Navajo Spindles

So I am trying to get myself on the ball about posting new articles for this blog. Today's article is about Navajo Spindles and the Navajo Churro.

While at Olds College this year, for my Level 2 of the Master's Spinner's course, I learned a little about the Navajo Spindle, enough that I felt I wanted one of my own and enough that I wanted to work on some research about the Navajo Spindle and the unique method of spinning that the Navajo people use to ply their yarn. They use their yarn for rugs and blankets and they have become famous for them.

First let me tell you that it is not the easiest thing to spin on a Navajo Spindle because it is a "quill" style of spindle. At between 30 - 36 inches and with a 5 1/2 inches disk located at about 8 - 10 inches above the bottom, the spindle has no hook on which to harness your yarn. The spindle sits on the floor and is a version of a support spindle. There are smaller versions that are used in the sittiing on the floor position. The larger is used sitting in a chair, and this is the version that I am most interested.

Quill style spindles are not easy to get started. You roll a small amount of your fibre between your fingers and then with a small amount of spit you connect your fibre around the tip of the spindle. Then slowly twist the spindle so that the fibre is now twisting on itself. This is now your leader. Then holding the fibre source at a 45 degree angle from the spindle slowly draft out the fibre source while rolling the spindle in a clockwise manner either up or down your leg, depending on which leg you are using. This works best if working from a carded rolag. An even and consistent grist is not the intention here so don't worry if your yarn is looking lumpy and uneven. Once you've spun a length of singles make a loop as if to crochet a chain, then pull the singles through the loop. Twist the spindle in the counter clockwise direction and continue to pull the singles through loop after loop. In this way you ply the singles into a three ply yarn.

The Navajo Churro is a type of sheep that the Navajo people use to make their blankets and rugs. The Churro has a rather coarse type of wool that is strong and sturdy. With a staple length of 4 to 14 inches it has very little crimp and a double coat. The outer coat is about 36s while the inner coat is about 66s. The Churro is primarily bred for its wool, however, it almost became extinct when the American government tried to subdue the Navajo people by destroying the Churro. The Navajo people originally used plant fibres to do the same thing that wool eventually did but began to use the wool of the Churro after the Spanish introduced them to the new world. The Navajo method of spinning eventually became famous as the demand for their blankets and rugs increased. Today the Churro's wool is still bred for its strength and sturdiness and is still used to make blankets and rugs.

When I decided to buy a Navajo Spindle I started looking on-line to find a website that sold these giant spindles. They are not easy to find. Schacht has one for sale and that is by far the easiest one to find information on. But if you are trying to locat one that is a beautiful piece of furniture as well as a useful tool it gets tougher to find them. Here are two good websites that I found. The first is from Vermont www.graftonfibers.com and the second comes also from the US at www.woolworks.com Check out these two websites if you are interested in trying out this unique form of spinning.