I have NOT found my spindle, which is making me cranky. You see, it is tucked somewhere super-safe, along with my lovely sunset batts from Alex and the dark blue I got to go with them (yeah, Denver Broncos colors, it happens in my world). I know I was very, very careful to put them somewhere very, very safe. I'm guessing they're in one of the 12 big tubs-on-wheels in the craft room... otherwise known as "presently completely inaccessible".
BUT WAIT! What's that, carefully stored in a special box under my hope chest? It's the batts!!! And the blue fluff!! ... and NO SPINDLE.
I swear, the spindle was RIGHT THERE, in the bag with the batts, precisely so this sort of thing would be prevented. The gremlins have my spindle!! So, darn it, I need to get one, because I wanna spin. So, let's go see what's out there, shall we?
First, what is a spindle?
vintage spindle depicting lambs on the whorl
ETA: This is likely a Schacht HiLo - not vintage.
Modern spindles are typically available in high-whorl or low-whorl types. In a high-whorl spindle, the whorl sits very close to the top of the shaft, which is anywhere from 15-45cm long. A hook is placed on the top of the shaft to secure the developing yarn, and the newly-spun yarn is wound around the shaft underneath the whorl. In a low-whorl spindle, the whorl sits near the bottom of the shaft. The newly spun yarn is wound around the shaft just above the whorl. If there is a hook at the upper end of the shaft, the yarn is spiral-wound up the shaft and caught in the hook; if there is no hook at the top, then the yarn is spiral-wound up the shaft and secured with a half hitch (or more, for slippery fibers) at the top. Some low whorl spindles are notched at the top of the shaft to keep the half hitch secured, although this is not necessary. An alternate method of securing the yarn involves passing it down over the edge of the whorl, around the bottom end of the shaft, and back up over the whorl to be secured with a half hitch at the top of the shaft. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spindle_(textiles))Next, because I was curious, here's a brief history of spindle-spinning, along with some period illustrations. I think this totally needs to be on greek amphora-style socks:ETA: "If the low whorl is notched at the top, you use the notch like a hook. You typically use more than one half hitch when you're using a half hitch. Low whorl spindles can be more stable than high whorl ones. The weight of the spindle affects the weight of the yarn spun."
Dr. Karen Carr of Portland State University has a 'science for kids' history of spinning that sums everything up nicely (click the link to get the whole thing). "Someone invented the spindle. A spindle is basically a thing that spins. It spins like a top: you give it a twist and let it go, and it spins for a while and then falls down. In fact it is a kind of top, and spinning is sort of a cross between using a top and using a yoyo."
ETA:Spinning on a spindle is only superficially like spinning on a top. The spindle, unless supported, shouldn't "fall down" eventually. You spin the spindle to impart twist to the fibers. Twist holds the fibers together as yarn. Twist is the only absolute in spinning. That is, that you need some to hold the fibers together. Everything else is optional, and has many ways to be accomplished.
ancient spindle from the San Pedro museum
We're all (probably) familiar with variations on the story of Briar Rose (aka Sleeping Beauty), and the part the spindle plays. (Just between you and me, though... I've never seen a pointy spindle. A pointy distaff, maybe... I hereby call on any of the Fairy Tale Experts to explain this one to me when anyone has a moment.
And the Fairy Tale folk know! "Sleeping Beauty/Briar Rose lies. She either pricks her finger on the distaff, or she pricks her finger on a quill (on a great wheel or other large wheel of that type), OR she's spinning on a spindle like an Indian style tahkli or a charkah wheel. None of these wheels looks like the Saxony style wheel that you usually see in illustrations of the SB/BR story."
I'm giving some serious thought to Dave Larson's incredible acrylic drop spindles at villagespinweave.com. Or one of the incredible Golding brass-ring spindles - these seem to be one of the Things One Has If One Spins By Hand With Drop Spindles:
Of particular interest to me - a lady in the SCA actually has a drop-spinning squirrel on their coat of arms, which is BEYOND cool:
Madelaine de Bourgogne. Reblazon of device. Per pale Or and gules, a squirrel sejant erect guardant sable maintaining in dexter forepaw an empty wooden drop spindle proper, a chief semy-de-lys counterchanged.Registered in May 1983 with the blazon Per pale Or and gules, a squirrel sejant erect guardant sable maintaining in dexter forepaw a drop spindle proper and a chief semé-de-lys counterchanged, the fact that the drop spindle is empty was omitted from the blazon; additionally, drop spindles of themselves have no proper tincture, so the fact that this one is wooden must be specified. We also took the liberty of tightening the blazon, to avoid the suggestion that the squirrel is maintaining the chief.
lovely wood inlay spindle in walnut, maple and cherry
Stained Glass Drop Spindle (now there's something I might be able to make... hmmmm...)
Extravayarnza got new spindles, including this one:
Of particular note, Klara Decker has some spindle reviews posted, and some good advice (and history, instructions and other goodness, in English, French and German!!
While looking around, I keep coming back to Dragoncraft's lovely resin drop spindles at Dragon's Cave (etsy):
If this isn't there today, then I bought it yesterday!
Now, while I plan to buy a spindle, you may wish to make your own. A set of simple instructions can be found HERE at the Joy of Hand Spinning. Or, you can make one following aemmelia's instructions. I will probably do the latter at some point, just because I, too, have access to a "tiny, grungy-looking rathole of a hardware store" that seems to be able to solve all my other hardware problems, why not this one?
Just in case you're reading this and don't spin yet (like me), here are some resources for you: Handspinning.com has comprehensive instructions on drop spindle use; Mielke's Farm has some also, with nice illustrations; THIS is my favorite video tutorial on same.
Well, that certainly turned into a longer entry than I had planned - hope you enjoyed it!
Those spindles are really pretty.
ReplyDeleteI want a spindle!
ReplyDelete1) That's not a vintage spindle. I'm pretty darned sure that it's a Schacht HiLo with the lambs carved into it.
ReplyDelete2) Sleeping Beauty/Briar Rose lies. She either pricks her finger on the distaff, or she pricks her finger on a quill (on a great wheel or other large wheel of that type), OR she's spinning on a spindle like an Indian style tahkli or a charkah wheel. None of these wheels looks like the saxony style wheel that you usually see in illustrations of the SB/BR story.
3) I have issues with the Wikipedia information. If the low whorl is notched at the top, you use the notch like a hook. You typically use more than one half hitch when you're using a half hitch. Low whorl spindles can be more stable than high whorl ones. The weight of the spindle affects the weight of the yarn spun.
4) Spinning on a spindle is only superficially like spinning on a top. The spindle, unless supported, shouldn't "fall down" eventually. You spin the spindle to impart twist to the fibers. Twist holds the fibers together as yarn
Twist is the only absolute in spinning. That is, that you need some to hold the fibers together. Everything else is optional, and has many ways to be accomplished.
So says tired and cranky Lauren
Okay, did ya find one to play with or what? Waiting for ya!
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean, how do you get yarn in the first place?
ReplyDeleteIf you buy it at the first place, you have your yarn. If you didn't buy it before you got to the second place, go back to the first place and buy the yarn! :)
Now looky here, lady...I'm trying to concentrate on one obsession at a time, and right now the obsession is knitting...so just keep your enticing historical comments and pretty toys to yourself and let me go on my way, okay??? :)
Unless of course you can tell me how you make yarn or thread out of flax fiber...I've heard it's different from spinning, but I don't understand why.
Well, um, to make yarn out of the flax plant, you need to grow the plant first. Once it's grown, you'll need to soak it in rain water, or dew, or some sort of fermented watery concoction. The next step is to Ret it, which is to break it in lots of places, but not all the way through. Just enough to get the outer harsh husks off of the plant. Then you'll need to comb it, to pull the harsh fibers off the plant, leaving only the finest ones. You then spin the fine fibers just as you would spin wool, but wet.
ReplyDeleteI've not done the process myself, but I've seen it demoed a few times.
Flax is an interesting plant. The process is messy, but historically accurate. I'm not big into knitting with Linen, so I don't have plans to try spinning the stuff.
You have my permission to buy as many fancy new spindles as you want.
ReplyDelete