Tips for Better Spinning with a Drop Spindle!

These are my three best tips for going from park and draft to suspended drop spindle spinning. This will help you spin finer yarn, drop your spindle less, and get the courage to try drop spinning for the first time if you have only used the park and draft method so far.

Let's Get Spinning!

~~In this Video~~

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[alliemackenzie]

Does everyone else here just wanna be besties with this kind, nonjudgmental, skilled, enthusiastic cutie? Like either that or deage and have her as a mom?

[shadowcat]

I started spinning in December and set a goal to be able to walk down the hall between classes and spin at the same time by the end of the school year. I started attempting suspended spinning in February and was walking with it by May

[alexeloriaga]

I LOVE these tips so much. I was so fortunate to have been taught most of my favorite crafts at the worst possible times XD. I learned to drop spindle in line at a yarn convention thanks to the most amazing woman. I had to quickly learn how to stop parking and drafting because it made inching forward in line awkward. The main thing that helped me was that she told me it wasn't possible to be bad a spinning. If I could spin a top, I could spin yarn. I might not like what I created, but it was yarn. I have no idea what her name was and I never saw her again, but I am so grateful for her.

[zurgy]

One time at work I wanted to make the handles of a plastic shopping bag tight enough that I could tie them together so I put the heavy box in the bag and spun it while holding onto the handles and it worked and I later realized I drop spindled the shopping bag.

[wintersfire]

I just took a drop spindle class at my LYS today 😀 The thing that had been keeping me from doing a fully suspended spin was that I was having "imposter syndrome." I had only spun on my drop spindle a few times and only played with my Ashford Traditional wheel a tiny bit. Once my instructor said, "You are spinning yarn. That makes you a spinner, " I felt confident enough to try spinning without parking the spindle. It went great and I had such a good time!!

Sometimes we just need a reminder that there are no gate keepers preventing us from spinning the way we want to. No one is going to ask you for your Spinner Identification Card. Just give that spindle a flick or treadle that wheel and you will have earned your official yarn spinner title 😀

[emm]

absolutely love this video. Been spinning for (counts) 11 years on the wheel and probably closer to 14 on the spindle, and I love seeing this kind of thing available for beginners now. thank you so much.

[EmsIsFab]

Me binge watching the s[indle playlist because I plan to buy a spindle and some wool on Thursday from my LYS 🤣

[scrapbagstudios]

Thank you for these tips. I have been spinning for about a month now on a drop spindle. I have been inch worming until a couple of days ago I realised that I need to just start suspending it and let go of the control, just accept whatever yarn I get and that I will get better with practice. But if I don't practice I will never get better. I am happy to say I am getting the hang of it and it is much quicker. Your channel is probably the one I watch the most and I love the historical bits as well. Thanks for sharing.

[southernstitcher]

Calcifer! Perfect name for this little flame touched spindle!

[greenecrayon]

I don't spin at all because I'm unemployed and on very tight means so for me, it's a cost barrier. But I love learning all the same so that maybe one day, if my financial situation changes, I can start trying. So thank you for being a resource for when I finally can try.

[billbliss]

So I have recently become interested in spinning my own yarn -- haven't actually done it yet. I looked at wheels and then thought "yeah, no... too much money just to try it." After watching this video, I've ordered a couple of spindles, and will try this method. Thanks for this great tutorial!

[jeanbadeaux]

Ahhh. The mindset part for me is definitely the fear of messing up or failing. Before I was in a bad car accident about 5 years ago that left me injured and in constant pain I was fearless in a good way. Now the anxiety I guess that has occurred because of that has changed the way I think because I have to be so careful of everything I do physically that its spilled over into all I do? You have given me lots to work on my friend.

[shadowlandsfarmandcreamery]

Evie, you absolutely sparkle when you teach! Thank you for putting some of your knowledge out here for us YouTube kids. You're my favorite spinning teacher! I wish I could come make rolags with you on my homemade blending board (made after watching your tutorial)❤
God bless,
Deb

[hollypixie]

This is interesting, because I started spinning a few months ago, and literally my first spindle was an apple with a chopstick through it.

Yes. Just an apple with a chopstick.

It was so heavy that I actually learned to spin by placing the end of the chopstick spindle inside a bowl. This way, I could control the amount of pull on my drafting area, and if I dropped it, it really didn't fall that far (apples bruise pretty easy, ya know?). Once I got my hands on a top whorl, it was so light that I switched straight to standing while spinning and continuously drafted on. I seriously recommend trying the "apple and chopstick" method to anyone who is trying to learn how to use a drop spindle. It reduces the drops, and you have a lot more control on the weight/pressure put on your drafting area and the spin of your spindle. It won't knock against your leg randomly, it won't swing wildly around, and while it does take more strength to get the spin going, it's fairly easy to get a nice, even, smooth spin from the spindle.

Then again, what do I know, as my mother likes to tell me, "you always choose the road uphill." I was the moron who decided to learn how to spin on flax. Because I'm silly! XD

[elynapege]

It took me a whole year to gather up the guts to try drop spinning without parking and drafting. I'm so glad I did it! It was a game changer in my spinning journey. For anyone out there who isn't sure they will succeed, just try it! The worst that will happen is that you will continue to use a method that you know well.

[ernatobler]

I have to get back to you and can't praise you enough!
Thank you so much for the wonderful tutorial on taking weight off the yarn with the little finger. It has revolutionized my suspended spinning. Now I am able to spin thin yarn with relatively heavy spindles.

[jenniferrosener]

One of the best drop spinning instruction videos I have ever seen!!! 🎉 thank you!!

[AnnaS-jwrj]

this is EXACTLY what I needed!! you have such a warm and loving energy and it’s an honor to learn this craft from you 🥰

[theredtower]

I loved standing and spinning and watching things around me. Now it's hard to stand long so I started using a longer Navajo spindle. It's fun and I get to teach ppl because they're interested. I've also spun in the car, with limited space and just turned the spindle with my fingers.

[zora]

I appreciate this. I just got a drop spindle from a fiber arts festival and couldn't figure out the drafting part so thank you :)