Weekly Spindle Review ~ Forrester Sheep Spindle

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

The sample I am using this week is Blue Faced Leicester (BFL) roving from eXtremespinning.com in the colourway "Before Pressing...".  I thought the rich plums and purples would look nice with the purpleheart sheep figure on the whorl.

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At first glance, you might think the sheep shape would affect the balance of this spindle, but don't let it fool you, there is not a single wobble when spinning.  The sheep does add weight though. 

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Spindle in motion

I spun my sample and then wound it into a ball and navajo plyed it on itself.  I got 46 yards in my sample. 

The shape of the hook is quite nice with Forrester spindles.  They are nice and tall and line the yarn up perfectly with the shaft of the spindle.  

There is also one notch in the whorl right behind the hook.

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Forrester spindles differ from many other spindle makers in their design.  You can see that a lot of thought goes into each one.  They usually have the long top portion that the hook sits on and it is always nicely carved.  There are two layers to many of their spindles which adds uniqueness and nice weight distribution.  These spindles may be quite long or heavier for some but they are definitely worth a spin!  I have two of these sheep spindles in different weights and another Forrester spindle that i will cover later on this year but I haven't been dissapointed with any of them.   

You don't see these spindles for sale on Ravelry very often and I think that is a good sign.  


The contrasting colours in the woods is really stunning, and the natural grain in the whorl is cool.

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.

Spindle rating:
Length of spin: 29.4 seconds (average of three tests)
Fibre storage ability: Great
Looks: Cute & unique
Overall Rating: 9.5/10


This spindle, will not only gain attention because it features a purple sheep on its head but Forrester spindles are easily recognized as quality spinners.   You may want to add one to your collection.