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In this photo, two of our new signature spindles, "The Victorian" and an Oregon Myrtlewood silk drop spindle.
The wood of spindle trees is very hard and in the past was used for wool spindles, hence the name. The berries help to brighten up our Herefordshire hedgerows and woodland edges this time of year, but do not attempt to eat. They are very poisonous!
A collection of medieval reproduction spindles based on various archeological finds.
Check back for more data later
The first one is based on medieval finds in Greenland, but the bulge is fatter here to make it a bit heavier. It is a dream to spin.
The 2nd and 3rd spindles are Irish. I understand from the maker that these are upside down in the photograph. I disagree about the 2nd one. That knob at the top is BEGGING to anchor a half hitch, in my opinion. The 3rd is a distaff, according to the textile expert associated with the dig. I doubt it, frankly. But I haven’t had much success with it as a spindle so far.
The 4th and 5th spindles are said to be more generic medieval European spindles. The 4th is a whorlless spindle. The two whorls are made to fit the 5th one. The wooden whorl is Irish -- I haven't found much evidence elsewhere in medieval Europe for wide, flat wooden whorls. The clay whorl I use to approximate medieval whorls found in England.
A small sample from my spindle collection. Most of them were given to me by very special people, and one was custom made by a local woodturner.
This was a custom Drop Spindle that Dave made that features beautiful Celtic Knotwork scrimshawed on fossil ivory.
Seen at Cefn Ila reserve. Later in the year, when you get the pink berries and then the orange seeds, these are much photographed, but they look rather nice like this too.
Spunky Eclectic Fiber Club
Blue Plannet
Split roving in half, lenthwise. Spinning each half on its own spindle.
[From Wikipedia] European spindle wood is very hard, and can be cut to a sharp point; it was used in the past for making spindles for wool-spinning and for butchers' skewers.
Charcoal produced from this plant is seen as superior among artists due to its strength and density.
Parts of the plant have been used medicinally. However, the fruit is poisonous, containing, amongst other substances, the alkaloids theobromine and caffeine, as well as a large number of much more toxic substances and an extremely bitter terpene. Poisonings are more common in young children, who are enticed by the brightly coloured fruits. Ingestion can result in liver and kidney damage and even death.
Spindle - Berwyn, Ilinois, USA.
Destroyed in 2006 to make space for some drug store with drive thru...
Another unusual and not often seen fungi. These are Smoky Spindles (Clavaria fumosa) and these fruit bodies are about 5cm high.
The colour here is a little warm as it's lit by the late afternoon sunshine.
These were actually spotted by the roadside outside my home, after I returned from a disappointing search for fungi in local woods :)
Thank you for your comments and invites.