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There are some plants that have really insignificant, sometimes almost indiscernible, flowers but come in to their own when autumn arrives and their fruits emerge. Holly is one that comes to mind but the Spindle is undoubtedly another.
Spindle is not an uncommon shrub, probably overlooked for much of the year. In summer it has tiny little creamy green four petalled flowers just a few millimetres across. In the autumn they produce these brilliant coral pink seed cases that could almost be flowers in their own right. Then the seed cases split to reveal a bright orange fruit inside. Quite unique amongst our wild flora and easy to pick out.
Spindle occurs mainly on our chalk downland and lime rich soils. It has thin twiggy branches, hence our use of the word 'spindly' for anything thin. The wood, however, is white in colour and hard and smooth in texture which led to it being used for traditional spindles that were used in spinning wool and cotton. It was also the primary plant for producing artist's charcoal.
Altogether an interesting plant that is popular with insets too.
Drawn in Adobe Illustrator
Excavated from site at Site E2868, in the townland of Inchaquire, Co. Kildare, contract 5.
Drawn by: Sara Nylund, 2010
Client: Kildare County Council
Funding body: National Roads Authority (NRA) with funds from the NDP and Transport 21
My newest spindles from Butterfly Girl Designs.
Blue Murano Glass: Whorl - 1.6"
Shaft- 9-10"
Weight - .8 oz
Italian Resin Red Stripe: Whorl - 2"
Shaft - 9-10"
Weight - .5 oz
Comparison shot of French Style Spindle Replica by Spanish Peacock in front, GrippingYarn Russian Style spindle in back.
I'm starting a six year long spinning course in August, and spindle spinning is one of the components. I never got into spindling since I learned on a wheel on loan from my local guild and soonafter got my own. So, I am going to check it out. I ordered this gorgeous spindle from Butterfly Girl Designs on etsy. Now I need to figure out how to make it go. Hee. It's modeling on some lovely Merino fiber from FatCatKnits.
Specs:
Whorl: Rose Quartz whorl ~ 2"
Shaft: carved hardwood ~ 9"
Hook: sterling silver wire ~ bent in a swan style
Weight - 1.2 oz
First ever made by my brother. Very inventive & difficult method, utilizing a drill press & a dremel tool. 2006 I think.
"Super 400", featuring Kenny Hohman (guitar/vocals) and Lori Friday (bass/vocals), performing their second set of music for the first time in the City of Cohoes, NY, as part of "City Of Cohoes Presents: Springfest Block Party" held at the Spindles Wine Bar in Cohoes, NY, Saturday, May 20, 2017. Picture taken by Matt Mac Haffee with Amy Modesti's Canon Rebel SL1 Digital SLR Camera. (C): Matt Mac Haffee, 2017
Janelle took a spindle spinning class, and demonstrated what she learned with this spindle at the booth for A Verb for Keeping Warm. She ended up buying it!
The startling pink and orange fruits are much more colourful than the pale green flowers. Native to Britain and the long straight shoots were used to make weavers spindles.
on a whim i decided to make a spindle
made with a pom pom maker (i can never make pom poms even with one lol) a hook, and a point protector. The point proctor is one of the sock shaped ones and i cut the top rim off and used that to attach the pom pom maker to the dowel and it stays on with friction.
the dowel cracked at the top where the hook is so i used some packing tape to wrap it up.
My nephew received one of this chinese TOP with lights, laser and music. I took some time to play with it also :-)
Spindle from Spinsanity on Etsy - it's just lovely to work with. Fiber is some pink merino from Copper Moose, I believe.
This is homemade spindle #2; it is made from a black antique crochet hook (I'm not sure what it's made out of, maybe dyed bone?) and a flat semi-precious stone disc. I am spinning tussah silk here. It works pretty well, although it's a little top-heavy. I couldn't use the hook at the bottom because it was too small.