Weekly Spindle Review ~ The Twisty Stick

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...

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.  

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)

                                                                                                                                               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.

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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.