Handcrafted Spindles by Lisa Chan

Handcrafted supported and hand held spindles are available for sale! Russian supported, French hand held, and the uniquely designed Rose (Russian/French hybrid).

Pictured above from left to right - Rose, Russian, French.

Prices are dependent on wood availability, size/dimensions, and any fees associated with shipping and handling. I do ship internationally, but I can not guarantee shipments domestic or otherwise. Shipping is generally $4-7 dollars depending on weight and destination.

Average cost for spindles are $30-40 (depending on wood choice).

Payments accepted are PayPal, money order, and personal checks with approval.

You can view the most recent photographed projects by visiting The Gripping Yarn Spindle Gallery! 

How to request spindles.

Creation process. 

1. You email via the contact form and we discuss preferences and availability.
2. I will create the spindle to your specifications (turn around is usually about 1 week).
3. I will send you an email when the spindle has been created.
4. I will invoice you. Upon payment, I will send the spindle out with the following Saturday mail run.

Available woods. My preference is to work with managed forestry and sustainable domestic woods. However, I do enjoy the challenge of sourcing and turning exotics. l have a modest selection (20+ varieties) of exotics on hand. When you email about ordering options, I will send my current list with pricing. If you are unsure of which wood is best suited for your use, I am happy to help you make an informed decision. If you would like to learn more about woods, you can explore Hobbithouse Inc.'s exhaustive non-profit directory. When you email me about a spindle, I will let you know which woods are available in my inventory and if I can source a specific wood request.

Length, weight, and sizing. The average length of the dart-shaped supported spindle is 11 1/2 inches. Weight depends greatly on the density of the available wood and the desired size and intended use for the spindle. Narrow and small spindles suitable for fine fibers like cashmere are often .5oz to 1.2oz. Large and wide spindles suitable for crimpy wools and fleeces are often 1.5oz to 3oz.

Delivery and return policy. All sales are final and delivery is only guaranteed if you purchase a shipping option that allows for tracking or insurance. However, I want you to be satisfied with your purchase. If something isn't right, I want to help and make it right. Your happiness is a priority. Sometimes  wood can have small defects and cracks which will not affect the use of the product. However, if your spindle experiences significant warping or cracking, please send me a picture and I will consider a replacement. Be careful of dropping your spindle onto concrete or allowing it to fall from heights.

Bowls. At this time I am not turning wooden bowls. I hope to be able to provide these in the future. Gripping Yarn supported spindles can be spun on any firm surface free of abrasives. Experiment using soy sauce dishes, small cereal bowls, and custom ceramic bowls.

Care of the wood. To keep wood looking shiny and moisturized use any oil-based furniture wood conditioner or polish. Your spindle was finished by hand polishing and then oiled with an orange oil and beeswax solution. To remove small dents and scratches, use fine sandpaper (400 grit) to remove the dent and then hand polish with a micromesh system (1200-15000 grit) commonly found at your local specialty woodworking store.

Learning to spin supported. I can give you some basic pointers, and point you to online videos. However, there is no substitute for practice and trial.

Practice spinning the spindle WITHOUT fiber for 15-20 minutes. Best results are achieved when holding the spindle from the side and 5-7cm from the top of the shaft. Make a flicking (snapping, twisting) motion (right handed, clockwise direction) so that the spindle spins freely and falls into the crook between your thumb and forefinger.

Only after you are comfortable with this motion, attach a small leader of fiber somewhere near the top of the shaft. Aligning the leader fiber parallel to the spindle (greater than 90 degrees), slowly turn the spindle (right handed, in the clockwise direction) and allow twist to travel up the fiber. Make sure that the fiber is on the inside of your fingers.

Draft. Twist. Draft. Twist. Draft. Twist.

When you have enough fiber to wind onto the spindle, bring the fiber to a 90 degree angle from the spindle and twist it onto the shaft.

Practice, practice, practice. =]  This takes time and patience. MOST PEOPLE WILL TRY TO SPIN TOO FAST AND CREATE A YARN THAT IS TOO THICK! Try slowing down and observing that NO twist enters the drafting zone. I call it "inch worming"... others have called it park and draft.