Home Page
   Articles
       links
About Us    
Traders        
Recipes            
Latest Articles
which type of drop spindle thingamajig?
Page 1, 2  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Downsizer Forum Index -> Make Your Own/DIY
Author 
 Message
naomij



Joined: 03 Mar 2011
Posts: 379
Location: Kent coast
PostPosted: Tue Mar 22, 11 6:17 pm    Post subject: which type of drop spindle thingamajig? Reply with quote
    

I noticed someone here has a whole load of beautiful drop spindles, an overwhelming variety in fact...I'd love to get one as a friend is going to teach me very soon, but how do I know which type to get?

I am a total beginner and would just like to spin some lovely wool

toggle



Joined: 30 Dec 2006
Posts: 11622
Location: truro
PostPosted: Tue Mar 22, 11 6:24 pm    Post subject: Re: which type of drop spindle thingamajig? Reply with quote
    

naomij wrote:
I noticed someone here has a whole load of beautiful drop spindles, an overwhelming variety in fact...I'd love to get one as a friend is going to teach me very soon, but how do I know which type to get?

I am a total beginner and would just like to spin some lovely wool


top whorls are easier to learn on that bottom whorls.

get something that tells you the weight, 50g or so is a good weight for a beginner, quite heavy as spindles go, but they are easier to learn on. a toy wheel spindle will do when you are starting, look on etsy for the cheap kits. then you won't worry so much when you drop them, and you will as a beginner. a tenner should get you a spindle and some dyed fiber suitable for a beginner. IDK if davasdu still sells beginner spindles on etsy, but my lass has one and learnt on it

when you develop an obsession with spindles, that will be the time to buy somehting more pricy, bodrighy on these boards makes amazing spindles, I know cause i've helped teach him how to. the good handmade ones will set you back 20 quid ish

of course, if you know you are going to get obsessed, get a good one off bodrighy. just learn over a carpeted floor

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales
PostPosted: Tue Mar 22, 11 7:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I'm the other way round, I find bottom whorls easier by far- but all that says really is that everyone is diffeent and what works for you may not for another.


I bet Bodrighy can do you one that works both ways up though, then you can experiment and see which suits you best

Midland Spinner



Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof
PostPosted: Wed Mar 23, 11 9:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Get a nice one from Bodrighy (other spindle suppliers are available) - you will enjoy the learning more if it's a nice spindle, and it will encourage you to keep trying. I always find that nasty cheap kit isn't nice to use ..... so I don't.

I've just bought myself a lovely spindle. It's improved my spinning no end!

naomij



Joined: 03 Mar 2011
Posts: 379
Location: Kent coast
PostPosted: Wed Mar 23, 11 7:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Midland Spinner wrote:
Get a nice one from Bodrighy (other spindle suppliers are available) - you will enjoy the learning more if it's a nice spindle, and it will encourage you to keep trying. I always find that nasty cheap kit isn't nice to use ..... so I don't.

I've just bought myself a lovely spindle. It's improved my spinning no end!


Ooh I forgot to reply to this, but I like your logic!

snapdragon



Joined: 22 Mar 2011
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Fri Apr 01, 11 9:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I bought a lovely top/bottom whorl spindle online - hand made in UK, mainly re-cycled woods, weighs about 40gm, price about 4.99

frewen



Joined: 08 Sep 2005
Posts: 11405

PostPosted: Sat Apr 02, 11 9:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Mine are from IST (top whorl) and I always get people trying to pinch them. :roll:

That said I do have my eye on a couple of Bodrighy's spindles as well :D

edited to say emoticons seem to have stopped working for me (I am obviously bereft of all feeling?)

oldish chris



Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Posts: 4148
Location: Comfortably Wet Southport
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 11 7:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I was once shown how to spin wool using a "beginners" version. Out of idle curiosity, how long would it take to spin a kilo of wool?

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 11 7:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

oldish chris wrote:
Out of idle curiosity, how long would it take to spin a kilo of wool?


How fine or thick, thin yarn takes far longer to spin that fat yarn. If it need preparing that adds time as well

I usually plan on it being pretty much a days work to drop spin and ply 100g of sock wool, I can do that significantly faster on a wheel. Does that help with rough calculations

toggle



Joined: 30 Dec 2006
Posts: 11622
Location: truro
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 11 7:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

frewen wrote:
Mine are from IST (top whorl) and I always get people trying to pinch them.

That said I do have my eye on a couple of Bodrighy's spindles as well



So do I.

Quite literally right now.

(Im housesitting for him)

toggle



Joined: 30 Dec 2006
Posts: 11622
Location: truro
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 11 7:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

oldish chris wrote:
I was once shown how to spin wool using a "beginners" version. Out of idle curiosity, how long would it take to spin a kilo of wool?


how long is a piece of string?

because I can give you an answer ranging from half an evening for a chunky single to a couple hundred hours for a plyed laceweight on a different sorta spindle.

If you're talking jumpers, I'm a fairly fast spinner. I'd do 4-6 hours per 100g plyed dk. spinning only, no prep.

oldish chris



Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Posts: 4148
Location: Comfortably Wet Southport
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 11 9:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

toggle wrote:
oldish chris wrote:
I was once shown how to spin wool using a "beginners" version. Out of idle curiosity, how long would it take to spin a kilo of wool?


how long is a piece of string?

because I can give you an answer ranging from half an evening for a chunky single to a couple hundred hours for a plyed laceweight on a different sorta spindle.

If you're talking jumpers, I'm a fairly fast spinner. I'd do 4-6 hours per 100g plyed dk. spinning only, no prep.
Thank-you.

naomij



Joined: 03 Mar 2011
Posts: 379
Location: Kent coast
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 11 4:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

toggle wrote:
oldish chris wrote:
I was once shown how to spin wool using a "beginners" version. Out of idle curiosity, how long would it take to spin a kilo of wool?


how long is a piece of string?

If you're talking jumpers, I'm a fairly fast spinner. I'd do 4-6 hours per 100g plyed dk. spinning only, no prep.


thats interesting...and slightly depressing! I still haven't chosen one, I really like the look of bodrighys but now have the second half of the hugely skanky fleece soaking, so will be at least a week til its all cared etc, time to peruse yet...sort of...

frewen



Joined: 08 Sep 2005
Posts: 11405

PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 11 4:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I still class myself as a fairly new spinner, but I'd say enjoy the process and don't worry too much about how long it takes

toggle



Joined: 30 Dec 2006
Posts: 11622
Location: truro
PostPosted: Sun Apr 03, 11 5:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

naomij wrote:
toggle wrote:
oldish chris wrote:
I was once shown how to spin wool using a "beginners" version. Out of idle curiosity, how long would it take to spin a kilo of wool?


how long is a piece of string?

If you're talking jumpers, I'm a fairly fast spinner. I'd do 4-6 hours per 100g plyed dk. spinning only, no prep.


thats interesting...and slightly depressing! I still haven't chosen one, I really like the look of bodrighys but now have the second half of the hugely skanky fleece soaking, so will be at least a week til its all cared etc, time to peruse yet...sort of...


if time was the only issue, few of us would do the things we do.

and think about whether a hugely skanky fleece is worthwhile though. good fleeces can be had for a fiver.

Post new topic   Reply to topic    Downsizer Forum Index -> Make Your Own/DIY All times are GMT
Page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2
View Latest Posts View Latest Posts

 

Archive
Powered by php-BB © 2001, 2005 php-BB Group
Style by marsjupiter.com, released under GNU (GNU/GPL) license.
Copyright © 2004 marsjupiter.com