Bee Hummingbird

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Ed’s been dreaming of this for a long time. For the past few days he’s been having a blast creating in the shop.

The Bee Hummingbird is the world’s smallest living bird.
Ed’s newest spindle isn’t quite as small as the Bee Hummingbird, but it is tiny.

The Bee Hummingbird, which we’ll call Bee for short is sitting below another …

small spindle, the

Kuchulu!

Yes, they’re quite tiny.
Enchantingly, charmingly so.
I didn’t want to let go.

Introducing Ed’s latest creation: The Turkish Spindle Bee Hummingbird!

This Pink Ivory Bee spun like a, well, like a hummingbird moving its wings. And that Lilac one perched below my hand? It’s spinning capabilities were astonishing. It handled the Ply on the Fly (POF), chain plying admirably.

I didn’t think something so small and light would spin as long as it did.

This snakewood Bee spun pretty swiftly too.  Dressed in POF yarn that it spun.

Get the idea of how small they are?

As with all Ed’s spindles they’re made one at a time by hand, with lots of careful sanding, so they all vary somewhat in size. Just like birds in real life. (There are no computers, nor ever will be, in Ed’s shop. He’s pretty much a confirmed Luddite.)

Looking at how small it really is.

Ed’s planning to make more these next two days to have at OFFF. These will not be available in stores as they are a real challenge to make, including sanding skin off his fingers.

Going forward after OFFF we will most likely hold drawings for them as Ed makes them. (Hooray for drawings!) Ed has to be in the right zone to make these small Bees.
There’s a large back-order list from stores that he’ll need to attend to after OFFF so it may be awhile before he has the opportunity, and feel for making them. But, Lord willing and the creek don’t rise or the forests burn down, there will be more available in the near future.

44 Comments


  1. Those of us who cannot attend OFFF will feel orphaned, not having access to the Bee. Enjoy the event.


    1. Oh dear, we don’t want people to feel like orphans! 🙁
      Ed will be making more that will be available to the world at large.


      1. OH THANK GOD!!!!!

        ♡♡♡♡♡


  2. Oh. My. Gosh. I neeeeed one of these.


  3. Can’t wait to see you both at OFFF! Thank you again for your generous hospitality last year! Susan and I so enjoyed your company.
    Anna Anderson
    Calico Farm Fiber Art


    1. See you in a few! Have a good, and safe trip over.


  4. Oh my gosh!!! Oh…Oh..Oh….!!! Wow!

    :O)


  5. The Bee Hummingbird spindle is amazing! I thought the Kuchulu was tiny. So fascinating that he can make them sooooo small! One fine day, I hope to have one ; )


  6. I thought Ed mastered the mini-Turkish spindle with the Kuchulu. The “Bee” is amazingly small! He’s so clever!!


  7. Love to own one! Sign me up for the drawings!


    1. Thank you! Please stay tuned. When Ed has made more, after OFFF, (and catching up with Store Orders that have been on the back burner as he’s made spindles for OFFF, we’ll post details and directions on the drawings.


  8. I love the idea of the new spindle and I haven’t purchased one in a long time. Wednesday is my birthday.


    1. Early Happy Birthday to you Ellen! It has been a long time. Thanks for wanting another Jenkins Spindle!


  9. Seriously I would love another spindle. Doesn’t have to be a Bee


  10. Would love to order one (or more!). Please advise on how best to place an order. Thanks!!


    1. Thank you for wanting one! Sorry, we’re not taking requests. The current plan is to hold drawings in the future. After OFFF, as Ed makes more we’ll post details and directions on the Blog.


  11. I want one is those beauties

    ♡♡♡♡♡


    1. Thank you! We hope that Ed will be able to make enough to get them into everyone’s hands who’d like one.


  12. Beautiful! Can’t wait for a drawing but, Ed, take care of those fingers!


    1. Thank you, for the compliment and caution to Ed! He does need to take care of his fingers and hands! Stay tuned for a drawing in the (we hope) near future.


  13. They are absolutely adorable. Great job! I look forward to the day they are available and I can get one.


    1. Thank you! We hope you’ll have one someday.


  14. Love to get a Bee!


    1. We can hope that eventually one will fly in your hands.


  15. Beautiful. It’s a shame I can’t make OFFF this year!


    1. Perhaps another trip to BSG? It’d be great to see you (and your mom!) again.


  16. OMG, I would love to try one of these!


    1. What do they weigh?


      1. So far they’re ranging from 3 grams – 6 grams.


  17. Can we put ourselves on a waiting list for one of these?


    1. Thank you for wanting one! Sorry, we’re not taking requests. The current plan is to hold drawings in the future. After OFFF, as Ed makes more we’ll post details and directions on the Blog.


  18. OMGosh! I want one of these for quiviut. They are beautiful tiny works of art. I can understand though how challenging they must be to make.


    1. Thank you! They would be terrific for spinning cobwebs of quiviut!


  19. Amazing! Not only its tiny size, but how well it apparently spins!


  20. I’m so excited. Can’t wait to feel them. We were going to head up there this year but the Irma hit changed our plans. Tim is so busy getting everybody’s property back in order. Most everyone has electricity now. We got ours back on Saturday. We still don’t have internet so I’m using hot spots.


    1. Sorry you can’t make it this year but we understand! Blessings on both of you – and all the others picking up after Irma.


  21. I’m sure lots of us Jenkins fans would love to see a video of one of the Bees in action. Perhaps a future YouTube project?


    1. Thanks for the terrific idea! Of course, since they’re all slightly different they each spin differently but at least a video would give people a good grasp of how small they are and the threads they spin.


  22. I’d love that!


  23. Wanda,
    I love Ed’a spindles. I’m having a significant lust episode going on here for a Bee. I love tiny, beautiful, well handcrafted spindles. Please put me in the drawings.


  24. Oh my goodness that little Bee is darn adorable and such a cutie! Ed is such an artist and really shows off the beauty of each wood in his spindles! The Bee is definitely a MUST HAVE! I also LOVE the snakewood – a wood that I have been ogling for a while and had always hoped that Ed would add to his wood collection! Hurrah for you and Ed! It looks like such a homerun! I cannot wait to eventually have one in the palm of my hand to send into spinning heaven! 🙂


  25. Oh my!!! This is awesome and must have!! 🙂


  26. These are just beautiful and would love to have one, I only spin on light weight spindles sence my hand surgery and these sound perfect.

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