# I got my drop spindle kit today



## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

I got a drop spindle kit from 
Maine Woods Yarn & Fiber, 
http://www.etsy.com/shop/mainewoodsyarn, 
courtesy of Blueberry Chick.

I got the top & bottom whorl kit with the hand painted Boloxi Blues colored yarn, & 2oz of white.










I also got some handpainted main lobstah, and natural white.










Now Im learning to use the drop spindle. I think it was named right, cause Ive dropped it quite a bit :rotfl:.

Im glad I got both, there definitely is a difference.

Im not sure what I think of this so far. How long did you take any of you to get the hang of this? 

Im watching some youtube vids to get an idea of what to do. If any of you have any favorite vids, please list them. So far the hardest part is getting it to stay on the shaft & get it started. It came with instructions, I think I learn better visually though.

Where does carding come in? Is it an optional step before you spin the yarn?

How tight do any of you spin? Is it a matter of preference? Whats the pros & cons? Does tighter spun yarn have less chance of breakage?

Im glad I got the extra white, so I have enough to practice with before I get to the good stuff.

TIA on the questions, back to practicing on this!


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

Congratulations on your new drop spindle.
Yeah, I think they are called that for a reason too! 

In the beginning it can be very good to learn the 'park and draft' method of spinning.

[YOUTUBE]7gXTWgMeMgI[/YOUTUBE]


As far as how tight to spin it?...well. 
You will develop a feel for it. 
Tight enough that it holds together, but not so tight that it gets 'hard' or kinks up beyond managable.
Dont be too hard on yourself right at first.
Most people do overtwist their first yarns. 
It just takes practice.


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Thanks GAM,

Ive been watching her & a few others. Im trying to get the hang of the draft now. 
Im finding it easier to pull it apart in small sizes and join it as I go along, instead of trying to seperate while spinning. 

My first one is gonna be skinny in some places, and thick as can be in others :hysterical: Im starting to get used to the twist and thickness.

I wouldnt mind the practice so much if this stuff was cheaper :hair

I hope I can retwist some of it.


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

Once you get the hang of of drafting it out you can move up to working from raw fibers and preparing them yourself.
That saves some cash...but takes even more time instead. :teehee:

Good luck and keep practicing!
Those thick/ thin beginner yarns are something you will treasure later on.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

A few things to know. First to answer some of your questions. It took me years to get the hang of the drop spindle. I was spinning on a wheel for a few years first then tried the spindle, just couldn't get it. Finally figured out after actually reading Hands o Spinning by Lee Ravens that I was using the wrong hand for the wrong thing. So I switched and haven't looked back since  As far as carding goes you would not card the fibers you have now. You could be there would be no point. Think of carding as brushing hair. It is one of the steps you do during the processing of fibers.

Keep in mind that thicker yarn needs less twist than thinner yarns do to hold the mass together. Do with your thick/thin yarn your thin will be all kinky while your thick will seem just fine. Breaking the roving up will make it easier. Spinning from rovings is not necessarily the easiest way and if it is top or sliver it is even more difficult. Tearing it into more manageable strips and predrafting should help. As GAM said, be kind to yourself, it will come, but you will need practice.


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## Chaty (Apr 4, 2008)

I agree with the above..you will get the hang soon and it does take patiences. I love the bottom drop spindle better than the top spindle. Make sure you give yourself enough string so that it keeps the spindle going while you spin it. And yes I have better luck twirling the spindle with my left hand than the right. I know some watch videos but cant get them to work very well with my dial;-up internet so I ordered a video so I can go to it when I wanted to faster. Yes different fibers do different things and twists differently too. I think all have had it thin then thick so that is basically why they send some to try to learn with. Good luck and have fun!


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

I can tell this is a type of subjective thing. There is no right or wrong, just method and the one that works for you the best.

I played with it some last night. After church this morning I have been watching you tube vids. And Ive been playing with it some more. I think Im get a bit better today. So ya this is going to be a practice thing.

Im getting a useable yarn, so this doesnt bother me as much. I had visions of wasted expensive yarn :hair

This is strangely calming and fascinating at the same time. :happy2:

For now I like predrafted lengths. I find it really easy to join lengths. Its gonna take some time before I can throw a whole bundle over my shoulder and come out with something consistent. 
Right now Im breaking it down into smaller lengths and then spinning it together. I like it, I am getting it to where I can get it the thickness of the 4ply yarn I usually use. Looks ok too.

So far Im doing better with the top whorl, than the bottom. 

Thank you everyone, off to more play.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Sounds like progress to me. You definitely have a healthy outlook. I started on a bottom whorl because I thought that was all there was. I could never get it to stop wobbling. I switched to a top whorl and found success. But like you said it is subjective, very subjective. 

It is all usable yarn. Keep up the good work!


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Last night:









Today:


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## Chaty (Apr 4, 2008)

Well I made a big goof I meant to say teh top whirl...guess its CRS again...forgive me I love the top whirl as its so much easier than the bottom whirl. I can get the top spinning tons better than the bottom whirl. Yes it does teach you patience and I think its very calming too, I just have to wait till my puppies go to sleep before I can do mine as they want to play with it. I dont even want to talk about my cat...haha...Now that I have my wheel I dont use the spindle much anymore but it is different and I can make different types of yarn on it better than my wheel. Also you have probably found out with the spindle you are using muscles that you forgot you had too.


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

I kept trying to spin it like they do in the videos last night. Result was it wound up on the floor quite a few times. What I like is that you can pretty much see how thick you want the yarn, & just pull that size off of the roving, & spin it up.

I know I keep getting it to tight. When I spun it to the bottom of the floor I got it too tight. Im doing smaller batches. I figure I will catch on or get in a rythm that works for me. If I would have started out with a bottom whorl, I probably would have given up on this. 

My little bird didnt know what to make of the yarn, especially all laid out. He didnt want anything to do with that spinning top either. :hysterical: 
He normally supervises all work and materials

ETA: I just ran those small bundles under hot water to help it keep its shape (thats what one of the vids suggested) it smelled like a small farm for a few minutesound:


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

Chaty said:


> Also you have probably found out with the spindle you are using muscles that you forgot you had too.


Oh yeah! I am familiar with the spindling-until-your-arms-dont-even-work- anymore-syndrome. :teehee:


Pearl B, you have to upload your pics to a webhosting site like photobucket and then paste the IMG code over here, for your pics to show. 
You can do it!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Pearl are you drafting too or just tearing off pieces the size you want to spin? There is a difference.


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

gone-a-milkin said:


> Oh yeah! I am familiar with the spindling-until-your-arms-dont-even-work- anymore-syndrome. :teehee:
> 
> 
> Pearl B, you have to upload your pics to a webhosting site like photobucket and then paste the IMG code over here, for your pics to show.
> You can do it!


 Oops, they are showing on my comp, I just figured they were showing up on HT :smack


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Marchwind said:


> Pearl are you drafting too or just tearing off pieces the size you want to spin? There is a difference.


Just tearing off pieces the size I want to spin, so far. Till I get the hang of that, then I will try drafting as I go


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

I see them now. Looks very good from here.


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## Chaty (Apr 4, 2008)

I agree it is looking good..hang in there you will get to where you can do it and watch tv at the same time...


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

I tried drafting last night, it didnt work out so well. Much bigger than this is just to unmanageable to me. Its about the length of my bed. Im still glad I got that extra roving to play with.










and the thickness


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

You can draft from the thin strips and make them as long or as short as works for you. Do the park and draft method. Are you winding the yarn onto your spindle or taking each length off as you complete it? I'm curious why you don't seem to be leaving the yarn on the spindle until it is filled? Drafting is tricky but it is the key to all spinning. Keep working on it you will get it.


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Im trying the park and draft. Yes Im winding the yarn onto the spindle. 



> I'm curious why you don't seem to be leaving the yarn on the spindle until it is filled?


Usally Ive got so many breaks and retys I decide to try and start over.

I usually only get about this far.










When I try to draft, long or short, it seems I always wind up breaking it. The only way I seem to be able to do this is to start with pre-drafted lengths.

Im not sure this is for me. It hasnt been therapeutic at all today.


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## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

I tried to spindle spin. You have a stronger will than I have. I'm trying to get a wheel now, the spindle really just isn't for me! Yours look good though.


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

I suspect these things were built as a cruel evil tease, designed to make one want-need-get a spinning wheel. 

Thanks, my are starting to get kinda lame, and Im running out of roving. I dont want to break into the good stuff till Im a little better at it anyways.

Its frustrating!


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

Oh no! Dont you give up yet! :nono:

There will always be more fiber to spin. It is a renewable resource. 
You have just about gotten the rudiments down.
Go ahead and spin up the dyed rovings next. Working with color adds a lot of interest to spinning too.

It takes hours of practice to master it. It just DOES. 
There is no such thing as 'wasting' good rovings with the drop spindle. 
You are learning so much, so quickly!
Keep at it. :angel:


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

gone-a-milkin said:


> Oh no! Dont you give up yet! :nono:
> 
> There will always be more fiber to spin. It is a renewable resource.
> You have just about gotten the rudiments down.
> ...


:hysterical::angel::rotfl:It hasnt helped that the computer has been all wonky, & is trying to crash either.:viking::stars:


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

I hardly ever use a wheel. Not that I don't have one, but for years in the college dorms, a spindle was a much better use of space. If you have the will to do it, it can be a lot of fun! 

You can do it!


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## SvenskaFlicka (Nov 2, 2011)

Wow. . . double post.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Agree with GAM, don't you dare give up

I know these may seem like stupid questions I keep asking you. I really don't mean to imply that you are stupid. Are you sure you are always spinning the spindle in the same direction all the time? I know this was something that for me was a problem, especially if I thought about it. Do you know why your roving keeps breaking? Is it under-spun or over-spun? Is it breaking at a join? make sure you fluff out the ends before you join them. You said you didn't have any problems with joins before, do you know what is different?

Spinning is kind of like raising a child. You will go through great frustrations just before you have am "Aha" moment. What you have so far looks good. Send me you mailing addie and I'll send you some roving. But as GAM says, there is a lot of fibers out there. Spin what you have. It will all be usable. WIHH made a really cute hat out of some of her first spun yarns. Don't stoop now.

Two books you might want to invest in. Hands On Spinning by Lee Ravens, and Respect the Spindle by Abby Franquemont (she also has a DVD). Both you might be able to find used via Amazon.


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## Chaty (Apr 4, 2008)

I would also check out the Library to see if by chance they have any dvd's on spinninng with a spindle. These dvds run longer than some on youtube and can help alot too...


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## Mrs. Jo (Jun 5, 2007)

I learned tons of stuff about spindles spinning on youtube and then I practiced and practiced. It is doable but you have to have less controlling attitude about the fiber. Having just enough control of the fiber is what you want, so that it is easy to draft and but still easy to stop the twist when you need to. Don't sqeeze teh fiber to death...Also, really long rovings are hard to control at first so a smaller tuft of fiber or spinning from the fold may work better. 
Top whorl spindles are really great. The park and draft method is what you want to practice a lot before you try it standing up and going faster. It get's easier the more you try. I like the look of your yarns! Keep trying, don't give up.


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Good advise Mrs. Jo Also just because you have roving doesn't mean you have to keep it in roving form. I personally find it easier to ball the fiber up in my hand and spin from the "tuft" as Mrs. Jo calls it. Especially if it is a sliver or top. A roving doesn't have the fibers all perfectly lined up with each other. Top and sliver, or combed fibers can be very difficult to spin from in that form. Spinning from the fold means taking a section (usually the length of the fibers) and folding it over your index finger and spinning off the tip of that finger.

BTW, do you know how to tell the length of your fibers? It's a pretty important thing to know. This will tell you how far to hold your hands while drafting, how far the twist has to travel to hold the fibers together. Maybe I'll make a quick video about what I'm talking about. I've also noticed that I don't have one about drafting, maybe those would be helpful to others too.


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

Okay after being frustrated with it, I just let it sit for a few days. Watched a few more videos.Discovered I didnt know anything about predrafting/drafting?
Watched a vid about it.

Went back to playing with it. Its fun again. 

Drafting ya thats the thing Im playing with the most now. And the spin, well all of it together. I was having an easy time joining, then I couldnt. Now I can again. Its the twist. Its getting a bit easier to use the spindel, the spin/weight/pull on yarn/desired thickness/thiness, all together at the same time.

Amazing how one can pull the fibers apart, and in to place almost, then just give a quick spin.

Also, the 3 different colors/batches. The soft white roving is really easy to work with. So is the blue. The red, is different. I wonder if the other 2 were combed/carded?

I like to pull the wool across & then lengthwise.

Right now Im working with the blue. Im making it small and am going to try and wind it together with some turquoise red heart yarn I have. 

So back to playing. I have noticed it helps if one is in a calm frame of mind to begin with :hysterical:

Thanks everyone, the questions made me think & experiment!


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## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

YAY!!!!!! I'm so glad you are happy with your spinning again. Funny how it all works out too isn't it. Watching it work is fascinating; how the twist travels up the fibers, how it holds together.....

Keep it up, you'll have it all come together soon enough. Keep practicing.


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## Pearl B (Sep 27, 2008)

> Funny how it all works out too isn't it. Watching it work is fascinating; how the twist travels up the fibers, how it holds together.....


Thats it, its so cool when everything comes together too.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Pearl B. said:


> So back to playing. I have noticed it helps if one is in a calm frame of mind to begin with :hysterical:


Hence the suggestion of a couple glasses of wine before you begin!


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## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

I had a hard time getting the hang of it too. My spinning wheel is not working right, so if I want to spin, I may have to get my spindle out.


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