Description

Bobbins And Bones And Brassy Bobs

Notice the ruler along the left side to help you figure out the size of the bobbins.

The reason I began to create bobbins was good bobbins in different shapes and sizes  were difficult to find. Many bobbins on the market were being designed too look pretty rather then practical and soft woods-birch- or made from exotic rain forest woods. Plastic bobbins were available, but didn’t have the traditional tip and the new pencil type tips were two short  and the tip would not co easily through the warps and the tips weren’t long or sharp enough to go through the warp  or tap properly-designed of soft woods with dainty shafts to barrel ratio’s that when used properly often broke. We now sell 9 different sizes and shapes of bobbins and bones. Our wooden tapestry bobbins are made by a local  woodworker-Conrad Witt- in Oregon.

English style bobbins

Based on Bobbin types that originated in in the UK and Australia. We carry the bobbins in two sizes. Medium and Large. For some tapestry weavers the English  bobbins are easier  on their hands because of their larger diameter then Swedish bobbins. And, some Anglophiles and just prefer them over the French or Swedish bobbins.

Medium  English Bobbin=5  inches long, The shank is 2.125 inches long(where the weft wraps around) diameter at thickest is.5 inches. 7.00

Large English bobbin=6.5 inches long, the shank is 2.5 inches(where the weft wraps around), and a slight bit over .75 inches. 8.00

Fairies and Petites

The “Fairy” is a lighter weight, small bobbin (approx. 3.75 inches long) with a large barrel-.5 inches at greatest diameter. This makes the bobbin easier to hold for people with arthritic hands. The “Petite” is a small bobbin, similar to the Swedish-style bobbin, but smaller, about 3.5 inches with a smaller barrel 3/8 of an inch at its greatest diameter.They are great for adults with small hands or children. See photos of these bobbins above compared to the other bobbins above. Retail:   7.00

Fairy bobbin– lighter weight, small bobbin (approx. 3.75 inches long) with a large barrel-.5 inches at greatest diameter. 7.00

Petite- to the Swedish-style bobbin, but smaller, about 3.5 inches with a smaller barrel 3/8 of an inch at its greatest diameter. 7.00

 

 

 Swedish Style Bobbins

These are well-made of recycled hardwoods of oak and walnut and will not break easily like the ones we were carrying from Sweden. Kathe has found that these bobbins are easier to get through small and large  sheds and work wonderfully for both small and large format work. We now have them in 2 sizes:

 

Swedish style bobbin-Large- 5.5 inches(Length) X .333  inches-( diameter can vary slightly)   7.00.

Swedish style bobbin-Small-4.5 inches(Length) X .333  inches-( diameter can vary slightly) 7.00.

 

Gramma Bobbins

The original prototype was from a bobbin that that belonged to Rebecca Metzof’s Grandmother.  I later found these bobbins in an old English Book on the Needle craft.  They are very big. The tips come in two shapes concave and a straight conical shape. The original bobbin is concave. the other was a mistake in my drawing to the Conrad Witt. I actually prefer the original, because the concave shape makes it impossible to rest your finger on the top of the bobbin point to work, which with these large bobbins is a plus. Ergonomically they are easier on the finger joint. The original is also shorter by 3/4 of an inch. These work best with very large sheds and warp setts. They also worked well; with young children, because of their size.

Gramma One(original) 5.5 inches, 2.75 inches(where the weft is wrapped) concave tip is a little less then 2 inches long, diameter 1 and 18th at it’s greatest width. 9.00.

Gramma Two(straight angle tip) 6 inches long, 3.25 inches where the weft is wrapped, largest diameter is one inch at its greatest width. 9.00.

Paradox Bobbin

This is one of my favourite bobbins that I have designed. I designed it with a concave tip to break my habit of trying to put my finger on the tip. Not a good thing for my wrist. I gave it a longer shank to hold more of my small format threads, but kept it the same length as my beloved Swedish Style bobbins. It’s a paradox because the paradoxical bobbin  seemed rather absurd in it’s shape, but may prove to one of the best bobbins ergonomically for my pointer finger and wrist. It comes in only one size.

Paradox Bobbin-Only size- 5.5 inches long (Length) X .333  inches-( diameter can vary slightly)shank is 3.5 inches long9where the weft is wrapped   7.00.

 

ELFIN Bobbin

 

The smallest bobbin in my collection of bobbins for the small format/small scale weaver or any size that requires small quantities  of very small  wefts. It’s especially great for things like silk and rayon.

Elfin Bobbin- 3.33 inches long with a diameter of  .25 inches at it’s thickest diameter. 7.00

Bones(Aubusson Bobbins)

Aubusson style bobbins traditionally used on low warp looms. Now be used on upright looms also. they are nicknamed bones because they kind of  look like chicken bones or drumsticks that are also called bones. The whole through the center longwise allows the bobbin to be filled on a shaft style bobbin winder. They work well on low warp looms because they don’t have a point that can easily fall through the warps. The traditional size is 4.75 inches, with a diameter of  at it’s larger diameters 5/8 inches. We also, make a smaller traditionally looking bone that is 3.25 inches long and a 5/8 inches at it’s largest diameter. the second smaller  is a bone with a spool type ends. It is slightly under 3 inches long and roughly 5/8 of an inch at it’s largest diameter. We can also make the larger spools the same size as the original bones. 4.75 inches.

Traditional Aubusson Bones size-The traditional size is 4.75 inches, with a diameter of  at it’s larger diameters 5/8 inches, shaft for bobbin winder 7.00.

Small Bones- Aubusson Style-3.25 inches long and a 5/8 inches at it’s largest diameter. the second smaller  is a bone with a spool type ends.7.00

Small Non-Traditional  Spool Type Bones-slightly under 3 inches long and roughly 5/8 of an inch at it’s largest diameter-spool type ends, can be filled with a bobbin winder .7.00

Large Non-Traditional  Spool Type Bones-special order at this time-4.75 inches, with a diameter of  at it’s larger diameters 5/8 inches, shaft for bobbin winder 7.00.

 

Gobelin Bobbins

Traditionally styled Gobelin Bobbins-8.5 inches long. May vary slightly. .5 inches at it’s thickest diameter. 9.00. We also have a selection of used Gobelin bobbins that we are willing to sale at 7.00 a piece. Many of these have the initials of the makers and or the initials of the original owners.

Traditional new Gobelin Bobbins 8.5 inches long. May vary slightly.- .5 inches at it’s thickest diameter. 9.00.

Used Gobelin Bobbins 8.5 inches long. May vary slightly.- .5 inches at it’s thickest diameter. 7.00.

Picklet Bobbins

Before the Brassy bob’s were available and back by popular demand- Picklets- a combination awl and bobbin designed by Kathe Todd-Hooker. Many people find it a handy tool to use as a non breakable pick. Made of hand tooled aluminum, with a drilled hole so it can hang from the loom with a cord. Two sizes available: 3.5 inches long and 4.5 inches long. 17.00 and 20.00

Picklets– Two sizes available: 3.5 inches long and 4.5 inches long. 17.00 and 20.00(no longer available)

 

 

 

Brassy Bobbins

We carry three of my favourite  sizes of John Moss’s Brassy Bob’s.  4.5 inches( Mini Brassy Bob), 5.5 with a slightly larger barrel inches and 6 inches. Made of local woods to Georgia. with a brass tip so that can be used as awls as well as bobbins. Using a brassy bob saves the tips of my preferred wooden bobbins. I usually keep maybe 3 on my tapestry loom tray while I am weaving with much larger numbers of wooden bobbins. While others especially on the East coast use only Brassy Bobs.

Joy Moss’s Brassy Bob’s– 4.5 inches( Mini Brassy Bob)14.00,

Joy Moss’s Brassy Bob’s-5.5 inches with a slightly larger barrel inches 18.00

Joy Moss’s Brassy Bob’s- 6 inches with a slightly larger barrel inches 20.00

All  Brassy bob’s are out of stock until further notice and the Moss’s are able to begin production of the brassy bob’s again. Thank you for your patience.