# Spinning- Newbee spindle observation.



## MrsMurdog (Apr 16, 2013)

I was happy with my little Turkish spindle, but after reading books and watching videos, I decided to jump on the Paradise Fibers sale and buy their rosewood spindle. I was thought I might like the longer spindle as I saw some leg plying in a video. Last night I tried my new spindle. HOOO Boy, what a difference. I went from feeling pretty good about my first little spinning to flopping all over the place. I couldn't get the leader yarn to stay put, couldn't get the yarn to stay in the hook while spinning, the draw kept breaking. Yes, I dropped my precious new spindle about 4 times. Finally on the last drop the little ball of wound yarn popped off the end of the spindle (not sure how it traveled all the way down the spindle to pop off, but it did) and I gave up. I went back to my little Turkish spindle and all was well. When I finished the roving I had set out to spin, I spliced the first wound from the new spindle on and wound it on the Turkish. Well, I noticed it was quite a bit fluffier and not spun as tight. Rosalind, the rosewood spindle has been put away until I have more skills!


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## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

Maybe the rosewood spindle is a bit to slippery. It is a bit different to spin with different spindle types. I learned on the spindle like the rosewood one. I have not tried a Turkish spindle yet. Who knows if I would like it. Try it again you might get the hang of it. Took me a while to get it down when I first started. Just something new. The rosewood spindle is very pretty. You could leave it out and let it tempt you. lol


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## spinninggill (Apr 9, 2011)

Looking at the hook - that may be part of the problem as it is very straight. Perhaps you could change it for a cup hook or if that's not possible, gently bend the hook into more of a curved shape. This will hold the yarn (or leader ) in place better. As the spindle is longer and heavier, you need to put more twist in for draft in comparison with the turkish. Better to overspin slighlty as this will even out when plying.


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## lovey (Nov 11, 2011)

i liked the turkish spindle I got


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## sockyarn (Jan 26, 2011)

I also got a spindle with the hook on the whorl end and did not like the way it worked so unscrewed it and put it on the other end (that is where I was use to it being) and all was well.


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## Hazel Blumberg - McKee (Sep 9, 2011)

You might also like to try a Spindolyn. (They're available online; just Google Spindolyn.) They're supported spindles, but they spin yarn of any staple length and of any weight. And they don't drop! I love mine.

Hazel


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## IndigoSpinner (Jul 9, 2011)

Yeah, it does look like the "hook" that's on there would be trouble. That's probably a _lot_ of your problem. If you're good with crafts and moving objects, I'd get a pair of jewelers pliers and bend the part that sticks out over to hold the yarn in one spot, and then adjust it so that the top is centered. If the top of the hook isn't centered, it will wobble _badly._ If you're not good at crafty things, get help from someone who is, preferably a spinner.

Don't give up, though. I think the easiest thing for you to use for a new and different spindle would be a support spindle.

What I learned on was a Navajo spindle, and it's probably the most versatile spindle you can have. You can spin _anything_ on it from the finest lace to the heaviest super bulky singles. It's about as fast to spin on as a wheel. You spin sitting on the edge of your chair with the spindle end sitting on the floor and turn it by rubbing it along your thigh. It's easy on your hands because you don't use that finger-snapping motion, just your hand flat (like you saw the top whorl spindle spun), and your upper arm does most of the work. It's _very_ easy to learn. I had some coaching, but I just sat down and started spinning.

Webs even carries them:

https://www.yarn.com/products/schacht-navajo-drop-spindle?sku=SCH-DSPINNAVA&gclid=CjwKEAjw387JBRDPtJePvOej8kASJADkV9TLeso1JDvmnsDi3ZZ-ePDuOZ9GhZZF_MFyv-v2bgy7XRoCvUzw_wcB






If you'd like something smaller or a bit more portable, I'd recommend a small support spindle, like a Tibetan spindle. You'll probably need a bowl for that, too. This is how you spin on one: 




I'd search on Etsy for Tibetan spindle, and look for one that's on the heavy side. A lot of them are beautifully made and finished ones that are true works of art and are expensive, but if you look around, you can find one that's less expensive. I bought a Russian spindle (very similar) on Etsy today for $15 plus shipping. I already can't wait to get it.

With a drop spindle, you have to have one that's just the exact weight and shape for the yarn you want to make. Drop spindles have the advantage/disadvantage that they try to make your spinning even and spin just one kind of yarn. If you try to spin a kind of yarn (thickness and twist) that the spindle wasn't intended to make, it just won't work. That's why they're hard to use unless you happen to want to spin what they want to spin, the yarn will break or something else bad will happen.

Support spindles, though, tend to allow you to spin whatever weight and twist yarn you want to spin. Since they're supported, a heavier spindle just makes it spin better (within reason).

This is the spindle I bought this morning:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/506734710/russian-supported-spindle-from-mahogany

As you can see from the photo, it's very similar to a Tibetan Spindle. The whorl isn't _quite_ as wide as some Tibetan spindles, but wide as some, and it's all one piece of wood, which is what makes it a Russian spindle rather than Tibetan. It's lighter than I'd like, but it's such a cutie!

If you decide to get a support spindle and need help, you can always PM me, and I'll try to help.


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## Cathy B (May 15, 2014)

Hazel Blumberg - McKee said:


> You might also like to try a Spindolyn. (They're available online; just Google Spindolyn.) They're supported spindles, but they spin yarn of any staple length and of any weight. And they don't drop! I love mine.
> 
> Hazel


Love my Spindolyn as well. With the Spindolyn I can actually achieve a nice even 3 ply fingering weight.


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## Hazel Blumberg - McKee (Sep 9, 2011)

Cathy B said:


> Love my Spindolyn as well. With the Spindolyn I can actually achieve a nice even 3 ply fingering weight.


I am a total klutz, so if I can produce nice yarn on my Spindolyn, I figure that it's for everybody! Cool that you can produce a three-ply fingering weight! That's awesome!

Hazel


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## Cathy B (May 15, 2014)

Hazel Blumberg - McKee said:


> I am a total klutz, so if I can produce nice yarn on my Spindolyn, I figure that it's for everybody! Cool that you can produce a three-ply fingering weight! That's awesome!
> 
> Hazel


I'm also a klutz with a drop spindle. I shocked myself with how fine I could spin my singles on the spindolyn. I actually do better with the spindolyn than I do on either of my wheels.


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## MrsMurdog (Apr 16, 2013)

An update. So, after looking at the videos Indigospinner posted and reviewing my spindle book. I have decided to modify my spindle into a supported spindle. I have replaced the hook with a finishing nail, I will put a rubber screw cap on the tip to catch my half hitch and will use an egg cup as a support. I have been practicing spinning it in the egg cup and it is so very smooth! Of course, it was after the stores were closed on Sunday that I worked this up, so I will have to stop by the hardware store for the screw cap on my way home. I will post an in process photo when I get a little spun on it.

I am very excited because I had purchased two of the rosewood spindles. Now I will have three different method spindles.


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## gardenpoet (Jun 24, 2016)

This is certainly an interesting conversation to me. I started spinning in early March this year with a drop spindle and found myself way more successful when I was supporting it instead of letting it hang, usually. I hadn't heard of a support spindle, so thought I was cheating, but hey it worked. I will try it again using an egg cup (finally get some use out of the egg cup) and see if that works better--maybe spin longer. Thanks for your info and ideas!


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## makeitsew2750 (Jan 23, 2011)

If you are going to use the spindle as a supported one I would use the part where the hook is as the base after you remove the hook and you don't have to use a half hitch at the top in order to spin it. I have used a supported spindle for many years if I were you I would make the top of the spindle thinner and into a gradual point. This is what one of my supported spindles looks like


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## MrsMurdog (Apr 16, 2013)

makeitsew2750 said:


> If you are going to use the spindle as a supported one I would use the part where the hook is as the base after you remove the hook and you don't have to use a half hitch at the top in order to spin it. I have used a supported spindle for many years if I were you I would make the top of the spindle thinner and into a gradual point. This is what one of my supported spindles looks like


Thank you. Your reply has led me to watch several "getting started" videos on how to wrap the supported spindle to start. I also learned about the different angles of the hands to park and draft then wrap. I probably wont get a chance to try it out until Saturday.


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