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all content and images © Linda Diak, Grafton Fibers 2001-2009

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MADE IN VERMONT

Formerly Grafton Fibers

 

Spinning on a Navajo spindle

 

 

Spinning with a Navajo spindle has become my favorite way to spindle spin.  It has a rhythm all its own that I find to be very meditative.  My favorite spot is on a large rock in our backyard.  The moss keeps the spindle from traveling away from me.  If using a taller spindle in order to spin while sitting in a chair, a small bowl or even the inside of your shoe will prevent the spindle from moving across the floor.  Outdoors, the ground will serve as brake enough.

 

Using a chair height spindle:

 

 

 

Most books teach Navajo spindle spinning by instructing the spinner to spin the roving thin, then remove it and spin it again to add just a little twist, remove the fiber, and spin again to add more twist.  

 

Recently a lovely Navajo woman showed me her method, and I found it to be much simpler and more rhythmic.  The fiber is drafted out onto the spindle with a small amount of twist, then spun off the spindle slow, evening out the roving and adding twist where necessary, and then spinning back onto the spindle with the final amount of twist.  Her yarns were the loveliest I have ever seen.  My goal is to produce yarns as lovely as Xena's yarns.

 

Prepare your fiber:

 

1. 2.  

 

3.

 

Start with carded fiber, if possible.  Shown is a batt of Lincoln (1) 

 

Strip a section off the batt lengthwise (2) 

 

Draft that section out until it is nearly as thin as you want your yarn to be (3)

 

Drafting onto the spindle, adding a small amount of twist:

 

1.  

 

2.

 

I begin without a leader yarn by wrapping the fiber around the tip of the spindle. (1) 

 

Flick the spindle with your fingers to put just a little twist into the roving (2) while holding the roving at an angle to the tip.

 

Spin the roving off the spindle, evening out the roving as you go along:

 

1.  

 

2.  

 

3.

 

Once your spindle is full, remove the thin roving slowly, letting it fall gently into a bowl, a box, or simply a pile next to you (1). 

Your spindle is full when it becomes awkward or uncomfortable to continue using it.

 

Work slowly, using both hands to even out fuller sections (2) 

 

Add additional twist when necessary, again flicking the spindle with your fingers. (3)

 

Spinning back onto the spindle with the final amount of twist:

 

1.  

 

2.  

 

3.

 

Now you are ready to spin it into yarn!

 

Again, wrap the end around the tip of the spindle and begin thigh rolling the spindle - watch the hand motion in the above photos 1, 2, and 3.

 

As you get enough yarn spun, you can push the cop - collected yarn - to the whorl.

 

1.  

 

2.

 

Once enough twist is in a length of yarn, lift the spindle and spin it backwards to unwind the yarn wrapped up the shaft, (1)

 

then flick the spindle to wind the yarn back onto the spindle.(2)

 

 

 

copyright 2001 Linda Diak and Grafton Fibers