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The unique and original "quill supported" engineering of the spindolyn™ eliminates the "drop" of a drop spindle, the need for the support of a support spindle and give a smooth, fast spin, great for medium fine to fine yarns.
The spindolyn™ is made of two parts, the spindle whorl with it's brass shaft, and the wooden base with it's specially shaped brass tube that the shaft rides in.The base sits between your knees, tucks in your pocket or outer purse pocket or fits into a bean bag pouch so that it can sit comfortably anywhere on your lap. A spindolyn can be used for fine and short to medium and long, from "cotton to Cotswold" so to speak. It is not a production spinner, but it is easy, fun and relaxing. Perfect for spinning sitting down, in the car, tucked in your pocket, in your easy chair or while lounging on the couch! The hardwood base and whorls are finished with a hand rubbed non-toxic oil finish of my own recipe of a combination of grapeseed oil, coconut oil, carnauba wax and beeswax. The spindolyn comes with a 2 page instruction sheet. 
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FAQ
(Be sure and read the instruction sheet enclosed with your Spindolyn, really, lol ; ) )
(Be sure and read the instruction sheet enclosed with your Spindolyn, really, lol ; ) )
- Which Spindolyn do I choose? Visit the spindolyn size page for some tips on choosing.
- How big and how much do the different spindolyns weigh? Visit the spindolyn size page
- What are the differences in the styles of bases? There is a blog post here with an explanation.
- How do I tell if my spindolyn is interchangeable with current spindle and base styles? The newer models all have an approximately 3 inch shaft below the whorl, and a 3 inch deep tube. The way older model spindolyns have an approximately 6 inch shaft and tube, and will not interchange. Contact me about a trade in discount of your old style spindolyn.
- Is the Spindolyn different from spinning on a drop spindle? Yes and No. The spindolyn is a fully supported spindle. On a supported spindle such as the spindolyn, tahkli, or the kind of spindle that rides in a bowl, you draft away from the spin by moving your fiber hand upward, always upward, away from the newly spun yarn. On a drop spindle, gravity is pulling the yarn down, away from you as a spin. The drafting technique you choose to use is up to you. Advantages of the spindolyn are that you can change it's speed, or stop it completely, you can use it in a car, in bed, or in a wheelchair and of course, it doesn't drop!
- Wobble
- Ah yes, the bane of the spinners existence (well, no, I think probably vegetable matter is, at least for the shepherd) but anyway, It is normal for the spindolyn to have a slight amount of wobble when it is spinning empty without the tension of the forming of yarn, because it has freedom of movement in the tube to reduce friction. Once yarn is being drafted in an upward direction, it will spin smoother.
- The number one cause of wobble for new spindolyn spinners is giving it too much twirl (thwing!) to get it started. Unlike a drop spindle, you don't need as much energy to get the spindolyn started or keep it going, a gentle twirl will give you plenty of spin for the length of draft you have available, if you need more twist, give it another gentle twirl. Because it can't drop, you can go as slow and easy as you like.
- The spindolyn is designed to sit loosely between your legs or on a cushioned surface, this "cush" acts as a shock absorber for the deviation from rotational motion that the space in the tube affords and helps to encourage the spindle to ride on the point smoother and faster. This is why when the spindolyn is held loosely, it spins smooth, but if you grip the base tightly, it begins to wobble. If the spindolyn is set on a hard surface, such as a table, it will set up a deviation from the center, but if you set it on top of a pot holder or sweater on the table, this amount of cushion will smooth out the rotation. (try this at home, fun! lol)
- Many people like to make a bean bag cover for their base to make it more stable and comfy, and to act as a “shock absorber” as the shaft rides in the slightly larger tube. The new ambit bases are wider, and sit with more stability on any cushioned surface.
- Damage; sadly, stuff happens. If you shaft or hook get whacked out of true, you will get a wobble, in most cases, you can study it, eyeball it and carefully get everything back as straight as possible. Contact me if you need help
- How do I wind off of the spindolyn?
Wind your newly spun yarn off the spindolyn shaft the same way that you wound on, with the spindolyn riding in its base and the yarn held out perpendicular to the shaft, near the whorl. If you have been consistent in the way you wound on as you spun, the winding off will go better. You can wind directly on to a ball winder by placing the base between your knees and and use one hand to turn the ball winder and one hand to in-circle the shaft and one finger to act as a drag or brake on the yarn or the whorl. - How do I care for the spindolyn?
Keep yarn and dust off of the shaft below the whorl, lest it get into the tube and slow down the spin. Occasionally put a drop of light spinning or sewing machine oil inside the brass tube. Wipe down the shaft below the whorl with a cloth, or even polish it with fine steel wool if you like. If something does get inside the tube (chips, cat hair, dirt, chocolate) you can vacuum it out, or fish it out with a pipe cleaner, crochet hook, etc. Watch for bits of fleece that get wrapped around the shaft below the whorl and slow things down. - Why the choice in tubing? Do I have options of no tube and no hook?
The original tubing was a softer type of material, the quality of it became variable over time, and I had to find a more stable and reliable tubing to use, so I experimented with food grade tubing, both clear and black and found a more reliable source and material. Sadly - I can say that the tubing helps you spin the shaft with less finger fatigue, and keeps the beginning wind-ons form tangling....If you choose not to have a hook, it does limit the angle that you can spin at, and makes chain plying "as you go" more difficult, that being said, if you are an advanced spinner, you may dig it, and who am I to tell you how to do your thing?
- What happened to the other styles of Spindolyn? As a semi-obsessed spinner and inventor, I am continuously experimenting and improving the Spindolyn (and other unpublished spindle designs) Right now, I am ecstatic over the performance of the new improved Spindolyns, and am actually making a dent in some of my fiber stash with it, because I don't want to put them down.
- How come I have seen fancy spindolyns, but not on your website? You can find the fancy spindolyns over at Cady May's Corner, my Etsy store. Also, before fiber festivals I go on a creative jag and make many unique spindolyns out of cherry or walnut.
- About the bean bag "nest' For many spinners, the bean bag cover for the base is the ultimate way to go, solving the problems of skirt wearing, or ample thighs, or odd positions. It also works as a bit of a shock absorber to smooth out the spin if the yarn gets wound onto the spindolyn unevenly.
The first free bean bag pattern can be found here on my blog.
and now there is another one, here.
As time has gone by, more spinners have shared their ideas with me about pouches, bags and "nests" for their spindolyn, including just winding a thick scarf around the base.. the creativity is amazing! - Will the new floor extension fit my spindolyn? Some spindolyn base styles have hole in the bottom of the base completely filled with wood as part of the construction. This style is not usable with the floor extension. Some have a 3/8 diameter hole that is at least 1/2 inch deep, these can accommodate the floor extension But the base must be one of the lighter weight styles. If it is a fat, heavy style, it may not work well with the floor extension, because it might be too top heavy. (you can also make your own floor extension, now wouldn't that be fun?
If you are experiencing wobble with your floor extension, reassemble it to be as straight as possible, and reduce the amount of "thwing" you are using. (see above) - Questions about Store Policies
- Any other questions, just drop me a line.
