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Weekly Spindle Review ~ The Twisty Stick

7/15/2014

9 Comments

 
Behold the Twisty Stick
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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...





Yes this is a real tool used to spin fibres... and it works.  My sample is made using a cotton puni and I obtained this spindle in Olds.  You might be surprised at how such a simple tool made yarn but lets look at it a little closer.  Alden Amos calls the twisty stick "an experiment in elementary spindle spinning".  This tool lets you break down the process of spinning yarn into its basic forms.  You have fibre, you add twist and you get yarn.  Too little twist and your fibres just slip past one another and too much twist can make your yarn snap on itself.  This tool lets you slow down each step so you can focus on each section as you make yarn.  
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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)
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                                                                                                                                               Once you have a length of yarn spun, wind it onto the shaft and keep going. 
 
These steps are the basis to handspinning.  Taking each step slowly will help in the coordination of combining both drafting and adding twist together to make yarn

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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. 

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The hook is very simple but you can get as fancy as you like.  A hook shaped like the ones on Kundert spindles might be a better choice to line up your yarn.  I would stay away from pigtail hooks though.

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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.   
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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.  
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9 Comments
Maureen link
7/15/2014 02:15:17 pm

Interesting! Are you going to bring this to fibre night?

Reply
Susie
7/15/2014 02:32:36 pm

I sure can!

Reply
Kim
7/15/2014 03:27:29 pm

Great review Susie. Very basic tool, but practical & functional too! 😃

Reply
Susie
7/15/2014 03:29:10 pm

Thanks Kim :) It was a bit frustrating at first, but its kind of refreshing to slow things down once in a while.

Reply
Deborah
7/16/2014 12:45:17 am

Great review, Susie! Yes, the twisty stick was made with exquisite care and attention to detail. Mr. DD drilled each hole for the hook by hand in order to ensure perfect centering and balance. I must admit that the blue is a stock colour; however, with all the orders we will be receiving as the result of your review, I should let fans know that there are a variety of lovely end colours available.
Seriously, twisty sticks are great tools. (Mine is an actual stick from the park.) Thanks for this.

Reply
Susie
7/16/2014 03:15:09 am

I could tell that this twisty stick was made by the caring hand of a quality craftsman. Attention to detail was not overlooked. I'm so glad to hear that others can get their hands on a twisty stick of their own, or check out your blog post on the twisty stick you found in the park in case they would like to acquire one with a bit more variation. "Stock colour" sounds really fancy, I'm going to hold onto this spindle as long as I can. I might have to add it into my insurance now!

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darlene link
7/20/2014 12:08:09 am

Great tutorial. Can you use this tool to make wooly wire (roving twisted on wire)? Thank you.

Reply
Susie
7/20/2014 03:02:55 am

Hi Darlene, I think that you could use this general idea to make wooly wire. Making a corespun "yarn" using wire as the core and then felting it afterwards to keep the fibre tight around the wire. If you use a batt and hold it against the wire as you add twist, I think you would get the result you are looking for to make wooly wire. Let me know if you make it

Reply
darlene link
7/31/2014 03:53:44 am

I just saw your response. Thank you. I haven't tried it yet but I appreciate your tips.

Reply



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