A lady who owns a local spinning shop contacted me and asked about making her some drop spindles to sell in her shop. Now, I've heard of drop spindles and I've even seen pictures of some others have turned but I never really knew what they are for or do. I visited her shop and I was stunned. I had no idea spinning wool is still a thing. VERY nice shop with knitted and woven items every where. She sells equipment, wool, and teaches the craft. It was really an interesting visit. She didn't have any drop spindles like she wanted made and she was sold out and her current mail order supplier wasn't responding or filling orders. She described what she wanted and said she's wanted someone local for a while and one of her customers gave her my name. Don't know what will come of this but here are four of the first ones I've made for her. They are about 11" long and the "whorl"(new word for me) is about 2 1/2" diameter.

 

 

According to the shop owner drop spindles predate spinning wheels by a few centuries and basically evolved from sticks.

 

 

The underside is hollowed to provide stability and shift the mass to the rim so they spin longer. The Easy finisher is the bomb for that. Basically no sanding here.

Edited September 9, 20232 yr by Steve Krumanaker

Thanks for posting.  I remember my grandmother spinning way back in the day before I started school.  

 

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Pretty Cool!. There's a FB guy who does some of these- Jim Echter  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1590277591215923/user/732440147 

 

As far as still being a "thing", we have the Farm Show which is the largest indoor agricultural event in the world that includes 24 acres of animals, educational encounters, displays and food, family, and fun. Included is a "sheep to shawl" contest where they have five team members – one shearer, three spinners, and one weaver – will compete to shear a sheep, spin the fleece and weave it into a shawl, all in a couple of hours. Really neat to watch the process.

 

 

 

Very unique Steve.  Never would have guessed this would still be a thing.  You're building quite the reputation and well deserved too.   

12 hours ago, lew said:

Pretty Cool!. There's a FB guy who does some of these- Jim Echter  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1590277591215923/user/732440147 

 

As far as still being a "thing", we have the Farm Show which is the largest indoor agricultural event in the world that includes 24 acres of animals, educational encounters, displays and food, family, and fun. Included is a "sheep to shawl" contest where they have five team members – one shearer, three spinners, and one weaver – will compete to shear a sheep, spin the fleece and weave it into a shawl, all in a couple of hours. Really neat to watch the process.

 

 

 

 

Thanks Lew, I'll check that out. Can you give me a date and location for that show? I will ask the shop owner if she knows about it.

Pretty darned (no pun intended) neat there Steve

5 hours ago, Steve Krumanaker said:

 

Thanks Lew, I'll check that out. Can you give me a date and location for that show? I will ask the shop owner if she knows about it.

January 6 thru 13, 2024 in Harrisburg PA.  Here's the website-  https://www.farmshow.pa.gov/pafarmshow/Pages/default.aspx