Drop Spindle Whorl

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I crafted this gift for my wife, who's eager to learn how to spin her own yarn. I based it on online tutorials for creating a drop spindle from a dowel, a cup hook, a grommet, and two CDs, then substituted the grommet and CDs with my custom-printed whorl. This gives me control over the shape, size, and weight (which can be adjusted by varying the fill percentage), as well as allowing me to create one or more notches to catch the yarn. Instructions: Cut a 7 to 14 inch section from a dowel of your preferred diameter. I used 10 inches of 3/8 inch dowel. Sand the dowel smooth and slightly taper one end. Optional: Install a small cup hook screw into the untapered end. Print a whorl with your desired size and weight specifications. You may want to start with a short print to ensure you have the correct spindle diameter. Slide the whorl onto the spindle. Look up instructions for using a drop spindle on YouTube, and enjoy the process.