Bristlecone Artisan Heirlooms

Among the makers of supported spindles, nobody does anything like the work of Bristlecone Artisan Heirlooms. A Glindle is a spindle with a glass ball for the spinning base: borosilicate glass, hand shaped with beautiful designs inside the glass and a perfectly rounded tip for spinning. Twindles are tapered spindles with faceted crystals in the tip, spun right on the point of the crystal. And then there some made from just wood, no crystal or glass. Most are decorated with pyrography (wood burned designs), and they are difficult to acquire as the demand is far greater than the makers can keep up with: when a shop update goes up, there are people waiting for the spindles to appear and they are snatched up in minutes.

I heard, awhile back, that the Bristlecone team were looking for a particular fibre tool that I was able to source easily enough … so I offered a trade. My offer was accepted, the tools sent off and then, today, a parcel arrived for me!

The contents will take your breath away.

Left to right, we have an acorn spindle (decorated with a bird’s nest and a feather on the shaft – symbolic of hope and new beginnings), a dragon Twindle with a very bright pink crystal and scales drawn up the shaft (dragons are powerful and strong, and in many cultures are seen as wise and lucky), and a morning glory Glindle, with the most perfect blossom in the glass tip and a vine burned into the shaft. The bowl on the left says “amor vincit omnia” (love conquers all), and the one on the right is decorated with a moon and stars.

Here is another view:

And some photos the artists sent me earlier:

Stunning, beautiful tools – and these were made just for me, the designs chosen with intention and thoughtfulness.

I am grateful and pleased beyond words.