A Word on Drop Spindles
By Linda S. Davis

I wanted to share my initial experience concerning Drop Spindles to emphasize the fact that there is no right or wrong way to spin, nor is there one way better than another. We all have our likes and dislikes, and it is strictly up to the individual to know what works and does not work for them.

When I attended my first spinning class, the group was initially taught to spin using a drop spindle first before learning on a wheel. I tried it and managed to make it work fairly well since it is slow. Others who tried it found it very frustrating, difficult, and extremely fruitless. When I got home, I continued to work with the drop spindle, but my patience simply did not stretch far enough to keep me happy with this method of spinning. When my husband asked me what I wanted that year for Christmas, there was not one moment of hesitation before my mouth uttered "a spinning wheel," and I was quick to pull out a catalog and picture of exactly what I wanted. On Christmas morning, my heart sunk as there was nothing under the tree that even resembled a spinning wheel; but after the last present was opened, my dear husband pulled out a box that he had hid in the closet. It was "Annabelle!" (I give all my wheels names.)

By noon, Annabelle was completely assembled and ready to spin. The rest of the day was spent carding wool, making rolags, and then spinning. That was one of my best Christmases ever!

My instructor had told me that the only way to really learn how to spin is "practice," and she was right. The more you do it, the better you get. (By the way, did I mention that my first yarn resembled something that looked more like a rope?) For me, it was easier to learn by spinning "greased" wool and then working on the right tension. But everyone will have his or her own preferences, and there is no right or wrong way. There are many different techniques, and using the drop spindle is no different. There are different techniques, and you just have to find what is right for you. I certainly prefer using a wheel to a drop spindle, but the advantage of a drop spindle is its size and the ability to be able to take it with you anywhere. Now that I have accomplished a better technique to my spinning and feel comfortable with what I am doing, I find that I am becoming more fascinated (maybe a better word is intrigued) with the drop spindle and want to use it more and more to become proficient with its use. Also, I am finding that there are some very beautiful spindles out there, which beg to be touched and used.

If you do decide to get a drop spindle, you need to consider a couple of things:

The weight of the drop spindle will determine what type of yarn you will achieve. A heavy spindle is used to create heavy/thick yarn, while the very small and delicate ones are used for fine fibers such as cotton, angora, and so on.

Use good sheep wool, such as Corriedale or Romney, for your initial experiences. Try both "greased" wool and "scoured" wool to see which works best for you. If you use "junk" wool, you may have a less than pleasant experience.

It will take days before you really get the "hang" of it and start seeing improvement in what you are doing. Lock yourself up in a room where you have no one to interrupt you, hang a "do not disturb" sign on the door, and turn on your favorite music -- then, spin to your heart's content! Most of all, good luck!

Copyright Notice: (c) 2002 by Linda S. Davis. This article is copyrighted, and the author expressly reserves all rights. This article may not be used without the expressed written permission of the author.