Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Is It Even a Hand Spindle?

This is how little I know about spinning... an eagle-eyed reader commented that she's seen a spindle like mine in a machine in a spinning museum in Barrington, Nova Scotia. It may not even be a hand spindle - it may only be for machine use. I must confess, I was confused by the lack of little hooky thing...

(It was given to me by a friend who can't actually remember where she got it from, hence the possible confusion... )

Really terrific picture and story of the museum at this link.

Anyway, Denny will help me figure it all out, I'm sure.

4 comments:

May said...

I've been reading Respect the Spindle, and from the book, yours is a hand spindle. Just not to traditional. BTW, it's a great book, I'm hoping to produce some yarn myself by hand spinning.

Anonymous said...

When I first saw it on your last posting, I thought it looked like a supported hand spindle, but at the same time, the shaft looks a bit thick. Maybe it is meant to give it some weight...

Anyway, Denny will be able to help you learn different techniques to use it, I am sure...

Way to go Kate! You will certainly have a lot of fun making your own yarn!

Happy New Year!

Cheers

Maria

Anonymous said...

A question: is your "spindle" hollow? I have a couple of objects that are nearly identical to yours, and I've always thought they were bobbins for industrial spinning. The only use I've found for them, apart from looking pretty/interesting, is for winding extra singles off my wheel when I need to empty a bobbin. I can poke a rod through the hollow shaft, and use these in a makeshift, untensioned kate for plying.

Anonymous said...

I'm a weaver. I pretty sure your spindle is actually the pirn to an industrial end feed shuttle. (A pirn is a stationary bobbin in a special kind of shuttle. The metal rings around the top mean it was used in a commercial, metal ended end feed shuttle).

Lili