How Do You Spin Yarn Using A Drop Spindle?
Tired of the same old yarns at your local yarn shop? Want to try your hand at making your own yarn? A simple drop spindle and some fiber is all you need and both are easy to come by. Actually, a stick and a potato are said to work, but I think it would wobble just a bit too much for my taste. Anyway, people the world over still spin on drop spindles because spinning wheels are very expensive. This is a cheap way to a) learn to spin and b) decide if you want to invest in a wheel. Get to know your spindle: It has three parts. At the top is a hook. Sometimes this is a little groove carved into the shaft, but usually it is a hook. On a top whorl spindle, the kind used here, there is a round piece called the whorl just below the hook. This provides the “spin.” The whorl may also have a little notch in the side which is helpful in controlling the yarn. Finally, there is the shaft. This is the long, skinny part your yarn will wrap around. Get to know your fiber: Hopefully, you are not startin
