# Spinning- Progress so far on my Turkish drop spindle.



## MrsMurdog (Apr 16, 2013)

This is what I have done so far. I am having a bit of trouble with the drafting. I seem to have to pull a lot harder than the teachers on the videos. I am kind of getting around it by pre drafting a bit before starting each spin. I seem to be making some little felt balls at the end of my working roving. I tried letting it hang, but managed to spin it into my work. I was wondering if it would work to hold it in a ziplock baggie or a small drawstring bag to keep it from felting in my hand while attempting to work it?


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## raedean (Apr 25, 2011)

very lovely yarn.


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## msgran (Feb 12, 2011)

With the predafting, hold your hands a little further apart than the average length of the fibers. Pull out one or two fibers to get an idea of the length of the fibers and keep your hands that far apart, at least, while you predraft. Then, while you are spinning don't hold the drafting fiber too tight. It takes practice!!!!! Hope these suggestions help you. What you have spun so far looks great. Love the colors.


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## RobynMay (May 14, 2012)

Just learned how to wind it onto the bottom wings ....little mantra ... over 2 under 1, over 2 under1 .... I love my Turkish spindle.
Have also recently learned to Andean ply too.


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## Krickettkaos (May 29, 2016)

The beauty of a Turkish spindle, is that you can remove the single from the the arms( or really, the arms from the ball of singles), and ply directly from the centre pull ball that it has made! No need to Andean ply, although it is a reasonable skill to learn.


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## spins2knit (Jul 29, 2013)

Looks Good!


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## gardenpoet (Jun 24, 2016)

Wow, I think you are doing a beautiful job. I'm impressed. I agree with holding you hands further apart to draft, though sometimes I found that also makes me not be in as much control as I needed (and would break the fiber in two suddenly when they got free and I was applying too much pull). Another thing to try is to first split the fiber in two lengthwise, just peeling it into two long strands. I don't know if that is cheating, but it works. I also noticed Cat Bordhi doing it in her YouTube video about spinning with rubber balls-- just watch how she drafts, and how she holds the fiber (wrapped around her arm): 



 (Thanks to whoever posted that here recently.)


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## IndigoSpinner (Jul 9, 2011)

Krickettkaos said:


> The beauty of a Turkish spindle, is that you can remove the single from the the arms( or really, the arms from the ball of singles), and ply directly from the centre pull ball that it has made! No need to Andean ply, although it is a reasonable skill to learn.


To make Andean plying easier, there is a company that makes "Handy Andy," which is a substitute for your hand while doing it for when the doorbell or the phone rings.

http://www.nancysknitknacks.com/handy-andy.html

And, this is how you do it, for those of you not familiar with Andean plying:


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## Goodshepfarm (Jul 20, 2014)

Looking good!


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

Wow you are doing a amazing job. My first was so big and chunky. How much are you taking from the roving try using a thinner longer piece before you draft and I still predraft for all my spinning even on the wheel. I split long ways a couple of times then use a pc about 6 to 8 inches long. Do not know if that will help. But you are doing oh so good keep practicing.


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## sockyarn (Jan 26, 2011)

Good start. Looks very pretty.


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## MrsMurdog (Apr 16, 2013)

Thank you all for your help. Those video links are great. My living room isn't big enough for the rubber ball method. That is right up there with making a spindle from 5 pencils and 4 rubber bands. I don't think I want to try the Andean method at this time. I feel like I need both of my hands for spinning. Since my Turkish spindle will give me center pull balls, I think I will use either the balls in the coffee cup or under the Pyrex measuring cup method. I will eventually have to learn to hold the plying yarn in my hand as my goal is to get proficient enough to take a walk while spinning.


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## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

That looks great and your roving is very pretty. When I first started, I drafted as I went along with the entire roving intact. I didn't think I was supposed to disturb the roving from its original piece. Now, I pull off about 8 inches in length at a time and split that into sections so the strips I am spinning from are much thinner. That helped me a lot. I like your Turkish spindle. That is my next purchase....down the road. Lol


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## spinninggill (Apr 9, 2011)

Lovely yarn. I have seen spindlers with a long roving wrapped loosely around their arm, or there are also 'Spindlers Cuffs' - a knitted, crocheted or sewn cuff with a pocket that can be worn on the wrist and the roving tucked into the pocket.


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## MrsMurdog (Apr 16, 2013)

spinninggill said:


> Lovely yarn. I have seen spindlers with a long roving wrapped loosely around their arm, or there are also 'Spindlers Cuffs' - a knitted, crocheted or sewn cuff with a pocket that can be worn on the wrist and the roving tucked into the pocket.


Thank you. I just watched a video and I think I will give that a try as soon as I knit myself a cuff.


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## amoamarone (Feb 21, 2015)

gardenpoet said:


> Wow, I think you are doing a beautiful job. I'm impressed. I agree with holding you hands further apart to draft, though sometimes I found that also makes me not be in as much control as I needed (and would break the fiber in two suddenly when they got free and I was applying too much pull). Another thing to try is to first split the fiber in two lengthwise, just peeling it into two long strands. I don't know if that is cheating, but it works. I also noticed Cat Bordhi doing it in her YouTube video about spinning with rubber balls-- just watch how she drafts, and how she holds the fiber (wrapped around her arm):
> 
> 
> 
> (Thanks to whoever posted that here recently.)


My dogs would love for me to spin with balls. They would help!


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