Tools & Accessories

	Spinning Cotton on the Charkha  DVD    $34.95

The video is a comprehensive hands-on workshop including material from my Charkha 101 and Charkha 201 classes. While I use the Indian book charkha for the video, the techniques are appropriate for any spindle wheel, including the great wheel.

I use teaching techniques I have developed in the years since 1996 when I began teaching on the charkha. My students have taught me as much as I have taught them. I am indebted to them for sharing their struggles and challenging me to solve common problems in simple ways.

	Tuned Indian Book Charkha     $145.00

I choose the book size charkha because of the quality compared to the briefcase models.  The accelerated box charkha was developed for Gandhi's Contructive Programme in the early to mid 1930's.  It was designed specifically for spinning cotton, and the ratio is approximately 65 to 1. 
Tuned means I tighten what needs to be tightened, loosen what needs to be loosened, use sandpaper and steel wool where needed, replace drive bands, doctor the bearings, then test drive. 
The charkha comes with 3 spindles and a skein winder.

	Khadi-Khanoo™ shuttle     $47.50

A boat shuttle that holds charkha spindles from 6" to 8" in length. (Not just for book charkha spindles.) 
This is an application of a very old idea to some newer tools.  Until industry went away from shuttle looms, many of the shuttles held the bobbins that were used in the spinning frames.  The spindle of the charkha is just the right size for a small hand shuttle.  It also allows the thoroughly modern handspinner to break away from the notion that all handspun must be plied, as this shuttle allows handspun singles to be used as weft. 
What is "khadi", you ask?  It is handspun, handwoven cloth.  Click on khadi to see statistics of hand production in India. 
 

Accessories 

First, a note on the band sets. I do not call them "speed kits", because they don't do anything to change the speed per se. They do make it easier to turn the drive wheel. That said, these band sets may deliver a slightly higher ratio than the "speed kits" available from other places. The ratio can vary depending on the diameter of the band that goes from the accelerator wheel to the spindle; the thicker the diameter of the band, the lower the ratio. I use a very thin cotton band while most "speed kits" contain a poly band much thicker than the cotton. You can check the ratio easily by counting the number of times your yarn wraps around the spindle in one full revolution of the drive wheel. For the book charkha, it should be at least 65:1.

Charkha Tuning Kit  $12.00
Includes instructions, band set, sandpaper, emory cloth, steel wool, beeswax

Briefcase Charkha band set (26.65" circumference) $4.50

Midsize Charkha band set (24.3" circumference) $4.00

Book Charkha band set  (16" circumference)   $3.50 

Extra spindles    $11.00 each

License plate frame: "My other wheels/spin coloured cotton" $4.00 

Guatemalan Charkha tote    $39.00  These are one of a kind shoulder bags from the Fair Trade Guatemalan women's co-op UPAVIM. They are padded and feature brocade panels on the front and on the back cell phone pocket. Shown are front and back views.They have many pockets and enough room inside for the charkha and fiber.