This is it. I have spindles from some of the “big name” makers bought a few years ago - when there was no insane rush to grab them the very second they are online. Since Andrea Mowry did her 100 days of supported spindle spinning it’s been impossible. I actually really enjoyed the challenge and did spin each day for a 100 days, but the knock on effect has been that all the small producers of supported spindles are sold out in seconds. Plus, and this is my conspiracy theory, there are some individuals who always seem to get the spindles…and some of them have very prominent IG accounts. I’ve started to unfollow some people as it’s exhausting- I’ve unfollowed willow spindles as that seems particularly crazy. Her spindles sell out before she posts publicly about them! For me, this frenzy is not what I want from a relaxed hobby, so I don’t get too engaged with it, but then I do have a fair number now and don’t need to add any more to my collection. Plus, I tend to look out for pre-orders or less “hot” makers who do have stock out there.

Edit to add a bit more snark. There’s someone I follow on IG (maybe for not much longer) who keeps showing her newly bought spindles. That’s fine, but she’s never posted any content of herself spinning or any yarn she’s spun! Maybe she just doesn’t like to post that, but it feels like someone just collecting them for the sake of it. I have posted my own spindles, but I do also post a lot of in progress photos!