# My drop spindle, which looks like an antique!



## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

I am new at this but wanted to share a pic of the drop spindle I found and used to make my yarn with that I posted under the Marshmellow Suffolk wool thread ..... She only cost me $8.95 with free shipping and I got this pretty little drop spindle plus a bit of roving to practice with and a paper sheet of instructions..well I did not practice, I tried it once and then I admit...I got that fleece from Katie and just used this to make my yarn from the roving I made because I was too excited to try it out on my own roving....... I know my first run is rustic but this little drop spindle is so comfy to hold and use... I wanted to show her off!

She is only one ounce in weight and is called a bottom whorl drop spindle. She is put together, weighed, stained and then she had three coats of varnish applied! 



















I am so happy with her and the antique look, I am going to get a larger one. They are made by Bill out in Pennsylvania...told him he needs to join HT with his crafty wife and daughter....


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

VERY nice ! I have a wheel, never tried a spindle ! Wierd, huh ?! I LOVE the varnish color you used ! I am like you ..... I dont practice, I just jump in !! I hope you will be joining the Tour De Fleece, its alot of fun !!


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Congrats!
On both the spindle & getting used to it so fast! Took me a long time to get used to one.
I dont usually like bottom whorls except for my Navaho spindle. I got mine from the Woolery. http://www.woolery.com/store/pc/Schacht-Navajo-Spindle-p1090.htm









It looks small in the pic, its really quite large for a spindle. You can get a ton of yarn onto one

Have Fun!


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

Miz Mary said:


> VERY nice ! I have a wheel, never tried a spindle ! Wierd, huh ?! I LOVE the varnish color you used ! I am like you ..... I dont practice, I just jump in !! I hope you will be joining the Tour De Fleece, its alot of fun !!


My spindle was made by an email buddy, Bill out of Pennsylvania out of mapla and poplar, uses minwax products, hand sanding etc...He is retired and does these mainly for fun. I will have to look up Tour De Fleece! I never knew about that.....



Pearl B said:


> Congrats!
> On both the spindle & getting used to it so fast! Took me a long time to get used to one.
> I dont usually like bottom whorls except for my Navaho spindle. I got mine from the Woolery. http://www.woolery.com/store/pc/Schacht-Navajo-Spindle-p1090.htm
> 
> ...


I checked out the link to the woolery....it is a good length and made of maple $29.95 plus shipping decent price too.... 

Bill makes these out of poplar and maple, hand sands, stains them and puts three coats of varnish on them. He makes both the shorter 1 ounce weight of mine and ones much longer that weight 2.4 ounces. Being retired he does this on the side and sells them on a personal basis. I think because mine is so evenly weighted, that is how I could use it right away...still perfecting even yarn. 

Mine was $8.95 including shipping, roving sample and directions. Bill makes the long ones like yours but finished for $12.95 including shipping. roving sample and directions! He does either bottom or top whorl designs....

Oh you are right, it is fun and soothing to learn this art!


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

Romy, I think I need to get in contact with you friend Bill! I've been wanted to get started spinning, and I figured a drop spindle was the most logical start for me. That's just beautiful!


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

Taylor R. said:


> Romy, I think I need to get in contact with you friend Bill! I've been wanted to get started spinning, and I figured a drop spindle was the most logical start for me. That's just beautiful!


Hi Taylor, thank you. Yes I love my sweet spindle...so light and airy in my hands. I asked him to send me the larger size and it is on it's way! [email protected] is the way to reach Bill. He takes great pride in these spindles, makes all different kinds.... I told him I just had to post a picture of mine, I am very happy with it.


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Romney,

Im glad you like spinning!  If I could have got my big one for $12.95 I would have gotten it in a heartbeat! Your friend Bill does beautiful work :thumb:
Everything you learn on a spindle will help you if/when you get a wheel too.


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

Pearl B said:


> Romney,
> 
> Im glad you like spinning!  If I could have got my big one for $12.95 I would have gotten it in a heartbeat! Your friend Bill does beautiful work :thumb:
> Everything you learn on a spindle will help you if/when you get a wheel too.


Thank you Pearl, I will pass on the compliment. I do have a spinning wheel on my wish list!


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## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Absolutely gorgeous!


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

mamajohnson said:


> Absolutely gorgeous!


I am so glad you like the hand made spindle... I just had to order a larger one from Bill and it will be here next week. I will post what that one looks like too.


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## jackie in ms (Apr 30, 2013)

nice drop spindle, if you go to the hardware store & purchase a dowel, then go to a craft store & get some wooden wheels you can make maybe 2 or 3 spindles for the same or less $$$. i've been spinning for over 30 years, love it. have had several wheels & bunches of drop spindles, my favorites are always the ones i make myself.


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

jackie in ms said:


> nice drop spindle, if you go to the hardware store & purchase a dowel, then go to a craft store & get some wooden wheels you can make maybe 2 or 3 spindles for the same or less $$$. i've been spinning for over 30 years, love it. have had several wheels & bunches of drop spindles, my favorites are always the ones i make myself.


I thought about making one that way but I like Bills version better. I would not have stained one, hand sanded it or put on varnish....  I make so many other things by hand, it was nice to have something come in the mail like this! I have to ferry or boat off for anything I want... It costs me way more than the cost of a dowel or wheel as I never go to hard ware stores and stay out of craft stores... I got mine for $8.95 including shipping and I know that is a good price for me. Our island has no stores so getting to where I get those two things to make one.....not so convenient in my case. Nice to hear you have continued to use your drop spindles for so many years....do you have a pic of what you made yourself? That would be fun to see!


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## Wolfy-hound (May 5, 2013)

Looks just like the ones we made too. The local SCA folks were getting into hand spinning and I made a half dozen versions of drop spindles. Hand spinning wasn't really for me at the time so I gave away all the spindles. Some of them were painted and some stained, people liked them.


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