Handmade Nostepinnes

Time has been flying by this summer and we've been getting behind on our blog posts. Dave's newest nostepinnes in the photo above have been sold, but there are more planned for the future. The "Wood Spirit" nostepinne was crafted from a piece of weathered juniper found on our property. The cholla cactus wood nostepinne has an interesting history to it, as it got it's start as part of a walking stick that Dave had made for himself during our time living in Arizona. So, if you purchased one of the first four of these nostepinnes, you have part of that cane :)

                                                                           

Juniper, Walnut and Poplar Carved Wood Spirit Nostepinde Yarn Ball Winder

This 11 inches long and 7/8 diameter "Wood Spirit" nostepinde has been lovingly crafted by Dave from a variety of woods. Juniper was used for the carved Wood Spirit, and walnut and poplar completes this yarn ball winder.

New Maple and Walnut Nostepindes

Maple and walnut are the woods chosen by Dave for these two new nostepindes.  The maple nostepinde is 10 1/2 inches in length, and the walnut is 10 1/2 inches.  Dave has adorned both of these beautiful yarn ball winders with his signature pyrographic leaf motif.

Tiger Maple Nostepinde Yarn Winder with Pyrography

Dave has crafted this beautiful 10 inch nostepinde, or yarn ball winder, from tiger maple. He has adorned it with his signature pyrographic leaf motif. The ends have been accented with brass nails.  An additional photo can be found at the Etsy listing for this fiber art tool.

Maple Nostepinde Yarn Winder with Pyrography

Maple Nostepinde Yarn Winder with Pyrography

Dave has crafted this beautiful 10 1/2 inch nostepinde, or yarn ball winder, from maple. He has adorned it with his signature pyrographic leaf motif. The ends have been accented with brass nails.

Snakewood, Goncalo Alves and Osage Orange Nostepinde

New in our Etsy shop!

Peppermill blanks have some of the most beautiful color combinations and that's what Dave used for this turned nostepinde. The woods in this 10 inch long yarn ball winder are snakewood, goncalo alves and a touch of osage orange. Dave has also added ornamental brass findings on both ends.

Carved Wood Spirit Nostepinde

A lot of people call their yarn ball winder a “NOSTY” so perhaps a Nosty can also be a wood spirit of the yarn ball winders! Dave hand carved this ole fellow to bring you enjoyment and amusement while you wind your yarn into a center pull ball. This 10 ½ inch nostepinde was made out of joined birch, juniper and walnut.

This piece has been initialed and dated by Dave, the artist/maker.

Fiddleback Maple Yarn Ball Winder

This beautiful yarn ball winder, which is also called a nostepinde or nostepinne, is 10 3/4" in length. Dave turned this one-of-a-kind fiber art tool from a gorgeous piece of Fiddleback Maple. We discovered this and other fabulous pieces of unique wood at a specialty wood mill while traveling through the Cascade mountains recently. This nostepinde also features antiqued brass finials and a hand etched pyrography maple leaf motif, also done by Dave. You can find more photos of this nostepinde in the Fiber Art Tool section of our Etsy shop.

What is Fiddleback Maple?

Fiddleback maple, also known as flamed maple, curly maple, or tiger stripe, is a feature of maple in which the growth of the wood fibers is distorted in an undulating pattern, producing wavy lines known as "flames". This effect is often mistakenly said to be part of the grain of the wood; it is more accurately called "figure", as the distortion is perpendicular to the grain direction. Prized for its beautiful appearance, it is used frequently in the manufacturing of musical instruments, such as violins, and fine furniture.

During the westward expansion of early settlers and explorers into the lands west of the Appalachian Mountains, curly maple was often used for making the stocks used on Kentucky rifles.

"Green Earth" Yarn Ball Winder Nostepinde

This nosty turned out so earthy looking Dave decided to call it "Green Earth". He joined a variety of materials to make it; Oregon Myrtlewood, Leopard wood, Re-cycled ivory and colorful green celluloid accent rings.

Dave recycles some of his mammoth ivory dust by mixing it with resin and pegment, and casting his own turning blocks. As you can see , he has also hand carved a leaf whorl design around the ivory ring. This nostepinde measures 10 1/2 inches long and is currently up for auction on Ebay.

Black Walnut Yarn Nostepinde

Dave turned this nostepinde (yarn ball winder) out of black walnut. He also added a colorful celluloid insert. This nostepinde measures 10 3/4 inches long. This unique nostepinde is currently up for auction on Ebay with a starting bid of $9.95!

Birdseye Maple Nostepinde Yarn Winder

Dave turned this nostepinde, also called a yarn winder, out of birdseye maple. He also added a colorful celluloid insert. He tried a couple of different pics, to try and capture a good image showing the birdseyes in this beautiful piece of wood (sorry about the huge glare!).

This nostepinde is 10 inches long.

**Dont forget--You can click on any of our photos to see a full size version!**

Wood Spirit Nostepinne

I just posted Dave's Wood Spirit Nostepinne in our Etsy shop. A nostepinne, also spelled "nostepinde", is a fiber art tool used to make balls of yarn. This is one of his best pieces! The top section featuring the wood spirit, is carved from Oregon myrtlewood, and the lower section was turned from a beautiful piece of walnut. The overall length of this nostepinne is 10 inches.