It was easy and I had all the supplies so I went to town. Instead of using a chopstick like the tutorial I used a paintbrush handle. I actually prefer it, since it was a bit larger, and was nicely curved and rounded already. I just removed the brush part and the metal with some pliers first. You can paint over top of it too, if you don't like the way the brush looks.
Not going to win any awards for craftsmanship on this one, but it was also before I even knew if I liked spinning. Turns out that I do though! Learning was exceptionally easy, after an hour or so I felt pretty confident spinning.
After spending a few days spinning on this one and ordering myself some spiffy new fibers, I started to stare longingly at some of the artfully made drop spindles on Etsy. I knew that I had a perfectly functional spindle, and there was no reason for me to drop $40 on a new one. But I just kept going back and looking at them.
Finally I came to the conclusion that I could make a nicer spindle too! So I went off searching on the net for stone donuts as they call them, to use for the whorl. I ordered some cheaper ones for about $3 each, from 21CN Beads. They have a lot of sizes, but I got one 50mm Lacy Agate, and one 45mm Flower Turquoise, I think it was around $11 with shipping?
So I got to work and made myself some nicer spindles, they're also lighter than the one I made first, but still good for making thinner yarns. I also used some silver wire I had for the hooks, I think it looks nicer, but really isn't as sturdy.
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| With some spun angora. |
I'm still looking into getting a spinning wheel, but they're just so expensive. It seems like it's difficult to get a respectable one for less than $200. I'm keeping an eye on Craigslist though!
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