String Spinner STory

My name is Ed, and my story, the story of String Spinner, is a story of transformation, a legacy of redemption. You see, my father, a heroin addict, battled addiction for 20 years before finding sobriety. He chronicled his journey in the book, "Mind of an Addict," a testament to the human capacity for change. I, too, found myself lost, imprisoned by my own choices, literally. Yes, it took being stripped of everything and put behind bars before I could be free to see my situation, and the world, differently. 

From a sort of inspired necessity, in prison everyday items, discarded and overlooked, became a canvas for creativity. Things like chip bags, buttons, and fragments of soap were transformed into something functional. One day, needing dental floss, I learned to spin a piece of trash bag into some string. Soon discovering that there were many other uses for this string, it became lucrative (if you consider collecting honey buns and ramen noodles lucrative) to make bunches of it.

With a stirring faith, I became enamored by crosses made with string from torn up brown or beige blankets. Not wanting to tear up blankets, I was content to forgo color and make crosses from an ample supply of trash bag string. Fortunately, before the 1st cross was even made, there came an idea for coloring the string with coffee. That worked great, and what followed was a coloring frenzy! Hot balls, M&Ms, and Skittles are just a few examples. One night, fully engaged in creative mode, I took a break and decided to read the only book available to me, the Bible. Suddenly, my soul was excited when a verse jumped out at me, “May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us, yes, establish the work of our hands”. Psalm 90:17.  It was at this time, I think, when the most important transformation that could happen was being accepted, or at least acknowledged as possible.

Through relentless trial and error, I refined those crude prison techniques to create intricate necklaces, bracelets, keychains, and, of course, my signature rosary beads. Upon release from prison, I couldn't wait to get to the nearest craft store and have access to the endless supply of colorful string. However, everything I used seemed to lack something in one way or another. Especially missing was the workable rigidity that was found in what could be spun by hand. Also missed, was being able to come up with small lots of color on a whim, especially variegated colors. So, as I returned to producing the string myself, I started to wonder if there was a market for this string.

From about 2015 to 2020, I experimented with various tools and materials, but the process for creating a consistently acceptable string was only modestly improved. 

In 2019, I started working in a wire mill as a machine operator. Surrounded by spinning things, it didn't take long to recognize how some of these machines seemed to do what was needed for my string making purposes. As I was trying to think of ways to scale down a $100,000 wire twinning machine, an actual engineer told me, “You know, you might want to look into a yarn spinning wheel.”  Duh!

So yeah, the natural fibers market, a much bigger market than I would have expected, and more than a few electric wheel manufacturers to choose from. I went with a manufacturer in the mid price range. The spinner worked better than I hoped it would and inspired further research into different manufacturers as I developed a kit that would go with the spinner. Ultimately, the company I chose to work with was Dreaming Robots. There are many reasons why I like this company, starting with the personality and honest engagement that the owner, Maurice, has with his customers. Then there are the inspiring design modifications along with many instructional videos. I bought a bunch of his spinners and became a wholesaler even though I knew I wouldn't be selling anything for a while. 

Now of course these spinners were designed to spin natural fibers. I couldn't help but appreciate the irony of how String Spinner, and the spinning of repurposed plastic, flies in the face of anything natural. Gosh, the whole story around String Spinner has been anything but natural. String Spinner is a continuation of my family’s story, a testament to the power of redemption. It’s about taking the discarded, the overlooked, and giving it new life. It’s about turning limitations into opportunities, and finding beauty in the unexpected. And it’s about sharing that spirit of transformation with others, one strand at a time. 

I invite you to join me, to spin your own story, and to create something truly extraordinary.