{"id":10970,"date":"2024-03-12T13:18:13","date_gmt":"2024-03-12T20:18:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.textileindie.com\/?p=10970"},"modified":"2024-03-18T09:09:31","modified_gmt":"2024-03-18T16:09:31","slug":"drop-spindle-beginners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.textileindie.com\/drop-spindle-beginners\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Use a Drop Spindle for Beginners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Do you want to learn drop spindle hand spinning? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’re in the right spot! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This guide breaks down the basics, making it super easy for anyone to start spinning their own yarn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drop spinning is an ancient, inexpensive, and relaxing hobby. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All you need is a drop spindle and some roving, and you’re good to go. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ll help you pick out the best spindle, get your hands on some wool (roving), and show you how to spin like a pro. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I started using a drop spindle around age 8, before I received my first wheel as a gift. This is an excellent way to introduce people (young and not so young) to fiber crafts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, even though I have several spinning wheels now, I still go back to my trusty drop spindle once in a while. It’s light and portable, and you can pull it out in an instant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Drop spinning materials and tools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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There are two things you’ll need to get started spinning wool on a drop spindle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Drop spindle<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Wool fiber<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    While this may seem like a simple list, there is so much variety in these two things that it can be a challenge to decide what spindle to use and which wool to pick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Below, I will share some of my favorites to start out with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Drop spindles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    There are two main types of drop spindles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The top whorl and the bottom whorl. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A top whorl spindle, also called a high whorl spindle, has the round part of the spindle with the hook at the top of the spindle shaft and is held with the whorl above the shaft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A bottom whorl spindle, also called a low whorl spindle, is one where the round part is located at the bottom of the spindle shaft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The spindle is held with the whorl below the shaft. The wrapping process for winding up spun yarn and preparing to spin another section of yarn is more complicated and takes a few more wraps than the top whorl spindle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I prefer a top whorl spindle when beginning drop spinning as I find it easier to work with and less trouble to set up and learn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Try out both if you get the chance before diving in and buying a spindle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you’re not sure you want to invest in a drop spindle, check out our post on making drop spindles for free to practically free. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    5 Drop Spindles You Can Make at Home<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Wool fiber<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    There are many different breeds of wool, all of which have different characteristics and properties. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I suggest starting out with one of the following wools when starting on a drop spindle. These wools are more coarse and have long fibers which will make it easier to learn the spinning process without having to worry about the short fibers slipping and the spindle falling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Some suggestions to start drop spinning with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    • Romney<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Cheviot<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Corriedale<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Jacob<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Alpaca- This is a softer, finer fiber. Look for one with long fibers. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      After some success, you can move on to finer and softer wools and other fibers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Some suggestions to try:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      • Merino<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Bluefaced Leicester<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Shetland<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Llama<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Baby camel<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Angora<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Difference between wool roving, wool batting, and raw wool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        If you’re new to the world of wool, let me define a few important distinctions so you don’t buy the wrong type of wool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Wool roving<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

        Wool roving is a long, continuous strand of fibers that have been cleaned, carded, and drawn into a slender bundle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The fibers in roving are somewhat aligned, making it easier to spin into yarn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Roving is ideal for beginners in spinning because its preparation makes it easier to draft (pull into thinner strands for spinning).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Wool batting<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

        Wool batting is a sheet or layer of wool fibers that have been carded but not drawn into roving. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The fibers in batting are more loosely arranged than in roving and can go in multiple directions, though there’s some alignment due to the carding process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Batting is often used in quilting and for making felted items where a flatter or more expansive form of wool is beneficial. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Raw Wool<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

        Raw wool, also known as fleece, is wool in its most natural state, directly shorn from the sheep, with all the natural oils (lanolin) and impurities still present. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Raw wool requires processing before it can be used for spinning or felting. This includes scouring (washing to remove dirt and lanolin), picking (separating and fluffing the fibers), and carding (aligning the fibers to prepare them for spinning or further processing into roving or batting). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Working with raw wool gives spinners and crafters the most control over the final texture and quality of the yarn or felted project but requires a significant amount of preparation work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Best option for the drop spindle?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

        It is incredibly satisfying to prepare raw wool – taking it from sheep to shawl as fiber artists say. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        I do have videos and tutorials for preparing various types of fiber:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

        But, if you are staring out I suggest prepared roving. That way you can get started spinning right away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        Spinning wool <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Using a drop spindle requires that you manage several different functions practically at the same time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        You will turn the spindle so that it twists the yarn, draft the fiber so that there is something for the spindle to spin, and make sure each draft of fiber is relatively the same amount and density every time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        This can be a lot to handle at first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        I’m going to walk you going through each aspect of the process one at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Learn the processes individually before you try doing all of them at once. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Once muscle memory kicks in you will be able to spin pretty much without thinking. That makes drop spinning perfect to combine with screen watching, waiting, or chatting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        Learning the drop spinning process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        Setting up the drop spindle<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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        • Using a twenty-four-inch piece of yarn or twine, tie a loop around the shaft of the drop spindle right at the base of the whorl. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Wrap the yarn around the spindle two or three times.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Bring the yarn up the side of the whorl. If your drop spindle has indentations around the edge of the whorl set the yarn in one of the indentations. If not, just bring it up the side. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Wrap the yarn twice around the hook at the center of the whorl. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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          How to spin the drop spindle<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          Practice spinning using the yarn you set up in the previous steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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          • Hold the drop spindle in your dominant hand. Hold the remaining yarn coming off of the whorl hook in your other hand.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Hold the yarn about five inches from the hook, allowing the remaining yarn to lay over your hand out of the way.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Now, using your left hand to grip the yarn, release the spindle shaft with your dominant hand and give the spindle a twist.
            You will almost be snapping your fingers only with a spindle between them. Use your pointer, middle finger, and thumb to grasp the spindle and give it a gentle twist. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Hold the yarn up with your left hand and allow the spindle to spin until it begins to slow. Give the spindle another spin with your right hand. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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            Winding the spun yarn<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            When spinning, you create a length of yarn from your hand, holding the fiber down to the hook on the whorl of the spindle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Once this reaches a length that is hard to manage or the spindle reaches the floor, you will want to wind it up on the spindle shaft. Practice with the yarn you set up in earlier steps to learn how to do this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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            • Hold the end of the yarn, the hand holding the fiber, out in front of you, with the other holding the spindle so that the spun yarn is held between the two hands. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Untwist the yarn from around the hook, maintaining some tension on the yarn so that it doesn’t twist up on itself. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Wind up the yarn around the base of the whorl until you have enough length to go up the side of the whorl, loop around the hook twice, and have two or three inches hanging from the hook to your fiber hand. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

              That is the fiber winding process. As you spin yarn, you do this at intervals to wind up what you’ve spun and continue spinning another length of fiber. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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              How to draft fiber evenly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

              Fiber drafting while spinning a drop spindle can be challenging to master. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

              To eliminate the difficulty and to get a feel for the process, I’ll show you how to do this without the drop spindle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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              • Hold a piece of roving with your non-dominant hand. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • With your dominant hand, gently grasp a pinch of fibers and gently draw them out so that you have a tuft of fiber coming from the end of the roving. Try to keep the tuft attached to the end of the roving; don’t pull it out of the roving.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Again, gently grasp the base of this tuft that is still attached to the roving and pull it out further, grasping new fibers to continue the length of the tuft. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Keep doing this until you have ten to twelve inches of fiber pulled from the roving. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                How to draft fiber and maintain the spin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                Now it’s time to combine the spinning of the drop spindle, the drafting of the fiber, and the winding of the spun yarn into a smooth process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                This may take some patience, and it will involve spindle dropping and then having to reattach the fiber to the yarn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Breathe, relax, and embrace the journey of learning this technique. The outcome is rewarding when you start to see yarn accumulate on the spindle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                I promise this will become your most relaxing hobby!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                • Start by setting up your drop spindle with another length of yarn. This can be the same piece you used to practice on or a fresh piece. Tie a loop and put the loop over the spindle shaft. Wind it on a few times, then bring it up the side of the whorl and twist around the hook twice. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Tie another small loop into the end of the yarn so that the loop comes up an inch or two above the hook. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Grasp the wool fiber you are going to spin with your non-dominant hand. As we did in practice above, create a small tuft of fiber and thread it through the loop in the yarn. Draft enough of a tuft so that it will thread through the loop and loop back up to the fiber.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Pinch the loop of fiber in place about two inches above the yarn loop. Give the spindle a spin to twist the fiber loop together so that it holds. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Now, as the spindle slows down draft another tuft of fiber down to the spindle. To keep the yarn from spinning up and twisting into the fiber too far, pinch the base of the fiber and the piece you’ve drafted to spin so that you are holding a point for the twist to stop. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Each draft of fiber will only need a second or two of twist. So you will be balancing a rhythm of spinning the spindle, drafting, pinching the fiber, and doing this over again until you have a spun length that reaches the floor. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Wind up the spun yarn as directed in the winding section above. Leave enough yarn so that there are two or three inches above the hook.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Continue the spinning process until you have a full spindle. At this point, wind the yarn off of the spindle to either ply it with another batch of spun yarn or knit or weave it as a single-ply yarn. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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