With knitting growing in popularity, many knitters are learning the joys of knitting with their own homemade yarns. Drop spindles are inexpensive and easy to use, and a great introduction to the ancient art of handspinning.
Picture yourself knitting or crocheting with kid mohair, silky and soft, or with a blend of the finest lambs wool and cashmere. Does the image make you wince because you know you can't afford that kind of yarn? Nonsense! All you have to do is learn to spin.
Long before the spinning wheel was invented, people made yarn and thread using various kinds of spindle. A spindle is simply a stick with a weight on one end, but for such a simple tool it has many different variations. The drop spindle is the type most often used in Western Europe for spinning wool and flax. Learning to use a drop spindle is simple, and before you know it you can be spinning your own luxury yarns.
The Drop Spindle
You can use almost anything as a spindle, even a dowel stuck through a ball of modeling clay. It's best to start with a purchased spindle; however, because you can be sure the balance and weight are appropriate for a beginner. An unbalanced spindle can be annoying to work with, especially when you're just learning. But don't worry; you can buy a drop spindle for less than $15.
The drop spindle consists of a shaft--the dowel part--and a whorl, which is the weight. At the top is either a hook or a notch.
For the beginner, a spindle that weighs around three ounces is a good idea. You can spin a good worsted weight singles (unplied strand of yarn) on a three-ounce spindle. On a heavier spindle you spin thicker yarns; on a lighter spindle you spin thinner yarns. Eventually you'll want to own a selection of spindles, but for now you just need one three-ouncer.
Whether you buy a high whorl spindle or a low whorl is up to you. I learned on a low whorl with no problems, but I know spinners who swear the high whorl spindle is easier to use. Once you can spin on one type you can spin on both, though, so just pick a spindle you like the looks of.
The choice of a hook or a notch at the top of the spindle is a harder decision. If you choose a top whorl spindle you'll always have a hook, but bottom whorl spindles can have either (although most have hooks). I like to start out my students with notches. With the notch you're forced to learn to quickly make a half-hitch, which is a good skill for anyone who works with yarn. But the hook is certainly easier to work with. Again, it's up to you and the kind of spindle you like.