Spindles Part 1 - Supported Spindles

Spindles are wonderful tools to have.  Not only for spinning, but also for collecting!  Part 1 in my spindles series, will be a quick overview of supported spindles.  I am also going to give more detailed reviews on each of my spindles over the course of the year(s) and plan on doing giveaways with some.  So lets get started.

 The nature of supported spindles is that - you spin them in a bowl, or on a surface where the bottom tip is being supported.  You can spin very fine yarns with spindles like these because you are not adding the weight of the spindle to your fibre.  This makes spinning fibres with short staple lengths such as cotton, cashmere or angora easier.  Long draw spinning is common and many people prefer supported spinning because you don't need to take up a lot of room.  You can sit comfortably and don't have to strain your arms.  You then use your fingers to flick the top of the spindle and you spin your yarn off the point (tip) of the spindle.  The hand you use to flick the spindle is also used to cup it as it spins.  It takes a bit of practice but once you get the rhythm down, you can spin to your hearts content. 

Tibetan Spindles

These are my Tibetan spindles (from left to right: Tabachek, Neal Brand, Texas Jeans, Miss Lucy).  The are really great spinners because each of their bases add weight which keep them spinning for a lot longer than you would expect.  As you can see by their shapes, each designer adds his/her own special touch.  Each of these spindles is rim weighted (which I love).  You can pack a lot of fibre on these babies. 

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Russian Spindles

My Russian style spindles (from left to right: Jim Leslie, Tabachek, Phil Powell, unknown maker).  These spindles don't spin nearly as long as the Tibetans above, but they are fast and I can spin very fine yarns on them.  They usually have the bulb type shape but in the case of the Phil Powell spindle, they don't always.  

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These spindles are a little different from above and don't really fit in either the Tibetan or Russian categories (from left to right: Malcolm Fielding, Bead Spindle, Tahkli)  The shape of the first spindle represents the whirling skirts of the Dervishes.  It is rim weighed like the Tibetan spindles and spins very well.  The bead spindle in the centre is on that I received in a spindles class I took at Olds last summer.  It is simply a bead on a wire and I love it.  It is packed with cotton and spins very fast.  Tahklis are exceptionally fast.  They are commonly used for spinning fibres with short staple lengths such as cotton, angora, cashmere etc.  This spindle will spin, and spin, and spin, and spin... it's very fast  and has a decent weight to it.  The tip is very sharp and it has a little hook on the top.

Other Types

Glindles

I saved the best for last.  These are Bristlecone Glindles (glass/spindle)  They are one of a kind and very special.  They are quite hard to find and each is a work of art.  The spindle on the left is an ice swirl.  It has a little tornado inside.  The glindle on the right has a very mysterious focal.  If you search for glindles on Google you can see how beautiful these are.  Some have flowers or jellyfish encased.  These spindles spin unbelievably well.  I find they work best when spun in a glass/pottery bowl as opposed to wood.  

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There are several ways to store your spindles.  I store mine on one of these boxes from the dollarstore (believe it or not).  My friend Susan mentioned these to some of us at one of our Fibre Nights and they are great!  How do you store your spindles?

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