tip that will work for you.
Don't feel bad...I'm wheel impaired too! If I only have to wheel one row, I'm usually ok doing that. BUT...more than one row I can't do! It looks horrible. I have found that wheeling toward myself helps in getting it even.
Wheeling towards you is a must!! I have to stand up to wheel. I know it sounds stupid, but if I sit down my images suck!! LOL!! I have to stand, pull the wheel towards me, and put my index finger on top of the handle. I also have to pull quickly. The slower I go, the stamp has time to wobble.
You can do it Emily!! I can't wait to see what you come up with!!
I am with the girls that wheel towards yourself! It works better than any other way! That guide was no help to me. I wheeled 100 christmas cards so by the time I was done I was a wheel pro! Good luck girl! Your so talented you can do it!!!
Like everyone is saying, pull towards you and stand up. I also prefer to go diagonally unless using the guide. And practice, practice, practice. I stayed away from wheels for a few years, but now I love them. My customers are more interested in them now that they have the guide, too.
Since I use them mostly for backgrounds, I can usually cover any errors if I get a bit crooked or if a bit of edge shows. Remember, since you do it, you know the "error" - most people won't even notice! We are so hard on ourselves, aren't we?
Keep trying!
__________________ Laura Lynn
mother of two stampers: Breana (1 and Nicolas (15) my gallery
Hey! At least you are trying them. Good luck. I know you will master it soon enough. Your cards are way to awesome for you to take too long learning something new!
__________________
"Lord,if you cain't forgive me all my sins,just don't remember them too good,no." "Thank you,Amen"
I can certainly feel the pain here. I couldn't run the wheel straight if my life depended on it, but my boss who is a great stampin buddy told me to do exactly what Pinefeather suggested about applying pressure with your pointer finger. I couldn't believe how well it worked for me once I tried that. My boss also bought me as a Christmas gift the wheel guide and I have used it and it works just as well also.
Emily, I think once you have tried these techniques several times, you will have it mastered.
__________________ Sandy~
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
I started a thread on this a while back because I too have the same problem. I have never included and link in my posts so I have no idea how to do it, but do a search for threads started by me and see what was suggested by me.
Thanks ladies for all the great tips. I am thinking maybe it's just me and I am not meant to wheel. I will try out the wheeling towards me, but the rest of these I have already tried.
However, it does save me money to not like wheels!! ;)
I was wheel impaired in the beginning. I can use it now that I have a guide to make it go straight. My biggest problem now is making it look good on a card. Why does everyone else's look so beautiful and mine look like I just splattered ink everywhere?
I know this sounds strange but I was able to conquer my 'wheel issues' by trying a JUMBO wheel.
I don't know why but I could NOT use a wheel to save my life until I used a jumbo wheel. Maybe because it is larger and doesn't wobble as much.... maybe because the inserting the ink cartridge is fool proof...?
You have received some great tips already but don't overthink it and don't apply too much pressure.
You are not wheel impaired,,,, just keep practicing,,,, I wheel away from me and from left to right when I wheel and diagonally most always,,,, and it sounds like I am doing it all wrong,,,, I also like to sit rather than stand.
I think the wheel you started with is a hard one to do. I had trouble with it as it seemed to jump along but I have gotten much better with it now... I would try one with more of an all over design like the star one. I think the pressure you use is important and the speed at which you wheel,,, if I go too slow, I have problems,,,, so work toward a flow or speed that is working... I also find that if I havent wheeled for a while, it takes me a bit to get the right pressure and flow going again. I love wheels for making backgrounds much better than using the bg stamps.
so there is my two cents worth, hope it helps,,, just practice and dont give up. I think the practicing on tissure paper is a good idea.
__________________ Sherlie..... aka Surelyyoustalktoo? Just living is not enough, one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower,and a few stamps, of course, www.splitcoaststampers.com/go/Sherlie
Hey...at least know you're not alone in your Wheel Impairment, Emily! Shall we start a support group for Wheel Challenged stampers? I suck at wheeling anything and I've practiced long and hard. My wheels sit gathering dust and I've resolved to NOT buy any more because it's just a waste. Ho hum!
This may be a silly suggestion -- and somebody may have already suggested it.
If you have an older child, say 7ish & up, they can help. Use both parts of your wheel guide separately. Line up the wheel guide next to where you want the inky wheel to go. Get two clean wheels. Have your child hold a wheel in each hand, and you place the other half of the wheel up next to the clean wheels on the other side. Your child then puts their hand on the 2nd wheel guide and you hold the other while you wheel, merrily down a straight path you CANNOT stray from.
I did this a few times with my daughter until she got the hang of it of how it felt to keep the wheel next to the guide. (This was just for practice, mind you.) Then move the 2nd wheel guide a little further and further away each time. It will only take a couple of pages practice before you get the hang of it.
And, your child is happy because they got to help Mommy.
Silly, I know, but it worked for us. HTH - Linda T
Like LadyDye, I couldn't get an even impression for the life of me until I used the jumbo wheel. Still not an expert, but doing much better. Seems that I do most everything backwards too, I have to go right to left, pushing the wheel.
good luck!
Did I dream this or doesn't the little booklet that you get when you order from SU (the little techniques booklet) tell you to wheel toward you? I remember wherever I saw that it was a BIG "A-Ha!" Moment. Hmmmm, need to get my wheels out again!
Or, just get the makin' tracks wheel which is okay to have curvy all over the page!
I am so sad....
and Nicolas (15) 
