Drop Spindles: High vs. Low Whorl

Now that I have been spinning about 6 months, and have a collection of two count them two different spindles, clearly I am the world's expert on spindles, how to use them, their strengths and weaknesses, and other such topics. Yeah...right, but I have had some fun getting to know my different spindles and do have a few thought on the subject.

We'll start with a quick into to spindles. A spindle is basically a stick to wrap yarn around once its spun and a weight to keep the stick spinning (greater mass means great momentum after all). The stick will usually have a notch or hook on the spinning end to secure the yarn as you spin. There are many types of spindles that range from tinies less than an ounce, to monsters that are several feet tall. I use drop spindles, meaning the spindles get spun and then dropped and allowed to rotate in the air while the yarn gathers twist. In the category of drop spindles, I believe there are two types, though many styles within each type, the high and low whorl. The whorl is that weight that keeps the spindle spinning, and the high or low part refers to where it is placed on the spindle in relation to the new yarn being made.

Low Whorl Student spindle with dyed Cotswold

My low whorl spindle is a student spindle, and therefore very large. Not all low whorl spindles are this big, but it's size has some advantages.To start with, this this will spin forever, which was great for me when I was starting because I could start it spinning and then focus on my drafting for a pretty fair amount of time.

 This means I can now get a fairly long length of yarn before I have to stop and store my new yarn, as in I can start it spinning and draft until I am standing on my toes and my arm is above my head, so maybe 5 and a half feet of new yarn in a go.

Of course it only turns so well because it can maintain momentum, which means it has a lot of mass, which means it is heavy, which means it can and does break my yarn when my yarn gets too fine. I can still get pretty fine, but not with the consistency of my smaller spindle. I am also limited to short draw or "inch worm" drafting techniques as opposed to long draw methods as the bulk pulls the fibers apart very readily.

Another issue I have just recently had is that it is difficult for me to do the "Park and Draft." This is a technique where you spin you spindle and let tons of extra twist into a short amount of yarn, stop and hold your spindle (park), and then draft out enough fiber to take up the extra twist. This wasn't something I ever did, or thought I would ever do, until I got my new high whorl spindle.

High Whorl 1.1 ounce spindle with dyed Bella Wool

As soon as I started spinning on my high whorl spindle, I noticed an immediate difference. It doesn't spin as long, as it is much lighter, but I can spin much finer yarns because I don't need the yarn to hold as much weight as I am spinning.

It's also amazingly easy to Park and Draft with the high whorl. Before I would always stand to spin because I didn't want to stop spinning and wind my yarn after only spinning the three feet I could stretch while sitting. With Park and Draft, I can still stretch as far by parking my spindle between my feet, and I can easily spin in many more situations  (though I can still walk and spin with both).

Another fun aspect to the high whorl, though I'm not sure if it actually is a plus or not, is that I can start it spinning with my feet. When I park it, I am careful to align my feet so my right foot, the dominant one, is set behind my left foot. Then when I need more twist in my yarn, I can just kick my right foot out and it starts my spindle right up. Fun, but I don't know that it will ever be all that crucial to my spinning, but that's what I thought about Park and Draft too...

This all said, I do still love my big honkin' student spindle. I'm sure a lot of the issues I have with it, like it breaking my yarn when I spin to fine, could be solved by getting a "real" low whorl spindle instead of a "student" one, but we'll see if I need to go that far. It is amazingly wonderful for plying. Plying is when you take two single strands of yarn, or really thread at this point, and twist them together to make real yarn. My low whorl is so great because it's momentum allows me to zip through my singles. With my last two skeins of yarn, I have actually stood on a bar stool and used it as a true drop spindle, getting closer to 7 or 8 feet of plied yarn before I have to stop and wind it. It is also hefty enough to stand up to four ounces of DK or worsted weight yarn on it at once. Something tells me my little high whorl just wouldn't do as well (though they make heavier high whorls too).

This is what I have learned so far. I'm sure in another 6 months, when I've gotten another spindle or two, or even perhaps a wheel (gasp), I will have a completely different feeling towards these two guys. But that is part of the process and the fun. Learning is about trying new things, finding what works and what you like. Each new project brings new wool characteristics, methods, and outcomes, and after enough time, you become experienced enough to make reasonable predictions about how it will turn out, how to make it turn out, and how to make it as enjoyable a process as possible.

As always, I'd love to see or hear about what you all are working on. And please ask any questions you have about anything. Any new field has it's own vocabulary and don't think that you should inherently know these words. Also, anyone out there who is more experienced than me, please feel free to tell me what I'm doing wrong and how to do it better!
As always, thanks for reading and joining me in my journey to expertise!