Monday, May 07, 2007

My new drop spindle and spinning


I've decided to take up drop spinning. I've been thinking about learning to spin for a while now. After seeing this beautiful spindle at Cottage Fiber, my local supply shop, I just couldn't resist. It is a top quality, handcrafted Kundert Spindle. I think the wood crafting on it is so beautiful. It is a joy to use too.


My plan is to use some of my handspun yarns in the feltmaking process. Often times, I will hunt for just the right shade of commercially made yarn to trim out my scarves with fringe or add the finishing touches on decorative designs, but now I plan to spin my own yarns for fringe, decoration, etc. This will allow for more creative freedom in my designs. Perhaps, if I ever feel that my spinning is quality enough, I'll start to sell some skeins of handspun yarn. I'd also like to experiment with hand dyeing some skeins of yarn.

Here's my first couple of attempts at using my new spindle. They are only two very small skeins. Neither of them is very consistent in thickness throughout, but the one ply strands do seem strong, and, of course, I love the colors! For now, I've really only managed to do the "park and draft" technique consistently. You can see a nice little video on this beginner's method on ispindle. There are also several other short, helpful videos there on using a top whorl drop spindle. It seems that when I try to actually drop the spindle, either my roving breaks or bunches or the spindle quickly changes direction and starts to unravel my strand. I think that I just need to practice quite a lot more, but that is just fine with me. I really enjoy using my new drop spindle thus far and can't wait until I have a better handle on the techniques of spinning.

1 comment:

  1. Shalana, your spindle is truly beautiful, and your yarn is lovely. Great work! I cannot manage a spindle at all so I admire you.
    Maple

    ReplyDelete

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