A Glimpse of Our Work
Support spindles are hot this year! In fact, our Tibetans sell out as fast as we can make them due to their exceptional spin times.
Supported spindles are used, as the name suggests, with the tip resting on a surface, usually a small bowl. These spindles vary in size and shape across the world, depending greatly on what type of fiber and yarn they were made to spin.
Supported spindles are usually used to produce a woolen-style yarn. The spindle can be manipulated with one hand as fibers are spun using a long draw, either supported, unsupported, or a bit of both. This makes them a perfect tool for spinning short-staple fibers such as cotton, yak, camel, and cashmere.
Here are some examples of our support spindles. Each True Creations spindle is unique. The whorls are turned from sustainable hardwoods that come from around the world. Our selection and availability of woods is always changing. We specialize in making great Tibetan Spindles, Russian Spindles, Orenburg Spindles (for lace weight fiber), Micro Spindles and Navajo Spindles (on request). Paired with our properly dished wooden support bowls, your True Creations support spindle will fast become your favorite support spindle.
Tibetan
The Tibetan spindle design originated in the Tibetan region. They are traditionally
used to spin yak, goat, and sheep fibers. They perform the best when a shallow
wooden bowl is used to support the spindle.
Utilizing a parabolic whorl profile, True Creations Tibetan spindles are recognized
for their sustained and balanced spin. This is an advantage to the beginning
support spindler.
Our spindle whorls are made from a variety of sustainable exotic woods from
around the world. Our shafts and tips are made from North American hardwoods
usually rock maple or walnut. Typically finished with a natural gloss finish.
Russian
Russian spindles are lightweight, spin very fast but have a relatively short spin
time. True Creations Russian spindles are made in the traditional Russian style.
Being lightweight they spin better as they fill with yarn.
Our Russian spindles are made of North American cherry. When available in the
thickness needed, sustainable exotic woods from around the world are used.
They perform the best when a shallow wooden bowl is used to support the
spindle.
We typically apply a natural gloss finish or an oil/beeswax matt finish to our
Russian spindles.
Orenburg
We make two sizes of Orenburg spindles, 10” for spinning and 13” for plying.
They are made from lightweight woods such as birch, poplar or maple. These
spindles are lightly sanded with no finish as traditionally used in Orenburg.
The guru of lace enthusiasts across the US, Galina Khmeleva, owner of Skaska
Designs and author of Gossamer Webs: The History and Techniques of
Orenburg Lace Shawls and Gossamer Webs: The Design Collection,
recommends 10 inch Orenburg style spindles for spinning singles. She will usetwo to four 10” spindles to produce the yarn she needs. Then she will ply with a13” spindle. She always uses a small shallow wooden bowl to “flick” her spindles in.
True Creations Orenburg spindle designs were tested and approved by Galina
during a class I took with her a couple of years ago. Her quote to the attendees
was “Buy these spindles, they are very good!”