More Pictures of DIY spindles and yarn tools

Hi everyone!
I have more pics to share. Found them on my hard drive.
These spindles are all handmade by me. The heart-shaped blue object was supposed to be a tatting shuttle. It was an experiment that didn't pan out. It can double as a pendant or a thread holder I guess.

Enjoy!

From left to right: 1. chopstick and polymer clay spindle, decent spinner. 2. Dowel and polymer clay triangular spindle, great sport weight single spinner. 3. Polymer clay handled size E crochet hook.

4. I drilled a hole in half  of a wooden yoyo I found, stuck a dowel and a hook in it. It is a decent spinner of fingering and sport weight singles. 5. A terra cotta polymer clay spindle, improvised. It eventually broke. ]= I need to remake it. 6. A printer gear and a chopstick bottom whorl spindle. All three have superwash merino singles on them.

(See above descriptions)

Close up images of this failed tatting shuttle and the ring I tatted on it. Eraser next to it to show the size. 

-MNR

My new Turkish spindle... ]= leaves something to be desired.

It left a little to be desired.
I got it from knitpicks at ~15USD.

I was having trouble spinning with it. Its not as smooth spinning as the other, more expensive turkish spindles I've tried.
I had to replace the shaft because it wasn't gripping the spindle arms properly. The larger arm kept getting stuck on the yarn.I mean, its OK with some sanding. I sanded the bumps on the underside of the spindle.

 For future reference, if anyone else wants to get a turkish spindle (they are fun to use and safe a lot of work, look them up on google), get one where the arms are smooth, and the spindle shaft fits tightly into the slots.
The shaft in the picture is my tighter fitting chopstick.

Here are some after pictures of the spindle, after I spent some time sanding it with 60 grit sandpaper.

At the moment, its only fast enough to spin some dk weight singles. I have been practicing trying to spin bulkier yarn than sport-weight or dk, so its good for beginners at least, after its been sanded. Here are some images of the spindle after it had been sanded, with my handwashed and hand carded romney fleece.

The cat... his name is Tiger. He didn't want to move so... I guess he's in the picture. The other two bottom whorl spindles are of polymer clay w/ chopstick shaft, and the other is a toy wooden wheel with a dowel shaft. Both handmade by me.

-MNR

Recent yarns I've spun

No, not stories.

Just, this semester, I've been spinning yarn. Its a fun past time.

Here are some of the ones I've made.
I've recently been more into mori kei... it is great for casual wear. I plan to make some knitted or crocheted garments with these handspun yarns.

These are actually the pre-yarns... thse are what are called "singles", because they are only one strand of yarn in a multi-stranded yarn.

 My CD top whorl plying spindle, and some cheap domestic greyish brown wool. It has a lovely wooly feel.

 My dowel and polymer clay top whorl spindle. On the right side of the picture is a spindle I made of a chopstick and a pill bottle lid, bottom whorl. This is part of a one lb soft brown wool sliver. This is one of my best spinning spindles. Funny, because it is not traditionally shaped. Triangle whorl.

This is that bottom whorl  pill bottle spindle. The roving was very fluffy and long and soft, requiring very little spin. Blue Faced Leicester Yellow dyed wool, 8 ounces. I made a hat.... I need to find  a picture of the hat...

I've been spinning cotton, flax, plarn, cotton balls, puppy hair, and sewing thread.

No I"m not obsessed with yarn and yarning...
Yeah I am. Who am I kidding.



-MNR