If you can twirl a top, you can spin yarn with a spindle!  Many people think that yarn can only be made on a wheel, but spinning wheels have only been around for 300 years, and humans had been spinning for thousands of years before that.  The spindle was one of the first tools in human prehistory and it will spin yarn today as well as it did 3,000 years ago when it attired Egyptian queens, or 1,000 years ago when it supplied the sails that powered Viking ships. Spindles can travel anywhere, require no maintenance or specialized tools and can produce plenty of yarn-- advantages that are often overlooked. 

Students will be making yarn with a spindle by the end of the first hour of class, gaining confidence and proficiency as the day progresses. On the second day we’ll branch into different fibers – animal and vegetable – and explore spindle types from around the world. Students will take home a spindle and at least two ounces of fiber. Students ages 6-13 are welcome to attend with an adult. Students ages 14 and up are welcome to attend on their own.

Required Tools 

• Please bring a small throw rug (like a bathroom rug) or a large towel

Optional Tools

• Spindles or any spinning tools you may have