Drop spindle

A spindle is a straight spike, usually made from wood, used for spinning, twisting fibers such as wool, flax, hemp, and cotton into yarn. It is often weighted at either the bottom, middle, or top, commonly by a disc or spherical object called a whorl; many spindles, however, are weighted simply by thickening their shape towards the bottom, e. g.

Orenburg and French spindles.
The spindle may also have a hook, groove, or notch at the top to guide the yarn.
Spindles come in many different sizes and weights depending on the thickness of the yarn one desires to spin.

Back to Tools & Equipment →

Source: Wikipedia · Image: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

SOCKKNIT

Knit a better sock — gauge, yardage, and hand-hosiery know-how.

Get new guides by emailOccasional emails. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

InformationAbout Contact Privacy Policy Terms of Service Disclaimer Affiliate Disclosure Cookie Policy

Museum entries, images, and facts are drawn from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, used under public-domain and Creative Commons licenses.