When spinners talk about accessories, we are usually thinking of wheels and spindles, handcards and combs. We love these tools so much that spinnerly chat and debate can overlook the other accessories that make our primary spinning accessories such a joy to use. Different types of lazy kates, e-spinner orifice tools, and niddy noddies can all inspire equally enthusiastic opinions. And you might not even know you have strong feelings about lazy kates until you try a different one!
Helen Barbara Mawdsley discovered that placing a coin or small metal washer into one of the pockets of her spinning apron, she could easily secure the spindle bowl to her lap.
This year, our annual Fall tool issue is dedicated to those extra accessories that smooth our path. Heavenly Bresser inspires us to take another look at the nøstepinne, demonstrating three ways to wind a center-pull ball, each of which has its own impact on twist. Woodworker Helen Barbara Mawdsley shares a clever trick for keeping a supported-spindle bowl secure in her lap—magnets!—and a sweet apron rich in pockets. German naturalist A. Sabine Schröder-Gravendyck inspires us to look to woody plants in our own backyards for storage bobbins worthy of your woolly singles.
Devin Helmen and John Mullarkey team up to show you how to spin and weave this pin-loom scarf using a luxurious blend of silk and wool.
Knowledge is also a tool. Ellen McKean shares tips for developing your color skills, Holly Callahan-Kasmala encourages us to add patience to our toolbox when working with Hog Island fleeces, and Mimi Seyferth introduces us to some of the spinning tools and customs of the nomadic Sarakatsani peoples of northern Greece. Grab a copy of Spin Off's Fall 2021 issue and get inspired to spin this fall!
Wishing you peace and perfectly filled bobbins,
Kate