Cynthia Wood Spinner

10/16/2026

I look forward to seeing your projects. You may win a gift card to my booth.

✨ WHAT ARE YOU ENTERING IN THE SAFF FIBER ARTS COMPETITION?
✨ WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE!

Registration is still OPEN for the 2026 SAFF Fiber Arts Competition!

That project sitting in your craft room?
The skein you're especially proud of?
The shawl you've finally finished?
The thing you've been working on forever?

Maybe it's time to let it have its moment. ✨

SAFF's Fiber Arts Competition is a chance to share your creativity, celebrate your work, and inspire other makers.

And remember—there's always room to try something new.

The Deadline to enter the Fiber Arts Competition is October 20, 2026.
Registration Details can be found at:
https://saffsite.org/contests/skein-garment-fiber-art/

8 Days!

📅 October 23–25, 2026
📍WNC Agricultural Center in the Blue Ridge Mountains

🌐 www.saffsite.org

10/16/2026

Flashback Friday to one of my classes at Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair 2025.

I offer my starter classes each year. Get Hooked on Spinning Supported (sold out for 2026) and Making Yarn on a Spindle (one seat left for you next Friday the 23rd). I vary the other class I offer. This year I teach Plying Yarn on a Spindle Thursday afternoon the 22nd. It has space for you!!

I encourage students to share feedback with me after class. Next week is the first time for the new improved version of Plying Yarn on a Spindle at SAFF. I extended the time to three hours, simplified the homework, and focused the class on the best ways to ply yarn. Students of any experience level will benefit from the class. Sign up Now! I will offer a different class next year.

This photo from 2025 was my Intermediate Drop Spindle class.

I bring tools I made for my students, spindle spun yarn examples, and example spindle spun projects. I also provide all the fiber needed for class. Most of it sourced from SAFF vendors.

Join me Thursday and/or Friday to learn spinning with spindles.

10/15/2026

Tool Thursday: Beginner Friendly Spindle

I have a whole table in my booth and section on my website just for Beginner Friendly Spindles. Many of the spindles I make and sell are beginner friendly. I created the designation so beginners don't accidently start with the wrong spindle.

A spindle is a tool for putting twist into fiber. Having the tool work with you instead of fighting the tool makes all the difference.

My Beginner Friendly Spindles are all shaped for a long duration spin. Allowing you to know the spindle is slowing down to catch it when it stops spinning. Catching a spindle too late, after it has back spun and lost all the twist, is the most common source of frustration for new spinners.

My Beginner Friendly Spindles are top whorl drop spindles for easy handling. They are heavy enough to provide twist to most any yarn thickness. I don't make any spindles too heavy boat anchor weight.

Want to learn how to spin your own yarn? There is a seat left for you in my Making Yarn on a Spindle class Friday morning the 23rd at SAFF. This class includes a Beginner Friendly spindle I made.

Want to learn and are free Thursday afternoon the 22nd? Take my Plying Yarn on a Spindle class. You can start here or already be spinning and need to get conformable with the second step. I provide beginner friendly spindles for this class, purchase optional. This is a great chance to see what spinning is about before investing in a tool.

10/13/2026

Tip Tuesday: Take a spindle spinning class while you can!
Next week is the last chance for in person classes with me this year.

If you want to learn how to spin yarn on a spindle I made, come take one of my classes at SAFF!

My Get Hooked on Spinning Supported class is Sold Out.

There are two sets left in my beginner Making Yarn on a Spindle. This is a true beginner spinning class. One of my spindles is included in your class fee. Friday morning October 23

Thursday afternoon October22 is Plying Yarn on a Spindle. Everyone from total beginners to experienced spindle spinners will enjoy the class. Total beginners will be spinners by the end of class. You receive a plying scarf, plying balls, and fiber from The Ross Farm. You also get 3 hours to try all my best plying tricks and ask questions.

10/12/2026

Mail Monday with the chance to learn and shop in person.

The photo is a Beginner Friendly Branch Size Top Whorl Drop Spindle I made from Tulip Poplar and Maple woods.

If you want to learn how to spin yarn on a spindle I made, come take one of my classes at SAFF!
Thursday afternoon October22 is Plying Yarn on a Spindle. Please don't feel like you need experience with spindles, plying, or spinning to take this class. I keep it a small group. Everyone from total beginners to experienced spindle spinners will enjoy the class. Total beginners will be spinners by the end of class.
Friday morning October 23 is Making Yarn on a Spindle. This is a true beginner spinning class. One of my spindles is included in your class fee. Two seats left sign up now.

Also October 23-25 is the full festival. I have my booth in the Davis Arena under the middle huge fan. You can shop all my tools and try them before buying. If you miss my classes and need to learn how to spin I give basic beginner lessons in the booth time permitting.

10/10/2026

SAFF starts in 12 days! Yeah!!!
Join me in the WNC Ag Center across from the Asheville Airport for Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair.

Thursday October 22
Classes!
Claim your seat now! My Plying Yarn on a Spindle class has a few seats left. Great for anyone with or without any spinning experience. I keep the class small so I can help everyone.
My Get Hooked on Spinning Supported class is full.

Friday October 23
Classes continue, shopping begins, and all festival activities are underway.
There may be a seat left in my Making Yarn on a Spindle class in the morning.
My booth is in the Davis Arena under the middle fan, booth number 321.
Saturday & Sunday 24th & 25th
The whole wonderful festival continues. I am in my booth after I finish teaching Friday morning. I offer brief intro spinning lessons with spindle purchase in the booth.

Photo me, Cynthia D. Haney, spinning on one of my classic top whorl drop spindles in my booth ~2023. I am wearing a poncho that I knit from yarn I spun and plied with my spindles. All yarn and project examples in my booth are my own spindle spinning.

10/09/2026

2 seats are left in my class Friday morning October 23 at SAFF!
Making Yarn on a Spindle
Fall in love with the relaxing art of spinning. Make your first handspun yarn with a drop spindle designed for easy use. Experience various fiber preparations by spinning a sampler. Build skills for confident spinning by using the park-and-draft method. Learn what to do with your spindle-spun yarn.
Cynthia, a spindle maker, loves sharing her spinning passion with beginners.
The materials fee covers the spindle (yours to keep), and supplies for class. Leave prepared to shop the festival for fiber to continue spinning.
This is a beginner class, no experience necessary.



I have space for you Thursday afternoon October 22 in Plying Yarn on a Spindle. These two classes compliment each other well.

If you have ever tried spinning with a drop spindle, want to try for the first time, or spin but need some help plying. The Plying Yarn on a Spindle class is for you. I provide spindles (purchase optional) keeping the class cost low.

10/08/2026

Tool Thursday: Size Matters

All the spindles I make are one of a kind functional art. I sort them into three sizes for easier communication. The smallest is my Twig size. Very light weight usually around 1/4 ounce they excel spinning very thin yarn. If the yarn is thick enough to see from across a room the twig size spindle is too small. I call my middle size Branch and they excel spinning a wide range of yarn thickness. Can you guess what I call my large size? Trunk size is my biggest. They can spin yarn as thick as you desire and can still spin thin yarn, just not thread thin.

When I say spin I refer to the yarn currently being twisted by the spindle. That starts as singles which is the first spin where you have a handful of fluff, draw some out, and add twist making yarn. Once you have singles you can combine two or more singles on the spindle to make a plied yarn. Since it is two, three, or more strands joining with the plying twist it gets thicker. I do most of my plying on my Trunk size spindle. It has no problem providing twist.

I teach a class Plying Yarn on a Spindle and provide both Trunk and Branch size spindles for students to use. If the student has very thin singles I have them ply on the Branch size. Otherwise we ply on the Trunk size. Come learn how to ply yarn and try out different spindles in my class October 22 at Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair in Asheville, NC.

10/07/2026

Teaberry Fiber Mill thank you for providing Alpaca roving! It was delightful to spin demonstrating my drop spindle.

Our rainy day under the big tent made Alpaca a perfect choice. It still drafted like soft butter despite the humidity.

In the photo a beginner friendly branch size top whorl drop spindle handmade by Cynthia D. Haney. I turned the whorl from Cherry, shaft from Maple, and shaped the Bronze hook. The cop, yarn stored on the spindle's shaft, is my handspun singles from Saturday at Fall Fiber Festival. I paused frequently to teach beginner spindle spinning lessons and help customers. It is resting on a mound of the natural colored Alpaca roving. I look forward to spinning more of this delightful fiber.

In the

10/06/2026

Tip Tuesday

Carpe diem! We can't count on next time.

Come to Asheville, NC in two weeks for Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair. We use the entire fairgrounds with parking lots and buildings. Climate controlled buildings :) No mud or cold to worry about.

I am teaching October 22 Get Hooked on Spinning Supported and Plying Yarn on a Spindle. October 23 Making Yarn on a Spindle. The Plying class is great for anyone. Beginners can start with it and take my Making Yarn on a Spindle the next morning. Experienced spinners will gain all the tricks for easy plying.

I keep learning that we can't count on next time for festivals or classes. The weekend was great proof of it. Left Saturday thinking of what layers I would use to stay warm and dry Sunday. Had some trouble driving out in the mud. Only to have Sunday cancelled due to the mud and more rain. We want people to come, but not get stuck or fall in the mud. Three different years over two festivals totally cancelled due to named storms. Not to mention 2020.