 I just finished reading this book I saw recommended on Instagram. It is all about handmade clothes, sewing, knitting and why making and wearing stuff we make is important. It also touches on taking care of our clothes with mending, buying quality when necessary and all the good this brings to both society and our own mental well being. As some of you know, I have slowly been working towards trying to develop a handmade wardrobe over the past few years with learning how to sew and to wear more of my handknits. I really felt this book was speaking to me as I am learning more about the process of making a garment, a wardrobe and to express myself how I have wanted to for years but haven't. It is definitely written as a doctoral thesis paper so there were some parts of this book that I found were getting TOO detailed, but I did find myself nodding in agreement for most of what she writes about. Here are a few excerpts I thought noteworthy. Page 3: "Making attracts people who are somewhat frustrated by their jobs and are searching for an activity they feel to be more meaningful." Page 146: "Go ahead, dive in, have fun, play with colour, break the "rules", and use colours that sing songs of joy to you even if only your ears can hear them." Page 161: "Putting together a wardrobe and a home will become a life long process and something of a quest" Page 177: "...they reflect the fact that these sew-ers are constructing, physically constructing, in the case - the person that they feel themselves to be. While everyday items may get a great deal more wear, these aspirational garments - even if never seen by others - help them to feel that their 'everyday self' is not all of who they are." Page 187: "The intrinsic motivations of the craft process meet our needs for identity and participation and create a positive sense of well-being. This positive feeling can be heightened by integrating a greater sense of creativity into the activity. In many cases. these satisfactions extend to the wearing stage; makers enjoy wearing on-off, personalized garments they have worked hard to produce. Page 192: "Making provides us with an alternative means of participating in fashion." She also has a list to sum everything up starting on page 199: "1) Make to suit the maker, the wearer and the materials 2) Spread your wings 3) Enjoy the journey 4) Seek and give validation 5) Share, reflect and act" If you are a maker of any kind, I feel this book is worth a read. It talks much about making and its effects on society and how us, as makers have a stronger impact in the world than we may think. We also need to focus on making just for the sake of making. Creativity is important in this digital world. With that said, it is also important to connect with other makers on the internet, whether it be on blogs, through social media or communities like Ravelry. Think of how making something with your hands and mind makes you feel, how this will get passed down (either as a skill or an actual item). These things are important. I feel that what all makers do is important so never give up what you do and never stop learning. I don't do resolutions but here are my goals for 2018 - Live more "handmade" when possible (including food) - Knit at least a pair of socks a month - this will be helped by The Naked Sheep's #SockFlock2018. When not working on a KAL pair I will try to have at least a vanilla pair on the needles - Wear more of my handknits (and make more handknits for myself that are wearable) - Work towards 65% handmade wardrobe, 25% thrifted, 10% store bought (with a focus on buying quality) - Learn more about mending, hand stitching and fixing clothing. Thank you to all those I met, talked to, taught, learned from and supported me in 2017. I have been doing what I can when I can as I suffer from chronic pain so please be patient with me as I am also trying to be kinder to myself this year and resting when I must. I appreciate everyone who has ever tried one of my patterns, read my blog, bought my yarn and handknits, visited me at sales and taken my classes, I hope to continue to keep up this year. I have so much up in my brain that one day it will get out and I can share even more of myself.
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 Since the past couple of years I have been on a MAJOR support spindle kick and I really want to try all the spindle makers out there. Ghstworks designs have caught my eye on some of the spindle threads so I perused their shop and found this little number. My sample is Romney and I spun and plyed it to keep its awesome colour runs. It came to 11 yards in the end. My very favourite aspect of this spindle is it's size. I LOVE it! Its labeled as a travel spindle and that's exactly what I plan to do with it. Perfect for throwing in your bag and taking it everywhere you go. Its stocky, well built and made to last. It also feels nice in the hand. My hands are kinda... what's the word... pudgy (ha) so this spindle feels not too big, not too small but just right. If you have larger hands, this travel spindle may not be right for you. To spin a larger amount of fibre with this spindle you would have to make a couple cops to do so as the shaft doesn't have the length for a few oz (but it's the travel size) . I have a bit of fibre chosen to make a bigger skein with this spindle to test out how much fibre I can pack on before it becomes cumbersome. (I will update this post when I do that)
The shaft isn't overly decorated but there are 3 small rings near the tip which add a nice bit of detail (see last picture). Rings like this always remind me of my Tabachek spindles :)  There is some hand yarn management ridges near the bulb. I really appreciate these because they really help a lot when it comes to getting your spinning started. They are carved very neatly and even. The shaft has been smoothed but not a whole lot. I prefer that because if the spindle shaft is too slippery, your yarn will just keep sliding around as you are spinning. It needs some hold, but not enough to snag your fibre.
Spindle rating: Length of spin: 9.4 seconds (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: Fair Looks: Sleek Overall Rating: 8.75/10 This spindle maker has taken time and care into making his spindles work very well. They don't need a mix of woods or fancy tips or unique shaping. They are very nice Russian spindles and I would like to have more from Ghstworks.  You can see the 3 rings near the spinning point in this picture.  Maker: Trindleman Weight: 11 g & 16 g / 3/8 and 1/2 oz Length: 10.5" Shaft, 2.5" Arms Style: Unique Material: Shaft: Redheart Arms: Malachite & Tigers Eye beads I have a very special review for you today, very unique, very innovative and very customize-able spindles. My samples are both merino and I spun 15 yards and 51 yards in the 2 skeins. Trindles are made using a shaft, a neoprene hub and perimeter weighted arms. The materials that go into making these spindles are vast. The beads alone can be comprised or glass, metal, woods, semi precious stones and even ivory just to name a few. If you are looking for a spindle you can really personalize, these are them.  My arms are beads made from Malachite and Tigers Eye. I have always had a love for rocks and quite like these ones. You can change the weight of your spindle, simply by changing up your arms. The weights of these are as follows - Malachite (4 g) and Tigers Eye (9 g). There are several arm sets you can choose from and if you have a special set of beads he can even make a custom set of arms for you! Now how COOL is that? The arms stay in place really well yet they are easy to remove and switch around if you need to. The neoprene hub is really quite ingenious. There are 6 holes in these spindles so I could even add 2 sets of arms for extra weight if I needed. The material is virtually indestructible and nice and lightweight. It is snug on the shaft and there is no movement at all. Both of mine are an inch down from the hook. Even the placement of this hub could be customized to make mid-whorl spindles and support spindles - which he also does (!) 
I would also be careful in packing these babies for travel as they feel a bit dainty. With that said, this spindle maker is so unbelievably awesome to offer a lifetime guarantee on Trindles. If yours breaks or fails in anyway, he will repair or replace it, no questions asked. That alone is reason enough to want to support this maker! The hooks are simple but not a detail overlooked. The end of the hook has been tapered so it doesn't have a blunt, ugly edge that may snag your spun yarn. They have a nice wide curve that lines your yarn up perfectly with the shaft.  And after all that, lets talk about how they spin shall we? Like a dream. I was slightly worried that the arms would come flying out mid spin but that hasn't happened. I was also a bit concerned that given the weights and the design of the arms that the spin time would be short and it wasn't bad at all. BECAUSE of the design, and the weight distribution on the outer tips of the yarn, these spindles are amazing spinners! They dance in the air, almost weightless and barely look like they are moving, kinda like a hummingbird.  Winding on was a bit of a challenge at first though. I had to slow down a bit and make sure I was building my cop under the arms and not in and around them. Although, it would be worth a try if you needed to pack on more yarn to see if that helped with yarn storage if you kept it balanced and under control. When you buy these spindles you have to buy a shaft and arms separate. This let's you choose your shaft preference and you can create your own spindle set. I like how you can collect different arms and switch them out as you like. You kinda get a modular spindle and you can change things up as you spin even.  Spindle rating: Length of spin: 14.9 seconds (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: If you are spinning very fine lace weight yarns, you will be able to pack a lot of yarn on these, and can change weights as you need to. Looks: Very unique, and an ingenious design Overall Rating: 8.5/10 Here is where I tell you a secret, I traded for these spindles. A woman on Rav was looking for a Glindle (as is everyone) and she was offering these spindles as well as a Gripping Yarn french spindle in return. I REALLY wanted the GY spindle and thought about this trade for over a week. I even consulted my local fibre community on their opinions of Trindles as I had never tried them and wondered if they would be a fair trade with the spindle package being offered. I decided to go for it and I am actually pretty happy I did. I really love these spindles and they spun so effortlessly and were so nice and light that they are a joy to spin with. I was quite impressed with the spindle maker as I mentioned above with his guarentee. He also responded to peoples' comments on his Ravelry group with genuine care and even a bit of humour. I respect that. If you have ever been curious about these spindles, give one a try, or better yet, check out the Trindle Etsy shop and pick out a nice set of arms and a shaft and take the plunge, there is a reason they are popular!
 Maker: Wayne Capar of Natural Knot Wood Designs Weight: 12 g / .42 oz Length: 3.5" Shaft, 3" Arms Style: Turkish Spindle Material: Shaft: Walnut Arms: Olivewood I am back, and trying to dive right into my spindle reviews once again. I have lots of skeins spun and lots of spindles in line so let's get started. My sample is grey Merino from Inglenook Fibers in the Rose Window colourway. I got 12 yards navajo plyed. I have said it before and I will say it again, the teeny tiny turkish spindles have always left me raising one eyebrow and giving the half-assed response of "oh that's cute....". They have never interested me in the least. That is until I saw this little beauty at the Manitoba Fibre Festival last year. Even in my mind I was saying "but Susie these things are ridiculous, you don't even like turkish spindles and really how much yarn could you fit on one of those spindles?" Luckily I ignored my inner voice and gave these a try.  As mentioned above, this spindle is quite small and I can fit it inside a little Tetley tea tin and put the lid on. Because of it's size, I was able to spin in the car during red lights on my way home from work yesterday without any difficulty. Not that I do that often, but I would not be able to sit in the car and spin with many of my other suspended spindles.  The wood pretty much sold me on getting this particular one. It glows! I also appreciated that Wayne talked to me about the wood when I was buying it, it showed his enthusiasm for his work. They come in their own padded box with all the details on weight/materials etc and this shows how he takes pride in his spindles. The arms have a nice curve to them, not chunky and not dainty. You can feel they have a nice weight distribution and with the shaft wedged in place there isn't a lot of movement. The pieces fit perfectly together, like a puzzle, but not too tight.  The shaft is simple but well thought out. It feels strong and isn't too pointy. The butt end is rounded and bulbous and the tip is tapered with a nice little groove in it to hold your half hitch in place. I had big issues with half hitch's when I first started out with spindles several years ago. This spindle takes the frustration out of the whole ordeal of your yarn slipping off. If you wanted, you could definitely use this spindle supported with a shallow bowl. I may try that next. I am still quite slow using turkish spindles and I had to look up how to wrap the spun singles around the arms to create a centre pull ball. (I did over 2, under 1, which I beleive is the most common method). To be honest, it was kind of refreshing to slow down a bit, think about what I was doing and enjoy the process. I was able to go faster after the first little while and even plied the yarn on this spindle with no troubles. There are a lot of different winding techniques to try and get as much yarn on a turkish spindle as you can. I would like to try a few more out to see which method I prefer. If you have any tips for me, let me know in the comments :) This spindle didn't spin as long as I was hoping but because of its weight - or lack thereof it made sense. Once I put more spun yarn on it, that helped.  The underside of the spindle has the spindle makers name (written in sharpie - a pet peeve) but it is done fairly neatly and doesn't take away from the spindle's beauty. You can also see in this picture what the underside of the cop looks like using the over 2 under 1 wrapping technique.
My finished yarn came out to be more of a sport weight but you could produce some very fine yarns with this spindle, and I believe that you could get some decent yardage on this tiny turkish. You can spin the spindle by grasping the butt end of the shaft or spinning the tip in your fingers, which I found easier to get better momentum. I had posted about these little spindles on my Facebook page as a Daily Inspiration the other day. While looking through others' pictures of their Turkish's, I saw a little triangle bag that someone had used to house their spindle and a bit of fibre for travel. This is on my to do list. These make great travel spindles and are very compact if you take them apart and they will only take up about 1.5" of space.  Spindle rating: Length of spin: 19.8 seconds (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: TBD but better then you might think Looks: You can't help but giggle at them but the grain in the arms is to die for Overall Rating: 9.0/10 I'll admit they are still kind of ridiculous but I'm enthralled by this one. I plan on buying a medium sized Capar spindle this year at the Manitoba Fibre Festival and think this maker has changed my view of turkish spindles. They aren't sluggish and awkward. A huge bonus is having a centre pull ball at the end all ready for plying. I'm going to take this spindle, and spin some more yarn on it and practice my winding techniques. I hope that if you haven't tried one of the few tiny Turkish spindles on the market yet, that you give them some consideration and you too might surprise yourself.   Maker:TurtleMade Weight: 31 g / 1 oz Length: 7" Shaft, 5" Arms Style: Turkish Spindle Material: PLA Filament (thermoplastic) Probably one of the COOLEST spindles I own. First of all, 3D printing boggles my mind. The idea of it is pretty darn cool and the second I saw this spindle online it was mine. For others who wonder how the heck 3D printers work I found this video to be particularly helpful My sample is Merino/Alpaca/Seacell in the colourway "Silver Linings" by Kinfolk Yarn and Fibre. About 5 minutes after my purchase, I received notification that it had shipped, which impressed me right off the bat. I was really eager to get this spindle and check it out and see what something "printed" in 3D looked like, how did it feel? I was totally giddy for this one.  You are able to pick which colours you would like for the shaft and arms. I chose orange arms and a purple shaft for contrast. The arms to me look like a reflector and I think it is really neat how you can see all the layers it took to make the spindle take its shape. If you have trouble deciding on colour, she also sells shafts separately so you can mix and match. The plastic is hard and rigid, a very solid spindle yet very lightweight. There is an O-ring in the middle of the smaller arm so there is a no slippage when the shaft is set in place. This is the standard size of TurtleMade's spindles, she also sells a mini size as well. I found this particular size perfect. It's not gigantic and not so small that you will have to spin a million tiny balls to get a decent sized skein. I bet you could easily fit a few ounces (if not more) on this one. I should also state clearly that I am not a Turkish spindle user. I only have 2 Turkish spindles and I acquired both this year. I find them slow, frustrating and awkward. With that being said, perhaps it is just jealously rearing its ugly head because a couple of my friends; Sara and Lindsay, are excellent Turkish spindle spinners and their skills are both amazing and inspirational. My Turkish spindle skills are l.a.c.k.i.n.g. Big time. I threw all my judgments away the instant I saw this spindle online, and it was only $15!!!  The shaft fits perfectly in the cross-section of the arms without budging. Because of the nature of 3D printing, the shaft is not smooth, but that makes it perfect for holding a half hitch. There is a nice taper near the tip for holding your yarn in place as well. This detail helps me get over the awkwardness of my yarn slipping off the shaft when I give the spindle a good flick. This Turkish now takes 3rd place for longest spin time.  This spindle has the makers name on the underside of the larger arm - stamped into the spindle itself - how the heck did she do that?  Now onto the spinning. An absolute joy. I was amazed how it danced and spun in thin air with no effort. It's arms whirled around without shaking, no slowing down, and my mind in disbelief at its speed. The spindle was on the ground with a hearty length of yarn spun before I felt the need to look down to see if it needed a boost. Light also reflects off its surface and it shimmers as you spin. Pretty impressive. I will definitely be packing this spindle with me wherever I go. I have zero fear of it breaking, (and if it does, I can replace the shaft for $5). It is a super cool conversation piece and a tool that you can hand off for someone else to try and you will be able to see them smile at it's awseome-ness. You're looking pretty cool now aren't you?  Winding on has also been a bit of an issue for me. I started by trying to make it look all fancy but threw that by the wayside when it was slowing me down. It's not important for a sample size and it made no difference when it came to plying from the centre pull ball the spindle had created. The technique I used was "over two, under one" and since I was able to grip the shaft easily, this made for winding the spun yarn on much easier.
 Spindle rating: Length of spin: 35.4 seconds (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: Excellent Looks: By far the coolest spindle I own Overall Rating: 9.5/10 This spindle has shattered my previous opinions about Turkish styles. It was not awkward to spin, it was not slow and its size was easy to handle. I also like the fact that with this spindle you are combining a primitive tool with an advanced scientific technology to make an object that is highly functional, swanky looking and well made. Pick one up - you know you want to ;)   Maker: Bristlecone Weight: 24 g / 3/4 oz Length: 10 1/2" Shaft Style: Support Spindle Wood: Unknown - looks like Cherry The Bristlecone spindles are hard to obtain - although at the moment in the Spindle Candy group they seem to be popping up. My sample is spun with a Merino/ Bamboo/Firestar batt from Luthvarian Fiber Arts in the colourway "Danae". I LOVED this batt and I have already favourited this shop on etsy. Since this is a Sherlock spindle, I needed to find a "manly" fibre to spin. I thought this colourway was perfect and It seemed the spindle agreed. I often hear that fibre spun on a support spindle referred to as the "spindles' dress". Well this my friends, is Sherlock's suit.
Phang spindles are a type of support spindle, with no whorl, often a bulge in the middle or two points and a low centre of gravity. The Bristlecone versions have a Goddess shape - thus the name. The grain of the wood, really accentuates the curves of the Goddess and create a very well balanced spindle. I used the "waist" to wrap my spun singles around. I found this spindle to be a very good spinner. Without fibre on it, it spun smoothly in my hand and pretty much stood straight up. The wood is nice and smooth, lightweight yet dense. I was able to spin lace weight yarn no problem.  I am happy with the wood burnt detail of the characteristic Sherlock pose on the base of the phang. The colour reminds me exactly of what I have in my mind of the wood used in Sherlock's pipe. A nice rich, purple-y brown, tobacco stained colour. The carving is a nice depth and size and is in proportion to the rest of the spindle. 
 Now, there is one detail that was overlooked - and this may just be me being anal BUT the tip at the top of the spindle is off centre. I know, I know but it bugs me like crazy!! When I hold the spindle with Sherlock centred, the seam of the bead used as the spinning point is staring right at me. Was this attached before adding the Sherlock picture or was this just a simple oversight?
 Spindle rating:
Length of spin: 4.2 seconds (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: Good Looks: A very handsome looking spindle Overall Rating: 8.5/10 The fibre/spindle combination was a win/win. I enjoyed spinning on this Goddess. This is my first phang and I have to say I was quite impressed. I have lusted over some of the other Bristlecone Goddesses but I am head over heels in love with this one. Much like all of the work done by Bristlecone, you can be sure you are getting a quality tool with stunning detail and thought put into it. Add one to your Christmas wish list and keep your fingers crossed :)  Maker:The Clay Sheep Weight: 43 g / 1.56 oz Length: 2 1/2" Whorl, 10 1/2" Shaft Style: Top Whorl Wood: Polymer Clay Whorl set atop a Red Oak Base and Shaft Anita from The Clay Sheep has been well known for her amazing polymer clay stitch markers, diz's and orifice hooks. She puts wonderful detail into each item she makes. A few months ago I saw on her Facebook page that she had made a couple spindle prototypes and knew that once they became available I had to give them a try. My spun skein is a rolag from Naturally Knitty. Currently, these spindles come in 3 sizes; small, medium and large (1 oz, 1.5 oz, 2 oz). I decided on the medium spindle, mostly because its the middle ground and I tend to gravitate towards sport - worsted weight yarns. I also instantly fell in love with the design of the whorl - who wouldn't? The detail is evident right down to the little feet and the curls in the sheep's wool. I also like that because each of these polymer clay whorls are handmade they are also truly one of a kind. If you look at the other spindles with this design, no two are a like. There are different flower colours and different sheep combinations. I also quite like the sky and the colours she used are so vibrant.   The frame around the picture is sterling silver filled wire, and this distributes the weight to the outer rim of the spindle. She has added 2 notches; at 12:00 and 6:00 and they are of a decent depth. The hook is made of Argentium Silver hard tempered wire and it suits the personality of the spindle very well. Its not too thick, or too thin and it lined up my spun yarn exactly in-line with the shaft. The neck is long enough that I can wrap some of the singles around the hook without anything getting in the way. I also found that it is closed enough that when things got a little out of control (on my part not paying attention to the fact that my arms aren't long enough when the spindle reaches the floor) the hook held the yarn securely as I fumbled to grab the flying spindle. This also goes to show the spin time. I am able to spin quite a length of yarn before the spin even slows down. (This is the 3rd place for the longest spinning spindle I have reviewed so far) All in all, with the combination of all the thought and detail that went into the top portion of this spindle, it is VERY well balanced. While spinning, it danced smoothly and effortlessly.  And that's just the top side of the whorl! Underneath, she has engraved the spindle's weight and its number. Mine is already #30. She has also etched her initials. Yet, more detail she hasn't overlooked. I think it's really cool to have numbered spindles, they are works of art. I'm also glad she burnt this information into the wood and didn't use a sharpie. 
If you are looking for a really unique, really well handcrafted spindle, then check out what Anita from The Clay Sheep has to offer. Fully functional works of art, and not a single detail overlooked. I can see this spindle becoming one of my favourite, go-to spindles. I am searching through my stash to start a new spinning project on it ASAP. I am SO happy that this spindle is in my collection, I think I may need the other 2 sizes as well :)  Maker: 3G Woodworks Weight: 49 g / 1.72 oz Length: 9 1/4" Shaft Style: Top Whorl Woods: Amboyna Burl Whorl, Walnut Shaft I will admit this spindle was an impulse buy. The burl wood caught my eye and I HAD to have it, without knowing anything about them. My sample is BFL/Silk (75/25) in the colourway "Renaissance Fair" from Littlest Lamb Boutique. The skein is 20 yards of n-plyed yarn. Let's get right down to the obvious - the whorl is absolutely stunning. Chaos and little storms are spinning within this wood and you can't help but become mesmerized. There is a nice deep notched at the 9:00 position and its wonderful because it holds your fibre, no matter what thickness you are spinning.  The underbelly of the whorl has been carved out to push the weight to the outside without taking much of the guts out. As you check out the spin time below, this spindle has the longest spin time so far of any spindle reviewed this year. Even longer than the Golding!! That alone may be a major reason for you to look towards these spindles for your next purchase. The weight of the spindle has been engraved into the underside of the whorl, it has been done neatly and the writing isn't too large.  One downside of the whorl is its thickness at 1/2". The wood used is very lightweight so that's not a huge deal breaker for this particular spindle but another, more dense wood might change this from a 1.72 oz spindle to a boat anchor. The hook is very dainty and quite nice. No cup hooks here. It is well centered, balanced and glued in tightly. If you happen to drop this spindle and bend the hook, it would be a breeze to re-align. The depth of the hook is also just right, not too shallow and not too long.
I bought this spindle 4 years ago and it was under $30 including shipping. When I think of 3G Woodworks, their use of interesting woods comes to mind. They use really cool combinations and rare woods that are hard to find. These spindles may surprise you. They are on the heavier side but would make wonderful plying spindles and the slower spin makes spinning longwools that don't need a lot of twist much easier. This is also a great travel spindle because you can throw it in your bag or basket and know that it can hold its own. It's hefty but also a hardworker.  Spindle rating:
Length of spin: 38.3 seconds!!! (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: Very, very good Looks: Eye-Catching Overall Rating: 8.0/10 3G Woodworks aren't as well known as many other spindle makers but don't let that deter you. You may surprise yourself with these spinners. I've kept it in my collection and not only because of its beautiful whorl but it is a great spindle for beginners, its dependable and I can spin thicker yarns on it and maximize yardage at the same time.  Maker: Ed Tabachek Weight: 37 g / 1 1/4 oz Length: 11" Shaft Style: Russian Woods: Zebrawood The sample I spun was comprised of Merino, mill ends and angelina from CrochetbyKa in the colourway "Snow Day". I purchased this spindle at the Manitoba Fibre Festival last year and I was very happy to see Tabachek spindles for sale once again. Despite my iffy feelings on Russian spindle, this one really called to me. As you can see the wood is really quite eye catching and I thought it was really unique, not to mention I didn't have a Tabachek Russian in my collection and I HAD to have one.
These concentric circles are a signature of Tabachek spindles. Ed usually uses very unique woods in his spindles. Whether you love natural grained woods or colourful combinations you can find both with Tabackek. He is very good at choosing combos that work well together. 
The length is just perfect, it's comfortable to spin while sitting. You can pack on quite a bit of fibre without feeling like you have too much to handle. The shaft doesn't feel like it is so thin it will snap on you but I would be careful when traveling with it or throwing it in your bag without a hard case around it.  The tip has been tapered enough to make spinning off its point pretty easy. It's not so sharp that bits of the tip will break off and you don't risk stabbing yourself. Again, I would still be careful when packing it, and make sure you have protective tubing around the tip - but mostly that is just a good habit to get into with any spindle. The wood has quite a beautiful shine to it and when tilted in the correct lighting you can really see it. It's a nice contrast against the dark grain. There are also very tiny holes in the wood that make it look like a walnut shell. I like that. I found there is a bit of a wobble on it when it is bare but once I had some fibre on it the wobble disappeared. The shape of the bulb at the base of the spindle seems to be the right size for the length of the shaft. The tip spins smoothly on both wooden and pottery bowls. This spindle is lightweight, but still feels dense enough so you don't have to worry about it going flying from your lap when you give it a good spin. Depending on your fibre preparation, you could definitely spin a very fine yarn on this spindle.  Spindle rating: Length of spin: 7.8 seconds (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: Quite good Looks: Very stunning Overall Rating: 8.5/10 If you love to knit lace shawls and you love to spin your own yarn then consider a Tabachek Russian. You would be able to pack on a decent amount of yardage without feeling overloaded. I can guarantee that you will have people walking by asking to see both your work and the beauty of the spindle. Another reason I bought this spindle is because I walked by a woman spinning on hers and I stopped to ask her what her opinion was on his Russian style spindles. She said she loved them and then looked at me matter-of-factly and said "they're the best". 
When my friend Susie asked me to do a review of Turkish spindles, I wasn't sure what I was going to write about because there are so many good things about them. We narrowed it down to pros and cons, and why I chose the ones I did, so here we go. I have to say that out of all my drop spindles I tend to reach for my Turkish spindles first. Pro: The reason being is their portability when traveling in and around the city, I can easily stash one in my purse, or in my knitting bag to spin with when I get the chance. Con: My other spindles get left at home and ignored. I have traveled with my spindles as well, further then the city limits of course, in the car, and by plane, and my Turkish spindles were what I took with me. 
Pro: When they do not have a cop on them, they come apart easily for storage in a small space. Con: those little pieces, when the spindle is taken apart can be misplaced or lost in transit Pro: Because of the half hitch you use to hold your yarn you have just spun to the spindle, there is less of a chance of your spindle dropping and rolling under your seat. Con: some people find it hard to produce a half hitch.  Pro: they are their own fiber storage tool Con: occasionally, depend on the fiber, it does get caught if you wrap it to tight. Before I get into which spindles I have, I will say that I am not affiliated with either of the companies that I chose to by my spindles from. I am just a happy customer.  I have 3 different sizes of Turkish spindles, tiny, small and medium, as compared to other spindles not only in the market but also in the vendors I chose to purchase from. My Tiny Turkish is from Jenkins; it’s called a Kuchulu. I picked it up second hand from one of my friends who had bought it and decided it was too small for her. The reason I picked it was because of its size, and because it was cute, it is easy to spin lace or cobweb yarn with this size, and I can fit quite a lot on it when it’s wrapped properly. My other Jenkins Turkish is called a Delight, and it is 3rd in their scale of smallest to largest. I picked this size because any larger, and my hands would get fatigued easier, and I wanted to be able to spin for longer periods of time. Jenkins spindles come in 7 different sizes/weights, all of which have a name for their size. My other 2 Turkish spindles are from Threads Thru Time. They have beautiful color combos for their spindles, and their spindles come in small, medium and large. I chose a small, and a medium, for weight and portability.  I probably use my Medium TTT Turkish the most, as it fits about 2oz of fiber on it when its spun and wrapped nicely, which is great for spinning a larger amount of fiber because you have fewer cops to deal with at the end if your going to ply them This one travels with me to my husband’s soccer games. Overall the spindles that I have chosen make me happy. I can spin on them all, they are easy to use, and when it comes time to ply, you have wonderful center-pulled balls/cops ready for you to ply from! 
Lindsay is a crafting fanatic. She is very creative and does amazing work in all aspects of her art.
You can find more about her and what shes working on at her Blog: Entirely Crafty She is hosting a Giveaway for one of her awesome project bags at the moment, so be sure to "Like" her facebook page or you can check out her wonderful handmade items in her Shops: Sewn By Lindsay Sway Tree Soaps Behold the Twisty Stick  Maker: Cats Paw Fibres Weight: 0 g / 1/8 oz Length: 9" Shaft Style: Primitive Woods: Ancient Kelethin Wood Hey! Keep reading, you may surprise yourself with this one...
Not only is this a wonderful way to teach a new spinner the concept of spinning but you can practice both drafting and twisting without worrying about: - Dropping your spindle - Adding too much twist too quickly - Letting your twist enter your fibre supply and really just getting to see the processes involved with making yarn. First grab a bit of fibre and hook your twisty stick onto it. Start turning the stick in your hands which will in turn add twist to your fibre. Pull your hands apart slowly and draft out a small amount while still turning your twisty sick in your other hand. As you watch, you can see the twist entering your fibre supply and your yarn getting stronger. The more twist you add the stronger your yarn (but don't add too much)
  The wood on the shaft of this spindle is a little rough but that is perfect for this particular tool because you want the wood to have some grip when you are turning it in your hands. If the wood was too smooth, your yarn will slide around (to start) and you may not get as many rotations in as a less smooth shaft would provide.
 My favourite of this spindle is the bottom of the shaft. It is a beautiful shade of royal blue. It was obviously put there by the detailed hand of a painter. I believe it is an oil paint made with Lazurite used during the Renaissance. Ok, maybe not. This is a very light spindle, so I can spin very fine yarns with it. If I wanted to make thicker yarns, no problem, I just don't draft as much. If your arm gets tired, you can switch to rolling the spindle on your leg. These is evidence of these types of spindles used in Scandinavia and in "The Big Book of Handspinning" by Alden Amos, he gives instructions on how to make a couple different versions of the Twisty Stick. These are great tools which can be made very inexpensively and you might even find a twisty stick in your neighborhood.  Spindle rating: Length of spin: Indeterminate Fibre storage ability: Unbelievably good! Looks: Simple Overall Rating: 7.5/10 This would make a very nice gift to anyone who wants to learn how to spin or those who like to sit down while spinning. I am very proud to have this wonderful tool in my collection.   Maker: Phil Powell Weight: 17 g / 5/8 oz Length: 9 7/8" Shaft Style: Russian Support Spindle Woods: Asian Tiger Stripe Satin Wood Interesting looking spindle, with quirky personality.  For this week's review, I used a small batt sample of BFL, Punta Silk, Firestar and mohair from Sheepy Kitty. I spun this yarn straight from the batt outside in the wind so it is full of air and truly woolen. I used this sample as my kick off to TdF. I also used my stAR pottery lap bowl (which I absolutely love!)  The first thing that you might notice about this spindle is its weird shape. It is definitely unique and reminds me of an insect leg; which may be the reason why I haven't warmed up to it all that much. To be honest, this is the first time I have spun on this spindle. I acquired it through a destash and added it to my collection. The wood used is a huge bonus though. I'm usually a fan of darker woods but this one glows. You can see its beauty shining like gold in the sunlight. I've never heard of Asian Tiger Satin wood but it sure looks as nice as it sounds. The lower portion of the shaft has very unique shaping, I haven't seen other russians quite like this. I would have expected that there would be more weight distributed but this spindle is so light, I didn't seem to get that feeling. I found this spindle slow going until I had a bit more weight packed on it. The craftsmanship is visable in this spindle, and you can see that there was great care put into polishing the wood and making sure it was balanced. I was able to spin a lace weight 2 ply yarn which is the category of yarns that russian spindles are best known for.
 The tip in which you spin off is very delicate on this spindle. It is so pointy it has chipped off a bit and just like a knitting needle that has split, there seems to be no way to help this but to sand it down a bit. Now I know this spindle was well taken care of before I owned it. It has a piece of rubber tubing to protect the end when not in use, but this tip damage has occurred as a result of spinning and with a little TLC, it could be good as new again. It looks not bad in this picture but upon closer inspection, it looks like a teensy tiny bit has broken off.  I also find it nice when the spindle maker signs his spindles and this one isn't too bad. "Powell 2013". At least it's not written with a sharpie marker but unfortunately I don't think this signature will last as long as one that has been engraved in the wood.
Spindle rating: Length of spin: 5.72 seconds (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: quite good Looks: If you can get over the insect leg part and look at the beautiful wood it's gorgeous Overall Rating: 6.5/10 If you are looking to try out a russian spindle that is a little slow to start, but has a unique profile then you might look towards this type. I see these for sale sometimes in the Spindle Candy group on Ravelry and some people love them while others aren't as enamored but I think they are worth a try!  Maker: Made in India Weight: 20 g / 1/4 oz Length: 7" Shaft 1" Whorl Style: Tahkli Support Spindle Brass Whorl, Metal Shaft These spindles are made for spinning short stapled fibres like cotton much easier. Alden Amos says that until recently, they were almost always used exclusively for cotton. Especially in India from the 10th century on. My sample isn't quite finished yet. I am spinning using punis, which are made from hand carded cotton and rolled into a tight rolag. I find they make cotton spinning easier because they are the perfect size and all you need to do is simply hold the puni in your fibre hand and let the spindle do all the work. I am spinning 10 punis at a time to make my skeins. I just LOVE cotton spinning, and at first I had a real hard time "getting it". After practicing on my charkha and my bead spindle it just clicked one day. I also gained a lot of inspiration from my friend Deb, who has done wonderful things with cotton and written about them in Spin-Off magazine and other publications (and she let me use her Bosworth charkha <3!) I have had this spindle for a long time and this is the first time I have actually used it. 
Because the shaft is so skinny, you can fit more yarn on these than you may think. I have about 6 punis on this spindle currently and have lots more room. 10 punis is about 13g (3/8 oz) of fibre in this case. This spindle holds its spin for a very long time and I find I'm the one stopping the tahkli and not the other way around. On any flat surface this spindle will go and go and with little effort. It's quite comfortable in my hand and you really don't need to worry about breaking it too easily. There is more a chance of you stabbing your hand or leg (be prepared for that). This isn't the prettiest spindle either, but it doesn't need to be. It does its job and it does it very well. One thing I am not very happy about is that after spinning for a while, my hand smells like metal and sometimes feels sticky.
**Whenever you go to thrift shops, it's important to keep an eye out for "spindle cases" and "spindle bowls". You would be surprised to hear some people use them for candles, tea bags or food. How silly of them! Spindle rating: Length of spin: 23.9 seconds (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: Not to shabby Looks: Better than bad Overall Rating: 8.5/10 If you are interested in giving cotton a try, pick one of these up. You can find them all over the place and they usually range from $13 - $20 or you can get them in many learn to spin cotton kits OR you can make one yourself. If you look in The Big Book of Handspinning by Alden Amos, he gives instructions for making one from a coin and a dirt bike spoke. Kinda cool.
Maker: Texas Jeans Weight: 24 g / 3/4 oz Length: 10" Shaft 1 7/8" Whorl Style: Tibetan Support Spindle Woods: Osage Orange with Maple Shaft  My sample this week is an Alpaca blend by Spotted Circus. I first learned about these spindles when I went out for coffee with friends. Deb had one in her bag and I spun it in my hand just to get a feel for it and I was absolutely amazed because it was the smoothest spinning supported spindle I had tried. I asked who the spindle maker was and she told me Texas Jeans. I hadn't heard of them and I wasn't really schooled in supported spindles because at the time I only had one. Even now, after acquiring a lot more supported spindles and trying many out the Texas Jeans spindles are still the smoothest spinning. The whorl is rim weighted which ensures a long spin time coupled with the small whorl size which adds spin speed makes these spindles wonderful to use. Since the weight is so light, this spindle seems to be running on batteries. After my initial spin tests I had another spin that continued well after 40 seconds (without fibre).  The golden whorl shimmers as it spins and the top has a nice smooth point on it which limits friction and this spindle works well with either wood or glass/pottery bowls. The detailing on the base of the shaft right near the whorl draws the eye to the heart of the spindle. Attaching the start of your fibre is easy because of this, whether you tie on your fibre or leader or push your spun fibre down the shaft. Once dressed with yarn, you don't lose this detailing because it is also continued onto the tip under the whorl. This spindle is perfectly balanced and you barely see it moving aside from the depths in the grain. You could just spin these spindles between your fingers without using fibre and still have fun, they twirl so nicely.
 Attention to detail and care went into making this spindle. No part of it looks like it was rushed and each piece sits flush with no signs of glue or anything like that. These spindles have very nice curves. I received this spindle from my friend Michele. She had told me that she had a beautiful tibetan spindle to offer that she loved but the length wasn't quite as long as she preferred. She told me she had a hard time making the decision to destash but knew it would get more love if she passed it on. When I found out the spindle she was talking about was a Texas Jeans I couldn't resist. It spun as smooth as Deb's spindle that I had tried earlier and after looking at the Spindle Candy group on Ravelry and his Etsy shop I could see that these spindles were popular and wanted to own one myself.  If you are looking to try supported spindling and you want a quality, affordable tibetan then I highly recommend Texas Jeans spindles. He also makes Russian style spindles as well as lap bowls and top whorls. He also uses contrasting woods/colours in his work and they are just wonderful spindles to have in your collection.
Spindle rating: Length of spin: 29.9 seconds (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: Good Looks: Incredible Overall Rating: 9.5/10  So much to love with these spindles Maker: Ed Tabachek Weight: 50 g / 1 7/8 oz Length: 10" Shaft 3" Whorl Style: Top Whorl Woods: Kingwood with Maple Shaft  My sample this week is Falkland wool from Tale and Tendril in the colourway Madonna & Child. This spindle holds a special place in my heart because it was my very first spindle. I first heard about Tabachek spindles from my spinning teacher Deb, she told me they were the best and luckily they were available in my LYS. Since I was just learning to spin, I was looking for a spindle that I could use as a beginner but I still wanted it to look really nice. I was happy that this spindle was lightweight and that, as my spinning evolved I could still use it to spin a variety of yarn weights. The size was also big enough that I could pack a substantial amount of yarn on it. It still hasn't let me down. The hook is strong and much nicer than your average cup hook and there is nice detailing at the top of the shaft. Each of his spindle models are similar but the woods he uses set them apart. I love how he uses contrasting woods/colours and the grain in this particular spindle is really pretty.  He bowls out the underside of the whorl which makes these spindles rim weighted. Upon closer inspection, the carving is flawless. The top of the whorl has concentric circles and even the side of the whorl is shaped with carvings as well. There are 3 notches in his spindles; at 2:00, 6:00 and 11:00 which is different from the regular placings. I like these better. The notches are also neatly made, and look like they are integrated into the whorl as opposed to an afterthought. Look at that grain!
 I made this spindle bag out of my first handspun yarn. I wheel spun two bobbins and plyed them together. The yarn was so underplyed I re-plyed it on this spindle. It important to save your first handspun and a spindle bag is a great item to make.  I was lucky enough to have Ed Tabachek in my Spindle class I took at Olds last year. He is a very humble man and very friendly. His wife Jo-Anne is also a recent graduate of the Master Spinners Program and for her thesis she used Tabachek spindles exclusively.
Spindle rating: Length of spin: 24.4 seconds (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: Excellent Looks: Wonderful Overall Rating: 10/10 Ed has been going through some health issues and his spindles have become difficult to obtain. I have seen some for sale on the Spindle Candy group and people are asking a lot more than they bought the spindles for. I am very lucky to have at least one of each of his spindles (The Deluxe is the largest). He also makes Russians and Tibetan support spindles as well as spindle bowls and nostepinne's. I'm very glad to have Tabachek's in my collection and if you come across one you will love them too.  Ahhh Goldings, always eye-catching <3 Maker: Golding Weight: 50 g / 1 7/8 oz Length: 10" Shaft 3" Whorl Style: Top Whorl Woods: Cherry with Walnut Shaft My sample is merino/silk from The Wacky Windmill in the Pixie colourway If you love spindles, chances are you have heard of Goldings and if you have ever checked their website you will drool over all other thier other fibre equipment. These are top of the line items, and handcrafted with extreme skill. Each spindle is unique and if you look through thier pages, you can see that there is literally something for everyone. Whatever you interests, Golding has a spindle for you. Really. Go look.  This spindle is on the heavy side (compared to others) but it is a great plying spindle and I had no troubles spinning the fibre for my sample. The signature bronze ring around the whorl is one of the Golding giveaways. These spindle spin for.ev.er and when you think they have stopped and you look down, they are still spinning and haven't slowed down. Just look at the spin time below compared to my other reviews. Golding's ring spindles are very rim weighted, they maximize spin energy. The bronze is tarnish resistant and if you polish it, it will shine nicely, otherwise you can leave it and it will darken and still look amazing.  I really love the grooves along the length of the lower portion (3.5") of the shaft. This feature makes it easy to grip when flicking your spindle or winding your yarn on. They aren't rough at all but they provide the perfect amount of grab and adds character to what could be a boring shaft.  I saved the best for last - the whorl. Hand carved and quite beautiful. Looks equally stunning when its still as when its spinning. Perfectly balanced and surrounded with bronze. The whorl has 2 notches; one at each side and the hook is bronze and a swan neck shape. Elegant. There is a lot of depth to the Celtic knots, Golding did a great job at making the wood look like it has been tied.
Spindle rating:
Length of spin: 37.8 seconds (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: Excellent Looks: Amazing Overall Rating: 10/10 These spindles speak for themselves. Try one out and you will totally understand. They feel the quality they are and they are wonderful works of art and totally unique. I really like knowing that quite a bit of time went into each one and I appreciate that. Stay tuned for more Goldings in the future.  If you could only own one spindle, this should be it Maker: Kundert Weight: 29 g / 1 oz Length: 10" Shaft 3 1/2" Whorl Style: Top Whorl Woods: Butternut with Walnut Shaft My sample for this spindle is Ashland Bay Merino in the colourway "Borelis". 37 yards, 2 plyed. I first learned about these spindles when I went to my friend Susan's house to try out her collection. My birthday was coming up and I wanted a new spindle. I found I was really drawn to the Kunderts because they are surprisingly lightweight and a decent enough size to pack on a lot of yarn. They seem like a great all-round spindle which would be a good choice if you wanted to spin a variety of yarns from lace to bulky.  These spindles are all very similar in style and they weight between 1.0 oz and 1.5 oz but the whorls vary from plain to pretty darn cool. Steven Kundert uses really unique woods that add to the beauty of his spindles and the detailing is nice without being over the top. Sometimes spindles have a feminine feel (for example the Wooly Designs Heart spindle) but I think this one would appeal to both men and women. I have two of these spindles and could easily get more. His carved spindles are super nice. My other Kundert was part of a learn to spin package from Spunky Eclectic.
 The hook is thin (made from stainless steel wire) and perfectly centered. Its diamond shape holds your yarn in just the right spot above the whorl. The top of the shaft is correlates well with the bottom detailing. There is one notch on the side of the whorl (3:00 position), it's deep enough to hold your yarn in place but doesn't look like it was cut in a sloppy manner. Spindle rating:
Length of spin: 26.7 seconds (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: Excellent Looks: Noble Overall Rating: 9/10 Kundert spindles are perfectly balanced because each spindle is turned as a complete unit. The craftsmanship that goes into making them is clear. These spindles are strong and will work well for whatever yarn you you would like to spin. They start at $25 but don't wait too long, Steven Kundert has already announced his retirement.  Believe the hype... Maker: Bristlecone Artisian Heirlooms Weight: 29 g / 1 oz Length: 10.5" Shaft Style: Russian-ish Woods: Hawaiian Koa My 21 yard sample is BFL wool in the colourway "Lucrezia" by Shadawyn Fibre Arts.  Glindle = glass/spindle, behold its beauty *queue angels* These one-of-a-kind spindles are highly sought after and for good reason. They are both pretty AND spin like a dream. Each focal is unique and jaw-dropping amazing. The Bristlecone shop is only updated a few times a year and when it is the spindles are sold in seconds. If you are looking for one, you can post an ISO (In Search Of) on Ravelry, which might be your best bet and that was the way I was able to acquire this spindle. My lucky stars must have been shining that day.  This particular focal is very mysterious and was hard to capture with my camera. I find these spindles spin best in a glass or pottery bowl and there is a b s o l u t l e y no wobble with this one. Glindles feel very comfortable in your hands and the sound they produce when the glass is spinning in a bowl makes it sound like its singing I'm very careful when storing this Glindle and always put it away when not in use and protect the end with a piece of plastic tubing. With that said, I'm not so afraid of breaking this spindle to not use it at any given moment. Its very well made and I have heard the customer support is wonderful in the case of an unfortunate accident. These spindles were made to be used and once you spin with one, you won't want to put it down.  The shaft is completely smooth and makes the grain shine like gold. It is tapered enough to spin off of yet its not so pointy that it may split. Your eyes will be drawn to the detailing near the focal which is the perfect resting place for the gem of the spindle. This focal changes colour depending on the light and I have seen, red, gold, green and orange (it's very warming) The tip is smooth and the roundish shape of the focal helps keep the spindle spinning for a long time. The detail and thought put into these spindles is astounding. Glindles are the Cadillac of support spindles and heirloom pieces. You can't help but smile while spinning on one and they are the reason many people get into support spindling. They are a huge addition to any collection and if you don't want to take my word for it, just check out their large following on Ravelry and don't forget to add your ISO to the list and don't be offended when others laugh at your request. You are not alone, they too are in search of Glindles themselves.  Spindle rating:
Length of spin: 22.8 seconds (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: Excellent Looks: GORGEOUS Overall Rating: 10/10 Fully functional works of art. These are the best of the best. Worth every penny.  I'm a big fan of hearts and when this spindle was gifted to me, I fell in <3 Maker: Wooly Designs Weight: 32 g / 1 1/4 oz Length: 9" Shaft 3" Whorl Style: Top Whorl Woods: Multi-laminated Baltic Birch My sample is SW BFL/Kid Mohair from Susses Spindehjrne. I got 39 yards. This is one of the production Wooly Designs spindles. The hearts have been cut out with a scroll saw which makes this spindle lighter and distributes the weight to the outer rim to help with a longer spin time. These spindles are a decent size and would make a great starter spindle for beginners and a workhorse spindle for more advance spindle spinners.  One feature that I think is really awesome is the bottom of the shaft has been reinforced with a metal tip. This helps reduce damage when your spindle drops and I just love that they thought to add that. This is my only spindle with this feature.  I also quite like spindle with a cut out whorl like this one. Its fun to wind your cop and see how colours are progressing or how your singles look. It's kinda like a stained glass window and it looks neat when spinning. The sample I used this time looks really sweet behind all those hearts. There are two notches in the whorl at each side, and the hook is cup hook shaped, perfectly centered and not too open. The shaft is very plain and if it weren't for the carved hearts in the top, this spindle is very non-descript. This spindle is fairly top heavy but I didn't find there to be any wobble when suspended.
Spindle rating: Length of spin: 26.3 seconds (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: Excellent Looks: Simple but cute Overall Rating: 6.5/10 If you are looking for a workhorse spindle that looks nicer than a toy wheel/learner spindle this is a great addition to your collection. This is also a good spindle to use when teaching a friend to spin because you don't have to hold your breath when it drops to the floor. Try one out, they are fairly inexpensive and very practical.   These beautiful handmade resin spindles are a pleasure to spin Maker: Spinatude Weight: 26 g / 7/8 oz Length: 9" Shaft 2 1/2" Whorl Style: Top Whorl Woods: Walnut
 I absolutely fell in love with this spindle when I saw it on etsy. Dark woods always sway me and the purple/green colour combo is a favourite of mine. The whorl is filled with Mountain Wild Cat flowers and leaves. The resin is very clear and there is no slippage of the shaft at all. This spindle is mostly balanced but there is a slight wobble. Not enough to worry too much about though. One aspect of this spindle I'm not happy with is the lack of a notch. Some of her spindles use different shapes with create their own "notches" but because the resin is a shiny surface, I find if I don't wrap my yarn around the hook several times, it slips around and drops to the floor.  The hook is also a bit of a downfall. It's very open and it seems like the curve is too large. Luckily, much of the cons of this spindle will be washed away when I tell you the price ..... $25 That's right, pretty darn inexpensive.  I bought this spindle in 2011 and this was right about the time when she started turning her shafts. They used to be very plain looking. The shaft on this beauty is lightly turned at the bottom and the top where it meets the hook. I quite like the little detailing. This spindle doesn't have a particularly long spin time but the whorl isn't rim weighted. You can maximize yardage and spin beautiful laceweight yarn with this spindle. I am very happy with my sample and plan on using this spindle in a larger project.
 Sorry I am a day late. I had everything ready in time except for time itself. This week I spun a sample on my Maggie Low Whorl Maker: Magpie Woodworks Weight: 24 g / 3/4oz Length: 11" Shaft 2 1/2" Whorl Style: Low Whorl Woods: Red Oak
 As mentioned before, this spindle is very well balanced. There is an extra pin to even everything out. I have noticed this in my other Magpie Woodworks spindles (except one and its the only one that wobbles). The length under the whorl is 2". This is a decent sized spindle, it's not huge and heavy but its not so dainty you'd be afraid to break it. Both ends are nice and smooth so you don't have to worry so much if you spindle drops to the floor.
 This unique spindle is cute and the workmanship that went into making it is clear Maker: Forrester Weight: 42 g / 1 1/2 oz Length: 12" Shaft 3" Whorl Style: Top Whorl Woods: Purpleheart, maple, hickory
Upon closer inspection, you can see that Thomas Forrester really enjoys his work. He pays close attention to detail (he even included lips on the sheep) and the carved lines are smooth and even. He creates neat shaping in both the crown ontop of the spindle and the whorl shapes. This spindle is very smooth with no rough edges.
 This giant is what Jeremy refers to as "surprisingly photogenic" (hows that for a reason to buy) Maker: Greensleeves Weight: 64 g / 2 1/4 oz Length: 12" Shaft 4" Whorl Style: Top Whorl Woods: Unknown This spindle was on my "need" list for several years after seeing this on Marihana's stash page. My friend Susan noticed one for destash on Ravelry and I instantly jumped on it.  It is a very large spindle and quite heavy compared to my others. I have mostly been happy with Greensleeves spindles and this one seems... different. Not that its not pretty, its ok to be somewhat plain but the shaft on it seems to be.. ugly to say the least. Not that this plays a huge role but it just looks like a dowel to me. A lot of time and love was spent on the whorl though, its beautiful warm woods are a nice, dark, rich colour. The underbelly has been turned nicely (different from other Mjolinors I've seen online) and its got a nice shallow umbrella shape. There is only a single notch at the back of the hook, but it doesn't seem to be very big/deep to hold the yarns I would use for this type of spindle. And I should also mention that the main reason I wanted this spindle was for plying. I wanted a large spindle that could hold a full skein of yarn so I didn't have to make a couple smaller skeins. The fibre pictured is my Nov 2013 club shipment from North Bound Knitting. Cheviot wool in the colourway "The Talented Mr. Ripley"
This spindle would be much more suited to spinning long wools where you want less twist in your yarns. One plus for this spindle is the spin time is very long. You won't have to worry about it changing direction on you. This particular spindle has a bit of a wobble.  My helpers; Rider & Phoebe  Spindle rating:
Length of spin: 46.9 seconds (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: VERY good Looks: Simple Overall Rating (as a plying spindle): 7/10 Don't ask me how to pronounce Mjolinor, it is one of Greensleeves Scandinavian style spindles and its design is based off a spindle found in Northern Europe in an archaeological dig. I will give this spindle another try later on when I have some larger skeins to ply. There is a lot of potential in this gentle giant.  This is a wonderful spindle that won't give up! Maker: IST Weight: 16 g / 5/8 oz Length: 8 1/4" Style: Top Whorl Woods: English Bog Oak/Elm & an Ash Shaft  I fell in love with IST spindles a few years ago when I tried one out in my LYS. With just one flick these spindles will make it seem like your fibre is spinning on its own. They are nice and light and spin forever. I spun this textured batt sample on it and got about 14 yards. (I should also mention that each of the samples I spin for these reviews will be available for purchase in my Mini Skein section in the shop.)
 I really prefer rim weighted spindles because they have a much longer spin time and you don't have to worry about your spindle changing directions on you. Many IST spindles (like this one) have a brass/epoxy resin band around the whorl to give them some weight. It not only a beautiful feature but also a benefit in my opinion.
Spindle rating: Length of spin: 23.3 seconds (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: Good Looks: Beautiful Overall Rating: 9.5/10 I have many IST's in my collection and I haven't had any issues with any of them. If you are looking for a quality top whorl spindle ... look no further.   Sturdy and hardworking are great words to describe this week's spindle Maker: Miss Lucy Weight: 37 g / 1 1/4 oz Length: 9 3/4" Style: Tibetan Woods: Zapote & Cherry  I bought this beauty in a destash on Ravelry and was first drawn to it because of its design and gorgeous woods. I really appreciate when a spindle maker adds their special touch and the detailing on the shaft is stunning. Once I started spinning with it I couldn't stop, it has such a long spin because of its shaping (it's rim weighted) and its perfectly balanced. The length also made it very comfortable to use.
Spindle rating: Length of spin: 29.1 seconds (average of three tests) Fibre storage ability: Good Looks: Beautiful Overall Rating: 9/10 When you look at the spin time with this spindle compared to the Russian style spindle last week (29.1 seconds compared to 9.6 seconds), you can see how the extra weight and the shape of the base really makes a difference. If you get your hands on a Miss Lucy spindle, you won't regret it  |
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