Spinning with hand spindle and spinning wheel

Spinning at the Clydebuilt Festival in Glasgow

At different occasions I have recently demonstrated the art of hand spinning sheep's wool with hand spindle and spinning wheel. I also introduced to and taught a few people this ancient textile art. 

For thousand of years in many areas of this world animal and plant fibres have been spun by hand, using a simple tool: a drop spindle. 

Later the more technical advanced spinning wheel was invented for hand spinning. I have a variety of drop spindles and a spinning wheel, which I all enjoy using to teach and share my skills in hand spinning. Some drop spindles have the whorl on top of the stick others at the bottom end. 

A few different drop spindles

My Ayrshire spinning wheel

I shall soon facilitate a hand spinning workshop for teachers, using drop spindles. Thinking of the pupils, who might then learn hand spinning I have made a simple drop spindle. I was using four straight wooden sticks of similar length and one stick about three times the length of the four shorter sticks. I really love this simple and easy to make tool!  

I wonder whether the teachers will get enthusiastic about making a drop spindle with their pupils? I'll definitely encourage them to make themselves a simple drop spindle. 

An old CD attached to a stick with some bluetack would also do the job. Even though it is quite light weight and might not twirl for long. 

Easy to make drop spindle

Spinning demonstration with the simple self made drop spindle

I am remembering when I was a teenager of 15 years I had made my very first hand spindle in a holiday summer camp, and I learned hand spinning with this self made tool. I later learned spinning with a spinning wheel. Some years after I trained to become a hand-weaver and spinning sheep's wool and sometimes silk was part of my training. 

All my life I love making things and being creative. This is just one of many examples. It is very rewarding to create and in this case of making another hand spindle, to see the outcome being useful, easy to achieve and from natural sustainable material. 

If you have any questions about hand spinning or the tools mentioned or would like to learn hand spinning with drop spindle or spinning wheel please contact me.

At the Royal Highland Show

Royal Highland Show in Ingliston/Edinburgh

Galgael's wood craft and wool craft stall at the RHS

From the 19th to the 22nd of June I was enjoying fantastic times at the Royal Highland Show. I was part of a team of volunteers at GalGael. As Galgael is a place of people mainly working with wood, we wool crafters, Gillian and myself had the opportunity to demonstrate wool craft beside the wood carvers. We practiced, demonstrated and supervised weaving at different kinds of looms: 
1.Rag rug weaving on an upright floor loom. 

Floor loom

2. Warping and weaving a scarf, using a table loom.

Making a warp in a very simple way with 3 stakes

Finished warp ready to go on the hand loom 

We had 2 spinning wheels, a couple of drop spindles, hand carders and a drum carder for use. 
Those visitors, who wished could try their luck at weaving and spinning and were supervised by Gillian and myself. We had interesting, inspiring and fun conversations with visitors of the show and were a great team together with the wood carvers. I hope we did Galgael proud! Really enjoyed these days at the show!

Spinning at my scottish spinning wheel