Prototype whirligig

I have had an idea twirling around in my head for a while about having a drop spindle combined with a wind spinner for when I’m walking and spinning. The idea is that the walk and wind will give a little more power to the spindle spin. I needed a material that was easy to work and light, so chose finished leather and cut it with my laser cutter.

Photo description: two leather halves of a wind spinner sewn together at the end of the tabs with waxed cord, dilute calico cat in the background
Photo description: finished spinner on a different calico cat, dilute calico in the background
Photo description: leather wind spinner installed on a drop spindle and used to spin some Romney wool, outside on a windy day, coop in the background

The cool thing is that this spinner only spins one direction when wind is blown across it, so it is easy to tell which direction I have been spinning, and suspended on freshly spun yarn, the wind absolutely spins it. Until the power in the twist in the yarn is greater than the push of the wind, which doesn’t take much. Hm. I have some ideas on how to improve the design. I’m hoping to have something working by fall when I can go out walking again. It is too blasted hot right now.