Spindle

Choosing a spindle is really a two-part process. You'll want to know about the spindles, the different types, how they work in general, and what kinds of yarn they're useful for. Then, you'll want to consider your spinning needs, desires, and style. We have some good questions to ask yourself so you can figure all that out.

These are the common parts found on a traditional spinning wheel. The arrangement of these parts may vary from wheel to wheel. A. Fly Wheel – The wheel that rotates when treadling and causes the other various parts to operate. B. Drive Band – A cord that goes around the fly wheel and the flyer whorl. C. Flyer – A U-shaped piece of wood with hooks lined up on one or both arms. The hooks are used to store the yarn evenly on the bobbin. The flyer is rotated by the drive band which as a result…

As I discussed here, many living historians learn how to spin from modern resources produced for modern crafters. These resources are vast, fantastic and what you find most readily when searching. …

There is something downright magical about spinning your own yarn. Creating something out of nothing, and letting your inner-most yarn dreams come true in the process. In this post and accompanying video, we'll teach you how to start spinning on a drop spindle. The Equipment The history of spinning is vast, and spans thousands

Learn about three common spindle styles.

"The Victorian" is our new signature spindle. Beautifully carved checkering and a lovely Victorian leaf motif adorns the whorl of this Oregon Myrtlewood top whorl drop spindle.

When you unite the spindle stick and removable whorl, you'll have to ponder where the whorl will fit best. Many spindle sticks have their tapered ends at the bottom. This is where the whorl will slide on. I suggest using a tiny hair rubber band to fix below the whorl to 'encourage' the whorl to stay in place. Whorls with tapered holes should be firmly jammed onto the bottom taper, but can still loosen in spinning mode. When they loosen they act rather like a curved ball, spinning out in a…

There. My least favorite part of silk painting is done: the initial prep work. After several hours standing at the ironing board, I now have 24 extra large silk scarves all washed and ironed and ready for the dye. Next up is playing in the colors! These scarves will end up being a dozen of my silk ruanas. Now that my photography class is almost done for the summer (tomorrow is the last day), I can devote a chunk of time to making things to re-stock the Etsy shop. And since I love my own…

A spinning wheel without treadles? How does this work?