Spindle Spinning Thoughts – Part 2

Continues from Part 1.

8) I get odd looks for saying this, but really, really try not to think of your spindle as a “Drop Spindle”. Think of it as a “Suspended Spindle”, a term I first read in Priscilla Gibson Robert’s “High Whorling”, recently re-issued as “Spinning in the Old Way”. It makes a lot of sense. How you think of your tool has a huge influence on your attitude and relationship with it: what you expect it to do, how you will use it. (The same applies to people, I’ve found.)

9) Speaking of attitudes, if you are going for lessons on spindle-spinning, find a teacher who actually likes spindles, rather than somebody who’d rather be spinning on a wheel and has to teach the course because somebody said to. Remember what I said about Boat Anchors? Well, there are lots of teachers out there for whom Boat Anchors were the only spindles available when they were learning. No wonder they hate them. The problem is that their attitudes can be subtly transmitted to you (and not so subtly, as well) and will influence your work with the spindle -- positively or negatively.

10) Further on attitudes. Cut yourself some slack. Beginning spinners have this strange notion that they will pick up the tool and immediately turn out yarn as even and smooth as the mill-spun yarn they buy in the store. Then when it doesn't happen, they beat themselves up something terrible. Your first yarns will be thick'n'thin and lumpy, and even with some experience you'll spin some yarns that are only good for tying up the tomato plants. This is normal. So let it be okay to have a learning curve. You are learning a whole lot of skills: coordinating your hands in a new way, coordinating your eyes with your hands in a new way. You're learning how to predict how the fiber will behave between your hands. That's a lot of new things to have to learn.

That said, if after 6 months of daily spinning you’re still having problems – the spindle’s not behaving the way you think it should, or you’re still making thick’n’thin yarn when you don’t want to be – get a lesson, or read a magazine article on twist and drafting, or get an experienced spindlespinner to test your spindle, or get some better fiber, or something. There are lots of variables that influence the spinning process and the final yarn product; the more you’re aware of what they are and have some control over them, the better your spinning, and your spinning experience will be.

11) Wheel-spinners who are starting to spindle-spin have a learning curve as well, because with wheel spinning it can be easy to kinda ignore the rate that twist is going into the fibre mass. With every treadle tromp, the flyer goes around the same number of times, and by the time you’ve been spinning for a bit, the drive wheel/flyer doesn’t slow, stall and change direction on you without your being aware of it.

With spindle spinning, things aren’t quite so simple. You do have to pay attention to twist insertion; you have to pay attention to the spindle’s behaviour because it will slow down, and if you’re not paying attention, it will hit the ground. And it will function differently when you start getting some yarn wound on it, especially if it’s one that has the weight on the rim of the whorl. So, let yourself have a learning curve, as well.

Too many experienced wheelspinners pick up a spindle, expect to effortlessly make perfect yarn, and when that doesn’t happen, they go on and on about  how much time they spend retrieving it from under furniture and that they know why it’s called a “drop spindle” and that it all goes to show that a wheel is infinitely superior and only daft people spindle spin.

[aside] When I did my IT diploma a couple of years ago, my SQL instructor explained that at one of her database jobs, whenever there was a problem with a query that didn’t work out and she would vent about it, her manager would say “PEBCAC”. Which means: “Problem Exists Between Computer and Chair”. I’ve not found the spinning equivalent to that expression. Perhaps there is a contest in the making.[end_aside]

 12) Try to spin for a few minutes every day. This is better for learning the skills than spinning for an hour once per week: spindles make it easy to do that. Once you get over the initial learning curve, it’s easy to spin in odd moments here and there. I know there are spindle spinners who spin while waiting in line-ups, and so on, but I don’t find it convenient to carry a spindle around for things like that. But, I can make a few yards of yarn while waiting for the water to boil for tea, or for a friend to come by to pick me up when we’re going out, or before I head out the door for work in the morning, or when I come home from work and am trying to clear the day out of my head. With my wheel, it’s harder to do this: I have to move the wheel from its place in the corner, get a chair correctly positioned in front of the wheel, and so on.

13) You’ll find it easier to spin if you get your roving (or top) wrapped around a wrist distaff. (click to enlarge picutre) This gets it up and out of the way of the descending spindle, preventing accidents that will have you cursing. (Unless you’re spinning in a breezy environment, and then the spindle will be blown around and it will get snagged in the fiber supply. Especially if people are watching you. Like they were me, at Rhinebeck. After I’d explained that they should use a wrist distaff to prevent the very thing that was happening.) There are various versions of wrist distaffs: this one that I use and have given to people. Your hand goes through the loop at the top ("X" marks the spot) so it hangs on your wrist. There are pictures of unloaded distaffs here.

14) A well performing spindle is a good gift – along with some good quality fiber – for a person who is interested in spinning. If you’ve been using one and don’t like it, give it away. If you have one and it’s too heavy or too light for what you’re tending to spin, find a new home for it. If you’ve got one and find that spindle spinning is just not for you, find someone for whom it is.

Have fun with your spinning, and be gentle on yourself while you’re learning.

There: 2 long posts. Congratulations if you made it through both. Comments? Questions?

Comments

[Deb]

Parts 1 and 2: GREAT overview and intro to spinning. The posts are long (not too long), yet the coverage is succinct and thorough. The boat anchor I started with (that's all there was at the time) was very well made, which was its saving grace. New spindle-spinners have so many more options now and can make progress so much faster!

[Janice in GA]

I'm glad you're recommending a slightly heavier spindle, especially for beginners. I really think it's easier to make yarn with a 1.5 - 2.0 oz spindle.
I agree with pretty much everything you said except about the notch on the spindle rim. Back when I learned to spin on a spindle a bazillion years ago, notches on spindles weren't common. I learned to spin without one, and I still prefer it. On spindles like the one on the right in your labelled photo, the position of the notch would just annoy me -- it's way off to the side! I bring my yarn up from the shaft so it comes directly behind the hook. The only time I have problems is when the spindle starts to get full and heavy. The yarn will slip sometimes then.
I don't use a wrist distaff either. I either hold a rolag in my hand, or wrap the roving round my arm.
But I'm an old fart and kinda set in my ways. More power to anyone who actually uses other tools!

[sarah]

I didn't think the posts were anywhere near too long, but then I'm a new spinner. I found your comments about 'boat anchors' very reassuring -- the Kundert recommended by an internet acquaintance was very expensive, but I love it dearly. It wants to spin forever and I can only try to keep up. Point 10 is a good one to stress: perhaps it's a function of increasing mechanisation, or the increasing sophistication of our tools, but I wonder sometimes whether we've (well, me at least) have become accustomed to finding things easy to do well. People once spent most of their waking hours perfecting these skills, with good reason.

I'd welcome your comments and suggestions about the things that you find important when trying to produce a constant, relatively fine yarn. My goal is to spin sock yarn (and eventually laceweight), but I don't know what to aim for with handspun -- something quite tightly twisted that releases a bit when washed, or something softer that produces a hard-wearing fabric when knit more tightly? Perhaps it's a matter of preference, and I should just knit everything I spin until I discover my own likes and dislikes.

I was also reassured by your mention of spinning combed silk tops; I bought some of this recently just because I could imagine the sheen and hand-dyed colours spiralling along a yarn. I have no idea how to spin them, but I know it has to be done. That's something it's difficult to convey in words: the sheer thrill of watching and feeling 'stuff' become yarn at my command.

[beth]

Thank you for this. I need to start a spindle spinning class around the first of the year - if I can get some students that is - and sometimes the things I want to say don't come out very beautifully. I will take your words, mix them with my own and run with it. I have learned to spindle spin and I love it. I hope to be able to teach that.

[Kate]

A wonderful, thorough explanation, Ted. Thanks for taking the time to share some of your skill and experience so eloquently.

BTW, Tracy now has StarLight Comets weighing less than 1 ounce - I saw Matthew's the other night. The thing practically floats to the ceiling. He was spinning merino/silk froghair, which will STILL be froghair when plied. Awesome.

http://woollydesigns.com/spindles/producti.htm

[Angel]

Thank you for the post- I've been spinning on a wheel for a little while but would really like to get proficiant on the spindle-

I found you through Mar's website- she said that you recommended the Comet Spindle to her, and I read both hers and Franklin's comments on it- the spindle I currently have is a "beginners model" from who knows where and it doesn't spin for very long, thus giving me no chance to draft at all.

So I have ordered a comet, and will let you know what I think after I give it a go. I really would like to get proficent in spindle spinning because I travel so much and attend lots of academic conferences and stuff like that, so I would like to be able to take my spinning with me.

Also thanks for the warning on spindles that are beautiful, but don't spin great. As a grad student I have to be mindful as to where every dollar goes, and while I was scouring the internet for a new spindle, I was dismayed by how expensive some of them are...

Again thank you so much for your wisdom.

[jenknits]

“Problem Exists Between Computer and Chair”.

I work in the IT industry too and we call it "Pilot Error". Doesn't always result in crash and burn but frequently holds that potential. There was another one that I can't remember now. I'm not a techie, just an office manager, so I hear those expressions directed at me occationally and then I have to ask what they mean. My favorite is the I.D.ten T. error. But I never actually say it to people (I also do tech support for an ISP) because that would just be mean.

BTW, love your spindling thoughts. Very helpful to read your perspective. Thanks for taking the time to share.

[Duffy]

Thank you for posting this, Ted. I will try again. I have some Romney from OFFF that's been waiting for me to work on and a lovely spindle that is calling my name.

[Kate]

Oops - I'd edit my previous comment, if I could figure out how to do it.

Anyhoo, I mis-identified Tracy's new spindle - it is the UltraLight, and doesn't seem to appear on his website yet.

The StarLights are, of course, the ones we purchased this summer. I don't remember what Matthew said his UltraLight weighed, but our StarLights are less than an ounce. I seem to think his UltraLight is less than half an ounce. The whorl seemed to be one-third to one-half the thickness of the StarLight whorl.
Really quite amazing.

[JoVE]

For folks like me who have been paying attention to what you say on this subject for a while, there wasn't much new. But it is handy to have it all in one place. I have generally found your advice on this topic to be excellent (including the Comet recommendation) even though I am not in the habit of spinning every day.

[Judi]

I know nothing about spinning and probably won't ever do it (famous last words) but I enjoy reading your posts about it and found the information here very interesting.

[Josiane]

Thanks for posting this, Ted. As soon as I got your answer to my email I thought "wow, he really should turn this into a blog post so that other people can benefit from it". I was just waiting for you to come back from Rhinebeck and settle a bit to write with my suggestion... and there you are with those great posts! As we say in French: les grands esprits se rencontrent...
Anyways, thanks again for your help. I've received my spindle two days ago, and I can't wait to give it a try. Now I just have to find some time in a suddenly very busy schedule (bad timing when all I want to do is spin!) to make up my mind about what fiber to order and where to order it from... because all I can find locally is Fleece Artist stuff; not sure I want to start with something so precious!

[Mar]

Watching you spindle at Rhinebeck was so helpful. I am now doing much better, thanks to your demo--even though the fiber on the distaff got, um, out of hand, so to speak.

My Comet is .7 ozs and I really like it the best of the three I own, much better than my Hatchtown even. And you are so right about experienced wheel spinners expecting to spin perfectly on their first spindle try. God knows I still can't. But I'm working on it.

And if you ever again threaten to shut down your blog, I'm gonna make your life a living hell. You know I can.

[Fredda]

You're leaving me absolutely no excuses! Your clear explanations and thoughtful comments answered questions I didn't know to ask.

Now, what do you do with two cats who think that your spinning is all about them? Fiber, a spinning toy...they don't even seem to mind that there's no catnip! I'll sleep on that and start over tomorrow.

[Jim Conti]

Nice posts. Good go. Looks like Rhinebeck was inspiring.

Being a member of the boat anchor spindle school (circa 1980, homemade), I have to say this makes it all seem much more appealling. Even more interestingly you filled two full posts without even touching on "how to spin" on a spindle. I sense a continuing series or even the beginnings of a book....PEBSAS

BTW the Lendrum Saxony has arrived, has been assembled and tested. It's fantastic. I am pondering wood finishing methods/materials.

Best,

Jim

[Mary in MN]

I just want to add one little thing to your wonderful lessons on spindling and maybe you are planning to include it in future posts. That would be the importance of having the hook in perfect alignment so the spindle doesn't wag it's tail or start doing some gyrations. This can make the best of spindles a royal pain in the youknowwhat and be very discouraging to a new spindler. Tuning the hook so the yarn comes exactly up from the CENTER of the whorl is of the utmost importance. I use a pair of needle nose pliers with cork padded jaws (so as not to scratch the hook.)to do the tweaking. Keeping an eye on the hook position is important too since a fall or knock can bend some of them badly. We are talking eeentsy little adjustments here.

Please keep on blogging my friend, it's a great way to keep up on your comings and goings and your lessons on spindling are super too.

Hugs,
Mary

[Mary in MN]

As usual I have put foot in mouth. I read further in the blog and found that you DID talk about the hook. Please excuse me. If I knew how to withdraw the previous comment, I would. Maybe you can chop both of these, huh?

Mary in MN

[Lorraine]

I agree with all of your points, and I'm a devout and long-time spindler. I wonder if the shaft-weighted spindles you show in part I really want to be turned upside down and converted into support spindles, which often have such a whorl and work excellently. Any time you want to enter the spindling universe of support spindling, get ready, it's awesome!!

[TrickyTricot]

Great second post - and I think number 10 is something that should be reminded to even long time spinners.

I finally picked up the Twisted Sister's Sock book last night at Borders, and I was especially encouraged by this quote by Lynne, where she says, "Everytime I pick up my spindle, I learn something new." Good stuff.

Do you have a grouping of spinner's blogs you read often? Or resources (beyond Alden Amos and Spin Off) to recommend?

Thanks for this Ted.

[D2]

Good job, Ted! I read your thoughts before attending a fiber event. The information came in handy. I used them to help a young person get started on a spindle. After a few hours, he had yarn. Thick, but recognizable as yarn.

Thanks!
wrnk
d2

[obscure]

Thank you for the reminder--needed daily--to keep spinning daily and patiently.

[Matthew]

Follow-up to Kate's comment about the Ultralite Comet from Tracy: The weight is 11 grams or 0.4 ounces. It really does feel like it's going to float, but I would not recommend a spindle this light to beginners.

[janel]

Nice collection of spindle topics. I think it's really best to try out a spindle before you buy if you can. There are lots of great spindle makers out there, so don't be afraid to pick up a spindle by a maker you haven't heard of before and give it a test spin. The way it spins for you is the most important part, not the maker's rep, the price or any of that kind of stuff. I've bought some expensive beauties from makers that others swear by and they turned out to be clunkers for me. I've also bought some unknowns that turned out to be gems.

Of course you already said that. :-)

[ingrid_in_sweden]

I liked part 2 as well. Boat anchor? Too funny for words! I call them the Cave Men Club people or the fire wood collectors - some spindles would be better off warming our homes in Winter!

[spider]

Excellent spindle posts! My name for a spinner's PEBCAC is "driver control problems".
My name for a boat anchor is head klonker.
Cheers, Jenny