New Tools for Etsy!

The new fiber tools above are now for sale in our Etsy shop! 

New Andean Style Reproduction Bottom Whorl Spindles

Four new Andean style reproduction bottom whorl drop spindles were listed in our Etsy shop this week.  These four newest Andean spindles were pyrographed by Dave with an authentic Pre-Columbian design.  While these spindles have already been sold, you can view photos of all them in our Flickr portfolio.

New Spindles on Etsy.com

We took a road trip to visit family this month, so it's been a while since new handspinning tools were listed for sale in our Etsy shop.  As you can see in the photos, Dave has been busy in his studio.  The four drop spindles above were crafted from colorwood and birch.  They are all a nice weight for plying.

These six bottom whorl spindles are Dave's newest modified Andean/Peruvian reproduction drop spindles.  The original Andean spindle reproductions were basic no frills drop spindles with a shaped top to accommodate a half hitch and spinning was more or less off one side. They were intended to be a primitive design. Some customers had problems using the spindle with only the shaped end and wanted a better way to hold the yarn. A brass hook could have been added, but that really moves it away from being an Andean and more of a common bottom whorl suspended spindle. 

In lieu of a hook, Dave has hand carved a T Notch (aka notch and slot) at the top of the shaft. Now your half hitch is held securely, and you can also spin in center line with the shaft.

Last, but certainly not least, are the four new mini Tibetan support spindle travel sets seen below.The woods used to craft the whorls are redheart, bubinga, chechen and cocobolo.

New Andean/Peruvian Reproduction Bottom Whorl Drop Spindles

Three new Andean reproduction bottom whorl drop spindles were listed in our Etsy shop today.  These beautiful handspinning tools were crafted from colorwood and birch.

New Andean/Peruvian Style Bottom Whorl Drop Spindles

Six new Andean style reproduction spindles have been added to our Etsy shop!  Andean spindles are suspended drop spindles with no frills...no hook, no notches and no grooves. They were developed to spin long-staple alpaca and other camelid fibers native to the Andes. Spinning is done off the side using a half hitch.  

Andean/Peruvian Style Bottom Whorl Drop Spindles

Dave has been busy over the Christmas holiday!  The twelve Andean style reproduction bottom whorl spindles were listed in our Etsy shop today.  The woods used are paduak, colorwood, holly, walnut, cherry, maple and birch.  Be sure to visit our Etsy shop to check them out!

Spindles and Bowls

We have added several new spindles and support spinning bowls to our Etsy shop this evening.  Andean style bottom whorl drop spindles and two Tibetan support spindles with matching bowls as seen in the photo above can be found here.

New Spindles-Andean/Peruvian Style and Top Whorl Drop Spindles

Here are a few of the newest spindles in our Etsy shop.  Two are Andean style bottom whorl drop spindles, and the other is a mini top whorl drop spindle.

New Handspinning Tools

We have added new handspinning tools to our Etsy shop this evening.  Lap support spinning bowls, mini top whorl drop spindles, Andean/Peruvian style bottom whorl drop spindles and a regular size top whorl spindle were listed.

New Andean/Peruvian Style Drop Spindles

Four new Andean style drop spindles were listed in our Etsy shop this evening.  Andean spindles are suspended drop spindles with no frills...no hook, no notches and no grooves. They were developed to spin long-staple alpaca and other camelid fibers native to the Andes. Spinning is done off the side using a half hitch.


Dave has made these spindles in the same affordable and basic fashion as the original Andean spindles with one exception--he mounts the spindle whorl blank on the shaft, and then turn and shape the whorl and shaft together to achieve a well balanced spindle. Dave's reading and research on Andean spindles indicates that the whorls are shaped first, and then fitted on a hand shaped (sometimes not too straight) shaft. He assumes that one benefit of this is that once a shaft is worn out the whorl can be removed and fitted to a new shaft, but he just cannot bring himself to make a spindle that wobbles, so these whorls are permanently fixed and balanced.

New Andean/Peruvian Style Bottom Whorl Drop Spindles

These are Dave's newest Andean style bottom whorl drop spindles. The woods used are from left to right:

*Cedar and Mahogany

*Oak and Redheart

*Walnut and Hickory

*Poplar and Cherry

*Paduak and Hickory

Be sure add "Like" Grizzly Mountain Arts on Facebook to get the latest updates on our new fiber art tools BEFORE they are listed in our Etsy shop!

Andean/Peruvian Style Reproduction Bottom Whorl Drop Spindles

These new spindles are reproductions of an Andean style spindle. Andean spindles are suspended drop spindles with no frills...no hook, no notches and no grooves. They were developed to spin long-staple alpaca and other camelid fibers native to the Andes. Spinning is done off the side using a half hitch.

I have made these spindles in the same affordable and basic fashion as the original Andean spindles with one exception--I mount the spindle whorl blank on the shaft, and then turn and shape the whorl and shaft together to achieve a well balanced spindle. My reading and research on Andean spindles indicate that the whorls are shaped first and then fitted on a hand shaped (sometimes not too straight) shaft. I assume that one benefit of this is that once a shaft is worn out the whorl can be removed and fitted to a new shaft, but I just cannot bring myself to make a spindle that wobbles so these whorls are permanently fixed and balanced.