Quill Spindles
Quill Spindles for YOUR Spinning Wheel
I design and build handmade quill spindles to fit standard spinning wheels made by Ashford, Schacht, Lendrum, Majacraft, and others. These spindles are perfect for spinning bulky and loopy art yarns, because the spindles are direct wind-on, and so bypass small orifices, hooks, and small bobbins. They are much faster to spin big, loopy, variable thickness, coiled, and complicated yarns than a standard wheel assembly because the yarn does not get caught in the wheel assembly, the spindle holds more yarn than most bobbins, and the spindle is faster and easier to empty yarn onto a spare holder than disassembly of a standard bobbin/flyer assembly.
Quill spinning is very efficient if you know how to wind the yarn onto the spindle using the technique called the “Flip.” See my YouTube video to see how it works:
Email me with any questions, comments, or orders.
The spindles are made with bamboo, and the disks are made with wood. They cost $35 apiece which includes shipping and handling. You can order from a number of disk designs--selection is updated frequently.
Quill spindle on an Ashford Joy Available disks last month
I make attractive custom quill spindles for standard spinning wheels made by Ashford, Schacht, Lendrum, Majacraft, and others with standard orifice designs*. These spindles are perfect for spinning bulky and loopy art yarns because they wind the yarn directly onto the spindle and bypasses small orifices, hooks and bobbins, without the cost of a bulky flyer and extra large bobbins. They are much faster for spinning because they hold more yarn than standard bobbins, and they are faster to unload yarn onto a quill holder compared to disassembly of a standard bobbin/flyer assembly. When your spindle is full, push the yarn cop off the spindle via a straw bridge onto a knitting needle, Lazy Kate dowel, or other similar-diameter holder, and then keep on spinning. No flyer disassembly needed! You can spin with it on a standard wheel rather than needing a Great Wheel or Rio Grande spindle wheel, and you can take it with you to classes and spinning groups.
Watch my YouTube video to learn about the Fast Flip method of yarn wind-on, so that your spinning can be continuous without having to stop to wind on every couple yards as is typical of spinning on Great Wheels and quill spindles. Since making this video, I now don’t use the straws as quills but as bridges onto holders.
The spindles are made with wood, bamboo, metal screws, cork, and rubber bands. Each one is custom made for your wheel. The spindles cost $40 which includes the spindle, a straw bridge, instructions, and shipping/handling. I accept PayPal or personal checks. Disk designs change monthly, so Email me for current selection and to order.
*Note that these spindles do not work on elliptical or delta orifices, such as are standard on Louet and Majacraft.
Full quill spindle on Ashford Joy.
Last month’s disk selection, changing monthly
