Tag: Turkish spindle

Turtle shell

On By CarynIn Craft

When spinning on a Turkish Spindle, the ball of yarn created on the arms of the spindle is called a turtle rather than a cop as it is for other drop spindles. My theory is that the ball of yarn looks like a turtle shell, complete with four leg holes, when the spindle shaft and arms are removed. The useful part as that the turtle is a center-pull ball, and doesn’t have to be rewound before it can be used. If you were ever curious on what a ball of yarn from a Turkish spindle looks like when it has been pulled from the center, I have provided catharsis below.

Photo description: hollowed out ball of yarn from a Turkish spindle.

The over two, under one wrapping used to make the turtle provides a surprisingly stable structure when a layer is complete. In the photo above, the inside of the turtle looks woven. I didn’t press my luck and the potential collapse of the turtle shell storing it with the middle missing, rather I rewrapped it nostepinne style before tucking it in my bag. This yarn was spun from soybean fiber, then 2 plied.

Turkish drop spindle

On By CarynIn Craft

My wrapping on a Turkish drop spindle is getting better. This is two plied soy fiber on a flexible filament 3D printed Turkish spindle that I bought at a fiber festival.

Photo description: geometric patterns created by the over two, under one, wrapping pattern on the yarn “turtle” around the arms of the Turkish spindle.

Plying speed

On By CarynIn Craft

Plying on a Turkish spindle is satisfying, especially now that I’ve figured out how to get the geometric wrap pattern, but it is not fast. I took the other turtle of yarn and pied it with a top whorl drop spindle.

Photo description: Top whorl drop spindle filled with 2-ply mixed wool yarn, my foot and asphalt in the background because I took the picture while walking.

I plied nearly twice as much yarn in half the time with the top whorl spindle versus the Turkish spindle. I can really get the top whorl spindle going by rolling the shaft along the outside of my leg. The Turkish spindle I have to get spinning with a flick of my fingertips.

Photo description: Top whorl spindle on left, Turkish spindle on right, both wound with 2-ply blended wool yarn.

Now there is a difference after plying between the two spindles. The top whorl spindle has to be unwound from the shaft and wound into a ball or cake before it can be used. The Turkish spindle shaft and arms pull out of the yarn turtle and leave a center-pull ball of yarn that doesn’t need rewinding. I like to wind my yarn on a niddy noddy and wet set the twist, so did not save time in that area on this project. If I didn’t want to use the yarn right away, and wanted to let time set my twist, and marvel at the pretty geometric wrapping, a Turkish spindle is a way to go.

Eureka!

On By CarynIn Craft

Turkish spindle yarn wrapping finally clicked with me. I’ve been following the “over two, under one” guidance for wrapping the turtle of yarn around the arms of the spindle, and I finally saw the pattern begin to emerge and was then able to follow along.

Photo description: 3D printed Turkish style spindle with a geometrically wrapped turtle of yarn, with a center-pull turtle in the palm of my hand as I walk the neighborhood.

The key, for me, was on which side of the previous wrap of yarn to put the new wrap of yarn. To start a new layer, the “two over” strand goes right next to the shaft, and the “one under” goes on the outside of the yarn under the spindle arm. As I wrap, the yarn goes outside the wraps next to the shaft, but inside the wrap under the arm. Ah ha. This method is slow, but satisfying; a good meditative practice.

Even though my previous attempts at a geometrically balanced turtle were not successful, they still worked beautifully as center-pull balls of yarn. In the picture above I was making a two-ply yarn from the center and outside strand of one turtle. So whether or not the ball of yarn is messy, it still does its job.

Spin, spun

On By CarynIn Craft

I have finished single spinning the bonus box of blended fiber from Anniewhere. I put the box somewhere safe, forgot where that was, but found it before I made anything from the rest of the fiber; I’ll take that kind of luck.

Photo description: two haphazard turtle-style cops of single spun yarn next to a disassembled 3D printed Turkish spindle.

I really like this Turkish spindle. The arms were 3D printed with flexible filament, and I dropped it several times on my walk with no ill effects. It is not my design, but one I purchased at a fiber festival.

I’m still quite envious of the perfectly wrapped Turkish spindles I’ve seen on spinners’ posts. Mine look like birds nests. The advice I keep reading is to wrap the yarn over two arms, and under one. I did that. I’ll keep trying, though, maybe it will click.