Spinsanity's Profile

Bio

Shannon/Twinsanity/Spinsanity, mom of way too many kids (his, mine, ours = nine), grandma of three beautiful boys...long time knitter, now obsessed with spinning.

My knitting/spinning/etc. blog--
http://twinsanity.blogspot.com/

**Send me a link to your blog post featuring my spindle/s and get added to the list!

I got into this (spindle making) intending to make cheap spindles. Actually, I started making spindles because my 27 kids all wanted to learn spinning and all the cheap spindles I bought and tried to teach them with were utter crap. Hell, I could do better. So I did. It took a bit because I started out trying to make toy wheel spindles we could actually spin with. As my friend Shelly says, "No matter how purty you polish the turd, it’s still a turd." So I started over. With a boatload of power tools, inexpensive local wood, woodworking medallions, and eye screws, (paints and finish bought on sale or with coupons came a little later). And they weren’t crap and we could spin.

Then people suggested I ought to sell them because they weren’t crap. I felt bad about what was out there for the budget-minded… no one should have to try to learn a new craft with crap. So I sell my spindles. I even have stores that sell my spindles. But I can’t make them fast enough to really make any money (I purchase most of my stuff locally while grocery shopping, etc. and the rest is just a click reorder–but throw in cut/shape/sand/seal/come up with design and paint whorls, cut/shape/predrill/sand/seal/accent shafts, assemble/balance/hook/seal/rub/seal finished spindle) and I won’t raise the prices any more than I already have because they are what they are.

It’s more about making new spinners (how many times have I heard “I couldn’t spin on spindles, that’s why I have a wheel”? You more than likely CAN spin on a spindle, just not the spindle you tried–try a different one, different style, different weight. Really, it’s not rocket science…spindling is easy…easier than a wheel even. WITH THE SPINDLE THAT WORKS FOR YOU. I can’t tell you how many times I wish I could jump through the screen and help someone with their stupid spindle.) than the money. I know, not a great business plan. But I’m good with it…and if/when I’m not, I’ll stop. Maybe

Female, Born on November 17

Favorite Materials

wool, silk, wood