Sourcing Materials for Turkey Wing Whisk Class

If you would prefer to source your own materials for the class rather than purchasing a materials kit from me, here are the details of how to do so!

Broomcorn

You will need at minimum two 6 oz bundles of 18″ broomcorn hurl to make both whisk brooms shared in the course. If you’d like to make more than 2 brooms (which I highly encourage! They make great gifts!) then I would recommend ordering directly from Caddy Supply. Their minimum order is 10 pounds – which will allow you to make up to 25 turkey wing whisks! Be sure to order 18″ processed broomcorn hurl.

If you would like to order dyed broomcorn, you can do so through Meckley Brooms. This broomcorn is significantly more expensive because of the time/labor that goes into dyeing and drying. They do not have 18″ broomcorn hurl, so I would suggest purchasing the 20″.

String

I order my string from a company called Creative Yarn Source. You will want to purchase the #18 La Espiga Nylon String. It comes in a variety of colors! I would suggest starting with this string, and if you decide to continue with broom-making, branching out and experimenting with other kinds of string. I prefer this because it can withstand a lot of tension without breaking.

Foot Treadle

I have a local friend whom I source the wood from and someone else who turns the wood on a lathe to create a smaller diameter area. The purpose of the foot treadle (or string winder, broom kick winder, tyeing frame are also other names for this tool!) is to keep the tension on the string while you wind it around the broomcorn.

You can use something as simple as a round wooden dowel or stick (so long as its very straight) I find it helpful to have a smaller diameter area in the center of the stick so that the string can be wrapped around without mounding up too much. I start with a 16-18″ long 2X2 piece of lumber and have the center area turned on a lathe. You can also use a drawknife or carving knife to widdle away an area.

Scissors

You’ll need a pair of these! I sell some great one’s in my shop that stay sharp, which I love!

PVC Pipe Cutter/Serrated Knife

The last part of the process in making this broom will be to cut the very top off so that it has a finished look. (You may or may not choose to do this, depending on your aesthetic style) In my video, I demonstrate this with a pvc pipe cutter, which is my tool of choice! You can purchase these at a store like Home Depot or Lowes or anywhere they sell plumbing tools. You can also use a serrated kitchen knife, which most people have! (If you don’t have one, try a thrift store to save on cost)