Handmade Nostepinnes

Time has been flying by this summer and we've been getting behind on our blog posts. Dave's newest nostepinnes in the photo above have been sold, but there are more planned for the future. The "Wood Spirit" nostepinne was crafted from a piece of weathered juniper found on our property. The cholla cactus wood nostepinne has an interesting history to it, as it got it's start as part of a walking stick that Dave had made for himself during our time living in Arizona. So, if you purchased one of the first four of these nostepinnes, you have part of that cane :)

                                                                           

Beautiful Akha Spindles

The Akha style spindle is a new spindle for Grizzly Mountain Arts.  This type of spindle originated with the Akha people, an indigenous hill tribe that live in small villages at high altitudes in the mountains of Thailand, Burma, Laos, China, and Yunnan Province in China.

Dave has crafted the whorls of his Akha spindles from beautiful Spectra-Ply to reflect the bright, colorful textiles created by the Akha people.  He has used birch for the shafts, and brass was used to make the hooks.  Please click on each photo to go to our Etsy shop for more views of each spindle.

New Akha Style Drop Spindles

These Akha drop spindles are a new spindle style for Grizzly Mountain Arts.  The Akha on the top is a rosewood, maple and birch spindle, and the bottom spindle is a mini version that was crafted from padauk, maple and birch.  These spindles were sold in our Etsy shop.

Mini Tiger Maple French Style Support Spindle Travel Set

It's been a while since we've had any new mini travel sets in our Etsy shop!  This beautiful little set was crafted from tiger maple and features Dave's signature pyrographed leaf motif and hard Dymondwood tip.  Also included with this set is one of our handmade ceramic travel size spinning bowls.  The weight of this fiber art tool is 0.5 ounces (15 grams).

New Handi-Wind Tatting Shuttles

Four new Handi-Wind tatting shuttles are now for sale in our Etsy shop.  Dave crafted these newest shuttles from paduak, claro walnut, tiger maple and basswood.  He crafted the handles from maple burl and rosewood.

New Alternative Ivory Druid's Egg Bead Whorl Support Spindles

Dave's newest alternative ivory Druid's Egg bead whorl spindles feature shafts that he crafted from Brazilian ebony, ebony and bloodwood.  Additional photos of these unique handspinning tools can be seen in our Grizzly Mountain Arts Etsy shop. 

Handi-Wind Tatting Shuttles

Dave has specially designed this "Handi-Wind" tatting shuttle with a screw-in finger hold that aides in loading the shuttle without slipping out of your hand. It is particularly useful for tatters with arthritis and those who just have "all thumbs". To help keep track of the handle, Dave has added an eye and jump ring so it can be worn around the neck with a cord or ribbon.  The woods used for these first shuttles are cherry/tulipwood, basswood/walnut, walnut and birdseye maple/thuya burl.

We would like to thank Diane of the Lace-lovin Librarian Blog, for being an awesome beta tester of our first version of our new "Handi-Wind" shuttle.

Mini Dimpled Ceramic and Wood Support Spindle Bowls

Five new mini support spinning bowls were listed in our Etsy shop today.  These adorable little spindle bowls feature a dimpled earthenware ceramic insert.  The woods used in these bowls are hard maple, figured Oregon myrtlewood and African mahogany.

Tatting Picot Gauge Sets

Three new tatting picot gauge sets were listed for sale in our Etsy shop today.  These unique sets of brass picot gauges are a Grizzly Mountain Arts original design. The entire set telescopes inside each other and then slides neatly into the Oregon myrtlewood gauge case. The four size increments are: 1/4, 3/16, 1/8 and 1/16. Also included is a 2 inch brass ruler.  Thuya burl, Oregon myrtlewood and ambrosia maple are the woods used above.  If you'd like to see additional photos of these beautiful tatting tools, please visit our Etsy shop.

Brass Picot Gauge Set with Wooden Case©

New Alternative Ivory Druid's Egg Support Spindles

Four beautiful alternative ivory Druid's Egg support spindles were recently added to our Etsy shop.  Dave chose cocobolo, ebony, Brazilian ebony and bloodwood for the shafts of each unique handspinning tool.  If you'd like to view additional photos of each spindle, please click the link for the woods highlighted above.

New Crochet Hook Set with Stand

If you are a serious collector of handmade fiber art tools, then this gorgeous crochet hook set and stand is for you!

Dave has crafted the elegant crochet hook stand, which measures 7 inches in height with an approximate 3 inch diameter base, from silver maple. The hooks, which are crafted from birch and exotic woods, measure about 6 inches in length. The exotic finials are cocobolo, redheart, purpleheart, Pacific yew and maple burl. The size of each hook has been burn etched into the wood.  Additional photos of these fiber art tools can be seen in our Etsy shop.

Hook sizes: 

-- G7-4.5mm
-- H-5.00mm
-- I-5.50mm
-- J-6.00mm
-- K-6.50mm

New Top Whorl Drop Spindles

Four new top whorl drop spindles were listed in our Etsy shop today.  The woods used on the three featured above are from left to right, apricot/walnut, birdseye maple/cherry and holly/cherry.  The DIY spindle pictured below was crafted from poplar and birch.

Mini Eucalyptus Burl, East Indian Rosewood and Dymondwood Tibetan Support Spindle Travel Set

The 1 1/2 inch whorl of this mini Tibetan spindle was crafted from eucalyptus burl. The 8 1/2 inch shaft has been crafted from East Indian rosewood, and the tip has been crafted from purple dymondwood. The weight of this beautiful spindle is 0.8 oz. (21 grams).

When constructing his spindles, Dave mounts the spindle whorl blank on the shaft, and then turns and shapes the whorl and shaft together to achieve a well balanced spindle.

Also included with this set is a mini ceramic spinning bowl that travels securely in it's velvet pouch.

DIY Poplar and Birch Top Whorl Spindle

Here is your opportunity to put your own spin on making a one of a kind spindle for yourself or as a gift or resale. Why waste time and money on wooden toy wheels, crooked dowel rods, coffee cup hooks and split shafts? 

Dave has professionally crafted this DYI top whorl spindle complete with a 1 7/8 inch poplar whorl and a 9 1/2 inch birch shaft (8 inches below the whorl), brass hook and a notch in the 3 o'clock position. The whorl has been sealed and sanded smooth ready to paint (do not stain since the wood has been sealed). The birch shaft has already been finished with polish. Of course you don't have to paint it if you don't want to. Just wax the whorl and off you go. 

This spindle weighs 0.7 oz (21 grams) and can be found in our Etsy shop.

Ambrosia Maple Support Spinning Bowls

Our originally designed support spinning bowls combine the efficiency of a ceramic surface with the stability of a wide beautiful wooden base. The ceramic insert measures 1 3/4 inches in diameter, and the gorgeous twice turned ambrosia maple base is 2 3/4 inches in diameter and 2 inches in height. Cork has been added to the bottom of this bowl to keep the wood from scratching other hard surfaces.

**What is twice turned wood?**

Some of the woods that Dave uses, such as this ambrosia maple, can only be found green or "wet".  Green or "wet" wood has to be dried before it is used, otherwise the finished project would warp, crack or check.  Since Dave doesn't have a wood kiln to dry these woods, he cuts the wood to size and turns it once to get the desired shape.  He then sets it aside for months to allow the moisture to escape.  Once he has determined that all of the moisture is gone, he then turns the piece again which results in the finished project.

1.0 oz. Bubinga Tibetan Support Spindle with Matching Bowl

This beautiful little Tibetan support spindle weights 1.0 ounces (28 grams). The hickory shaft measures about 11 inches in length and the whorl, which is crafted from bubinga, measures about 2 inches in diameter.

Accompanying this spindle, is one of our originally designed support spinning bowls that combines the efficiency of a ceramic surface with the stability of a wide beautiful wooden base. The ceramic insert measures 1 3/4 inches in diameter, and the gorgeous bubinga base is 3 inches in diameter. Cork has been added to the bottom of this bowl to keep the wood from scratching other hard surfaces.

We are making the ceramic inserts for our support spinning bowls in a variety of glazes, and no two pieces ever come out of the kiln the same. Your bubinga and ceramic support spinning bowl will be one of a kind.

A Trio of Spindles

Walnut and Maple with Turquoise and Pipestone Inlay

This lovely trio of spindles were created for one of our wonderful patrons. The spindles were handcrafted from walnut and the carved checkered whorls have been inlayed with maple. The delicate inlay was created with turquoise and pipestone.

Brass Picot Gauge Set with Case for Lace Making

Brass Picot Gauge Set with Case for Lace Making

Dave has handcrafted this lace making picot gauge set from brass and the case is Holy Land olive wood. The beautiful case measures about 3 ¼ inches long. The brass gauges are 1/16, 1/8, 3/16 and ¼ inch round tubes that all slide together to fit neatly in the case. He has also added a 2 inch picot gauge ruler that also fits in the case with the tube gauges. This unique picot gauge set is currently up for auction on Ebay.

Cocobolo and Mammoth Ivory Top Whorl Silk Drop Spindle

Cocobolo and Mammoth Ivory Top Whorl Silk Drop Spindle

This top whorl silk drop spindle is approximately 7 1/2 inches long and weighs 1.8 ounces (50g). This spindle is made from Cocobolo. The whorl has been accented with ancient mammoth ivory, and a brass hook has been inset in the top. Additional photos of this beautiful spindle can be found at the Etsy listing.

Shipping is FREE to the U.S. and Canada for this spindle!

Purpleheart Top Whorl Silk Drop Spindle

Purpleheart Top Whorl Silk Drop Spindle

Dave has created the top whorl and stem on this spindle from purpleheart wood. This beautiful drop spindle is approximately 9 1/2 inches long and weighs 1.7 ounces. A brass hook has been inset in the top. If you would like to view more photos of this spindle, please visit the Etsy listing.