# The leader on your spinning wheel



## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

So with the Interweave Press Hurt Book Sale, I bought a copy of Jacey Boggs' book, Spin Art: Spinning Textured Yarns. it came with a DVD. I watched it yesterday and learned a new, neat trick.

Most of us, or all of us here, use a fuzzy or woolie string as a leader on our wheels. We tie one end to the bobbin core, and the other end thru the orifice, we hold our roving to it and twist joins them with friction. Sometimes it comes apart as you begin to let yarn go to the bobbin.

Jacey does it different. She uses something that looks like a shoelace. You tie BOTH ends to the bobbin core, to make a loop. With the loop thru the orifice, put your roving end into the loop, and add twist until the loop is twisted shut around your roving end. 

Now begin to draft and spin.

I am going to do this with all my bobbins. It looked pretty slick on the DVD.


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## InHisName (Jan 26, 2006)

Would this be for only the wheels with large orifices?


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

InHisName said:


> Would this be for only the wheels with large orifices?


Jacey uses this on a Lendrum wheel with only an average size orifice. She put thin stuff thru the loop, as well as thicker stuff. Sure you can use a different string for the loop than a shoelace, I don't know why it wouldn't work just as well.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I've always used a length of worsted weight yarn with a square knot to tie it into a circle. Then a lark hitch around the bobbin and the rest through the orifice. To attach, Put a piece of drafted roving through the loop, fold it on itself and begin to spin.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Similar to WIHH and Cyndi, either way I end up with a loop at the end and put the fibers through the loop.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

So, how LONG is your leader? I have 12 bobbins for Annie and they are all different.
Some of them I have cut through the loops (oopsie) and retied them til they are pretty short...only coming out the orifice a few inches?

I think all of my bobbins are done differently. With different gauges of yarn and tied on in different ways.

I always figure the first yard or so of my finished yarn is going to be junk anyway. :shrug:
I use that part to make ties for my skeins.

My 'favorite' leader is a piece of one of my first spinning attempts. It doesnt have a loop in the end.
I just attach the fiber right on as if joining with twist and go (as per Iowa Lez's OP).
It usually doesnt come undone. Almost never.

Seems like I have to adjust the takeup a couple of times when I get started, no matter what I do.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

I'd say the average length of my leaders is about 12". That's already tied onto the bobbin and with it's loop.


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## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

I make a loop out of some crochet thread. Don't know what that stuff is made of, but it's really tough.


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## PKBoo (Apr 10, 2008)

Ok - I REALLY need videos of all these knots you are talking about! I don't know knots, and can't visualize how to do them 

I just tie some of my first handmade yarn onto the bobbin (yes, it makes me happy to use it), then tie a loop at the other end.


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Well, now I feel like I've been riding on the short bus all this time, spinning for years without the loop! And so many of you had already figured this trick out...

The DVD with my new book is as close to taking a class as I've ever gotten, in all these years. No one I've spun with has ever had the loop in their leader, that they've shown me or mentioned, and I'd never seen it mentioned in Spin Off, either. Maybe I missed a mention of it in reading.

So this is a case of an old dog learning new tricks. Glad I got the book with the DVD!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

PKBoo, here is a link to an animated knot page. I linked the index so just click on the name of the knot, it should pop up with animated directions. Animated Knots List | Knots Alphabetical List | Choose a Knot
LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com


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## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

here is one simple way to do a leader (what I normally do):

Tie a loop in one end of your leader-string. Holding the loop in your hand, wrap the string around the bobbin and then pull the tail of the string out through the loop. Tighten. Voila, you have snugged it up on the bobbin. Make sure it doesn't spin around (hint: my Babe bobbins come with a velcro dot on the bobbin, and you attach your leader to the velcro - stays put every time!).

Bring the leader out the orifice, and either tie a loop in that end too, or, I often just fold it up into a U shape and lay my new fibre in the U. As soon as it starts spinning, the U makes a loop (held only by twist) and that is often enough to get me going. Also easy to undo afterwards.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I like to start in the middle of the bobbin. I prefer a nonfuzzy leader, such as crochet cotton. I tie it around the bobbin, then tape it to keep it put.


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## ohiogoatgirl (Aug 27, 2010)

i am still a newbie to spinning but i had seen/heard of the loop way of starting much much before i heard of starting by twisting onto your starter string.


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