Square Whorls – Is it Possible?
Can it be possible that a square rather than round spindle will spin? Well yes, and spin for a longer time.
I just bought this spindle from UK Spindlemaker Michael Williams. I have been wanting to buy a special spindle for a long time…but not having access to trying any I have to depend on reviews from those I respect as spinners and women of the yarn. I had heard rave reviews about Mike’s spindles from spinners such as Liz, Helen and Jane (an author of Creative Spinning) at the Online Guild of Weavers, Spinners & Dyers, so I took a chance at buying a square whorl as he had one in waiting. It was serendipity, so I got it.
It spins like a dream and is really enjoyable to use. I got a 17g one so I can spin quite fine. There are many stories or myths about the ‘magical’ feeling of spinning fibre into yarn and it really must be on a finely crafted and engineered spindle. If I was a scientific person I would say that the health benefits of spinning must be extraordinary.
Michael says of his square whorls,
“The four corners have weight which is further from the axis and will produce a longer duration of spin. A square spindle with sides of a given dimension can spin up to 33% longer than a circular whorl of the same diameter and weight. (I used applied mathematics to calculate the improvement).”
I have a few spindles and periodically I will spin on one of them. They are lovely and I like them, but aside from their portability I just don’t get it. I spin on an electric spinning wheel and really like being able to produce yarn more quickly, and so I like that wheel. It took some getting used to, especially since it is Irish tension and I am used to double drive. However, I am always curious about new things and so I shall investigate this. Perhaps if knitting were not my portable activity of choice, I would take spindle spinning more seriously?
Very interesting, thanks for showing this to us. I have some spindles too, but I’m just not a spindle spinner. I really wish I was because I’d love to take spinning with me when I’m out and about. The trouble with that is, I don’t like drawing attention to myself. Ah well. If I ever have a chance though, I’d like to try a square one.
I love that he used math to make the spindle – there’s an example for the kids struggling with math in school 🙂
I have a spindle somewhere and have always wanted to learn how to use it. Now I’m off to find a beginner spindle spinning tutorial!
Whowoddathunkit! I wouldn’t have believed it unless you experimented first.
I am so glad you are pleased with the spindle. I first met Michael when I had a stall at the WSD summer school traders fair at Warwick. Anne, my friend, who as co sharing the stall taught spindle spinning at the Bangor summer School two years before. Micheal asked her to test his spindles and we both enjoyed using them. Since then Micheal has gone on leaps and bounds and I love his spindles. I don’t have one of his square one but I do his round one and they are very nice spinners. Michael was a maths teachers so he applies his knowledge to the construction of his spindle . I was opposite him at Woolfest and whenever I managed to look he was thronged with interested purchasers.
The trick with speeds is to thigh roll or kick. People don’t believe me-till they see it – but you can long draw with spindle. But I don’t practice what I preach 🙂 and don’t often spin. Mostly because I don’t have much time to do anything with the yarn.
PS I loved your coin purses in the previous post. Do you sell them?
I too have succumbed to a square spindle..and an akha! I recommended Michael to the students in my spinning class and since it was going to be a largish order, it seemed foolish not to take advantage and share the postage…….I love, love, love the square, almost as much as the round ones and the akha has made me ENJOY cotton spinning!
if only maths had been taught in relation to textile crafts when I was at school, I might not have been so scared of it. It was realising that the maths associated with warping and dyeing was easy that gave me the courage to take maths GCSE when I was 50 – and pass! Though my son did say that just went to prove that standards had dropped since he took his – bless!
Jane